Deliverance
OPINION: Rural services such as banks, health and postal services have been declining for years, so this mutt was tickled pink to hear Rural Women NZ on national TV slamming the impact of post office closures in rural areas.
Rural Women New Zealand is calling on the Minister of Education to gift or lease closed rural schools to local communities, and has requested a meeting with Minister Hekia Parata to discuss the proposal.
"Over the years many rural schools have closed when the ministry has decided they are no longer viable, and often the buildings are left to fall into disrepair," says RWNZ national president, Liz Evans.
"We'd like to see them gifted or leased at a peppercorn rent to local communities so that they can breathe new life into them and put them to good use."
Evans says the buildings could be used for playgroups, a venue for adult training or workshops, or to bring rural children together for correspondence or teacher-led school lessons as well as extra-curricula activities.
"It could mean an alternative to long bus journeys to take children to other schools outside the district."
She says the Government is promoting community solutions to community issues, and Rural Women New Zealand believes gifting unused school buildings will lead to creative and smart uses of these assets, which are currently being wasted.
"We are aware of some communities that are looking at fundraising to retain a qualified teacher, and others that are investigating business partnerships to keep their rural schools open."
Rural Women New Zealand says rural areas continue to attract young people, and by making the most of existing resources, such as disused school buildings, we can help to grow resilient communities, without blowing the budget.
Two butcheries have claimed victory at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards for 2025.
A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.
The Climate Change Commission’s 2025 emissions reduction monitoring report reveals steady progress on the reduction of New Zealand’s climate pollution.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
The Government’s directive for state farmer Landcorp Farming (trading as Pamu) to lifts its performance is yielding results.
The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.
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