Federated Farmers urge government to honour KiwiSaver promise
Federated Farmers is calling on the Government to deliver on its pre-election promise to change the KiwiSaver rules to help young farmers get their foot on the farming ladder.
News that Winstone Pulp International is proposing to cease operations at its two New Zealand mills has been labelled as ‘terrible’ for the Rangitīkei, says the region’s MP Suze Redmayne.
Earlier this month, Winstone Pulp International paused work at its two sites, the Tangiwai Sawmill and the Karioi Pulpmill.
Yesterday, employees were told the company proposed to close the sites indefinitely, citing the high cost of wholesale energy prices.
If the proposal were to go ahead, approximately 230 people would be out of work.
Redmayne says the announcement will be “incredibly tough” for the Ruapehu District community.
“As one of our biggest employers, Winstone Pulp’s closure will have a massive impact on our local families and economy,” she says.
She says the potential job losses underline the importance of affordable housing, reliable energy to the New Zealand economy.
“The Government is moving at pace to reverse Labour’s energy policies that have been disastrous for the country and introduce policies that will ensure Kiwi businesses and households have access to affordable and reliable energy,” Redmayne adds.
“In the meantime my heart goes out to all the staff at Winstone Pulp, and indeed the wider community who share the loss of a great local business which has made a significant contribution to our region for decades,” she concludes.
Farmers appear to be backing the Government's recent Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms announcement.
For the first time, all the big names in agricultural drone technology are being brought together under one marquee at the National Fieldays.
Fonterra has announced an improved third quarter performance – with a profit after tax of $1.15 billion, up $119 million on the same period last year.
The Fieldays Innovation Awards competition has attracted a diverse and impressive array of innovations from across the primary industries, highlighting the growing importance of technology shaping the future of farming.
Coming to the fore following the carnage of Cyclone Gabrielle, Starlink became well known for providing internet access even in NZ's most inaccessible places.
From this winter farmers will have a greater choice of feed types and blend options than ever before, thanks to Farmlands' purchase of animal nutrition company SealesWinslow.
OPINION: Imagine if the Hound had called the Minister of Finance the 'c-word' and accused her of "girl math".
OPINION: It's good news that Finance Minister Nicola Willis has slashed $1.1 billion from new spending, citing "a seismic global…