Hello once again readers. I am going to open up with a bitch about Sky TV. Last Tuesday night we had a pretty good sort of a Thunderstorm pass over .Lasted for about 20 mins. My wife and I were at the Domain Board meeting leaving the computor on. Not something we do as a rule, given that somebody or persons has a habit of infiltrating it. But we got home to no TV or computor. Next day I phoned Spark. It is your Sky dish interferring with the computor. Rang Sky. No it will not be that. Oky. When can I expect your Taumarunui service agent to fix. Sorry was the responce. You live in a restricted area. What does that mean? Sky will only come to repair when it has more than one complaint. I am scheduled for tomorrow (Monday). Worse still I know that the sharemilker up the road has the same problem. So.
In mean time I took computor into town to get fixed. What a waste of time ,as it turned out nothing is wrong with the computor, and once the Sky aerial was disconected from the modem ,Bobs your uncle. $38 later.
3 weeks ago I went back to Horizons Regional Council , to make a submission to the 10 year Long Term Community Council Plan. The issues I was concerned about was dumping the Animal Health Board from the rate line. ie not collecting the funds from the farming industry any more. I and others cannot get our heads around why? After all Horizons gets to accrue interest over most of the yr from just having the funds sitting in their Oppossum control account and distributing it over the course of the year as the TB control programme for the years progress’s. Councillor Rollinson tried to explain to me that it was in protest at a inefficient management structure. He did not seem to be convincing to me. Next I commented on Horizons request for feed back on Consultation. the need to do better at. And finally against Horizons Sustainable Land Use programme. It appears Govt is reviewing funding for it (1/3) and as a consequence Horizons is also asking for feed back on whether to continue with or not. To much for me. I was in like a robbers mutt. Get rid of it. It is not about water and soil values, but politcal out comes. Given ,and this is my view , the farms captured are sitting on top of or right next door to treaty claims. yes and I presented a Map showing such along with a Treaty Claim document of claiments. Control. Return.and as much as possible. I included some science refuting Horizons claims for the need for the programme, including and quiet appropriately I thought ,Aquatic Bio-diversity.
One or 2 of the new councillors were quite shocked at what I had to say, seeking clarification as to just what I mean’t. Sorry to say guy’s You are political pawns in a horrible game. Unwittingly being used. Or some of you are. There is more than one councillor around the table that knows exactly what I was saying and is fully supportive of the out comes sought. Even Councillor Guy was very quiet. Not like him. But I have to say that I was very well recieved ,and made to feel very welcome, just like old times ,with abit of banter, we miss you Mike stuff. One staff member gave me a big smile ,wave and thumbs up. So Lets waite and see. I am really concerned.
A Ruapehu District Council staffer lives just up the road. He is Councils IT expert. Tells me that he is busy drawing lines on a map of rivers in the Ruapehu district denoting areas of aquatic signifcance to Maori. I said to him then that there would be regulation of land use to protect ,would there not? Yes most likely was his reply. What about slipping a virus into the programme to destroy when opened up I asked. No. You realise such regulation will affect the value of your life style block don’t you. So what he replyed. I payed bugger all for it so whats a little bit less. Hmmm.
The Feds are being taken for a ride too. (Federated Farmers). It is really obvious that they are leading us down the Biological Farming road. Produce less ,but of better quality, as it is produced naturally from a really clean and green environment.And as the then CEO of Silver Fern Farms said at their road show in Taumarunui recently .There is no fantastic market for such product. Thus the only out come will be lower profitability. Less people employed, falling rural populations, greater pressure on services, more Pine Trees for carbon. All playing into the hands of political activists described above.
To back up this comment, I read in the May 5th Rural News .page 5. Irrigation scheme support falters. It seems that farmers cannot afford the environmental mitigation measures required. You should read this, for seems that Waimate District Council Plan also introduces rules cutting back on agricultural production if farmers do not irrigate. What a state. Can you believe it?
On page 12 NZ Farmers Weekly 4th May we have Mike (kill) Joy ,Dr Death, and Ms Foot making all soughts of rash claims about polluting farmers and intensification of land . And on page 29 of same; Hoticulture NZ CEO Chris Keenan is saying an unworkable and economically damaging Environment Court decision will not be challenged.
The courts decision to up hold an appeal from Hawkes Bay Iwi, Ngati Kahurangi. is based on the interpretation of the words “maintainance and enhancement” of freshwater bodies. It goes against the intent of the National Policy Statatement on Fresh Water in that it is up to Local Communities to decide the standard. I should not think this chap is too concerned given Hort NZ’s stance in the Enviro Court on the same subject re Horizons Regional Council devisive Plan. “All Party’s Agree” Land use needs to be controlled to protect.
On page 4, again the NZ Farmers Weekly 1 June, Synlaite Dairy Co Managing Director John Penno says. Adding Value takes time and money. But we are doing it. Company will pay a preimium to cockys carrying out environmental mitigation measures. Market demands it ,and customer wants it.
Well lets think back to Mr Coopers statement ,no market for. Now I do not think meat and milk are any different ,and do not get me wrong mitigation is a must, but in the case “Synlait”, where is the dosh coming from?
It is probably quite appropriate to finish this with a NZ Herald article by Brian Rudman, page A17 June the 5th. Servants and Masters-Which is Which. Power grabbing bureaucrates need the lessons in good governance. Politicians just need more spine.
I will publish my submission to Regional Council in a day or 2. Thought some of you might be interested.
Bye for now