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OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF RURAL WOMEN NEW ZEALAND • ISSUE No. 3, SEPTEMBER 2003
nurturing
individuals and organisations involved with native plants on
private land.
Over the last three decades there has been a rapidly increasing
focus on the impacts that land users have on soil and water
Rural Women New Zealand has launched a nationwide project qualities.
designed to encourage people to plant more native trees.
Many New Zealanders are becoming increasingly enthusiastic
The project called ‘Nurturing Natives’ was launched at the about the sustainability of our ecological health and Rural
National Conference in Whangerei in May, in partnership Women New Zealand considers this project will tap into that
with Ravensdown Direct and with support from DoC. interest.
The 300 women attending the conference were presented It will encourage people to plant more native trees, thereby
with a ‘Nurturing Natives’ pack which contained six pledge contributing to improving New Zealand’s ecosystems.
cards and information on how to plan and prepare for planting
“Rural Women New Zealand has found, in the past, that
natives and how to care for them.
projects involving anything practical like planting a tree have
Those who plant the natives then return their pledge cards captured peoples’ imaginations and have been hugely
to Rural Women New Zealand National Office and receive a successful,” Patsy says. “People can plant a tree or trees
dollar for their efforts. The dollar refund is a gesture intended individually or work as a group or community. We are looking
to add fun to the project and to encourage children to become forward to getting the vouchers back so we can learn where
involved. the plantings are.”
As more is understood about the implementation of Primary Members of Rural Women New Zealand have joined
Health Organisations there is increasing disquiet amongst representatives from the Police, ACC, Plunket, Federated
GP’s - both urban and rural. This was a major topic of Farmers, public health officials and the road safety
discussion at the Royal College of GP’s Annual Meeting in community, to focus on reducing ATV related injuries to
Dunedin recently. Changes which have the potential to children during Kidsafe Week (October 17 - 24).
adversely affect GP’s must be of concern. As members of local Kidsafe Week coalitions, Rural Women
There is concern too about the future financial viability of New Zealand will work with schools and families to share
small (less than 30 beds) Rest Homes. Most of these will be the message that kids and ATVs don’t mix. Information in
in rural areas. both English and Maori will be provided free to rural
communities and awareness, education and safety days
The proposed new Education Housing Policy, while saying held for children and families in many areas.
core houses e.g. Principals’ houses, will be retained, could
have worrying consequences for the recruitment of teachers John Wallaart, Injury Prevention Programme Manager with
in rural areas, particularly where rental housing is in short ACC (one of ten agencies supporting Kidsafe Week
supply. Will Boards of Trustees’ want the increased nationally) applauds the support of Rural Women New
responsibility for the management of core housing ? Zealand in this year’s campaign.
RWNZ believes the Governments’ proposal to impose a ‘burp “Children just don’t have the strength or skill to use ATVs
tax’ on the agricultural sector is unjustifiable and completely and they don’t belong on them. It’s heartening to see so
contrary to opinions expressed by the farming community many branches of Rural Women New Zealand involved in
during consultation. The general public understands and helping us promote that message to families this year.”
acknowledges there will be public benefit from New Zealand Mr Wallaart says ATV injuries are a new area of focus for
reducing its greenhouse gas emissions so research should Kidsafe Week, which annually works to highlight the
be funded from general taxation. We must continue to express seriousness of unintentional injuries to Kiwi kids and ways
our opposition to this - our silence on this issue will indicate to prevent them.
our approval.
national president Our submission supported the objectives of the Paid Parental
Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill but
Southern Rural Life
deplored the exclusion of those women who are self-
• Pharmac proposal, May. employed, seasonally or casually employed. Many rural
women are in these groups. We firmly believe that all women
• Developing Community well-being, June.
in the working environment should be treated equally. If they
• Opposing “burp” tax, July. are working and paying taxes they should be eligible to receive
Otago Radio some form of paid parental leave.
• Land Access Reference Group, May Rural Women New Zealand continues to stress the importance
of strengthening the family unit and family life rather than
• Pharmac proposals, May increasing the attachment to the workplace.
• National Conference and ACC Farmsafe Days, May
proposed new education housing policy
• GMO recommendation from Conference, June
A new Education Housing Policy proposes to:
• ‘Nurturing Natives’ project, June
• Paid Parental Leave Review and Community Wellbeing, • Retain 1,365 ‘core’ houses
July • Encourage schools with ‘non-core’ houses (approximately
700) to sell. 50% of the sale price will go to the school.
national councillors
• Transfer the core-housing portfolio to Boards of Trustees
Jacky Stafford • Progressively review rentals over three years
• General article on Rural Women New Zealand, ‘Core’ houses include all principal’s houses, caretaker housing
Manawatu Evening Standard, May where required, and houses where housing availability within
• Network Reviews, Rural Radio Interview, May a reasonable traveling distance is a problem and staff
recruitment is difficult.
• Network Reviews, Rural News, May
Rural Women New Zealand responded by stressing the
Margaret Chapman
significant incentive school housing is in attracting teachers
Timaru Herald - Farm Review to rural towns and districts. The rental market in these areas
is often minimal. We also stressed the need to have school
• Rural Safety days, May house maintenance completed before Boards of Trustees
• Nurturing Natives, July takeover management, and the need for Boards to have
autonomy to set rent according to market rates in the area.
His early career was in the ANZ Bank in Nelson and Many of the delegates who attended this year’s Rural Women
Wellington during which time he studied for his New Zealand National Conference in Whangarei, were taken
Accountancy Professional and the Diploma in Banking. with a painting interpreting the conference theme.
He joined the Supertex Group, Wellington in 1963 as Artist, Heather Straka, offered to do the painting after
Accountant and was appointed Managing Director in 1971, discussing the conference and its theme, “Women Bloom
a position he held until the business was sold in 1998. Where they are Planted”, with her aunt, Christine Pikett.
Christine was involved in organising the conference and
Doug is currently undertaking some consultancy work, and
Heather’s mother is Jackie Straka, also a Region 7 member,
is primarily involved as Secretary of the Presbyterian
whom many will know from making bookings at Harris
Church Property Trustees.
Cottage.
He served on the Council of the Research Institute of Textile
Heather is a contemporary political artist who exhibits at
Services from 1992 until 1998 and was the Chairman from
various well known galleries in Christchurch, Wellington and
1993. In 1994 he was appointed to the Manufacturers
Auckland, and has also exhibited internationally in London
Advisory Group operating within the Ministry of
and Prague.
Commerce. In 1997 he was elected a Life Member of the
Wellington Employers Association. The painting is a follow on from Heather’s recent exhibition
at Anna Bibby Gallery in Auckland which was based on
He joined the Rotary Club of Karori as a Charter Member
playing cards depicting black-humoured colonial landscapes.
upon its formation in 1982 and served as President in 1984.
The use of the playing card as a format for a painting
Has also served the District in 1987 as District Governors
coincided with the US Army’s issue of ‘The 52 Most Wanted’
Representative and served on numerous District
deck to the marines in the Iraq war.
Committees.
The Queen of Spades was used as it is the most powerful
Doug was appointed as a Trustee of the Te Hopai Group
card in a deck and the spade, taken literally, is used to plant
(a Charitable Rest Home provider) in 1983 and was
- tying in with the theme and rural women’s association with
Chairman of the Trust from 1993.
the land. The flax pod in the lower half of the painting
In 1998 Doug was appointed to the Council of The Open represents indigenous women and their history of weaving.
Polytechnic of New Zealand. Has been Chair of the Audit The top half of the scene is the landscape featured in the
and Finance Committee and was appointed Chair of Rural Women New Zealand logo and the daisy represents
Council in February 2003. the colonial women who added new elements to the landscape
and it also represents the blossoming of the women within a
Doug was awarded a Companion of the New Zealand Order
rural environment.
of Merit, in the 2003 Queens Birthday Honours List, for
services to manufacturing and the community. The painting is now housed in the board room at National
Office in Wellington.
noticeboard
into the rather murky water during the vows. All in all
the day was very enjoyable and the guests overwhelmed Congratulations
by the high standard of food provided. Prize No. Name.
1st 1276 H.H. Budd
• Waipa-King Country provincial members have been living 2nd 1041 Yvonne Adams
up to the intention of their ‘have a go’ programme. Earlier 3rd 2965 Kate O’Neill
in the year they went on a boat trip around Kawhia Harbour 4th 1513 Wendy Jackson
and more recently took to the skies in a hot air balloon. 5th 3282 Edna Campbell-Heath
They celebrated afterwards with a champagne breakfast. 6th 5429 Anne Pull
7th 5849 M. Butterworth
• South and Mid Canterbury provincials are currently
All prizes have been claimed or sent to winners.
running a series of Rural Safety Days at rural primary
schools throughout the area. These have the support and Yearbook Cover: Jean Horn, Waikato Provincial,
sponsorship of ACC and are co-ordinated by local Rural Region 6.
Women New Zealand branches. Six have been held so Speech Contest: Jocelyn Fleming, Oropi Branch,
far this year. Topics covered include ATV, tractor and Region 5.
animal safety, chemicals and poisons, farm hazards, home
safety and gun safety. Lady Blundell Competition (Branch Initiative):
Rai Valley branch
• South Canterbury Provincial held its 6th annual mid winter
seminar recently in Fairlie. It was attended by over 100 Honora O’Neill Competition (Best Provincial
women from throughout the central South Island. The President’s Annual Report): Trudy Wilson,
theme for the day was ‘Social Entrepreneurs’. Social Waipa/King Country Provincial.
entrepreneurs are defined as the leaders or innovators Talbot Trophy (Provincial International Report):
who work to improve the economic and social well-being Elsie McInnes, Rotorua Provincial
of their communities. They are often seen as the ‘movers
and shakers’ within their communities. The five speakers Marlborough Short Story: Claire Chamberlain,
challenged the women to see themselves as social Southland
entrepreneurs in the activities and actions they undertook
for the good of their communities.
• The Kourawhero School (Northland) which has not been
used since 1936 is being restored with assistance from
Kourawhero Branch. The members have raised a substantial Mid Cant e r bu r y p r oj e ct a
amount of money to assist with the restoration as well as winner
helping with the physical work and of course supplying
morning teas etc. The school is to be used as a local Mid Canterbury Provincial is a winner in the
community hall and is also the meeting place for the branch. Trustpower Ashburton District Community Awards.
Rural Women New Zealand has lent its support to an exciting an important facet of modern farming. To achieve high animal
opportunity for farming women, namely ‘Women in Farming’. performance stock must be offered the appropriate amount of
This is the second of what will be a regular contribution from feed in winter/spring and quality feed in summer/ autumn.
Women in Farming to this magazine.
Over winter, feed budgeting aims to ensure adequate feed
‘Women in Farming’ aims to improve the farming knowledge covers for lambing and calving. But there is also a realisation
and skills of sheep and beef farming women. With funding that too much feed in spring can be as harmful as not enough
from the Sustainable Farming Fund and sponsorship from feed in winter. Getting the right balance and responding to
FMG and Meat and Wool Innovation, seven groups have been changing weather patterns with a well constructed plan is
operating for a year in the King Country, Northern Rangitikei, the role of feed budgeting.
Tararua, Wairarapa, Marlborough, South Canterbury and
It is hoped that as a result of this workshop many women
Southland districts.
will implement a feed budget on their own farms and this
The Northern Rangitikei group has been on a three day tour will improve the farm profitability. Ongoing assistance and
visiting farming political organisations and farming operations discussion on feed budgeting will occur at subsequent
in and around Wellington. Their tour ended when they joined meetings.
with the Tararua group and visited the Ballantrae Research
One of the hardest parts of the feed budgeting process is the
Station to learn about fertiliser use and organic sheep
estimation of pasture growth. Pasture growth is now being
production. This was the first time that 40 women had been
monitored at 2 week intervals by farmers at 48 different sites
seen at one time at Ballantrae!
around New Zealand. The latest pasture growth information
Over July and August all groups are being offered a two day can be viewed on the Internet at: www.woolpro.co.nz/
feed budgeting workshop. On the first day participants will farm_tech/Pastureplan/pastureplan.html#Results
learn the theory of animal feed requirements, assess pastures
Topics and dates of upcoming ‘Women in Farming’ meetings
and quantify pasture growth. They will then collect the
can be found on the Rural Women New Zealand website
information needed from their own farm to set up a feed
(www.ruralwomen.org) Please confirm dates with the local
budget. Approximately two weeks later they bring this
group as they are subject to change. New members are
information to the second day of the workshop where they
welcome and may attend two meetings free of charge before
set up their own feed budget using a spreadsheet that they
deciding to join. The membership fee is $100 per year paid
will take home.
either quarterly or annually.
Feed budgeting is a key success factor on many top sheep and
beef farms. Achieving high animal per head performance is Annette Litherland, Project Manager
Official Journal of Rural Women New Zealand • PO Box 12021, Wellington • Tel 04 473 5524 • Fax 04 472 8946 Email
Editor: Head Office, PO Box 12021 Wellington • Printer: Precise Print, Paraparaumu