Southland Federated Farmers president Jason Herrick has thrown his full support behind a proposal to merge Southland’s four existing councils into two unitary authorities.
“It’s high time for rural Southlanders to have a system that puts their needs first.
“We’re 100% behind this idea of having two unitary authorities because we don’t want rural funding disappearing into city priorities,” Herrick says.
“If you create one unitary for Invercargill and one for the rest of Southland, it means the rural council can focus on the rural part of the region – and that’s exactly what our communities need.”
The proposed local government restructure was raised by Southland district mayor Rob Scott last year. Environment Southland, the region’s current regional council, has supported an investigation into the proposal.
The Local Government Commission is expected to decide next month whether to proceed with a full investigation into the idea. If given the green light, the process could take up to five years.
Herrick sees the change as a chance to streamline decision-making and improve environmental outcomes.
“Moving to a unitary model means we can do away with the regional council, and both new councils can take full responsibility for environmental management in their areas.
“That’s a more accountable and efficient way to do things,” he says.
However, Herrick agrees with others that the process must be handled carefully.
“We know this is going to be a slow process, and that’s appropriate. It needs proper consultation because you’ve got to involve the community and do it right.”
Nationally, Federated Farmers is supportive of conversations exploring whether unitary authority models could benefit other parts of the country, particularly where rural voices are being overshadowed or where duplication across councils adds unnecessary cost.
“Southland has a real opportunity to lead the way here,” Herrick says.
“We need a system that delivers value for money and gives rural communities the local representation they deserve.”