Rural NZ faces shift as copper network deregulation looms
Rural communities say support is required to shift away from the copper network that has been the only source of internet connection for some parts of rural New Zealand.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) say speed limits around rural schools need to be the same as those around urban schools.
"The latest call by Lake Rerewhakaaitu School principal Rick Whalley is the right one to keep our rural children and families safe - speed limits past rural schools should be the same as for their urban counterparts," says RWNZ education convenor Malvina Dick.
"RWNZ has long held the view that speed limits past rural schools are too high because it puts our children and families at risk of serious injury or even worse, death," she said.
Dick says that while the government's Road to Zero Strategy with its upper limit of 60km/h past rural schools is a start, that speed limit is too fast.
RWNZ is also calling for signs on buses warning passing drivers to travel at 20km if the bus is stationary and that all rural school buses have flashing lights which are activated by the driver when the bus is slowing to drop off or pick up children.
"However, first, on behalf of our rural communities, we would like the government to ensure that the speed limits around rural schools have an upper limit of 30-40km.
"Rural children deserve to be safe from injury or death on their way to and from school."
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
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