June 5, 2026 • 46 mins
Andy Muir talks to Rob Scott, Andy Dennis, Lindsay Wright, Grant McMaster and Olivia Weatherburn.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Last night our harbor stream. A very good morning and
welcome into the best of the muster, a collaboration of
interviews who took our attention here at Hokanui HQ. My
name's Andy Muller. We're starting off the hour by catching
up with the Rob Scott Southland District Men. Now Rob's
and one of the major drivers behind council reform, amalgamations
and the likes and this is finally coming to the fort.
(00:27):
In Rob's words, central government's driving it, but at the
same time he's saying that we need to be careful
in the manner that we go about this process. And
Andy Dennis, based at Manipuri, tells us how things are
up in the Fiordland basin and he reflects in the
South Island Dog Troll Champs which are held at Maloroa
in the last couple of weeks and he just sees
(00:48):
a tremendous occasion and why it's something that really benefited
the region. Lindsay Wright, rural health advocate, one of the
founders of the Rural Support Trust, and Lindsay was recognizing
the King's Birthday honors and he tells us reflecting back
on his time involved with for a real mental health
why he thinks for him has been well vindicated Grant
(01:09):
Disaster McMaster normally at close Burn Station. We catch him
this week in California on vacation. He tells us why
he's over there. The farming scene is such, but as well,
what's it like being a Hasey driving in California? And
Olivia Weatherburn of beef Lad, New Zealand joins us as well,
looking at gen Next and the successful program that it
(01:30):
has been, so that further Ado will start the yurur
next with Rob Scott. This is the best of the muster.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
You're on the road and now I'll play last gong.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Rob Scott is south and District Mayor and joins us
this afternoon. There's been a lot of talk going on,
not just in the media or councils these days, but
has gone up to central government regarding reform in local councils. Now.
Rob's been arguably the driver of this last year, saying
that Southland needs to go and change his modeling for councils.
(02:15):
Rob joins this afternoon. Good afternoon, Roblock. There's been a
lot of a change in the landscape since well, I
suppose this is your baby you proposed to last.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Year, Yeah, debsinuely and yeah a couple of years ago.
Now time flies when you havn't done.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Are you in favor of what they're proposing? I mean,
does this give more questions and answers.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
I'm in favor of the principle of it, obviously because
we've launched it, and obviously with the abolition of the
regional councils, that part is all good. But what I
disagree with with what the government's done in terms of
they basically said everyone needs anagamate and you've got three
months to sort out a plan or we're going to
do it to you. And that kind of approach doesn't
(02:57):
land to good results in it almost in my view,
ends up being amalgamation for amalgamation up and down the country.
And when you look at I mean, there's a strong
case that we put forward for kind of removing that
duplication and getting better outcomes by combining the regional council
and the territorial in the Southend area. But there's going
(03:19):
to be cases up and down the country where you've
got councils scrambling to try and achieve an outcome for
the government rather than maybe trying to achieve an outcome
for the people.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Realistically, how long does this need to be put through
in a proper process.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Well, the key thing andy that frustrates me as the
government's one is actually public voice and democracy, Like you
need to actually go through model, find a case for change,
find to what your outcomes are going to be, and
then talk to your people about it. It's the people that
are paying the bills at the end of the day
and need to have a say in how it goes.
With this very tight timeframe, there's no room for any
(03:56):
councils up and down the country to actually consult. Whereas
we're quite lucky because we've got that Local Government Commission
process happening, which the end result of that is a
poll of the people. So I'm hoping that we can
carry on our process that we've already kick started because
the people have to say in our then it's a
distinct advantage.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Is there a change that the government could change the
time frame from that three months or because it's election
year they want to get it done.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
I think they're trying to get it done because it's
an election year. But I think they've actually got to
look at what problem they're actually trying to solve. When
I ask the local government minister the other day, what
are you actually trying to solve with this, Because you've
got to look at kind of the intention behind it
and what outcomes you're trying to get. And I do
worry about New Zealand. Think if you've got big structural
changes made effective of a gun to your head and
(04:44):
under pressure that I mean, these are generational changes and
then they need to be done right. They need to
be done for the right reason.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
And the Cargary City Council coming up last week, though
it sounds that it's polarizing depending on what you want
to believe. Now they're saying the one Soulfuld model was preferred.
You look at the so putting South in the one council,
there's just a can of worms when you look from
the outside in it.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
It's one step too far, Indy, And I mean that's
why we had a look at it when we were
doing our proposal. And it's clear as day that the
two uditries is a way to go for South and
the city. I mean, we work together really well as
a region. But the city's got its own way of operating,
and it's busy. They're running a busy council there between
(05:27):
the governance and the operation level, and there's not actually
much of any duplication between the city and the regional
kind of wider area when you look at even the
administration piece. I mean there's one or two roles in
the obviously the CEO and a couple of the higher
level staff and some of that payroll stuff, But once
you get past that, there's not actually much duplication at all.
(05:49):
And I was talking to Tom Campbell last week, the mayor,
and him and I are both doing sometimes up to
seventy hours a week individually, and we don't spend much
time together, so there's no in the mayor roles as well.
So even from that point of view, you're splitting one
hundred and forty hours a week into one person, which
(06:09):
you can't physically do, so then you're missing out. I'm
actually connecting with your community, which is a job of
the mayor, and it actually translates down into your council
as well. So I think there'd be quite a big
loss to both sides if we did that whole one
single council.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Now we've talked about historical debt levels before rare, but
then the obvious comes into it, future debt levels, especially
if a malgamation comes unto focus, this will be a concern.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Yeah, but you look at it from a national idea,
I mean local government. There's a funding issue with local government,
there has been for some time. And combining a whole
lot of councils together and sometimes it's anagamation piece actually
ends up costing more and you just need to look
at awkward for how that is sort of blown out
into quite a big bureaucracy and do you actually get
(06:57):
the savings You actually solve the issue of the funding
of life government until you actually address how it's actually
fe hundred and we've been since the late eighteen hundreds,
early nineteen hundred to two percent of GDP the whole
way through right up until now, so our component of
GDP hasn't actually changed central government. When you look at
the graph, there's quite a gap between what central government
(07:20):
takes out of GDP and what local government does and
it's a growing gap, and it's a centralized funding structure.
And by actually merging all of these councils together, you're
centralizing it even more and that actually can create even
more of a financial burden rather than actually saving money.
You look at the land area of the Southern Region,
(07:41):
ninety five percent of that the South and District, four
percent of that is Gore District, and one percent that's
in the Cargo. And then you break up the population
and you look at the way and I've done some
modeling as to how the actual council table would lock
around a single council and you always end up because
the modeling is done on population, and it's legislatively done
(08:02):
on population, you're going to end up with a wasting
of city representation and you're going to lose your local
voice and your representation. And when we look at the
strength of our community boards here in the Southern District,
we're putting a lot of emphasis into a decentralized kind
of local democratic way of operating. It's paying dividends now
(08:23):
even in terms of saving money, and I'd hate to
lose the locals having a say in their outcome and
the city it's a different, different, whole, different playing field
in terms of how they operate.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Rob We'll throw this. You're coming out on the budget
last week the proposal around tourism taxas for certain areas
in New Zealand. I think Milford Sound wants a no brainer.
We need to do something regarding infrastructure. Going by the numbers, Yeah,
we do.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
And it comes down to what I said earlier Andy
about how local governments funded and what we're expected to
do all the time. And when you look at Milford
Sound the Southern district, we're hosting nearly a milli and
people a year that are coming through and they become
our guests as soon as they get past the boundary
in Kingston there, and we're hosting them through on their journey.
And you look at the bus loads that are coming through.
(09:09):
They're stopping and gassed and using our toilets. They're stopping
and mosb and using our toilets. Theyre stopping in Tian
now using the toilets. We're responsible for them. If there's
an emergency, we're responsible from our volleys are responsible for them,
if there's an accident that we're kind of we're hosting
quite a load here for this golden opportunity for them
to go and visit Milford which is actually in the
(09:30):
dock estate. Ironically enough, Doc don't even pay rates, so
no government departments actually pay any rate, so there's no
money coming to local government at all to actually look
after these people.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Regarding fast straight legislation on one farms. Are you a
fan of this?
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Look, it's an interesting mind. Andy. We've and we've had
a discussion as a council and it's almost like we
need to just hit pause. There's one farm's popping up
like mushrooms everywhere, and I think we need to just
sort of take stock and have a look what's actually happening,
what the cost of all of this is long term
for our communities, and what the benefits are for our
(10:08):
communities as well. So we want to actually as a
counselor have a bit of a session just to get
a good understanding of the pros and cons because there's
lots of conversation happening out there, and like I say,
lots of every week, this sends to be a new
one popping up. So I've been doing a crash course
myself and getting my head around how it all works
because there's a lot of money going into them and
(10:30):
a lot of power coming out, but where's it all
going And fundamentally for me, The question is what's it
going to do for our South and ratepayers and our
residents and taxpayers and everyone out there for our power
bills with all of this basic economic supply and demand.
But I haven't seen any of our power bills come
down in a hurry yet, So it'll be good to
actually get our head around all of that. And it
(10:52):
might be good, it might be bad. It might need
to be managed a little bit better. So I think
we need to do some work in that area before
it goes too far too much.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Further.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Good on your always good to catch up.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Thanks Andy, that.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
We're a wait a minute, Pouri. Next on the muster,
will we catch up with Andy Dennis farming up that
way in the Fjordland basin, of course, thanks so, Sergeon
Dan Stock Foods. There's a socigeony Dad Farming ground up
where every Monday we go to different parts of the
Southern region and speak to farmers in various capacities. Good afternoon, Cake,
how are you?
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Yeah, I'm great, Good afternoon one. How's things?
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Yeah, it's great, it's nice and mild. I'd suggest that
for a start for June.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Yeah, no, lovely may Jane. Really it's yeah, we're starting
to get some regular rains a bit more, a bit more,
we've had.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
A foot but no, it's warm.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
It's great. We're still grown grass behind breake fences and yeah,
it's all make September a whole lot easier at the moment,
that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
I've seen something on social media the other day. I
think somebody was doing silas as recently as like ten
days ago.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Ah. Yeah, I went up with some chaos or what
was it was it, I think to May and there
was bay. Yeah, there was Baillage cut and moss Burne.
So it was a bit of a shock. But yeah,
if it's growing and you need it, you might as
well make it.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
It's crazy to think that you're feeding it up and
making it at the same time. That's pretty irish logic.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Revolving door of self feed.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Yeah, there you go. Just winter made. Now we're talking
about the dog Charles shortly and took up a lot
of your time. But on the farm, everything's looking pretty good.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Yeah, I know, everything's good where Yeah, Luckily crops are
sort of keep taking away. The kale sort of needed
a drink, probably more than what we thought, and that's
growing a lot in the last month. But swedes are good.
There's a wad of grass and some of them, but yeah,
it's all just an extra feed. Yeah, dairy cares arrived esday,
so they are sort of transitioning on and yes, the
(12:58):
is are already on crap and whener's already on crops,
so yeah, most things are getting feed out too near
and yeah, we'll just work into that, get into that routine,
which is which is good.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Yeah, predominantly sweets and kale up there as well.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Yeah, all sweets and kale. Yeah, we're trying to Yeah,
where it's heading been farmed this farm for forever. It's
sort of some of it's only sort of fifty years old.
So the quicker we can go around and keep that
new passes coming in or keep that pasture and you'll
go in the best. So we're not afraid to put
an extra crop up here because you guarantee you'll need
it or you'll get a dry season and the rest
(13:33):
of the crop wake be as good as what you want.
And extra five heap years is pretty bloody handy most years.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
The day side of things, though, speaking of David Seasons
on the show last week, Andy is pretty positive.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Yeah, no, I think the contract sect sort of eleven
eleven fifty, so that's great. Yeah, the animals aren't around
that are just not about, so it's just good old
supply demand. So yeah, it's nice that the guys that
have stuck with them because they are a great anim
more that's been rewarded. Really.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Yeah, I've asked you this before and I'll ask you again.
Are you hearing a many young farmers coming in the
industry who wants to take deer hon as part of
their operation.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
I know a young guy that just border smaller deer
farm up in the Basin recently. So yeah, that's that's
really good to see. Yeah, there's oh, I think there's
plenty that are interested and want to give it a go.
And usually once they sort of get a farm them
either land corp or for someone else, Yeah, they certainly
(14:35):
get the bug and stick with it. But yeah, it's
it's just another good income stream without that sort of
sharing and dipping and drenching and dagging that you've got
to do with the other white maggots.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
So yeah, no, it's good.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Yeah, white meggots. It's a bit of a common phrase unfortunately.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Yeah, the megot taxis Yeah, no, dear heavy place. They
really do, especially on some of those harder blocks that
you know, lacks a bit of fertility. They they really
suit it. So yeah, yeah, it's one of those things.
How many young people are joining any industry at the moment,
it's the thing.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Yeah, well we'll talk about Wall. A lot of people
saying the industry is bouncing back and your surprice is
coming up. James Egger on this program last week, Kecker
was scathing of the industry and everything that went with it, saying,
we're still accepted, accepting mediocrity and this is purely supply
and demand coming into play. Would you agree with that?
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Oh, I still think like wall was probably the best
thing we produce in New Zealand. Like it's sustainable, it's recyclable.
You know, there's not a bit of plastic in it
at all. It's one of the you know, we're told
the world tells us we need you know, all these
feel good things and back to natural products. But the
(15:53):
truth of the mirrors, they're just not They're not willing
to pay that for the moment. So yeah, currently it's
just plan to mar That's why the price has gone up.
There's just not a lot of wall in storage at
the moment, so they have to pay to find it,
which I mean, that's great. But as far as fixed,
we haven't fixed.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
Anything in the industry, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
But we're certainly Yeah, successive governments have chucked a lot
of money into action groups and all these plans and
form another group and forming them this and the next thing.
But yes, it doesn't seem to deliver anything. Yeah, it's
just I don't know, you've just got to get it
off the floors, I suppose, and get it. Yeah. One
(16:34):
good thing is there's a lot of farmers doing it themselves,
like either doing a jersey or a carpet or a
tile or a rug or even woolen hats and gloves,
and all that.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
Is is good.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
It showcases just the properties of wall, which is which
is fantastic. Whether they're sort of making a lot of
money in it, probably not, but it's all. It's all
good publicity, isn't it, You know that sort of thing.
So you got on them for giving them to go. Yeah,
and the.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Fake spread wall is going up in price too. And
if you've stuck by the industry, perhaps you might finally
see some reward yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Well, I mean it's one thing paying for the sharing.
That's well and good, but I mean it probably needs
to be eight to ten dollars to be making some
decent money out of it, you know, And all it
takes is the shares, you know, love all up their
rates again and you know, you can't blame them. There's
diesel prices. There's a lot of Trevor involved, you know,
(17:28):
like we seem to get shares fly around the world
at the moment to the share, so they've got high
costs and the contractors have high cost so I mean
it's got to go up. But there's just got to
be more for everyone involved, I suppose, and definitely more
for farmers at the bottom line. But yeah, no, it's
it's not an easy fix. It's just it's a fantastic
(17:49):
product and yeah, that's what the world wants, so yeah,
let's make them pay for it, I suppose. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Now, the South Island Dog Trials or how did it, Marorolla?
Last time we caught up with you, it sounds like
it was a resounding seas.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Yeah mess of yeah, really really good success. So yeah,
there wasn't any negative comments. Food was good, cheap with
good of course was a good we're sort of six
miles on the Wednesday night, made a bit of a mess,
but we sort of yeah, we're checking a bit more
gravel around the day before and the grounds were tidy
and immaculate and landowners come away happy. Everyone got home safe,
(18:23):
you know, like it just feels good. Tiana put on
a good party. I think most nights, the most were
sort of going to eleven twelve o'clock, so a really
good into what's been a busy year and Tiana hospital
wise sort of the showcase Tianna and for all and
to some New Zealanders that a lot of them had
never been over this corner before, so but that was
(18:44):
really good. So yeah, thanks everyone evolved. Yeah, the South
Intender did a really good job of hosting it. So
thanks to the executive team and McCain family at Barwood
Station and McDonald family at the var Station for hosting it.
And both those two families were heavily involved in the
running of it. So your big share that to those
(19:05):
guys and and Todd and Jelly Kevner. They were really
the backbone for it for the week. Just a good
strong family up here. They've been here for a while,
and they know how to run an event, and yeah,
they did some massive hours to make sure think was
sort of tucked away and the president didn't lose the
sanity well close.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Allegedly.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Yeah literally, yeah, stuging, we want to recover, but yeah,
you could probably argue if we did lose. You're not.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
Judgment there. Good. You always appreciate the time we've done
on the big event a few weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Thanks so very much, and everyone who's a lovely kind
winter and yeah, just scared on through and look forward
to another spring of hopefully high stock prices or high
lost up prices, which would be great. Another couple of
years like this would just be the icing on the cake.
At the moment, it.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Welcome back to the muster. Robert Palmer is the music today.
That song there arguably one of his lesser known songs,
but still a cracker song. Every kind of people back
in the day used to be all over the year waves. Nonetheless,
returning to the present, Lindsay Wright. Lindsay's done a lot
of really good work in the Royal Support Trust space
(20:32):
over the years. He's a founding member there and he
was fortunate enough to be the recipient of the King's
Service Medal on the King's Birthday Honors which were released yesterday,
and Lindsay's going to join us so Afthenon have a
bit of talk about it. It's a pretty cool story. Lindsay.
Welcome and firstly, congratulations.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
Thanks Andy. I really appreciate that. It's kind of a
strange feeling to be rewarded for just during what you've
been doing. But it's certainly privilege and very very gratified
to receive.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
It because you don't do these kind of positions to
get the rewards, I suppose, But at the same time,
being recognized for what you've done it must be pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
Oh it is. It's lovely to have that recognition, both
individual but also of the organizations. It's interesting you just
say that because I've just doing some cleaning out here
in Rathas today and I found a box full of
the old newspaper cuttings from the twenty twenty ten snow,
and you look back at the people that were involved
(21:34):
in all the people that mucked in to get that
to deal with that snow, and it's just like, Yeah,
that's what reural living's about. It's just people get on
and work together and make stuff happen.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Because I remember that snowstorm doing a landing beat. It
wasn't a lot of fun, but you were yourselves and
the real support trusted something about it.
Speaker 4 (21:53):
That's right, And yeah, I think we weren't too sure
what we were going to do about it when it
first hit, but you just have a look at it.
You get people together and we had some great support
boats from the rural community, from environments not environments out
the EMS, Emergency Managements Outland and Federated Farmers MPI. A
(22:16):
lot of people came together and helped us and we
did what we could to help them.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Is it a fulfilling role doing something like the Rural
Support Trust?
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Oh absolutely yes. We've just knowing that you could put
yourself out there to help the rural people. And over
the years we gained their trust. And it was difficult
at the start because we were learning as much as
the people that we were serving were trying to learn.
And so it's just the fact that if you've been
(22:47):
through some tough times, you can sit at somebody's kitchen
table and be able to help them through and understand.
You can never know how other people feel, but you
can understand what's making them feel like that, and so
that's I think that was the pleaser of it, being
able to go there and just say to people, we understand,
what can we do that's going to make it better
for you.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Do you think it's a case, Lindsay, of people having
to go through these situations to get a total comprehension
of what other people are going through.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
I don't think you maybe need to go through them,
but it's understanding. I think you just picked that up
on your way through farming life. But stuff happens, and
sometimes you deal with it okay, and other times it's
a challenge. You know, for me, it knocked me over,
but that became an asset for me later on to
be able to recognize that and other people and help
(23:37):
them through. So yeah, it's just it's just a great
organization to be part of. To know that you can
make the rural community a stronger and the more resilient
place for people to live in.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
That'll be one of the things I'd say most proud of, Lindsay,
the way that the stoic Southern persona over the past
twenty to thirty years has kind of fallen by the wayside.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
And not to be Okay, absolutely yeah, that was that
was our message sort of midway through. But it took
a long time to get the trust reputation up and running.
And I think the guys that have taken over in
recent years, you know, they've taken that to a new
level and the recognition, but the support that the trust's getting,
(24:21):
I mean, I see like the Adam Newton house at
the Field days. That was we would have dreamed of
something like that back at the start. But to know
that the industry and the real professionals and all that
have got our back at the real support trust is
just so gratifying because you know then that the whole
trust is recognized and got that respect in the province.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Now you've been involved through droughts, flood relief, like your
players from BOVS as well. Just regarding in BOVS, what
was your what's your initial reactions when you think.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
Back, poor Yeah, BOTUS came out out of nowhere and
it was just this huge wall coming at us. We
weren't really sure what was happening because it was a
biosecurity event. MPI were leading it, but we were really
challenged by that. I was coordinator at the time, and
(25:15):
John Kennedy was the chair and he fronted a lot
of that pressure in terms of dealing with the cases.
That was tough because it was really a challenge for
those that were affected, and gosh, there was some heartbreaking
stories that went out as that progress through. So yeah,
(25:35):
it was it was a tough call and a tough
gig to be involved in.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
The word resilience has frowned upon a lot of circles
these days, regardless of what people think about it. Do
you think it's something that Southerners have become.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
Yes, it's an interesting word because I can remember being
in a meeting and somebody said, I'm sick of being
told I'm resilient. I just want to be grumpy.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
But I don't mind that.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
We kind of changed in a way to turn it
resilience into self reliance, just because the times when things
happen on farm and you know you're the one that
has to handle it. So resilience or self reliance, I'm
not quite sure which is the correct answer, but it's
it's certainly something that rural life forces you to be.
And sometimes if you get two or three resilient moments
(26:25):
come one after the other sometimes you just run out
of resilient petrol.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Now the farm's basical end inside you're starting to step
back these days. So when you look back over your
time on the farm there, I suppose you could say
you're leaving it in a pretty good place. Just the
farming sector as such.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
Yes, I wouldn't mind some of the lamb checks and
beef checks and milk checks that are going out compared
to what I had twenty years ago, Andy, But no,
it's great to see that finally you know there's some
returns coming back in that are going to make it
better for people. Mind you, those returns are needed because
you know the costs will go up as they do.
But no, it's great to see the real sector in
(27:04):
such a positive place at the moment. And I'm pleased
for those that are out there doing it that they're
getting rewarded for what they do.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
Hey, Lindsey, thanks your time on the muster of this afternoon.
Of course, the King Service Medal and the King's Birthday
honors for your work, we're getting this Royal Support Trust
a good Yen initiative as well. And look, yeah, a
real good bugger doing awesome work and a lot of
people say this is well deserved and thanks your time
this afternoon.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Jeers Andy, and I just add to that, thanks so
much to all the people I've worked with, real support
and good young Gosh, there's some good people in this
world and we're very privileged to have them serving us
wherever they are.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Grant as ast McMaster joins us once again. Thanks him.
Tavid RB Rural. However, he's gone international once again. We
catch him from California, of all places, get a disaster.
Good to catch up once again.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
Yeah, good afternoon, Any, good afternoon everybody. Yeah, we're in
California in a place called Ohai, not the Ohai in
western South And as we talked about, I think it
was last week before I left. So you came over
here for a wedding which was in a place called Ventura,
a couple of hours out of La got into La
on on Thursday, sort of afternoon and got a shuttle
(28:28):
from La up to Ventura, where the wedding's been. And yeah,
it's been all got since then. A few a bit
of a New Zealand contingent at the wedding, which has
been great, and yeah, we've enjoyed a lot of hospitality.
So at the moment, as I say, we've shipped from
Ventura just half anar road to Ohai, and today we
(28:51):
went and had a look at We drove the California
coast to Santa Barbara, which was a pretty cool place
up there. And I suppose we tomorrow we're heading down
to Malibou to have a lot at Malibu and then
on Thursday we catch the catch the train to San
(29:12):
Francisco up the California coast. We'll be there for three
or four days before we will report next week from
being in Oregon. But I guess we'd better talk a
bit of farming while I'm here. And because that's what
arby rurals. That's why they pay you and I the
big money.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
So at least money it's not me.
Speaker 5 (29:30):
Well, I was actually thinking of you at the time,
but in Smithy still doesn't come back with that travel
pack for me either, so we must work on that.
So Santa Barbara, that's the biggest producer of agriculture in
the United States, and you can tell by when you're
driving along beautiful soils and very dry and needs water.
We don't you don't see the big irrigators, but they
(29:51):
must have a lot of kay line and what have you.
So just you know, as I said, strawbrige is the
biggest export from from the from the Santa Barbara counties
is seven hundred and twenty eight million dollars of strawberries,
say export one hundred and ten million dollars in coulieflyare
one hundred and four million broccoli nursery seedlings, ninety eight
(30:13):
million wine grapes, ninety four million, avocados eighty million less
seventy eight million salary sixty one million in BlackBerry's forty
six million. And most of those strawberries go to Canada,
Mexico or most of that produce, but especially strawberries, and
most strawberries go to Canada by lud By, Mexico, Kuwait, Saudi,
(30:35):
Saudi and Japan. So that's I didn't see New Zealand
anywhere on the information I got. So yeah, it's a
big producing area, but it's a very arid hell around
the place around California. You can see where those when
those wild fires get going, they don't stop. And it was,
(30:57):
OHI where we are now. When those big fires went
through six or seven years ago, the whole the towns
and there's about seven thousand people in the town, but
it's sort of in a basin, and the whole basin burnt,
the whole three undred and sixty degrees and there were
a few things lost, but you know, the majority of
the city was all right. So it's for a mountainous
(31:20):
area that's just looks very much like the.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
Mediterrane to be fair.
Speaker 5 (31:23):
You know that brackening crap and or brier and it's
not bright, but all those bushes. But on the valley
floors it's you know, it's really really fertile. But you
can see when they get the rain it absolutely paused
because there's massive boulders. And for the people who have
been up to the Milford and looked at the mighty
Hollyford River where you stop down there at Gunner's Camp,
(31:45):
you can see, you know, there's a lot of boulders
in that river. Well at the moment, the river beds
here are dry, and there's boulders as big as trucks
and probably bigger that just you know, tumble down every year.
So when it rains, it rains, but then it's hot
for a long time, and it's where they produce so
much I guess.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
So you won't be saying much in the way of
livestock there.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
Well, I know we haven't. Actually I saw about thirty
calves the other day. So another one of the reasons
we're here is some young guy that we went to
his wedding. His family farm were at close burning and
they are American and you Southern citizens but also Americans,
and the kids or the parents even went to There's
(32:26):
a high school over here called Thatcher and it's it
was actually started in the eighteen sixties by a family
from the from the East coast up in the cold areas.
They bought land down here and because it was a
better climate and they started a school. And that's still
that school was still going and it's it's quite a
(32:47):
it's a pretty popular school and you know, difficult to
get into, but it's it has it has a big
outdoor camping are curriculum and things like that, so that
the school has one hundred and thirty horses, two hundred
(33:08):
and sixty students and it's a high school. So basically
what in my all I know is like sort of
form three to the seventh form and the first year
those students get there that they get taught to ride
a horse, and part of that, part of their curriculum
is like Jim Carnes and jumping and lots of lots
of Jim Carnah work and they all become pretty.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Proficient at riding horses.
Speaker 5 (33:30):
So the privilege of getting up there the other day
and getting a hay burner and a few of us
went for a bit of a ride up round the
trails and yeah, pretty spectacular horse. You know, you get
a bit of height and look down and but it's
been an agriculture was not an agriculture college, but it's
a it's a school that's a lot of you know,
clever people have gone to, including me having a look around.
(33:53):
But yeah, that was fascinating just to see. And that
school was set up from to basically and I think
probably need a few of them to get kids that
came from pretty good backgrounds and may have been a
bit spoiled and what didn't want to work. So they
introduced the horse, and you know that first year, every
day they've got a horse to look after and work.
(34:14):
So yeah, it's quite one of the old values, but
it's sort of something I can relate to.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
And agree with. Disaster, how would you describe the mood
of the people you've seen in the political sense.
Speaker 5 (34:27):
Well, in California, i'd be you wouldn't have to, you know,
if you were you know, there's a.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
Couple of things.
Speaker 5 (34:34):
I was always taught you shouldn't discuss religion or politics.
But you know in California they're very they're all democratics, Democrats,
I should say, so you know there's what's happening around
the world. They're not in their country.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
They're not that.
Speaker 5 (34:50):
Happy with I know when we went to there'd be
one hundreds something people that apparently there was. There was
one Republican there and very nice person too. But yes,
at the you wouldn't you know. Day to day you
wouldn't know there was what the United States.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Were up to.
Speaker 5 (35:05):
It's just like being in Gore or Queenstown. You know,
people aren't just going about their about their way so different.
If in little groups and start talking, you know that's yeah,
there's a fear of everybody's sort of there. As I said,
this area is all Democrats anyway and renowned for it.
But the day to day you wouldn't know that. You know,
(35:26):
people a friend if you if you need some directions,
only too happy to help and all very polite, you know,
yes sir and old but yes ma'am, yes sir, and
very very very very down to earth people.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
So how do you get on driving over there? I
believe you've got to you've hired a vehicle. I mean,
there's a bit different to driving around Queenstown. In fact,
the comparison's there. It's like Baron Munroe trying to get
to the body of all soult flats, not knowing what
side of the road to be on.
Speaker 5 (35:50):
Well, I know how it felt, because it takes a
bit of getting your head around, to be quite truthful.
And yes, so we I think we didn't. We didn't
have to drive out of our a. We've got to
shuttle And the next day we went and got it,
got dropped off to get a rental car. And that's
a bit of a baptism a fire with you, because
(36:11):
you know, Ventura is not far out of out of
l A, so there's a lot of traffic around and
those freeways, they they go pretty quick. So pick the
car up and you know you get on the wrong
side for the start. You think every time you go
to put the seat out on, you put your arm
out there's no belt there h and you turn the
indicators on the wipers go. But apart from that, thank goodness,
(36:33):
we've got those GPS's and they tell you what to do.
But you know, you it's great when you you know
the old thing they say, keep the keep the yellow
line to your to your side and the passenger side
towards the footpath, and that. That's all very well when
you're going along the motorway or you know, going along
the street where it's you know, two way or whatever,
(36:55):
but you've got to really have you what's about you
When you get to an intersection and you'll say turning left, well,
you've got to remember not to just shoot down the
left hand side. You've got to go right over and
turn right. So you're constantly thinking about that, and yeah,
it's it's getting easier. I think probably looking back on it,
(37:16):
would I want to drive out of La No? But
could I think after being a week, well, you know,
a few days driving here with the GPS and to
knowing how it works, you probably could so easy to
talk yourself out of it. But yeah, certainly it's not
like driving through Queenstown or anywhere. And it's got one
hand on the wheel and the other well, the other
(37:37):
on the window, and you know.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
It, relaxed.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
She's the old ten to two with me here on
the wheel and mirrors are not moving ahead, and don't
even like the radio on in case of something.
Speaker 1 (37:47):
Hey, get on your grant. Will you carry on spreading
the word of ab rural throughout the Californian state. We'll
catch up with you next week. Great to care, Great
to catch up as always.
Speaker 5 (37:56):
Yeah, we're talking from ben and Oregon and that's the
tumber Country up there. Whatever change stories for us.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
Olivia Weatherburn joins me in studio, bopping away to a
bit of Elvius. He thank good.
Speaker 5 (38:11):
How are you?
Speaker 1 (38:11):
Can't complain? Pretty mild?
Speaker 6 (38:13):
I know it's scary, really I want winter and winter,
but it will come.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
That will come, don't worry. It's a matter of when,
not of especially being in the south. Beef and Lamb
goes for the gunner.
Speaker 6 (38:24):
At the moment, so much happening. I know that the
teamer and town at the moment doing the regional delivery
plan for next year and what's going to happen, And
across the country there's lots happening. So just had that
big out the gate conference. There's field days next week.
It's hard to believe that's come around because it's not
down here. We sort of, yeah, keep to it on
knitting and doing what we're doing. But yeah, heap's happening.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
So what's happening with the crew in town today exactly
what's going on.
Speaker 6 (38:48):
So every year the farmer councils around the country get
together and they are your Every farmer council is a
sounding board for the other farmers and all the levy
payers within the region and so they come together yearly
to help the extension team and the staff of Beef
and Lamb to create what the activity and investment plan
(39:08):
for the next twelve months is going to be. So
today they'll be discussing what they're hearing. They'll have gone
out and talked to other farmers hopefully and they will
be bringing all that in together to go or what
are we going to deliver? So it'll be deciding whether
there's going to be more like those Shepherds to Sheer
hoolder events or are they going to be focusing environment
or a people or what is the focus for those
(39:29):
next twelve months to be able to help farmers make
those informed on farm decisions.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
How's BALI going just off the top the AI?
Speaker 6 (39:36):
Yeah, but it's going good. So the unique thing about
Bella and AI because everyone's getting into the whole AI
thing and it's actually quite scary. You're seeing a lot
of AI out there and it's starting to all look
the same and some when it comes to posters. But
with Bala, she can only get information off the Beef
and Land website. So she's been trained. Aaron Meekl has
(39:57):
had to train Bala like a dog, a good and
sometimes she doesn't listen, but she only takes information off
the website. And so when I've just re fresh the
employment hub and so now you can put questions in
around creating job descriptions or having good teen culture and
your team and creating a staff meetings and those kind
(40:19):
of things, she could take the information that's on there
and then user And from what we're hearing, it's a
little bit slower than some AI tools, but that's because
she's going and looking in a bit more detail rather
than going on the world Wide Web and just pulling whatever.
But from what we're hearing, we've had some students trialing
it and that it's been really valuable for their studies
(40:41):
to get the answers, and hopefully people are using it
to be able to actually get the facts and the
truth rather than what they think is right.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
Have you heard a farmer is using it very often?
Speaker 6 (40:53):
I haven't heard of farmers specifically at the moment, but
I'm sure there is some out there. Yeah, not so
farmer facing for me now, but for those that I
have heard. So, they did interview a few out the
game in that last week, just little things like when
there were doing some wintering plans. So everyone's been some
of those farmers been sitting down doing their wintering plans
(41:14):
this year. They've been able to put some scenarios of
questions in there and it's brought up the stuff from
the wintering faction.
Speaker 1 (41:20):
What's your job title these days?
Speaker 6 (41:22):
National Extension program manager? So I do a bit for everybody.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
It's a good way to sub Actually I'm going to
ask one of them tails, but you wrapped it up
at about six words.
Speaker 6 (41:32):
Then, yeah, So I do bet for everybody. Forty percent
of my time is extension sixty percent and people in capability,
So the people in capability part of the business that's
not the HR and everythink within beef and lamb. That's
helping support farmers in the people in capability space, so schools, employment,
tertiary education, on farm championing, scholarships, those kind of pieces.
(41:56):
And then one part of that is the Generation Next
program as well.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
So what's coming up and the not too distant future.
Speaker 6 (42:03):
At the moment, the focus is Generation Next, So, believe
it or not, ten years ago I put in great
inducted I suppose is the word. The first twenty Generation
Next participants here in Gore around this week actually about
ten years ago, and last week I helped to the
(42:23):
last twenty for this year in Southern South Island was
last Monday. So we have been running the program for
ten years and we're about to have a ten year
celebration on the second of July when hopefully to bring
it together our alumni and people have been involved in
the program to be able to celebrate where we've gone
and what we've achieved and just ye really look at
(42:46):
what does that next ten years look like as well?
Speaker 1 (42:49):
And it remains popular, that's the thing it is.
Speaker 6 (42:51):
Yeah, So we still have on average around ninety We've
got ninety three applicants this year. Participants at the moment
graduate this year. So by the end of this year
we'll have around six hundred and forty graduates of the
program over the ten years. And if you think about that,
looking at we only were for the first four years
(43:13):
of the program, we were only in Southland and it
was always limited to twenty people. Then we went to
CSI or the Central Area and the South Island and
then it wasn't till about the fourth or fifth year
that the North Island joined us.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
And it's only been in the.
Speaker 6 (43:27):
Last three years that we've had the whole country.
Speaker 1 (43:30):
So who started Whose brainchild was it?
Speaker 5 (43:33):
That was me?
Speaker 1 (43:34):
It was you.
Speaker 6 (43:34):
Yeah, so well there you go. When you when I
went from my role at Beef and Lamb twelve years ago,
you had to do a presentation on an idea and
this was actually my presentation. It was more about your
presentation skills and how you could articulate, I think to
if you'd be any good for the job, and that
they're all debate later. But as part of that I
(43:57):
then sat there aside, and then year later I bought
it up at Farmer Council. When to keep coming up
with oh we need people who have got a bit
more confidence and skills of finance and technology and building
great teams and understanding actually the processes that happened at
the meat works and that, and I was like, well
I've got this idea, and so thank you to the
Southern South Island Farmer Council and those that were a
(44:20):
part of it then and like Graham Evans and that
we're still were a part of it back then as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
we'll give him some credit that they gave me the
but yet go have a go and so we had
to go and a few years of getting it right
and yeah, I think we've just about got there.
Speaker 1 (44:37):
Oh you got to be pretty proud of that.
Speaker 6 (44:39):
Yeah, it would be my Pridu's achievement of beef and lamb.
Speaker 1 (44:41):
Yes, So everything's tickety bow in other words, just takes
over with the organizationization.
Speaker 6 (44:46):
Yeares, Yeah, I think so. Yeah, there's there's lots happening,
lots of change. We Yeah, obviously Allen has got his
feet well and truly under the table now, so he's
starting to make some moves in regards to where we
need to go. We are looking at a referendum coming
up as well, so it's like, yeah, what's the future
(45:07):
looking like as well. There's always lots of different things
popping up everywhere. But we've got a really great team
and some great talent throughout Beef and Lamb. So it's
awesome to be able to work with all that talented people,
especially across the research team and that and with all
those cool research projects as a PhD student just started
in regards to the Bobby Cauf program, and yeah, that's
real opportunity. We have to work with the dairy industry.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
So what's the referendum about?
Speaker 6 (45:31):
So the referendum every six years. As we are a
commodity levy, we need to go out to farmers to
be able to get their confidence that they want to
be having a levy. Spent foot with Beef and Lamb
to be able to continue the activity we do.
Speaker 1 (45:53):
Olivia weather Burn of Beef and Lamb, New Zealand wrapping
up the best of the muster. Just remember if you
want to go back and listen interview, it's available online
at iHeartRadio, like say yesterday's show. It goes up in
full show format or the interviews are put up there
in a singular format as well. Enjoy the weekend we'll
catch on Monday one o'clock. Right here on Hakanui, you're
(46:22):
on the road and now you're playing a star.
Last night our harbor stream. A very good morning and
welcome into the best of the muster, a collaboration of
interviews who took our attention here at Hokanui HQ. My
name's Andy Muller. We're starting off the hour by catching
up with the Rob Scott Southland District Men. Now Rob's
and one of the major drivers behind council reform, amalgamations
and the likes and this is finally coming to the fort.
(00:27):
In Rob's words, central government's driving it, but at the
same time he's saying that we need to be careful
in the manner that we go about this process. And
Andy Dennis, based at Manipuri, tells us how things are
up in the Fiordland basin and he reflects in the
South Island Dog Troll Champs which are held at Maloroa
in the last couple of weeks and he just sees
(00:48):
a tremendous occasion and why it's something that really benefited
the region. Lindsay Wright, rural health advocate, one of the
founders of the Rural Support Trust, and Lindsay was recognizing
the King's Birthday honors and he tells us reflecting back
on his time involved with for a real mental health
why he thinks for him has been well vindicated Grant
(01:09):
Disaster McMaster normally at close Burn Station. We catch him
this week in California on vacation. He tells us why
he's over there. The farming scene is such, but as well,
what's it like being a Hasey driving in California? And
Olivia Weatherburn of beef Lad, New Zealand joins us as well,
looking at gen Next and the successful program that it
(01:30):
has been, so that further Ado will start the yurur
next with Rob Scott. This is the best of the muster.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
You're on the road and now I'll play last gong.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Rob Scott is south and District Mayor and joins us
this afternoon. There's been a lot of talk going on,
not just in the media or councils these days, but
has gone up to central government regarding reform in local councils. Now.
Rob's been arguably the driver of this last year, saying
that Southland needs to go and change his modeling for councils.
(02:15):
Rob joins this afternoon. Good afternoon, Roblock. There's been a
lot of a change in the landscape since well, I
suppose this is your baby you proposed to last.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Year, Yeah, debsinuely and yeah a couple of years ago.
Now time flies when you havn't done.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Are you in favor of what they're proposing? I mean,
does this give more questions and answers.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
I'm in favor of the principle of it, obviously because
we've launched it, and obviously with the abolition of the
regional councils, that part is all good. But what I
disagree with with what the government's done in terms of
they basically said everyone needs anagamate and you've got three
months to sort out a plan or we're going to
do it to you. And that kind of approach doesn't
(02:57):
land to good results in it almost in my view,
ends up being amalgamation for amalgamation up and down the country.
And when you look at I mean, there's a strong
case that we put forward for kind of removing that
duplication and getting better outcomes by combining the regional council
and the territorial in the Southend area. But there's going
(03:19):
to be cases up and down the country where you've
got councils scrambling to try and achieve an outcome for
the government rather than maybe trying to achieve an outcome
for the people.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Realistically, how long does this need to be put through
in a proper process.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Well, the key thing andy that frustrates me as the
government's one is actually public voice and democracy, Like you
need to actually go through model, find a case for change,
find to what your outcomes are going to be, and
then talk to your people about it. It's the people that
are paying the bills at the end of the day
and need to have a say in how it goes.
With this very tight timeframe, there's no room for any
(03:56):
councils up and down the country to actually consult. Whereas
we're quite lucky because we've got that Local Government Commission
process happening, which the end result of that is a
poll of the people. So I'm hoping that we can
carry on our process that we've already kick started because
the people have to say in our then it's a
distinct advantage.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Is there a change that the government could change the
time frame from that three months or because it's election
year they want to get it done.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
I think they're trying to get it done because it's
an election year. But I think they've actually got to
look at what problem they're actually trying to solve. When
I ask the local government minister the other day, what
are you actually trying to solve with this, Because you've
got to look at kind of the intention behind it
and what outcomes you're trying to get. And I do
worry about New Zealand. Think if you've got big structural
changes made effective of a gun to your head and
(04:44):
under pressure that I mean, these are generational changes and
then they need to be done right. They need to
be done for the right reason.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
And the Cargary City Council coming up last week, though
it sounds that it's polarizing depending on what you want
to believe. Now they're saying the one Soulfuld model was preferred.
You look at the so putting South in the one council,
there's just a can of worms when you look from
the outside in it.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
It's one step too far, Indy, And I mean that's
why we had a look at it when we were
doing our proposal. And it's clear as day that the
two uditries is a way to go for South and
the city. I mean, we work together really well as
a region. But the city's got its own way of operating,
and it's busy. They're running a busy council there between
(05:27):
the governance and the operation level, and there's not actually
much of any duplication between the city and the regional
kind of wider area when you look at even the
administration piece. I mean there's one or two roles in
the obviously the CEO and a couple of the higher
level staff and some of that payroll stuff, But once
you get past that, there's not actually much duplication at all.
(05:49):
And I was talking to Tom Campbell last week, the mayor,
and him and I are both doing sometimes up to
seventy hours a week individually, and we don't spend much
time together, so there's no in the mayor roles as well.
So even from that point of view, you're splitting one
hundred and forty hours a week into one person, which
(06:09):
you can't physically do, so then you're missing out. I'm
actually connecting with your community, which is a job of
the mayor, and it actually translates down into your council
as well. So I think there'd be quite a big
loss to both sides if we did that whole one
single council.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Now we've talked about historical debt levels before rare, but
then the obvious comes into it, future debt levels, especially
if a malgamation comes unto focus, this will be a concern.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Yeah, but you look at it from a national idea,
I mean local government. There's a funding issue with local government,
there has been for some time. And combining a whole
lot of councils together and sometimes it's anagamation piece actually
ends up costing more and you just need to look
at awkward for how that is sort of blown out
into quite a big bureaucracy and do you actually get
(06:57):
the savings You actually solve the issue of the funding
of life government until you actually address how it's actually
fe hundred and we've been since the late eighteen hundreds,
early nineteen hundred to two percent of GDP the whole
way through right up until now, so our component of
GDP hasn't actually changed central government. When you look at
the graph, there's quite a gap between what central government
(07:20):
takes out of GDP and what local government does and
it's a growing gap, and it's a centralized funding structure.
And by actually merging all of these councils together, you're
centralizing it even more and that actually can create even
more of a financial burden rather than actually saving money.
You look at the land area of the Southern Region,
(07:41):
ninety five percent of that the South and District, four
percent of that is Gore District, and one percent that's
in the Cargo. And then you break up the population
and you look at the way and I've done some
modeling as to how the actual council table would lock
around a single council and you always end up because
the modeling is done on population, and it's legislatively done
(08:02):
on population, you're going to end up with a wasting
of city representation and you're going to lose your local
voice and your representation. And when we look at the
strength of our community boards here in the Southern District,
we're putting a lot of emphasis into a decentralized kind
of local democratic way of operating. It's paying dividends now
(08:23):
even in terms of saving money, and I'd hate to
lose the locals having a say in their outcome and
the city it's a different, different, whole, different playing field
in terms of how they operate.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Rob We'll throw this. You're coming out on the budget
last week the proposal around tourism taxas for certain areas
in New Zealand. I think Milford Sound wants a no brainer.
We need to do something regarding infrastructure. Going by the numbers, Yeah,
we do.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
And it comes down to what I said earlier Andy
about how local governments funded and what we're expected to
do all the time. And when you look at Milford
Sound the Southern district, we're hosting nearly a milli and
people a year that are coming through and they become
our guests as soon as they get past the boundary
in Kingston there, and we're hosting them through on their journey.
And you look at the bus loads that are coming through.
(09:09):
They're stopping and gassed and using our toilets. They're stopping
and mosb and using our toilets. Theyre stopping in Tian
now using the toilets. We're responsible for them. If there's
an emergency, we're responsible from our volleys are responsible for them,
if there's an accident that we're kind of we're hosting
quite a load here for this golden opportunity for them
to go and visit Milford which is actually in the
(09:30):
dock estate. Ironically enough, Doc don't even pay rates, so
no government departments actually pay any rate, so there's no
money coming to local government at all to actually look
after these people.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Regarding fast straight legislation on one farms. Are you a
fan of this?
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Look, it's an interesting mind. Andy. We've and we've had
a discussion as a council and it's almost like we
need to just hit pause. There's one farm's popping up
like mushrooms everywhere, and I think we need to just
sort of take stock and have a look what's actually happening,
what the cost of all of this is long term
for our communities, and what the benefits are for our
(10:08):
communities as well. So we want to actually as a
counselor have a bit of a session just to get
a good understanding of the pros and cons because there's
lots of conversation happening out there, and like I say,
lots of every week, this sends to be a new
one popping up. So I've been doing a crash course
myself and getting my head around how it all works
because there's a lot of money going into them and
(10:30):
a lot of power coming out, but where's it all
going And fundamentally for me, The question is what's it
going to do for our South and ratepayers and our
residents and taxpayers and everyone out there for our power
bills with all of this basic economic supply and demand.
But I haven't seen any of our power bills come
down in a hurry yet, So it'll be good to
actually get our head around all of that. And it
(10:52):
might be good, it might be bad. It might need
to be managed a little bit better. So I think
we need to do some work in that area before
it goes too far too much.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Further.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Good on your always good to catch up.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Thanks Andy, that.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
We're a wait a minute, Pouri. Next on the muster,
will we catch up with Andy Dennis farming up that
way in the Fjordland basin, of course, thanks so, Sergeon
Dan Stock Foods. There's a socigeony Dad Farming ground up
where every Monday we go to different parts of the
Southern region and speak to farmers in various capacities. Good afternoon, Cake,
how are you?
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Yeah, I'm great, Good afternoon one. How's things?
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Yeah, it's great, it's nice and mild. I'd suggest that
for a start for June.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Yeah, no, lovely may Jane. Really it's yeah, we're starting
to get some regular rains a bit more, a bit more,
we've had.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
A foot but no, it's warm.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
It's great. We're still grown grass behind breake fences and yeah,
it's all make September a whole lot easier at the moment,
that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
I've seen something on social media the other day. I
think somebody was doing silas as recently as like ten
days ago.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Ah. Yeah, I went up with some chaos or what
was it was it, I think to May and there
was bay. Yeah, there was Baillage cut and moss Burne.
So it was a bit of a shock. But yeah,
if it's growing and you need it, you might as
well make it.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
It's crazy to think that you're feeding it up and
making it at the same time. That's pretty irish logic.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Revolving door of self feed.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Yeah, there you go. Just winter made. Now we're talking
about the dog Charles shortly and took up a lot
of your time. But on the farm, everything's looking pretty good.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Yeah, I know, everything's good where Yeah, Luckily crops are
sort of keep taking away. The kale sort of needed
a drink, probably more than what we thought, and that's
growing a lot in the last month. But swedes are good.
There's a wad of grass and some of them, but yeah,
it's all just an extra feed. Yeah, dairy cares arrived esday,
so they are sort of transitioning on and yes, the
(12:58):
is are already on crap and whener's already on crops,
so yeah, most things are getting feed out too near
and yeah, we'll just work into that, get into that routine,
which is which is good.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Yeah, predominantly sweets and kale up there as well.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Yeah, all sweets and kale. Yeah, we're trying to Yeah,
where it's heading been farmed this farm for forever. It's
sort of some of it's only sort of fifty years old.
So the quicker we can go around and keep that
new passes coming in or keep that pasture and you'll
go in the best. So we're not afraid to put
an extra crop up here because you guarantee you'll need
it or you'll get a dry season and the rest
(13:33):
of the crop wake be as good as what you want.
And extra five heap years is pretty bloody handy most years.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
The day side of things, though, speaking of David Seasons
on the show last week, Andy is pretty positive.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Yeah, no, I think the contract sect sort of eleven
eleven fifty, so that's great. Yeah, the animals aren't around
that are just not about, so it's just good old
supply demand. So yeah, it's nice that the guys that
have stuck with them because they are a great anim
more that's been rewarded. Really.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Yeah, I've asked you this before and I'll ask you again.
Are you hearing a many young farmers coming in the
industry who wants to take deer hon as part of
their operation.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
I know a young guy that just border smaller deer
farm up in the Basin recently. So yeah, that's that's
really good to see. Yeah, there's oh, I think there's
plenty that are interested and want to give it a go.
And usually once they sort of get a farm them
either land corp or for someone else, Yeah, they certainly
(14:35):
get the bug and stick with it. But yeah, it's
it's just another good income stream without that sort of
sharing and dipping and drenching and dagging that you've got
to do with the other white maggots.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
So yeah, no, it's good.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Yeah, white meggots. It's a bit of a common phrase unfortunately.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Yeah, the megot taxis Yeah, no, dear heavy place. They
really do, especially on some of those harder blocks that
you know, lacks a bit of fertility. They they really
suit it. So yeah, yeah, it's one of those things.
How many young people are joining any industry at the moment,
it's the thing.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Yeah, well we'll talk about Wall. A lot of people
saying the industry is bouncing back and your surprice is
coming up. James Egger on this program last week, Kecker
was scathing of the industry and everything that went with it, saying,
we're still accepted, accepting mediocrity and this is purely supply
and demand coming into play. Would you agree with that?
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Oh, I still think like wall was probably the best
thing we produce in New Zealand. Like it's sustainable, it's recyclable.
You know, there's not a bit of plastic in it
at all. It's one of the you know, we're told
the world tells us we need you know, all these
feel good things and back to natural products. But the
(15:53):
truth of the mirrors, they're just not They're not willing
to pay that for the moment. So yeah, currently it's
just plan to mar That's why the price has gone up.
There's just not a lot of wall in storage at
the moment, so they have to pay to find it,
which I mean, that's great. But as far as fixed,
we haven't fixed.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
Anything in the industry, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
But we're certainly Yeah, successive governments have chucked a lot
of money into action groups and all these plans and
form another group and forming them this and the next thing.
But yes, it doesn't seem to deliver anything. Yeah, it's
just I don't know, you've just got to get it
off the floors, I suppose, and get it. Yeah. One
(16:34):
good thing is there's a lot of farmers doing it themselves,
like either doing a jersey or a carpet or a
tile or a rug or even woolen hats and gloves,
and all that.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
Is is good.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
It showcases just the properties of wall, which is which
is fantastic. Whether they're sort of making a lot of
money in it, probably not, but it's all. It's all
good publicity, isn't it, You know that sort of thing.
So you got on them for giving them to go. Yeah,
and the.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Fake spread wall is going up in price too. And
if you've stuck by the industry, perhaps you might finally
see some reward yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Well, I mean it's one thing paying for the sharing.
That's well and good, but I mean it probably needs
to be eight to ten dollars to be making some
decent money out of it, you know, And all it
takes is the shares, you know, love all up their
rates again and you know, you can't blame them. There's
diesel prices. There's a lot of Trevor involved, you know,
(17:28):
like we seem to get shares fly around the world
at the moment to the share, so they've got high
costs and the contractors have high cost so I mean
it's got to go up. But there's just got to
be more for everyone involved, I suppose, and definitely more
for farmers at the bottom line. But yeah, no, it's
it's not an easy fix. It's just it's a fantastic
(17:49):
product and yeah, that's what the world wants, so yeah,
let's make them pay for it, I suppose. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Now, the South Island Dog Trials or how did it, Marorolla?
Last time we caught up with you, it sounds like
it was a resounding seas.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Yeah mess of yeah, really really good success. So yeah,
there wasn't any negative comments. Food was good, cheap with
good of course was a good we're sort of six
miles on the Wednesday night, made a bit of a mess,
but we sort of yeah, we're checking a bit more
gravel around the day before and the grounds were tidy
and immaculate and landowners come away happy. Everyone got home safe,
(18:23):
you know, like it just feels good. Tiana put on
a good party. I think most nights, the most were
sort of going to eleven twelve o'clock, so a really
good into what's been a busy year and Tiana hospital
wise sort of the showcase Tianna and for all and
to some New Zealanders that a lot of them had
never been over this corner before, so but that was
(18:44):
really good. So yeah, thanks everyone evolved. Yeah, the South
Intender did a really good job of hosting it. So
thanks to the executive team and McCain family at Barwood
Station and McDonald family at the var Station for hosting it.
And both those two families were heavily involved in the
running of it. So your big share that to those
(19:05):
guys and and Todd and Jelly Kevner. They were really
the backbone for it for the week. Just a good
strong family up here. They've been here for a while,
and they know how to run an event, and yeah,
they did some massive hours to make sure think was
sort of tucked away and the president didn't lose the
sanity well close.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Allegedly.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Yeah literally, yeah, stuging, we want to recover, but yeah,
you could probably argue if we did lose. You're not.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
Judgment there. Good. You always appreciate the time we've done
on the big event a few weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Thanks so very much, and everyone who's a lovely kind
winter and yeah, just scared on through and look forward
to another spring of hopefully high stock prices or high
lost up prices, which would be great. Another couple of
years like this would just be the icing on the cake.
At the moment, it.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Welcome back to the muster. Robert Palmer is the music today.
That song there arguably one of his lesser known songs,
but still a cracker song. Every kind of people back
in the day used to be all over the year waves. Nonetheless,
returning to the present, Lindsay Wright. Lindsay's done a lot
of really good work in the Royal Support Trust space
(20:32):
over the years. He's a founding member there and he
was fortunate enough to be the recipient of the King's
Service Medal on the King's Birthday Honors which were released yesterday,
and Lindsay's going to join us so Afthenon have a
bit of talk about it. It's a pretty cool story. Lindsay.
Welcome and firstly, congratulations.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
Thanks Andy. I really appreciate that. It's kind of a
strange feeling to be rewarded for just during what you've
been doing. But it's certainly privilege and very very gratified
to receive.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
It because you don't do these kind of positions to
get the rewards, I suppose, But at the same time,
being recognized for what you've done it must be pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
Oh it is. It's lovely to have that recognition, both
individual but also of the organizations. It's interesting you just
say that because I've just doing some cleaning out here
in Rathas today and I found a box full of
the old newspaper cuttings from the twenty twenty ten snow,
and you look back at the people that were involved
(21:34):
in all the people that mucked in to get that
to deal with that snow, and it's just like, Yeah,
that's what reural living's about. It's just people get on
and work together and make stuff happen.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Because I remember that snowstorm doing a landing beat. It
wasn't a lot of fun, but you were yourselves and
the real support trusted something about it.
Speaker 4 (21:53):
That's right, And yeah, I think we weren't too sure
what we were going to do about it when it
first hit, but you just have a look at it.
You get people together and we had some great support
boats from the rural community, from environments not environments out
the EMS, Emergency Managements Outland and Federated Farmers MPI. A
(22:16):
lot of people came together and helped us and we
did what we could to help them.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Is it a fulfilling role doing something like the Rural
Support Trust?
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Oh absolutely yes. We've just knowing that you could put
yourself out there to help the rural people. And over
the years we gained their trust. And it was difficult
at the start because we were learning as much as
the people that we were serving were trying to learn.
And so it's just the fact that if you've been
(22:47):
through some tough times, you can sit at somebody's kitchen
table and be able to help them through and understand.
You can never know how other people feel, but you
can understand what's making them feel like that, and so
that's I think that was the pleaser of it, being
able to go there and just say to people, we understand,
what can we do that's going to make it better
for you.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Do you think it's a case, Lindsay, of people having
to go through these situations to get a total comprehension
of what other people are going through.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
I don't think you maybe need to go through them,
but it's understanding. I think you just picked that up
on your way through farming life. But stuff happens, and
sometimes you deal with it okay, and other times it's
a challenge. You know, for me, it knocked me over,
but that became an asset for me later on to
be able to recognize that and other people and help
(23:37):
them through. So yeah, it's just it's just a great
organization to be part of. To know that you can
make the rural community a stronger and the more resilient
place for people to live in.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
That'll be one of the things I'd say most proud of, Lindsay,
the way that the stoic Southern persona over the past
twenty to thirty years has kind of fallen by the wayside.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
And not to be Okay, absolutely yeah, that was that
was our message sort of midway through. But it took
a long time to get the trust reputation up and running.
And I think the guys that have taken over in
recent years, you know, they've taken that to a new
level and the recognition, but the support that the trust's getting,
(24:21):
I mean, I see like the Adam Newton house at
the Field days. That was we would have dreamed of
something like that back at the start. But to know
that the industry and the real professionals and all that
have got our back at the real support trust is
just so gratifying because you know then that the whole
trust is recognized and got that respect in the province.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Now you've been involved through droughts, flood relief, like your
players from BOVS as well. Just regarding in BOVS, what
was your what's your initial reactions when you think.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
Back, poor Yeah, BOTUS came out out of nowhere and
it was just this huge wall coming at us. We
weren't really sure what was happening because it was a
biosecurity event. MPI were leading it, but we were really
challenged by that. I was coordinator at the time, and
(25:15):
John Kennedy was the chair and he fronted a lot
of that pressure in terms of dealing with the cases.
That was tough because it was really a challenge for
those that were affected, and gosh, there was some heartbreaking
stories that went out as that progress through. So yeah,
(25:35):
it was it was a tough call and a tough
gig to be involved in.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
The word resilience has frowned upon a lot of circles
these days, regardless of what people think about it. Do
you think it's something that Southerners have become.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
Yes, it's an interesting word because I can remember being
in a meeting and somebody said, I'm sick of being
told I'm resilient. I just want to be grumpy.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
But I don't mind that.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
We kind of changed in a way to turn it
resilience into self reliance, just because the times when things
happen on farm and you know you're the one that
has to handle it. So resilience or self reliance, I'm
not quite sure which is the correct answer, but it's
it's certainly something that rural life forces you to be.
And sometimes if you get two or three resilient moments
(26:25):
come one after the other sometimes you just run out
of resilient petrol.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Now the farm's basical end inside you're starting to step
back these days. So when you look back over your
time on the farm there, I suppose you could say
you're leaving it in a pretty good place. Just the
farming sector as such.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
Yes, I wouldn't mind some of the lamb checks and
beef checks and milk checks that are going out compared
to what I had twenty years ago, Andy, But no,
it's great to see that finally you know there's some
returns coming back in that are going to make it
better for people. Mind you, those returns are needed because
you know the costs will go up as they do.
But no, it's great to see the real sector in
(27:04):
such a positive place at the moment. And I'm pleased
for those that are out there doing it that they're
getting rewarded for what they do.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
Hey, Lindsey, thanks your time on the muster of this afternoon.
Of course, the King Service Medal and the King's Birthday
honors for your work, we're getting this Royal Support Trust
a good Yen initiative as well. And look, yeah, a
real good bugger doing awesome work and a lot of
people say this is well deserved and thanks your time
this afternoon.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Jeers Andy, and I just add to that, thanks so
much to all the people I've worked with, real support
and good young Gosh, there's some good people in this
world and we're very privileged to have them serving us
wherever they are.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Grant as ast McMaster joins us once again. Thanks him.
Tavid RB Rural. However, he's gone international once again. We
catch him from California, of all places, get a disaster.
Good to catch up once again.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
Yeah, good afternoon, Any, good afternoon everybody. Yeah, we're in
California in a place called Ohai, not the Ohai in
western South And as we talked about, I think it
was last week before I left. So you came over
here for a wedding which was in a place called Ventura,
a couple of hours out of La got into La
on on Thursday, sort of afternoon and got a shuttle
(28:28):
from La up to Ventura, where the wedding's been. And yeah,
it's been all got since then. A few a bit
of a New Zealand contingent at the wedding, which has
been great, and yeah, we've enjoyed a lot of hospitality.
So at the moment, as I say, we've shipped from
Ventura just half anar road to Ohai, and today we
(28:51):
went and had a look at We drove the California
coast to Santa Barbara, which was a pretty cool place
up there. And I suppose we tomorrow we're heading down
to Malibou to have a lot at Malibu and then
on Thursday we catch the catch the train to San
(29:12):
Francisco up the California coast. We'll be there for three
or four days before we will report next week from
being in Oregon. But I guess we'd better talk a
bit of farming while I'm here. And because that's what
arby rurals. That's why they pay you and I the
big money.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
So at least money it's not me.
Speaker 5 (29:30):
Well, I was actually thinking of you at the time,
but in Smithy still doesn't come back with that travel
pack for me either, so we must work on that.
So Santa Barbara, that's the biggest producer of agriculture in
the United States, and you can tell by when you're
driving along beautiful soils and very dry and needs water.
We don't you don't see the big irrigators, but they
(29:51):
must have a lot of kay line and what have you.
So just you know, as I said, strawbrige is the
biggest export from from the from the Santa Barbara counties
is seven hundred and twenty eight million dollars of strawberries,
say export one hundred and ten million dollars in coulieflyare
one hundred and four million broccoli nursery seedlings, ninety eight
(30:13):
million wine grapes, ninety four million, avocados eighty million less
seventy eight million salary sixty one million in BlackBerry's forty
six million. And most of those strawberries go to Canada,
Mexico or most of that produce, but especially strawberries, and
most strawberries go to Canada by lud By, Mexico, Kuwait, Saudi,
(30:35):
Saudi and Japan. So that's I didn't see New Zealand
anywhere on the information I got. So yeah, it's a
big producing area, but it's a very arid hell around
the place around California. You can see where those when
those wild fires get going, they don't stop. And it was,
(30:57):
OHI where we are now. When those big fires went
through six or seven years ago, the whole the towns
and there's about seven thousand people in the town, but
it's sort of in a basin, and the whole basin burnt,
the whole three undred and sixty degrees and there were
a few things lost, but you know, the majority of
the city was all right. So it's for a mountainous
(31:20):
area that's just looks very much like the.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
Mediterrane to be fair.
Speaker 5 (31:23):
You know that brackening crap and or brier and it's
not bright, but all those bushes. But on the valley
floors it's you know, it's really really fertile. But you
can see when they get the rain it absolutely paused
because there's massive boulders. And for the people who have
been up to the Milford and looked at the mighty
Hollyford River where you stop down there at Gunner's Camp,
(31:45):
you can see, you know, there's a lot of boulders
in that river. Well at the moment, the river beds
here are dry, and there's boulders as big as trucks
and probably bigger that just you know, tumble down every year.
So when it rains, it rains, but then it's hot
for a long time, and it's where they produce so
much I guess.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
So you won't be saying much in the way of
livestock there.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
Well, I know we haven't. Actually I saw about thirty
calves the other day. So another one of the reasons
we're here is some young guy that we went to
his wedding. His family farm were at close burning and
they are American and you Southern citizens but also Americans,
and the kids or the parents even went to There's
(32:26):
a high school over here called Thatcher and it's it
was actually started in the eighteen sixties by a family
from the from the East coast up in the cold areas.
They bought land down here and because it was a
better climate and they started a school. And that's still
that school was still going and it's it's quite a
(32:47):
it's a pretty popular school and you know, difficult to
get into, but it's it has it has a big
outdoor camping are curriculum and things like that, so that
the school has one hundred and thirty horses, two hundred
(33:08):
and sixty students and it's a high school. So basically
what in my all I know is like sort of
form three to the seventh form and the first year
those students get there that they get taught to ride
a horse, and part of that, part of their curriculum
is like Jim Carnes and jumping and lots of lots
of Jim Carnah work and they all become pretty.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Proficient at riding horses.
Speaker 5 (33:30):
So the privilege of getting up there the other day
and getting a hay burner and a few of us
went for a bit of a ride up round the
trails and yeah, pretty spectacular horse. You know, you get
a bit of height and look down and but it's
been an agriculture was not an agriculture college, but it's
a it's a school that's a lot of you know,
clever people have gone to, including me having a look around.
(33:53):
But yeah, that was fascinating just to see. And that
school was set up from to basically and I think
probably need a few of them to get kids that
came from pretty good backgrounds and may have been a
bit spoiled and what didn't want to work. So they
introduced the horse, and you know that first year, every
day they've got a horse to look after and work.
(34:14):
So yeah, it's quite one of the old values, but
it's sort of something I can relate to.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
And agree with. Disaster, how would you describe the mood
of the people you've seen in the political sense.
Speaker 5 (34:27):
Well, in California, i'd be you wouldn't have to, you know,
if you were you know, there's a.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
Couple of things.
Speaker 5 (34:34):
I was always taught you shouldn't discuss religion or politics.
But you know in California they're very they're all democratics, Democrats,
I should say, so you know there's what's happening around
the world. They're not in their country.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
They're not that.
Speaker 5 (34:50):
Happy with I know when we went to there'd be
one hundreds something people that apparently there was. There was
one Republican there and very nice person too. But yes,
at the you wouldn't you know. Day to day you
wouldn't know there was what the United States.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Were up to.
Speaker 5 (35:05):
It's just like being in Gore or Queenstown. You know,
people aren't just going about their about their way so different.
If in little groups and start talking, you know that's yeah,
there's a fear of everybody's sort of there. As I said,
this area is all Democrats anyway and renowned for it.
But the day to day you wouldn't know that. You know,
(35:26):
people a friend if you if you need some directions,
only too happy to help and all very polite, you know,
yes sir and old but yes ma'am, yes sir, and
very very very very down to earth people.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
So how do you get on driving over there? I
believe you've got to you've hired a vehicle. I mean,
there's a bit different to driving around Queenstown. In fact,
the comparison's there. It's like Baron Munroe trying to get
to the body of all soult flats, not knowing what
side of the road to be on.
Speaker 5 (35:50):
Well, I know how it felt, because it takes a
bit of getting your head around, to be quite truthful.
And yes, so we I think we didn't. We didn't
have to drive out of our a. We've got to
shuttle And the next day we went and got it,
got dropped off to get a rental car. And that's
a bit of a baptism a fire with you, because
(36:11):
you know, Ventura is not far out of out of
l A, so there's a lot of traffic around and
those freeways, they they go pretty quick. So pick the
car up and you know you get on the wrong
side for the start. You think every time you go
to put the seat out on, you put your arm
out there's no belt there h and you turn the
indicators on the wipers go. But apart from that, thank goodness,
(36:33):
we've got those GPS's and they tell you what to do.
But you know, you it's great when you you know
the old thing they say, keep the keep the yellow
line to your to your side and the passenger side
towards the footpath, and that. That's all very well when
you're going along the motorway or you know, going along
the street where it's you know, two way or whatever,
(36:55):
but you've got to really have you what's about you
When you get to an intersection and you'll say turning left, well,
you've got to remember not to just shoot down the
left hand side. You've got to go right over and
turn right. So you're constantly thinking about that, and yeah,
it's it's getting easier. I think probably looking back on it,
(37:16):
would I want to drive out of La No? But
could I think after being a week, well, you know,
a few days driving here with the GPS and to
knowing how it works, you probably could so easy to
talk yourself out of it. But yeah, certainly it's not
like driving through Queenstown or anywhere. And it's got one
hand on the wheel and the other well, the other
(37:37):
on the window, and you know.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
It, relaxed.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
She's the old ten to two with me here on
the wheel and mirrors are not moving ahead, and don't
even like the radio on in case of something.
Speaker 1 (37:47):
Hey, get on your grant. Will you carry on spreading
the word of ab rural throughout the Californian state. We'll
catch up with you next week. Great to care, Great
to catch up as always.
Speaker 5 (37:56):
Yeah, we're talking from ben and Oregon and that's the
tumber Country up there. Whatever change stories for us.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
Olivia Weatherburn joins me in studio, bopping away to a
bit of Elvius. He thank good.
Speaker 5 (38:11):
How are you?
Speaker 1 (38:11):
Can't complain? Pretty mild?
Speaker 6 (38:13):
I know it's scary, really I want winter and winter,
but it will come.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
That will come, don't worry. It's a matter of when,
not of especially being in the south. Beef and Lamb
goes for the gunner.
Speaker 6 (38:24):
At the moment, so much happening. I know that the
teamer and town at the moment doing the regional delivery
plan for next year and what's going to happen, And
across the country there's lots happening. So just had that
big out the gate conference. There's field days next week.
It's hard to believe that's come around because it's not
down here. We sort of, yeah, keep to it on
knitting and doing what we're doing. But yeah, heap's happening.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
So what's happening with the crew in town today exactly
what's going on.
Speaker 6 (38:48):
So every year the farmer councils around the country get
together and they are your Every farmer council is a
sounding board for the other farmers and all the levy
payers within the region and so they come together yearly
to help the extension team and the staff of Beef
and Lamb to create what the activity and investment plan
(39:08):
for the next twelve months is going to be. So
today they'll be discussing what they're hearing. They'll have gone
out and talked to other farmers hopefully and they will
be bringing all that in together to go or what
are we going to deliver? So it'll be deciding whether
there's going to be more like those Shepherds to Sheer
hoolder events or are they going to be focusing environment
or a people or what is the focus for those
(39:29):
next twelve months to be able to help farmers make
those informed on farm decisions.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
How's BALI going just off the top the AI?
Speaker 6 (39:36):
Yeah, but it's going good. So the unique thing about
Bella and AI because everyone's getting into the whole AI
thing and it's actually quite scary. You're seeing a lot
of AI out there and it's starting to all look
the same and some when it comes to posters. But
with Bala, she can only get information off the Beef
and Land website. So she's been trained. Aaron Meekl has
(39:57):
had to train Bala like a dog, a good and
sometimes she doesn't listen, but she only takes information off
the website. And so when I've just re fresh the
employment hub and so now you can put questions in
around creating job descriptions or having good teen culture and
your team and creating a staff meetings and those kind
(40:19):
of things, she could take the information that's on there
and then user And from what we're hearing, it's a
little bit slower than some AI tools, but that's because
she's going and looking in a bit more detail rather
than going on the world Wide Web and just pulling whatever.
But from what we're hearing, we've had some students trialing
it and that it's been really valuable for their studies
(40:41):
to get the answers, and hopefully people are using it
to be able to actually get the facts and the
truth rather than what they think is right.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
Have you heard a farmer is using it very often?
Speaker 6 (40:53):
I haven't heard of farmers specifically at the moment, but
I'm sure there is some out there. Yeah, not so
farmer facing for me now, but for those that I
have heard. So, they did interview a few out the
game in that last week, just little things like when
there were doing some wintering plans. So everyone's been some
of those farmers been sitting down doing their wintering plans
(41:14):
this year. They've been able to put some scenarios of
questions in there and it's brought up the stuff from
the wintering faction.
Speaker 1 (41:20):
What's your job title these days?
Speaker 6 (41:22):
National Extension program manager? So I do a bit for everybody.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
It's a good way to sub Actually I'm going to
ask one of them tails, but you wrapped it up
at about six words.
Speaker 6 (41:32):
Then, yeah, So I do bet for everybody. Forty percent
of my time is extension sixty percent and people in capability,
So the people in capability part of the business that's
not the HR and everythink within beef and lamb. That's
helping support farmers in the people in capability space, so schools, employment,
tertiary education, on farm championing, scholarships, those kind of pieces.
(41:56):
And then one part of that is the Generation Next
program as well.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
So what's coming up and the not too distant future.
Speaker 6 (42:03):
At the moment, the focus is Generation Next, So, believe
it or not, ten years ago I put in great
inducted I suppose is the word. The first twenty Generation
Next participants here in Gore around this week actually about
ten years ago, and last week I helped to the
(42:23):
last twenty for this year in Southern South Island was
last Monday. So we have been running the program for
ten years and we're about to have a ten year
celebration on the second of July when hopefully to bring
it together our alumni and people have been involved in
the program to be able to celebrate where we've gone
and what we've achieved and just ye really look at
(42:46):
what does that next ten years look like as well?
Speaker 1 (42:49):
And it remains popular, that's the thing it is.
Speaker 6 (42:51):
Yeah, So we still have on average around ninety We've
got ninety three applicants this year. Participants at the moment
graduate this year. So by the end of this year
we'll have around six hundred and forty graduates of the
program over the ten years. And if you think about that,
looking at we only were for the first four years
(43:13):
of the program, we were only in Southland and it
was always limited to twenty people. Then we went to
CSI or the Central Area and the South Island and
then it wasn't till about the fourth or fifth year
that the North Island joined us.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
And it's only been in the.
Speaker 6 (43:27):
Last three years that we've had the whole country.
Speaker 1 (43:30):
So who started Whose brainchild was it?
Speaker 5 (43:33):
That was me?
Speaker 1 (43:34):
It was you.
Speaker 6 (43:34):
Yeah, so well there you go. When you when I
went from my role at Beef and Lamb twelve years ago,
you had to do a presentation on an idea and
this was actually my presentation. It was more about your
presentation skills and how you could articulate, I think to
if you'd be any good for the job, and that
they're all debate later. But as part of that I
(43:57):
then sat there aside, and then year later I bought
it up at Farmer Council. When to keep coming up
with oh we need people who have got a bit
more confidence and skills of finance and technology and building
great teams and understanding actually the processes that happened at
the meat works and that, and I was like, well
I've got this idea, and so thank you to the
Southern South Island Farmer Council and those that were a
(44:20):
part of it then and like Graham Evans and that
we're still were a part of it back then as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
we'll give him some credit that they gave me the
but yet go have a go and so we had
to go and a few years of getting it right
and yeah, I think we've just about got there.
Speaker 1 (44:37):
Oh you got to be pretty proud of that.
Speaker 6 (44:39):
Yeah, it would be my Pridu's achievement of beef and lamb.
Speaker 1 (44:41):
Yes, So everything's tickety bow in other words, just takes
over with the organizationization.
Speaker 6 (44:46):
Yeares, Yeah, I think so. Yeah, there's there's lots happening,
lots of change. We Yeah, obviously Allen has got his
feet well and truly under the table now, so he's
starting to make some moves in regards to where we
need to go. We are looking at a referendum coming
up as well, so it's like, yeah, what's the future
(45:07):
looking like as well. There's always lots of different things
popping up everywhere. But we've got a really great team
and some great talent throughout Beef and Lamb. So it's
awesome to be able to work with all that talented people,
especially across the research team and that and with all
those cool research projects as a PhD student just started
in regards to the Bobby Cauf program, and yeah, that's
real opportunity. We have to work with the dairy industry.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
So what's the referendum about?
Speaker 6 (45:31):
So the referendum every six years. As we are a
commodity levy, we need to go out to farmers to
be able to get their confidence that they want to
be having a levy. Spent foot with Beef and Lamb
to be able to continue the activity we do.
Speaker 1 (45:53):
Olivia weather Burn of Beef and Lamb, New Zealand wrapping
up the best of the muster. Just remember if you
want to go back and listen interview, it's available online
at iHeartRadio, like say yesterday's show. It goes up in
full show format or the interviews are put up there
in a singular format as well. Enjoy the weekend we'll
catch on Monday one o'clock. Right here on Hakanui, you're
(46:22):
on the road and now you're playing a star.
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