Bridging the gap with rural New Zealand
OPINION: One thing I keep hearing from rural New Zealanders is the importance of relationships. Strong relationships don’t just happen - they take trust, consistency, and time.
Jo Luxton was recently promoted to a minister outside cabinet - as well as taking on the role of Minister of Customs and Associate Education.
Luxton says when she was on Parliament's Primary Production Select committee, an inquiry was started into the reasons so few young people seek out a career in sector. She'd like to get into the minds of young people and see what is putting them off agriculture.
"The challenge is, how do we break through that barrier and counter the negative messages such as dirty dairying and the like," Luxton told Rural News.
"Everyone in the primary sector has a responsibility to do that and get the positive messages across, including to people who influence young people - such as parents and teachers."
She says she's never met a farmer who wants to damage their land or leave it in a worse state than it is today.
Luxton concedes being a Labour MP in a rural area - she is MP for Rangitata - has its own set of challenges and accepts that some people will not agree with her party's policies. But she says despite criticism, her focus has been on building relationships within the community and with people from other political parties.
Before entering Parliament as the MP for Rangitata in 2017, Jo Luxton was working in early childhood. But before her first marriage ended, she and her ex husband were dairy farmers and she says she knows a fair bit about agriculture, especially dairying, and has a real passion for the sector.
