Simon Bridges National Party Leader simonbridges.co.nz

Every time I attend Fieldays in the Waikato I am amazed at the size of the event and am immensely proud to be part of the largest agricultural showcase in the Southern Hemisphere. Kiwis certainly lift their weight on the world stage when it comes to agriculture and horticulture. Strolling the extensive exhibits, you experience the latest innovative and technological advancements, many of which have been created by New Zealanders.

Our Primary Sector contributes $45b to our economy in export revenue and employs 350,000 people. As former Minister for Economic Development, I know how important this sector is.

At Fieldays I released the third of National's Discussion Documents. This one focuses on Primary Industries and follows the Environment and International Affairs documents. These contain suggestions made by New Zealanders from the ‘Have Your Say' campaigns, and National's ideas on potential policy.

There are a number of proposals in the Primary Industries Document. They include a special Primary Sector Visa to help with workforce shortages in the primary sector, a pilot for a mobile clinic that provides rural health check-ups, and a proposed funding model for water storage projects that encompasses environmental, social and economic benefits.

National is committed to pragmatic, science-based solutions for this sector and we are asking for your feedback on the discussion document. Your opinion is important to us.

You can access this by going to https://www.national.org.nz/