Afternoon Guys & Gals.
By now some of you will have found my face and brief profile in the Ballance Fertilizer Co-ops election of directors mail out. I say brief because the story was supposed to be 150 words. And of course being a good boy I wrote 150 words.
I am up against some top people who have impressive CV’s, but do they really know what is going on? Elect me and you get a person who has seen the worst side of politics in NZ. As you read the previous posts on my blogg site you will be horrified at the nonsense that is behind us. Or is it. But my experiences and efforts, mostly detailed in the previous posts will have shocked you all.
Elect me to the position and you will be getting a hardened candidate who understands the political constraints to agriculture in NZ. A person who has done more than anybody else to ensure that agriculture, as we know it today, continues in a relevant manner into the foreseeable future. That is why I have used the Co-ops investment in the nutrient budgeting tool “Overseer” as my platform in the election. The other candidates have policy statements which make you feel all warm and fuzzy. Expressing confidence in the future and in their ability to do the right thing by the shareholders. I will leave you to decide .
Media release. No not mine but Ruapehu’s Mayor Don Cameron. “Growth Study to Identify Constraints to Ruapehu’s Economic Potential”. The evaluation is part of a larger Manawatu-Whanganui Regional growth Study Program being facilitated by Horizons Regional Council.It has a mandate from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Ministry of Primary Industries.
The study aims to identify and prioritizes the big economic opportunities open to various sectors in the region with the goal of increasing investment, employment and incomes. The study will provide key input and direction for Central NZ Agribusiness Strategy that aims to double agribusiness exports from the Region from 1.9 billion to 3.8 bullion by 2025.
Good stuff. The Mayor presented this to the Local Feds meeting on the same day . I was in attendance. He said no to Dairy conversions. A big no no. I do not know what the chap next to me thought, being a local Iwi authority rep which has just converted a large block and would like to carry out more. Th Mayor told those sheep and beef guys present to plant more drought proof pasture species and then went on to out line exciting opportunities for tourist developments in the district. Large tourist accommodation developments, one in the south and one in the north. Great. I have been lead to believe that there is already a surplus of beds in the industry, and we have at least one quality development in Taumarunui that is really only operating during the week. Hmmm.
Earlier in the month I was surprised to be informed that Horizons CEO’s position was being advertised. The agreement expired last November, being a term of 5yrs confirmed by a press release in April of that year. Unusual in that the agreement was not publicly extended last year and seems to have been in limbo since.
Oh well I guess that all will be revealed one day.
On the 20th of this month I received the Ombudsmen decision, Dame Beverly Wakem, with regard to my Official Information request requesting copies of correspondence between the Minister in charge of the Office of Treaty Settlements and the local Iwi representatives dating back to 2004, and regarding the Treaty Settlement process.
Declined my request for the time being and asked that I not publicly release her decision in the mean time. The decision is to be published on the Ombudsman’s website in the near future. This is because it is required to be in the “public interest”. Dame Wakem also acknowledges that disclosure of the correspondence may be required in the future.
So I will respect her request and wait till her opinion is published before commenting further.All together I feel a pretty big thing and a win of sought’s.
This week on Wednesday night my wife and I attended Silver-Fern Farms report to local suppliers. Great meal.. I was interested in Kieth Coopers presentation. Lots of environmental stuff to preserve the companies brand and reputation.I read in the NZ Farmers Weekly on Tuesday the 27 of October , pg 7, Guy Salmon talking all environmental stuff and how us farmers have to do better and suffer more pain before the financial rewards for being over the top accrue. So I asked Mr Cooper, quoting the article, just where was the market(s),and where was the business plan, and why was it not apparent now given that we could not get much if any more pristine with out affecting seriously the bottom line. Mr Cooper said there was no such market. Thus Mr Salmon is either a half wit, an idiot or some sought of environmental dip stick that seems to exist only to crusade against farming. He no doubt lives in an urban environment who has no qualms about continuing to pollute water with all sought’s of urban nasties from a variety of sources and argues against rate rises to fix. I have heard this argument before in a variety of forums where local body politicians and planners participate. Yep no wonder local govt plans go way ward.
In closing.In the NZ Farmers Weekly October the 20th ,pg 11, titled Ask the Minister. Nathan Guy. ” My Focus will remain strongly on doubling the value of exports to 64 billion by 2025″. He wants to push ahead with water storage and irrigation projects. All I can say is there is that god damned nutrient budgeting tool Overseer to get past first. Or is he looking to the value of carbon to dominate the provincial landscape ?