United Rural Voice Hopes for Traction

United rural voice hopes for traction

Members of a new rural advocacy group, the Rural Health Alliance of Aotearoa New Zealand (RHAANZ), hope a united voice will gain more traction for improvements to rural health services. (NZD)

Fifty-five people from 21 rural organisations came together in Wellington on March 12 for the second annual meeting of RHAANZ. The meeting was held ahead of the recent New Zealand Rural General Practice Network conference in the Capital.

To access speaker presentations from the RHAANZ day clickHERE.

Rural depression still big challenge for alliance

Battling suicide and depression in farming communities remains a priority for the Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand. (RNZ)

RHAANZ is an umbrella lobby organisation with more than 20 member groups representing rural health providers, local bodies and others.

Politicians talk on rural health

Politicians have told rural health professionals how their parties would go about addressing the uneven spread of the country's medical workforce and the lack of GPs that leaves rural communities vulnerable. (RNZ)

At the recent New Zealand Rural General Practice Network conference in Wellington, Wellsford GP and rural health specialist, Tim Malloy, said the health sector was failing to adequately serve rural New Zealand.

Ministry of Health mental health learning days

A courses is scheduled for Te Kuiti on May 6. One scheduled in Stratford on April 8 is now full. For more information or to register visit

Licence fees putting off young rural drivers

Rural children are driving illegally and missing out on jobs because law changes have made it too hard for them to get their driver licences, councillors say. (DomPost)

Teenagers in central Hawke's Bay, northern Wairarapa and Rangitikei have not been able to sit their restricted or full driver licences close to home since the New Zealand Transport Agency canned testing in many rural areas in February 2012.

Wairoa district councillor and Wairoa College youth co-ordinator Denise Eaglesome- Karekare said some young people felt they had no option but to drive without a licence.

We don't need another survey – DairyNZ

DairyNZ says dairy farmers do not need another survey to tell them that the public expects them to lift their environmental performance - because they are already doing it. (RNZ)

The industry organisation has dismissed a survey funded by Fish & Game as playing politics in an election year, saying it's not surprising it painted a negative picture of public attitudes to dairy farming.

Readmore.

'Cut fertiliser use' to lower cadmium

A Massey University scientist is calling for a reduction in the amount of fertiliser used on farms as a way of combatting the growing concentration of cadmium in the soil. (RNZ)

Cadmium - a carcinogen - accumulates in soil as a result of the prolonged use of superphosphate, and Mike Joy says areas that have been intensively farmed for a long time, such as Waikato and Taranaki, have high concentrations of it.

Rural Maori call for cell cover

Tangata whenua living in rural communities have told Vodafone they want cell phone coverage, especially on isolated roads and farms. (RNZ)

The company wants to provide broadband and a mobile service to thousands of homes across the country.

Vodafone is one of two firms to have secured a contract under government scheme the Rural Broadband Initiative.

Meanwhile, the Bay of Plenty tribe of Tuhoe is willing to pay to get broadband internet set up in its isolated communities including the Te Urewera settlements of Maungapohatu and Ruatahuna. (RNZ)

The iwi is talking to Vodafone to make it happen.

It's one of two firms which has secured funding from the Government's Rural Broadband Initiative.

Chair of the tribe's post-settlement group Tamati Kruger says the telecommunication company is keen to help the tribe achieve its goal.

Readmore.

Poor cell phone coverage in 111 call

Telecom says a farmer stung by wasps who complained she couldn't get through to a 111 operator for more than half an hour had only had marginal mobile phone coverage. (RNZ)

Janet Kelland says she feared she might die when she was stung hundreds of times at her property in March. She said when she finally did get through, an operator initially told her that her address did not exist.

Readmore.

West coast drought now official

Councils from Auckland to the Far North met the Ministry for Primary Industries, Fonterra and farming sector groups and decided to classify a localised drought, from Kaukapakapa north. (RNZ)

Federated Farmers Northland president Roger Ludbrook said he was pleased it had been officially classified a drought as that would help the wider public realise farmers on the Northland's west coast are suffering.

Readmore.

Rabobank predicts dairy prices to ease

Rabobank is predicting dairy prices will ease by up to 15 percent during the next 12 months as global milk supply increases. (RNZ)

The bank says a strong Northern Hemisphere production season, on top of an exceptional one in the south, should see a lot more milk produced.

Readmore.

Farmers vote for meat reform group

Sheep and beef farmers have voted to fund a group calling for red meat industry reform. (RNZ)

While farmer voting participation was very low at the Beef + Lamb annual meeting, more than 60 percent of the votes received on the farmer remit asking for the Meat Industry Excellence group's work to be funded by Beef and Lamb were in favour.

Readmore.

Further reduction in NAIT levy

Cattle farmers will pay a lower levy for the cost of running the national animal identification and traceability (NAIT) programme. (RNZ)

Farmers are required to pay an ear tag as well as a slaughter levy, with the latter halved to 50 cents a carcass.

NAIT programme design and farm operations head Stu Hutchings said it was the second levy reduction in a year, following cuts in both the slaughter and NAIT levy in March last year.

Slow down campaign for rural SI roads

The Selwyn district is joining other rural Canterbury areas to launch a campaign to get motorists to slow down on country roads. (RNZ)

Selwyn District Council says the "country roads are not motorways" campaign has come about after 187 crashes in the district from 2009 to 2013, in which speed or driving too fast for the conditions were a contributing factor.

Readmore.

New guidelines for fracking waste

Concerns about toxic chemicals in fracking waste entering the food chain have prompted the Ministry for the Environment to issue new advice to regional councils. (RNZ)

The ministry has released voluntary guidelines for regional councils when it comes to hydraulic fracturing, which is the process of blasting water and chemicals at high pressure into the earth to access fossil fuels.

Readmore.

Ministry reviewing rules on raw milk sales

The Ministry for Primary Industries is reviewing the regulations governing the sale of raw milk. (RNZ)

The Village Milk company has suspended the operation of its Timaru franchise after people became sick with campylobacter through drinking the unpasteurised milk sold early in March. Public health officials say dozens of people could yet fall ill.

Readmore.

Northland crime rise attributed to poverty

A community leader in Northland, one of only three police districts in the country where the level of crime is rising, says poverty is the main factor behind the increase. (RNZ)

Although recorded crime last year was at its lowest level nationally in nearly 30 years, it was up in the Northland, eastern and central districts.

Readmore.

At a glance

Farmnews, click here.

Rural Women, click here.

NZ Farmer, click here.

KPMG Fieldnotes, click here.

One Farm (farm business management), click here.

Rural TV, NZ’s rural community online, click here.

AgResearch, click here.

Ministry of Health, click here.

Ministry for Primary Industries, click here.