More regions to face drought declarations
Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson says the present weather conditions remain challenging for farmers.
He told Rural News that when he visited Tairāwhiti late last year, he was especially surprised at the damage to the roading infrastructure. Patterson says it's still in a dire state and there's a need to swing in behind the district and put some assistance there.
"What is there now is nowhere suitable and, in fact, is dangerous," he says.
Patterson, who is also an Otago farmer, says he's already started lobbying the relevant ministers to push this along. He believes there needs to be a step change for the region rather than just cobbling together what was there before.
He says roading infrastructure is really important to rural communities and, in the case of Tairāwhiti, it has been really smashed up.
"They have had continuing small weather events which have taken out the good work, so they can't just take a break."
Patterson says just repairing the roads is taking the problem backwards, and there is the bigger picture with the main connectivity. He says Tairāwhiti is strategically important to NZ because of the different primary sector groups that operate there and give great value to the NZ economy. He says the region also relies heavily on the Cook Strait ferries, which form the blue highway between the North and South Island.
Next on Patterson's list of priorities is to visit Northland. He says there is a risk that, while there is an understandable focus on Tairāwhiti, Northland will be marginalised.
"Broadly speaking, rural communities need everything that other communities need, such as good education, healthcare, infrastructure, roading and connectivity," he explains. "We need good policy that ensures that successful and thriving rural communities are built. But those of us in rural areas don't feel that we get our share of the resource."
Backing Wool
Patterson has been asked by the Minister of Agriculture, Todd McClay, to take responsibility for improving the image and value of wool.
He's really excited about this delegation and believes there is a massive disconnect between the sustainability and properties that wool has.
Patterson says there is a lot of good work going on in the background, with people working hard to lift profitability.
"I am looking forward to engaging with them to see what the Government can do to turbocharge those efforts," he says.
Patterson says, under the coalition agreement, there is a commitment to get wool widely used in government buildings instead of synthetic carpets. He says while this may be seen as a small symbolic step, it is a signal to the wider public and business sector about what should be happening.
