Farmers back government’s RMA reforms
Farmers appear to be backing the Government's recent Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms announcement.
Farmers are urging the Government not to forget them when it comes deploying more police officers to fighting organised crime.
Federated Farmers Rural Security spokesperson Miles Anderson says organised crime can happen “in nice sleepy communities with little to no police presence”.
Anderson was commenting on the Government decision to deploy 500 extra police to target serious and organised crime
"Is organised crime in the rural areas attracting any of these new police officer positions? I would hope so,” says Anderson.
“You don’t have to be in a city or other built up urban settlements to commit crime or be a victim of criminals.”
Federated Farmers promotes allocation of officers on land area rather than just population base.
"Farmers lose hundreds of their animals to organised stock rustlers, drug suppliers and dealers roll into our settlements to create and dispense their wares, and members of our community have been victims of family violence and sexual assault,” he says.
“Can rural communities please have more than the one or two cop method response we’ve been subjected to for years? Just look at the biosecurity risk poachers pose to the primary sector - surely that alone warrants more police for rural.
"The rural police we currently have are stretched."
Federated Farmers continues to encourage its members to report crime whenever they are subjected to it, says Anderson.
"This makes sure resources to fight crime in our communities are increased or at the very least maintained."
Police Minister Stuart Nash says the 500 extra officers will make significant inroads to efforts to reduce victimisation and improve the wellbeing of communities.
This week the Commissioner of Police revealed details of how the additional frontline officers will be allocated as part of the unprecedented effort to prevent and combat serious and organised crime.
Areas of focus include disrupting trans-national criminal groups, national and local gangs, cyber-crime, money laundering and child exploitation. The purpose is to prevent crime and reduce the harm to our communities from the supply of drugs, serious violence and other offending, says Nash.
The 500 extra specialist police are part of the Coalition Agreement with New Zealand First to strive for 1800 extra officers.
Farmers appear to be backing the Government's recent Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms announcement.
For the first time, all the big names in agricultural drone technology are being brought together under one marquee at the National Fieldays.
Fonterra has announced an improved third quarter performance – with a profit after tax of $1.15 billion, up $119 million on the same period last year.
The Fieldays Innovation Awards competition has attracted a diverse and impressive array of innovations from across the primary industries, highlighting the growing importance of technology shaping the future of farming.
Coming to the fore following the carnage of Cyclone Gabrielle, Starlink became well known for providing internet access even in NZ's most inaccessible places.
From this winter farmers will have a greater choice of feed types and blend options than ever before, thanks to Farmlands' purchase of animal nutrition company SealesWinslow.
OPINION: Imagine if the Hound had called the Minister of Finance the 'c-word' and accused her of "girl math".
OPINION: It's good news that Finance Minister Nicola Willis has slashed $1.1 billion from new spending, citing "a seismic global…