Transmission lines grievance genuine

Federated Farmers, at a scheduled meeting with Transpower, has outlined its thinking about how best to resolve what has become ‘an open sore’ for many landowners, not just farmers.

“Historic land grievances underpin the frustration of farmers in South Canterbury and elsewhere,” says Philip York, Federated Farmers electricity spokesperson.

“We’ve told Transpower that with the national grid upgrade, we want it to offer annual payments to landowners that many would know as rent. It’s not a case of Transpower offering an ‘either or’ for the national grid upgrade, but giving affected landowners a range of payment options.

“Given event last week it’s abundantly clear many landowners hosting transmission infrastructure, as much as 40 percent of the infrastructure, feel aggrieved. There’s precious little evidence of any compensation too, as land was simply taken under a draconian Public Works Act.

“What irks farmers and landowners alike is that this infrastructure returns a sizeable amount of money to its shareholder but does so off the back of landowners who have no agreement, no easement and apparently, no compensation.

“Those landowners want a formal acknowledgement by the Government that this anomaly isn’t right in the modern era. Our local members have told me that they’d like to see a commission established to hear these claims and this is a positive way to draw the sting.

“Given this historic land grievance predates Transpower’s formation by some time, it’s an issue that rests fairly and squarely with Government. This would help decouple the past from the future.

“I think most Kiwis would say that’s not a fair-go, so we flagged this historic sense grievance to the Government last month and frankly, I think this was news to them.

“The threat of a ‘lock-out’ by farmers down in South Canterbury is a taste of just how raw and emotive it is to have large capital asset on your land that you don’t get any dues for.

“While it won’t seem to be of much relevance to the farmers there now, Federated Farmers negotiated a ‘sunset’ clause last year with Transpower. This allows those who have signed up for a one-off payment to be eligible for further payments if annual rentals do come to pass within a ten year timeframe.

“I add this because it shows on the National Grid upgrade that Federated Farmers can come to a reasonable agreement with Transpower. For the farmers in South Canterbury and elsewhere grappling with historic land grievances, Federated Farmers is on the case for you,” Mr York concluded.

For a copy of the NZIER report Compensation for transmission infrastructure click here.