Thursday, 18 November 2021 06:55

Rural license support

Written by Staff Reporters

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

Rural Communities Minister Damien O'Connor.

An extra $600,000 in funding to support driver licensing and education programmes in rural communities across NZ has been committed by the Government.

Rural Communities Minister Damien O'Connor says the funding, provided by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), will be spread over three years to boost the Waka Kotahi Community Road Safety Fund.

Waka Kotahi will use the funding to partner with community providers to deliver rural-focused driver licensing and education, which will include free driving lessons. The aim is to help people to get jobs in the food and fibre sector and learn how to drive safely.

O'Connor says it builds on previous work funded by MPI earlier this year to help migrants in Mid-Canterbury to get their driver's licence and supports the Government's goal of boosting jobs in the food and fibre sector.

Featured

Restrictions on fruits, vegetables movement in Mt Roskill

Legal controls on the movement of fruits and vegetables are now in place in Auckland’s Mt Roskill suburb, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.

Free herbicide resistance testing

Arable growers worried that some weeds in their crops may have developed herbicide resistance can now get the suspected plants tested for free.

Fruit fly discovery puts growers, exporters on edge

Fruit growers and exporters are worried following the discovery of a male Queensland fruit fly in Auckland this week.

Global dairy prices snap a five-month negative run

Dairy prices have jumped in the overnight Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction, breaking a five-month negative streak.

Alliance Group chief executive steps down

Alliance Group chief executive Willie Wiese is leaving the company after three years in the role.

New field book helps identify common pests, diseases

A booklet produced in 2025 by the Rotoiti 15 trust, Department of Conservation and Scion – now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – aims to help people identify insect pests and diseases.

National

Waitoa launches QR-enabled campaign to trace free range chicken

Poultry producer Waitoa is launching a new campaign, complete with on-pack QR codes, giving Kiwis the ability to trace their…

Rural health programme inspires new optometry graduate

Grace Su, a recent optometry graduate from the University of Auckland, is moving to Tauranga to start work in a…

Waikato dairy effluent breaches lead to $108,000 in fines

Two farmers and two farming companies were recently convicted and fined a total of $108,000 for environmental offending.

Geopolitical shifts drive fertiliser market volatility – Ravensdown

According to Ravensdown's most recent Market Outlook report, a combination of geopolitical movements and volatile market responses are impacting the…

Environment Canterbury promotes on-farm composting as a practical alternative to offal pits

Environment Canterbury, alongside industry partners and a group of farmers, is encouraging farmers to consider composting as an environmentally friendly…