Fibre broadband expansion to 95% of NZ gets green light – a win for rural connectivity
The Infrastructure Commission has endorsed a plan by Chorus to expand fibre broadband to 95% of New Zealand much to the delight of rural women.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) say speed limits around rural schools need to be the same as those around urban schools.
"The latest call by Lake Rerewhakaaitu School principal Rick Whalley is the right one to keep our rural children and families safe - speed limits past rural schools should be the same as for their urban counterparts," says RWNZ education convenor Malvina Dick.
"RWNZ has long held the view that speed limits past rural schools are too high because it puts our children and families at risk of serious injury or even worse, death," she said.
Dick says that while the government's Road to Zero Strategy with its upper limit of 60km/h past rural schools is a start, that speed limit is too fast.
RWNZ is also calling for signs on buses warning passing drivers to travel at 20km if the bus is stationary and that all rural school buses have flashing lights which are activated by the driver when the bus is slowing to drop off or pick up children.
"However, first, on behalf of our rural communities, we would like the government to ensure that the speed limits around rural schools have an upper limit of 30-40km.
"Rural children deserve to be safe from injury or death on their way to and from school."
Profitability issues facing arable farmers are the same across the world, says New Zealand's special agricultural trade envoy Hamish Marr.
Over 85% of Fonterra farmer suppliers will be eligible for customer funding up to $1,500 for solutions designed to drive on-farm efficiency gains and reduce emissions intensity.
Tighter beef and lamb production globally have worked to the advantage of NZ, according to the Meat Industry Association (MIA).
Groundswell is ramping up its 'Quit Paris' campaign with signs going up all over the country.
Some farmers in the Nelson region are facing up to five years of hard work to repair their damaged properties caused by the recent devastating floods.
Federated Farmers is joining major industry-good bodies in not advocating for the Government to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
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