RWNZ chief executive to step down
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) chief executive Gabrielle O’Brien will step down at the end of June.
340 people are now employed working for nature as part of the Government’s COVID-19 recovery plan.
Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced the number today while visiting workers at Canterbury’s Craigieburn Range.
The site is currently home to a large-scale wilding pine control operation, deploying new contractors who have lost their previous jobs in the tourism, hospitality, recreation and hunting sectors due to the impacts of COVID-19.
“I’m delighted that 340 people have already been employed on conservation projects so far as part of the Government’s investment in job redeployment for those affected by the COVID-19 downturn,” says Sage.
“The jobs involve a range of conservation work including improving walking tracks, fencing, trapping predators to look after birds and bush, and removing wilding pines.
In March, the Ministers’ for Economic Development, Employment, Forestry and Regional Economic Development announced $100 million to provide employment opportunities for workers in the hardest hit regions.
As part of this package, the Department of Conservation (DOC) received $3.9 million for creating conversation jobs.
Further funding was announced in Budget 2020, with DOC being allocated over $500 million a $1.1 billion nature based jobs package to deliver employment opportunities for 6,000 people over the next four years.
Sage says since field work re-commenced at Alert Level 3, DOC has completed 18 projects that employed 110 people. A further 42 other conservation projects are running with 230 people.
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand has no intention of backing down in a trade dispute with Canada over dairy products.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.