increase font size
Rural health issues will be brought to the Beehive this week.
Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand (RHANZ) is gathering in Wellington for the inaugural RuralFest conference tomorrow (May4) and Thursday.
RHANZ, which is made up of 42 membership organisations, will discuss and determine the top health and well-being issues facing rural communities.
Rural GP Dr Jo Scott-Jones says RuralFest is a flagship event for RHANZ, who represent a united voice from across multiple rural sector organisations.
"We're aiming to identify the key 'common ground' issues that all member organisations think are important for the health and well-being of rural New Zealand," he says.
"This is important because the health of people living and working in rural New Zealand is a vital part of our economy and essential if we are going to double the value of exports by 2025.
"We will aim to provide solutions rather than just identify problems and are grateful for the opportunity to take these key messages into the offices of parliamentarians.
"At RuralFest, we will determine around five priorities for the health and well-being of those in rural communities - and then take those issues to parliament to discuss with key politicians."
Dr Scott-Jones says rural residents have notoriously suffered from inequality in healthcare - usually because rural communities often have poor access to resources and key health professionals.
"We're here to promote the highest quality and efficient health and disability service for all rural people and their families," he said.
Sam Whitelock is an All Black rugby great, Farmstrong Ambassador and working dairy farmer in the Manawatu. Having stepped away from professional sport and returned to his roots on the family farm, he talks about balancing farm life with advocating for rural wellbeing.
The Minister for Rural Communities, Mark Patterson, says there's a massive infrastructure deficit in rural areas.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.
Election years are always a concerning time for farmers, according to DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown.
OPINION: In the 1980s, concern was expressed in West Germany about the falling birth rate. Some simple analysis was performed by Professor Helmut Sies, physician and biochemist at Dusseldorf University. His letter ‘A new parameter for sex education’ was published in Nature in 1988:
Having Ravensdown as the naming rights sponsor of the Canterbury A&P Show demonstrates their confidence in the show as a long-term venture, says Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association (CAPA) board chair Sir David Carter.
OPINION: As election day looms, rural NZ seems to have pressed the pause button – held somewhat in limbo on an orange light.
Will drones be the answer to tackling the problem of wasp and hornet nests high up in trees and other inaccessible places?
Canterbury milk processor Synlait has come through tough times and is now ready to scale up from a stable base, says its newly confirmed CEO Leon Fung.
NZPork says a ham made in New Zealand is not necessarily made from New Zealand pork.
Rural Contractors NZ says proposed changes to land transport rules for agricultural vehicles are a welcome response by the Government to out-of-date regulations which have seen members hit with huge fines.
OPINION: The same mainstream media muppets that brought you Jacindamania in 2017 have been flat out pimping for the Opportunities…
OPINION: Your old mate reckons the atrocious way farmers in the UK are treated by their lords and masters in…
