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Health Minister Jonathan Coleman.
Rural mental health has been given a funding boost of $600,000.
Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy were joined by Prime Minister John Key at the Fieldays to announce the extra funding for Rural Mental Wellness, a continuation of last year's investment.
"The Government recognises that rural life goes in cycles, with ups and downs. We are committed to supporting our rural communities," says Dr Coleman.
"The Rural Mental Wellness initiative is the right mix of further raising awareness of mental health issues within rural communities, coupled with practical help to improve the skills of the health professionals who work alongside the rural sector.
"This joint investment will help to ensure we maintain the momentum achieved last year, while also putting a plan in place for the future."
Guy says the new funding will help to strengthen local networks for farmers, workers and families in rural communities. It will provide more suicide prevention workshops and employ coordinators to work with Rural Support Trusts.
"Farmers and their families are not alone," he says. "There is a wide range of good advice and support from organisations like Rural Support Trusts, Farmstrong, and Dairy NZ.
"While this season may be tough for some, it's important to keep a focus on what we can control and to remember the long term outlook for the dairy sector is bright."
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Beef + Lamb NZ chair Kate Acland says that in these uncertain times, New Zealand needs to do everything it can to seize market access opportunities.
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A Rangitikei farmer has been indefinitely banned from owning animals and sentenced to serve 9 months and 3 weeks’ home detention following animal welfare failures that caused the death of more than 140 animals.
The New Zealand red meat sector has signed an open letter to parliamentarians from BusinessNZ, urging swift ratification of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Penske Australia & New Zealand has appointed Stephen Kelly as the general manager of its Penske NZ operations, effective immediately In this role he will oversee all NZ branch operations, including energy solutions, mining, commercial vehicles, defence, marine, and rail, while continuing to be based at Penske’s Christchurch branch.
According to the latest Federated Farmers-Rabobank Farm Remuneration Report, released today, farm worker pay growth has levelled off after a post-Covid period of rapid growth.
The Climate Change Commission has recommended maintaining the current New Zealand Emissions Trading System (NZ ETS) settings but warns of a potential unit shortfall as early as 2028.
The Conservative Party warns that the upcoming free trade agreement between New Zealand and India may prioritise increased labour mobility while offering limited reassurance for New Zealand workers.
Southland District Council says it is actively managing the impacts of the current fuel supply challenges to ensure essential services across the district continue to operate safely and reliably.
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