Feds make case for rural bank lending probe
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The Government should not switch off life support for New Zealand’s umbrella rural health organisation, says Federated Farmers president Katie Milne says.
The Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand will find out on Thursday whether the Government has approved its case for funding of $600,000 so that it can continue its work.
"The Rural Health Alliance is essentially a district health board for rural Kiwis," Milne says. "It advocates for the 600,000 New Zealanders living in rural areas - that’s one and a half times the population of our second largest urban area, Wellington."
Core funding for the operating, leadership, advocacy and needs identification work of the alliance has for the last five years been met by member organisations, most of them charities and membership-levy groups which are themselves finding money is tight. The alliance has said that model is no longer sustainable without government support.
The alliance identifies and helps address gaps in health services in hinterland areas. Just one example has been its work - with other agencies - to upskill rural health and social service professionals in suicide prevention strategies, and run campaigns aimed at boosting the mental wellbeing of farmers and their families put under stress by drought, debt and other circumstances. It has a contract with the Ministry of Health in mental health service provision but every dollar is specified for deliverables, with no funding for base costs.
Katie Milne, who is a member of the Rural Health Alliance executive, says gaps in health services in rural New Zealand are "becoming more and more apparent".
"If the alliance is starved of funding and is forced to close, those gaps and shortfalls could snowball, leaving the health and wellbeing of rural residents at significant risk.
"Australia and the USA have had rural health umbrella groups for decades, with government funding for their running costs from day one. New Zealand deserves the same."
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
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