Rural NZ Welcomes $8.5m Government Health Package
Rural New Zealand is welcoming the Government’s recent package of rural healthcare initiatives.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) has announced Sandra Kirby will take over as the organisation's new chief executive.
Kirby is an experienced chief executive across member organisations and the not-for-profit sector, most recently as chief executive of Physiotherapy New Zealand and Arthritis New Zealand.
She started with Rural Women New Zealand on 18th November.
Kirby says she is honoured to join RWNZ in such an auspicious year.
“With a strong foundation of innovation and passionate people, I look forward to building on the legacy that supports future generations of rural women,” she says.
RWNZ national president Sandra Matthews says it's great to have Kirby onboard.
"She brings extensive experience from her previous roles, and a career comprising of over two decades dedicated to service and improving the lives of others," Matthews says.
"It's been a huge year for Rural Women New Zealand, celebrating our Centennial and growing our National Office," she says. "Now we have Sandra as our chief executive, I can't wait to see what we achieve for rural women and communities across Aotearoa."
Matthews says she thanks interim chief executive Nicola Eccleton for her contribution to the organisation over the past six months.
"Nicola joined the team during a huge period of transformation, as new staff were onboarded and our strategy updated," she says. "She has been a key part of our renewed direction that leads the organisation into the next 100 years."
Alliance Group has confirmed that eligible farmer-shareholders who supply and continue to back the business will receive up to $20 million later this year, following the strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats.
With a general election under five weeks away, Rural News is asking major political parties about their policies and positions on key issues facing the primary sector. We will run their responses to each question over the next four weeks. The ACT Party and the Greens didn't respond in time.
The red meat sector is in great heart.
Dr Scott Champion, Foundation for Arable Research chief executive, says that everyone in the supply chain had a role to play in driving the sector's long-term success.
The Minister for Rural Communities, Mark Patterson, says there's a massive infrastructure deficit in rural areas.
Entries opened on Monday, 5 October 2026 for the 2027 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA), which organisers describe as the nation's biggest celebration of excellence in the dairy sector.

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