increase font size
Federated Farmers Gisborne-Wairoa has thrown its weight behind a campaign to get the Napier-Gisborne rail line repaired.
"We want to create new jobs on the East Coast and we need freight transport to do that," says Hamish Cave, Federated Farmers Gisborne-Wairoa provincial president.
"It's no secret we've got constraints with our roads and this is why we need the Government to sit down with us, employers and the council to look at all the freight transport options we need. This isn't an 'either/or' as we need better roads, better shipping and of course, a rail line.
"Government policy is too skewed to the cities where Roads of National Significance are about solving congestion. There needs to be recognition regions like Gisborne need our own Roads of National Significance to help us develop economically.
"Rail is also vital but to secure a viable rail you need to start with a rail line in the first place."
Cave believes it will cost $3.4 million to repair a line that hasn't been touched since 1988's Cyclone Bola.
Even if it's twice that, it's still small compared to the "massive $1.6 billion government-funded upgrade to the Auckland metro rail network," announced only last year, he says.
"We just want a fair shake of the stick and the infrastructure to grow our region. Doing this doesn't just help Gisborne-Wairoa but the big cities by creating more export wealth, more jobs and more opportunities.
OPINION: Recent media commentary from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns among our rural communities, particularly around Environment Southland’s approach to winter grazing inspections and nitrogen reporting. But let’s be clear, much of what’s been said simply doesn’t reflect reality.
OPINION: Environment Canterbury's (ECan) decision recently to declare a so-called “nitrate emergency” is laughable.
A shameless political stunt is how Federated Farmers is describing the Canterbury Regional Council decision to declare “a nitrate emergency” on the back of its latest annual groundwater quality survey.
Federated Farmers say Environment Canterbury's decision to declare a 'nitrate emergency' is a shameless political stunt that won't help anyone.
Farmers want the Government to scrap controversial freshwater rules that "put river spirits and ideology ahead of practical water use", says Federated Farmers board member Mark Hooper.
OPINION: Public pressure has led to Canterbury Police rightly rolling back its proposed restructure that would have seen several rural police stations closed in favour of centralised hubs.
When I interview Rachel Cox, she is driving - on her way to her next meeting.
With Fonterra's UHT plant at its Edendale site less than a year from completion, demand continues to grow for products the plant will produce, such as Anchor Whipping Cream.
A new $50,000 scholarship fund designed to support and empower women in the New Zealand dairy industry through leadership development has been launched.
Many farmers around the country are taking advantage of the high dairy payout to get maximum production out of their cows.
In 2015, the signing of a joint venture between St Peter's School, Cambridge, and Lincoln University saw the start of an exciting new chapter for Owl Farm as the first demonstration dairy farm in the North Island. Ten years on, the joint venture is still going strong.
OPINION: Ageing lefty Chris Trotter reckons that the decision to delay recognition of Palestinian statehood is more than just a fit…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly recently met someone at a BBQ who works at a big consulting firm who spent…
