Co-ops - better together than apart
OPINION: On their second date, my mother, then 17, told my father that she was a socialist. His response was that he was a conservative, so that would mean that their children would be liberals!
Delegations from Vietnam and Brazil have visited New Zealand this month to study co-ops and how they contribute to the world’s most co-operative economy.*
Cooperative Business NZ, which represents the interests of this country’s co-ops and mutuals, helped co-ordinate the study tours.
One of the best features of the co-operative business model is that everywhere in the world co-op members are happy to share their experiences with fellow co-op people.
We have some of the best co-operative business models, plus innovation within our co-ops, and plenty of historical data showing we are here for the long term. That’s why other countries come to New Zealand to hear how we’ve overcome challenges and continue to succeed internationally.
The eight delegates from Hanoi, Vietnam, were in NZ from April 15-17, arriving in Wellington. They first visited the Ministry for Primary Industries to learn how central government encourages co-ops through legislation and policies. Then came meetings at Fonterra, Auckland, with senior executives.
The visitors spent April 17 at Cooperative Business NZ’s Newmarket office, hearing about the member organisations’ roles and functions and getting an overview of the NZ co-op sector.
Scarcely had the Vietnamese left for Australia when a Brazilian delegation arrived from Australia. These 17 visitors represented the Co-operative Organization of Parana State and SESCOOP (Co-operative Learning System).
They visited Zespri and Eastpac in Tauranga on April 20, then next day travelled to Waikato to meet with Fonterra and LIC.
On April 22 the Brazilians got an overview of the NZ co-op sector from Cooperative Business NZ then heard from Co-op Money NZ about our credit unions.
• Ian Macintosh is chief executive of Cooperative Business New Zealand.
* A 2014 United Nations study showed New Zealand is the world’s most co-operative economy per capita. The survey of the social and economic impact of co-ops ranked NZ first of 145 countries.
The Commerce Commission says connectivity options for rural New Zealanders are front-of-mind as it begins a formal investigation into the future of the copper network.
Grand Finalists have been selected, all regional finals have concluded, and the journey towards the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final is underway.
Hopes of NZ sheepmeat prices picking up anytime soon in the country's key export market of China looks highly unlikely.
Regional councils are welcoming the certainty for councils in today’s Resource Management Act (RMA) announcement by the Government.
ASB says the decision to sign on to the AgriZeroNZ joint venture came out of a wish to be a part of the solution.
Federated Farmers says changes announced to the Resource Management Act today mark the end of the war on farming.
OPINION: Talking about plant-based food: “Chicken-free chicken” start-up Sunfed has had its valuation slashed to zero by major investor Blackbird…
OPINION: Synlait's financial woes won’t be going away anytime soon.