November 30, 2025 • 44 mins
Andy Muir talks to James Meager, Andy Dennis, Ben Dooley, Tessa Miller and Snr Sgt Gary Iddenton.
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Speaker 1 (00:13):
Good afternoon and welcome to the muster on Hakanui. My
name is Andy Mueller. I'm here until two o'clock thanks
to a team at Peter's Genetix. Thanks for your company
on an overcast afternoon here in Gore with a few
showers about as well. We'll talk with it surely, but
before we do anything else, thanks to Murray and the
team at Mainland Minerals, they've joined up with Hockeynui this
week and we're going to give you the chance to
(00:34):
win a five hundred dollars preezy card. So to get
it to the draw. To win this priezy card, you
need to follow Mainland Minerals on Facebook. Tager made them
the comments on the Mainland Minerals post on either Hockinui
Breakfast or the must Facebook page. And we're going to
draw a winner on Friday, hopefully with Murray and Studio
remembering Mainland Minerals giving you a pasture the gift of
good nutrition this Christmas. So great to have Mainland Minerals
(00:58):
on board as it is this season of fertilizer. Let's
be honest, Tears for Fears is the music everybody wants
to rule the world. This song coming out in nineteen
eighty five five day four casts brought to you by
twin Farm tefrom and suff text. The proof is in
the progeny Teffron dot co dot m Z. Monday afternoon
(01:22):
brings light rain with breezy sow westerlies and twelve. Tuesday
rain developing with breezy sow westerly seven and sixteen. Wednesday
afternoon sholls of breezey sow easterlies five and fifteen. Thursday
sunny with breezy westerleies ten and twenty and Friday afternoon
showers of breezel or westerlies nine and twenty three. So
temperatures to hand Clinton fourteen point u Kerry at twelve
(01:43):
point eight, northern South from fourteen point one, Riverton fourteen
to down Now thirteen point eight, tinorow of fourteen winter
and fourteen point one at Woodlands fourteen point three. James Meagher,
Minister of the South Island, Minnesota Hunting and Fishing, amongst
other portfolios, starts us off for a Monday afternoon. He
was down at Stuart Island last week, tells us how
that all went andy. Dennis Farms at the self proclaimed
(02:06):
gold coast of the South Island, but Kaka's thinking, hmm,
we need a bit of sunshine. We catch up with
Andy to see how things are on the farm. Ben Dooley,
sheep beef and YouTube farmer from Wyndham is on the program.
Tessa and I from Thriving Southland telling us about another
awesome competition that Thriving Southland's got underway, and Senior Sergeant
Gary Eddington out of the Gore Police and as well
(02:27):
shout out to the team from Balfer Young Farmers with
Miss Balfer having a hell of a good night with
that competition on Saturday raising funds for the Balfa Hall.
To everybody involved with that, congratulations. I was actually involved
the running of the night actually and it was a
real hoot, so hopefully everybody didn't wake up too sore yesterday.
It seemed to be a hell of a celebration going
(02:48):
on and I left. But that's what these events are
all about, right. So we'll start the l and next
with James Meager. You're listening to the muster and Hakanui
thanks to Peter's genetics. James Meager as a Minister for
(03:13):
the South Island. He has also got a few other
portfolios including Minister for Hunting and Fishing for Youth and
as well Associate Minister of Transport and joins us this afternoon. James,
good afternoon, Thanks for catching up once again.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Any great to be here.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
So it sounds as though you've had a busy week.
You were down in Stuart Island. How's everything down there?
From your perspective, it was good.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
It's actually my first visit to Stuart Island. I mean
as a kid, we probably got as far south as Dnina,
never eventually any further. So it was really awesome to
be able to go down there. That was on the
back of a trip to Fjordland. Actually went to the
Whoppity ballot that night. To what I have not seen
grown men squoil and delight as much in my life
when they win a ballot for the Whoppi ballot. So
(03:57):
congratulations all those guys who won their ballot. Then we
shot down to Stuart Island and just I had a
really good day. They met plenty of the locals, saw
some of their infrastructure needs, but also saw some of
the awesome environmental outcomes on over and then some of
the pretty pristine hunting opportunities that are down there for
white tail too. Didn't find any, found a few tracks,
(04:19):
to be fair, I didn't walk too far from the
hunter's hut, but definitely keen to go down there next
year and see what we can catch.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Well, that's a great thing about your portfolios. I suppose James,
you get around the South Island and get off the
beaten track.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah, And I mean I had got the opportunity to
spend the weekend at Sinano in Nelson, Tasman as well.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
All portfolio work, of course.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
And I mean hunting and fishing means you have to
be on the ground to see what's actually happening. So
it can be a hard life sometimes getting up at
six o'clock to go and wander down the river for
about seven or eight hours. But you know someone's got
to do it, and I'll do it for you. I'll
do it on your behalf.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Ending now, the big talk over the past ten days
or so has been all around council of algamations. I
ha JB. Scott on the program last week's Southland District
Council mayor. He's all for this occurring. Depending on who
you speak to, especially in the farming fraternity. It seems
to be mixed as far as views.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Yeah, so we take a step back a second when
we release the RIMA reforms in the next couple of weeks,
and let's not be around the bush here. This is
going to totally turn the resource management system on its head.
You're talking massive reductions in the amount of consents that
people are going to need, massive savings and costs, hugely
simplified planning system. With a simplified planning system, we're going
(05:32):
to need a simplified system of local government. And questions
have arisen, i think over the past two years quite
rightly from locals about the role of regional councils and
about whether it are fit for purpose anymore. And so
on the back of the RAMA reforms, we've taken this
step of saying, right, if the community wants to change,
will allow them the opportunity to have changed. So quick summary,
(05:53):
replacing the regional councils a council laws with the elected
body of mayor's the mayor's job that those groups will
the NB to determine what the local government looks like
in the area. So if you take the Acan catchment,
it might be, for example, that you have unitaries in
and around the Greater Cristich area, then it might be
that for South Canterbury, amalgamation is not what they want
(06:15):
and they still want a layer of regional council at
the top of that. But ultimately that'll be up for
the mayors to come together and decide with the community
and they put that pitch to ministers for all regions
in the country.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
One concern around the amalgamations, James, is the staffing issue
and the workflow concern. If rationalization was on the cards.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yeah, there's the thing with regional councilors is that they
still do do things right, so they are still carrying
out functions that are provided to them by statute, so
that the changing of the elected officials at the top
won't have an immediate uphauling of the structure of the
councilors themselves. That'll be have to be worked through as
(06:54):
we go through RMA reform and figuring out what functions
properly lie with an a regional council structure, Functions should
be with the territorial authorities or your local councils, and
what kinds of functions can we keep back to either
you as the landholder to be responsible for your own
water quality or your own environmental quality, or a wider
environmental regulator, like if you're talking air pollution, whether we
(07:17):
kick that back to a national regulator. So all of
those conversations and discussions have to be had and what
it will mean for There will be some change for
the staffing and the regional council structures, but that happens
in private enterprise all the time. People have to change
and adapt and move with what the demands of their
customer are. And in this case, the customer is the
voting public. And I think the voting public has seen
(07:38):
enough of regional councils that haven't been as enabling and
as proactive around resource management as what they could have been.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
So the government at the moment they're hoping to implement
changes towards us over the next couple of years, Is
that right? Or start making movements toward this.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Yeah, The plan is to first to prioritize RMA reform,
So the first tranche of those or the major tranche
of those changes will be coming out the side of
Christmas and off to select committee. That'll be what fundamentally
changes the system. Then you'll need to have that local
government reorganization off the back of that, because it'll be
hard to determine exactly what the regional council or the
(08:16):
replacement functions are until you know what RMA looks like.
But we can kind of do it at the same time.
So you're looking mid twenty six, which is next year,
for the RMA to go through, and then legislation to
start making those changes around regional councils at about the
same time. So there is a bit of a sequence
in challenging to get this all lined up, but we
think we can do it, and we think we can
(08:37):
get change that is probably long overdue for a lot
of people.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Now putting your hunting and fishing cap on now, James,
the stout that was seen in the past between South
and Fishing Game and South Confederated Farmers has been pretty
quiet on that front over the past couple of months,
so perhaps they're finally on the same peace pipe.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Yeah, I hope. So I hope it's not a seasonal
thing and that we're not just heading into a bit
of a winter low where things have been all right.
But I think I think the two organizations are working
much more closely together. There has to be some change
in and around staffing and around leadership, and I think
of of course, looking forward to a reform of the
wider Fishing Game Organization has probably put it at the
(09:19):
front of regional Council's mind that change is coming and
that if they want to continue to have sort of
that social support to operate as a regional council, they
need to be able to be working more closely and
more proactively with the key stakeholders and whether that's sort
of your airports or local farmers or local environmental groups.
We want them to be the voice for anglers and
(09:42):
game booed hunters on the ground and to do that
that key work that I think we all want them
to focus on. If you if you pay your license,
we want that money to go into you know, maintaining
the fisheries and increasing the bird numbers and increasing the
fish numbers so there's good hunting opportunities and less of
that airgro on that back and forth. And I think
we have seen that.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Now your other hat you want to put on today,
the Associate Minister of Transport, Now the roads down here
in the south, particularly between Gore and and Vcagle State
Highway one going up Edendale Hill, which is a very
important link going down in v Cargo than the south
of the country. As such, it's in diabolical need of
an upgrade. Now we're hearing about infrastructure happening up the country,
which is great, but can we expect anything meaningful regarding
(10:22):
State Higway one in the south.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
So there's a couple of things there for state highways,
both one and across the board. There is the significant
amount of money we put into the pothole both maintenance
and prevention funding. Now every winter that turns into a
bit of a dog's breeface because it's hard to do
decent amount of work on the road, but the weather conditions.
So you do a bit of INtime maintenance, a bit
of patching here and there, try and get things through
(10:48):
the summer, and then do a significant amount of work
over summer. So you'll see some large roading programs and
repair programs underway over the summer when the weather's a
bit good. I've always thought we could probably push a
bit harder and get a bit more over the Christmas
period when traffic is a little bit lower, when there
are a fewer trucks on the road, so we'll see
if we opportunity to have a bit harder along there.
(11:09):
But then you're right. You also mentioned some recent announcements
around State Highway sixth on the west coast that will
help feed all the way through down to Southend as well.
And there's a slipping amount of resource and money going
into a new road up near the Epitaf Slip, and
there's a series about six resilience projects coming through a
Targe and South and two. But ultimately we all know
(11:30):
what it comes down to, and it comes down to
a limited amount of resources and being able to spread
that across quite a significant amount of infrastructure needs. So
we need to think more carefully about how do we
raise the revenue that we need to invest in the
infrastructure that ever run in demands, and we'll be thinking
very carefully about that over the next few years, including
things like value catcher and transitioning light user vehicles onto
(11:52):
road user charges and tolls and all the things that
we can look at to try and get the revenue
to fix the roads.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Good on you, James, always appreciate your time on the
Master John You thanks Andy, James Meager. He wears a
lot of hats must have a pre big closet. Minister
of the South Island Hunting and Fishing as well as
Youth and Associate Minister of Transport be great to get
his thoughts on the muster this afternoon. Next we're away
(12:17):
to the Gold Coast of the South, the self proclaimed
gold Coast of the South. We are catching up with
Eddie Dennis. Thanks to Sergeant Dan Stock Foods, it is
time for the Southern farm around.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Up.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
We're away to Menapori, the self appointed gold Coast of
the South Island, and we're catching up there with Eddie
Dennis KAKA. Good afternoon and welcome once again.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
There were done. Yeah, I might retract that statement I
made because it certainly hasn't been the Gold Coast of
New Zealand for a long time. There. Actually it's turning
into the puddle Coast of just about to be where
I think, yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Well you've got those sandy beaches. There's surely in a
few weeks time it'll be blue sky and people some bathing.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
Well, yeah, we've had a better run of weather. We're
sort of getting some fine days in a row, but
we're probably still getting thirty or forty miles a week
which you just sort of get everything lined up ready
to go. And if you don't squeeze all that track
to work in twenty four hours and get stuff drilled,
you get another sort of fifty meals each day and
you have to go back and start again. So we
are getting somewhere, but there's a battle. It's a real battle.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
It's interesting you say that because parts of Southend are
starting to brown off on the likes, but it's a
polar opposite there in the basin.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Yes, well it's still this just that weather flow. When
we're getting rain, I think everywhere else is getting the
wind pushed in front of it. So yeah, no, as
long as it keeps raining we can get some stuff
in the ground, they'd be great. But yeah, we're going
to need sort of a few reasons the rains through
the summer just to try and get these crops to
(13:53):
catch up if we ever get them in the ground,
because if we go dry straight away, it's not going
to be pretty.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
So how much of the trick to work would you
say you've got done?
Speaker 4 (14:03):
Oh, we've sort of got everything lined up really go,
We just need a week of good, good weather just
to get it all sort of ticked off. I've sort
of got I went hard on Saturday and got pretty
much most of the young grass and then rolled, so
that's a bit of a relief. And then yeah, hopefully
it's randal yusterday today. We can just sort of get
(14:24):
some tiles sorted by the end of the week or
the week after. And I've sort of spray out all
the suede ground. It's all drake drilled, so they're sitting
there where to go. So yeah, once once everything lines
up at the same old story, it'll happen. But you know,
the first of the sembits it's getting on there.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Yeah, so how much wonder crop do you put in Andy?
Speaker 4 (14:48):
About thirty five pies of swedes and then yeah, thirty
five pigti of kailes the seeking seeking crop seeking year,
and then he's usually be out there to man coming
into the young grass.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
There's sort of.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
Another teen heads red clover. But yeah, it's all still
underwater at the moment, so the yeah, that's sort of
me in a nutshell. Yeah, well, I think, yeah, the
fishing competition again the weekend have been postponed from Labor weekend.
I think plenty of people made it up and I
think a lot of people got a bit of a
shock at how high the lakes and the all are
(15:20):
and the rivers and everywhere. And they've probably dropped sort
of a meter and a half two meters since it
was really bad. So there's still a lot of water
coming out of the hills the ground. The ground so
full of water it only takes another ten to fifteen
mills and everything it's lying all over the place, all
in puddles and holes every again. So yeah, we're certainly,
(15:41):
we're certainly full.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Yeah, So how are the stock doing in the weak conditions?
Speaker 4 (15:46):
They seem they seem pretty good. Yeah, Like the hinds,
they are all set stock obviously falling. They've really kicked
a gear in the last sort of week. So it'd
be nice to have a little bit more grass around there.
But as long as everything carve's okay, it sort of
doesn't create a lot of work later on to tidy
up stuff. So yeah, that'd be the only concern at
(16:08):
the moment. News look okay, and lambs look okay. So
I think we're taking away right. Yeah, as far as
sort of stockwise goes, Yeah, you'll be coming up to
waning shortly i'd imagine, yeah, the middle of the month,
and then I've pushed the Romney's right back up until Christmas.
We won't do a draft out of them. Were sort
of back quite a lot of lambs, so I'm just
(16:30):
going to wean them and put them back out and
go through and get replacements out of everything before I
start killing lambs.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Yeah, and of course falvetings and full swing at the moment,
but unfortunately, unfortunately the price isn't.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Yeah, so it's all sort of come a bit oble
to nowhere, which is a bit crazy because dinzer z
to sort of prepare farmers for this, and we've had
no comment from them, which is very disappointing. But we've
effectively have had a price drop this year. We don't
know it yet. The prices aren't even out and where
the valveue seasons effectively finished, there's just young stags to go.
(17:06):
But we've had a price drop, and we've also had
another non traditional grading come in, so there's two non
traditional grades now, so a lot of what used to
be a well super as moved over into a non
traditional grade. And yeah, we don't even know what the
price is, but you get a bit of a shock
when you're going through the grading your velvet and you're
(17:27):
looking at a third and the third and the third.
Now I can can can can considering you know, I
used to have a lot of essay and a So
it's China wanting it back sort of more cemensionally round
and smaller and lighter. Yes, so they can do more
with it. But it certainly it's a bit of a
kick in the guts getting an expected price drop. Like
(17:49):
I said, we don't know that yet, but everyone's saying
it will be, as well as a different grading system.
So yeah, Velvet's velvet's really been spun on its bummer
weave it.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Yeah, I knowed you said duns have pretty much been
null and void lately. As far as commentary, what would.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
That be, I have no idea, Like, surely throughout the
last twelve months I would have been having these talks
and stuff. But yeah, I mean it all comes from
buyers and changing the way they do it. So yeah,
we just need some answers probably, But luckily there's been
(18:27):
there's been money talked, and there's that low that people
were in shock, and luckily people were just holding onto
their velvet and just saying, well, you're not getting anything
until we get a decent firm amount, because if people
started putting it onto the market or dropping on the market,
suddenly that becomes the price. Which that's it's miles off
where where that where it should be from what I've heard.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
So realistically, how long can you hang on to velvet?
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Well, it don't depend too much freezer space you've got, Yeah,
like if you've got plenty of phrases freeze space, you
can fit it all in and just or But that
creates a problem for next season as well, doesn't it.
But yeah, who knows? Who knows? China is very good
at doing business a whole lot bitter than us. So yeah,
we just need to MANswers, probably before Christmas, which would
(19:14):
be good. But I've already heard of a lot of
guys selling velvet and stags or cutting the heads off
velving steaks already. So yeah, the problem is gonna get
solved one way or another. We're going to go smaller
or they'll be less velvet Captain New Zealand. So yeah,
that's that's sort of there it goes, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
And the big thing is to remember only Korea a
South Korea that is in China to New Zealand velvet.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
Is that correct effectively? Yeah, and probably eighty percent of
it goes through China as process there and then on
sold of Korea. So yeah, that's they sort of control
a little wee bit, which is a bit of a shame.
But I mean, I mean New Zealand's always done what
New Zealand's done well and bread breed better stea eggs,
cutting more velvet over the last sort of ten fifteen years,
(20:04):
and we probably are cutting a lot more velvet than
we used to, definitely are, and we've also got bigger
and thicker, and that's probably not what the market ever wanted.
But it just goes to show how well New Zealand
farmers can sort of breed bread bread breed so well
and go forward so fast.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Now you're a strong advocate for the deer industry. Care here.
Has this got you changing your opinion or you still
think you've got to keep the faith.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Velveting's eggs are a very good fit on this farm.
Like in the spring we've grown a lot of grass.
In the summer we can go dry, so that velvet
and staggs. He's get his cut in the spring, has
he had red growth taken on and over in the summer,
and then through that sort of dry period every March
he's on nothing and and that suits really well. But
there's a price that that Staggs sort of got to
(20:53):
still return you. And they're just a small part of
my business. Not they're not, they're not. They're not everything.
There one hundred and twenty stags on the farm, so
they certainly had this fit. But yeah, we'll be we'll
have to be rethinking here. It looks at the prices
what I've heard, which that's hope not Yeah, Hey, good
on your KK.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
We've always appreciated your time on the must of Us afternoon.
You enjoy the festive season, and here's hoping the sun
comes out and you get a week of that blue
sky you're after. We always appreciate your time.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
Yeah, I thanks very much, long I said, Yeah, if
we just the next or of three weeks of pleasant
and we get a bit of sun, you know, the
basin will be back on Deacon. Hopefully everyone can enjoy
Merry Christmas and start the new year in a positive spin. Really,
which the way the way prices are looking for for
all their red meat. Yeah, it'd be nice to have
(21:46):
a really good season. So yeah, Merry Christmas anyone everyone,
And that's same to you, Andy, you enjoy your best
of season.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Andy, Dennis and Minapori. Of course, thanks so Sage and
Dan Stock for this is the mass next a way
to Windham, catching it of Ben Dooley The Musters on
the Farm brought to you by Southland District Council working
(22:15):
together for a better Southland away to wind In This
afternoon on the Muster where we catch up with Ben
Dooley's Sheep, beef and YouTube farmer. His YouTube channel Deep
South Sheep and Beef has been active for quite a while.
Dell's good afternoon, house things.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
You're not going too bad, how about yourself?
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Don't really complain, although we're just like summer to turn
up and just give us a nice happy equilibrium of
wet and dry weather.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
I've got to admit I think the last sort of
three four weeks I've been reasonably happy with her. It's
all gone. We've sort of been wanting a little bit
of rain. We're still going trying to get crops and
there aren't wanting the rain, but the other stuff I've
got in the ground are certainly absolutely loving it so
that we've been a rain last night was just beautiful.
But yeah, like we've had quite a bit of sunshine
(23:06):
out this way and it's been good. Possibly won a
little bit more, but gott to be very careful what
we ask all there because we don't want those taps
to turn off for a few months.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Yeah, it's underesting speaking to people around the province. Andy
Dennis on the show before saying the Fiordland basin was
just sacked. He's after a week of dry weather. But
then you see certain parts of the region again in
northern South and they're crying out for a bit of
moisture or a lot of a fair dose of moisture.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Yeah, well someone must have got a fair bit of
rain up that way at some point, because we're up
the lake up on Lake Dunston the other day and yeah,
the filth coming out of the Colorra River was just huge.
I'm presuming it was sentiment and not just surge overflow,
but yeah, there must have been plenty of rain up
that way. But yeah, I have heard there's people in
Norton South and looking for a bit and you you
(23:53):
are now as we know has had plenty of The
poor old fishing competition got canceled because a huge rain,
and then when they did run it a month later,
there's an inch a day for both days forecast and
not whether they've got it or not. But yeah, it's
certainly been plenty of that way. But yeah, we're probably
just sitting about right where we want to be here,
so yeah, long long may that continue.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
You're talking about your loving the weather from your perspective.
At the moment, grass growth looking pretty good.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Yeah, reasonable, really good quality. We're sort of probably pretty
on top of it. Normally i'd be you know, i'd
happen the twenty hitnies young grass being grazed by now
pretty much all of it, But we haven't even started
on the first one yet. It's it's just right on
the edge of being ready, but there's just still a
few too many plants pulling out. So another four or
five days, I reckon, we'll be end of that and
then that's that'll be fifteen hit there is online by
(24:38):
the time each paddy gets finished, so that'll that'll change
the cover situation a bit, because it's just that overlap
with single cropping from when you pull your ground out
for swedes when you get on that young grass, it's
it's forty hit viers on a two fifty Hittview farm
that's out. So it's a bit more than that with
all the buffers and everything. But now we're we're sitting
pretty okay at the moment. We went the earlier the
other day and got rid of one hundred ninety years
(25:00):
and forty seven lambs, so that was nice that e's
a bit of feed pressure or with it. Yeah, So
it's just a matter now trying to hope we get
a bit of a surplus at some point so we
can we can lock some panics up for some more
under feed. But no, we're we're sitting comfortable enough at
the moment.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Were you happy with your lamb bites?
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Yeah, so we're not big weaving draft people. We went
down to thirty four kilos, like, there was only three
hundred lambs in the mobs, so for us to get
forty seven away out of that, and there are only
eighty one to eighty two days on none, it's all
about getting rid of those used before that U space
titens up. So they went sixteen point nine I think
sixteen eight sixteen nine and one hundred and eighty one bucks.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
So that's pretty good.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Hard, yeah, very hard to complain of that. And yeah,
the US between nine kilos at about one hundred and
sixty five or seventy or something, so once again hard
to complain about that. But yeah, just yeah, Well, like
I say, we're comfortable for feed, but yeah we could
just yeah, we haven't quite got that surraplus ht to
be thinking about locking up any hal baylage.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
So what are you doing for a LAMB budget this year?
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Just going to take it as far as we're comfortable going.
I think we won't really worry about setting a price
we need to achieve or anything, because yeah, historically I've
done things like that and it just sets you up
for disappointment, sets you out for failure potentially, or for
leaving too much opportunity there. So we'll just monitor things
the whole way through. I think the plan is if
(26:23):
the schedule stays where it is, we'll go in pretty deep.
At weaning. We are going to shift their terminal weaning.
Traditionally we do it mid December. We're going to shift
it to early January, just to see if we can
get a few more away off month because yeah, we
do you know, if the twelfth of September to start
a landing weaning in mid December, we are just just
tight enough for days on mum there. But yeah, we'll
(26:44):
see how that goes. But yeah, go and reasonably deep
then you know, try and aim for that sixteen sixteen
to five without too many going under it leaning and
then provided the feeders around, we'll just shut up shop
and we'll just be aiming for twenties after that, mid
nineteens maybe entergenury start of February. Out of the romneys
there will get wind in mid December, but yeah, we'll
(27:06):
be aiming high, go as far as we can at
that and just do what the weather allows.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
As far as one to supplement being made. Have you
made any baylors.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Yet, no, you know, nothing yet, nothing locked up yet.
So just yeah, with the way September oc table where
if the opportunity wasn't just there possibly as a weaver
it now. But like I say, with that young grouse
not being online yet, just trying to keep the hoggts
feed and stuff like that, we just thought we're better
just feeding them. So yeah, like I say, the next
(27:34):
few days we'll get onto the young grass and yeah,
surely then something will pop up somewhere we can lock up.
Got a bit of top and done, got rid of
a few thistles, so there's a few options there for
paducks we could do. But to be fair, we've got
one hundred and fifty odd bails left over from last year.
So as much as it would be nice to make
the sort of four hundred bars this year, if we
can do it, if you have that, carry on for
(27:54):
the next year. If it doesn't happen, we're you know,
if we can do two hundred and fifty bails, we'll
have we'll have plenty on hand to get through. And
sort of thinking this year just because of the pimbing.
You know, traditionally if you're making baileage at this time
of year, it has to be bailage. But if we're
locking it up now and it cares on growing, we
have the opportunity to make hate say, have a bit
of money there, we've got the sheet to put it in.
(28:14):
So yeah, hay for sheep on crops everybody as good
as baileage. It's just the castle of trying to get
it made. But there is there are notable savings here
to make.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
So yeah, see every one goes yeah, fascinating the old
bayword versus meadow hay de bait carries on. But so
does this debate too, talking about the amalgamation of council.
Speaking to James Meager earlier on the show, does and
what's your thought process around this?
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Yes, so I'm I'm a big, big fan of something changing.
We are a province of one hundred thousand people. Most
of those are not rate payers, being you know, under
the age, you know, children, or renters or whatever else.
So there's there's plenty of people there that aren't. You know.
What I'm saying is it's a very small number of
rate payers to support four councils. Yes, in some ways
(29:04):
the representation of having those four councils can be a benefit,
but there's a lot of duplication involved in that. There's
a lot of extra cost And I see a big
benefit in having the Southern District, the Gore District and
Environments South and councils all fall into the South and
District Council. I wouldn't want to see the City Council
into that because I just see it as a way
(29:24):
for money to be funneled from the rural areas to
the city, and that's how the province works. Anyway, every
time we go to town, we spend money in town,
don't we say the money's going that way? Anyway, I
think it should probably stand on its own two feet.
We don't really want to be paying for the museum
or if there surge treatment systems and things like that.
So I think having an independent city council and then
(29:47):
a district council sitting separately would be quite a good
system for us moving forward.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Do you think there's going to be a concern though
about debt levels shared by previous councils.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
Yeah, well, I mean it's all it's all above my head,
my pay grade, that stuff. But it's gonna have to
be sorted out. But I guess if you have the
district councils merging, then the dead all has to become one,
doesn't it. So yeah, probably another reason to keep the
city council out too, just keep things a bit more
fear and honest. But ultimately the debt has to be
(30:18):
paid back at some point, doesn't it.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
We talk about your YouTube channel. How's it been. Have
you been active on there? Lately.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Yeah, I got a few videos out since the last
time I was talking to you. I'm just trying to
think what they were. The last one was crutching the
crutches and crutch of Hoggins, which men I called the
video I feel like a cheater, and I did because
traditionally we do their SLS and we do the mixtau.
I use SLS too pre sharing, but I've bit the
bullet this year. I've got the crutches in. It feels good,
(30:46):
but it does feel a bit I don't want to
say dishonest, but you feel like you're cheating away bit.
But yeah, we used to work as house to the
bone or up before Christmas to get all the used
crutched and ready for sharing and then getting shorn. And
I just decided, I'm sick of feeling completely wrecked by
Christmas time. I'm going to enjoy it this year. So
does that one? I think there was one. That's what
(31:07):
the other two were getting the swedes in and getting
the play on done beforehand.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Work smart or not harder? Ben Durley, we always appreciate
your time on the muster.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
No, that's the one, Andy, Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Ben Diurley Farming at Wyndham. You're listening to the Muster,
remembering go to the Muster on Hockey We Facebook page
for your chance to winn a five hundred dollars Prazzy
card thanks to Mainland Minerals. Remembering you need to follow
main Minerals and Facebook tag I made on the comments
on the main Land Minerals past on either Hockey We
Brickey or the Muster facebook pages. And we're going to
(31:39):
draw this with Murray Kobra and on Friday. Next on
the Muster for your Monday afternoon is Tessa Miller out
of Thriving Southland. Welcome back to the Muster. Tars forfares
is the new. As we catch up with our next guest,
(32:02):
Tessa Miller, Catchment Coordinator for Thriving Southland, gid A Tessa.
Speaker 5 (32:07):
Hey Andy, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Yeah, always good to catch up now. Thriving Southland has
been a busy year.
Speaker 5 (32:15):
Yeah it has been. It's actually been a busy year
in a busy few months. We had a successful ADM
just the other day where we had Ewan Mathison step
down in one of the lovely Clear officers stepped back
ond We've been planning for the Gore Catching Group Wetland
Open Day which will be on Surursday, and we've been
(32:38):
working on this year's Christmas competition.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
Yeah, we'll touch on the Catchman Group Wetland Open Day
and this just personifies the work that's happening around the province.
Speaker 5 (32:49):
Yeah, it's absolutely incredible to see where the Ward's Wetland started,
which was meant to be a small wetland which was
funded by a fishing game and west Pac, but then
they decided that actually it needed to go way bigger
and so now it's been funded by so many different
businesses as well as the Ward's family who have really
(33:10):
just gone behind, you know, trying to make this wetland
as beautiful and big as it could be, but make
it accessible for as much of the community as possible
and we can learn what the farmers are after about
wetlands at the same time. So their open day is
going to be from twelve pm for a barbecue, one
(33:31):
pm kickoff and finished by three and Katie will make
sure that we are sticking to the timeframe I think.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
And that's happening Friday the fourth, which by memory will
be this Thursday, Yes Thursday, and the fourth yep, right now,
this Christmas competition. We always catch up with you guys
at Thriving about the Christmas comp What are the deets
this year? Because this is really cool.
Speaker 5 (33:52):
I'm actually really stoked to be talking to you Annie
about the Christmas comp because I actually put up my
Christmas tree in the weekend. So for us a December
ready to go. Yeah, it's bet between and twenty five.
And you can even enter as a catchment group, a business, individual,
farm or just any way that actually suits you. It's
(34:13):
open to everyone in Southland. So whether you are painting bails,
lining up palettes, stacking tires, decorating your shit or getting
creative with your Christmas display, we can't like to see it.
Speaker 1 (34:26):
We heart back to the COVID times, not that we
want to, but decorator all the decorations in the way
of hay bales on the roadside around the province. It
was a thing of beauty at least be perfectly honest.
And the fact of this competition to soonifize everything that's
going on in the farm in a rural sense and
what's been happening and the way that people use their imaginations.
Speaker 5 (34:45):
It is really neat, absolutely Yeah, it's been a tough
old season and so yeah, every year we find new things.
My favorite of all time was the Hennings nutcracker with
dio plastic drums, but we've had Yeah. Last year's entry
was the Davis family, which was seen to got stuck
in the foot rock flats And it's just awesome when
(35:08):
you are driving past all down the road and you
get to see all the Christmas decorations out there and
all the farmers kind of getting into.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
It, right, So how do you enter?
Speaker 5 (35:19):
So the inter sindous the photo of your Christmas display
along with the name of your display by the fourteenth
of December to office at Thrivysouthland dot co dot nz.
And we're actually also running a kid's Christmas coloring competition
which sends your entries along to the same address, same date.
(35:40):
But we just jump on the website to find the
Christmas competition.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
So something down there to download obviously.
Speaker 5 (35:49):
Yeap, just a pdf. Yep, get into it kids young
and old.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Pretty much though. This just personifies the time of year,
getting kids to color things in, getting a few cruise
so it's thinking about center and the likes and it works. Sence,
let's be honest, it's a bit of a rip three
weeks ahead of us. But at the same time, what
you talked about is about recognizing the cool things that
you can do on farm if you get an hour
or so with the family, just get creative and thing roight.
(36:14):
What can we do to prareck people's day out when
they're driving past.
Speaker 5 (36:17):
Yeah, exactly. I can't wait to get into it this year.
So hopefully the Christmas spirit is loud and proud out there.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Absolutely, do you rock two Christmas trees in the house
or just one?
Speaker 5 (36:28):
Just the one? But it's fairly large, so yeah, a
lot to Connor racing around the house.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
Yeah, good luck Connor with that one. You had a
big weekend is did yourself. But that's a topic for
another day. Tessa Miller out of Thriving Southland, thanks very
much for your time on the Muster. Thanks Andy, Tessa
Miller from Thriving south and get amongst it. There were
some really cool stuff happened in this space last year
regarding their competition, their Christmas competitions. So yeah, an organization
(37:00):
doing some really great work. Senior Sergeant Gary Edington and
the Gore Police is up next. You're listening to the Muster.
(37:21):
Welcome back to the Muster. I don't think everybody wants
to rule the world, but a few people do. But nonetheless,
if that was the case, Senior Sergeant Gary didn't out
of the Gore Police here, wouldn't be enough hours of
the day trying to sort everything out. Hell Suggs.
Speaker 6 (37:35):
Yeah, good and thanks and hello to the communitee.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Now from the Gore Police we even spoken for a
few weeks. Scary, but I dar say you guys be
out and about drink driving and the likes at the moment,
just catching rivelers, yeap.
Speaker 6 (37:48):
Just it's that Tommy here. We're just asking people just
to sort of, you know, have a great time, just
be safe, think about the consequences and planning easings and
social events. Unfortunately, we've got a lot of checks out
there at the moment and we are actively targeting people
for drink driving and trying to avoid the police. That
includes boy racersh And also another thing we just want
(38:09):
to mention, toy reminder is the liquorban area in the
Gour main street there and around just around the licensed premises.
If you're self loading court drinking alcohol in the van,
you're probably going to get stopped and expected a two
hundred and fifty dollars fine.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
So how far does that liquor of band extend to
and goore?
Speaker 6 (38:25):
So it probably goes onto the if you look on
the map, you can get it at the council. But
it's sort of just short of Norfolk Street all the
way through touring, including the main street all the way through,
and there's obviously ma Toda as well, just the main drag.
So it's just if anyone's court driving or in a
van drinking alcohol, or anyone's sort of walking the streets
(38:46):
with an open vessel drinking, and you'll be breaching the
liquor van.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
So what we're saying is here to have a plan
B in place. If you're going out for a few
bivies this season, be respectable. There are liquor bands and
force and have a player and if you're having a couple.
Speaker 6 (39:01):
Right, yeah, just enjoy yourselves, don't be sort of don't
make some sunny decisions because they're life changing as we know,
and we just want people to see in the new year.
Families are important to us at this time of year
and in all years, so I just want to make
sure people understand that and have a great time, but
just think about and plan now.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
As far as boy racers and vehicles and the like,
are we seeing the surge and this kind of activity
as such.
Speaker 6 (39:27):
Yeah, we've got people out there at the moment quite recently,
just a very small amount of minority. They think it's
a bit fun, fast and furious driving on the roads,
and unfortunately it's not like the films. It ends up
with serious injuries or fatals. And again we're just asking
people that you know, cars a weapon. If you're going
to drive, you like it, so will be taking your
license or we be taking your vehicle and you know,
(39:48):
and sometimes it's twenty six months depending on the circumstances.
What we're asking people is if you've you tempt to
flee the police, you know, it puts yourself at risk,
the public at risk, and obviously there'll be consequences.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
What are the requirements for a vehicle will be pink
sticking or red stick it on the spot? Gary, How
does that process work?
Speaker 6 (40:07):
It varies pink and green stickers, but it depends on
the danger and what the default is.
Speaker 3 (40:12):
So you know, if.
Speaker 6 (40:13):
You've got bold tires, you know, obviously brakes aren't working.
That's quite serious, so you'll be looking at pink. If
it's something that's minor but needs looking at or going
to VT and Z, then you know less it will
be sort of a green sticker. But if you remove
it and don't get it done, it's quite a few
thousand dollars, which you know is better in your pocket.
(40:34):
It's just it's all about safety as well, making sure
vehicles are safe on the road.
Speaker 1 (40:39):
Now fifts as well, especially at this time if your
unfortunately you said occurs twelve months of the year, but
leading up to the Sully season, Gary, unfortunately, we see
a lot more of an that take in this.
Speaker 6 (40:50):
Yeah, there's opportunitiest fiefs out there at the moment, and
what we're saying to people is just making sure your
cars a lot, you know, and if you're leaving things
that we make sure they're lot, not no property or
this sentimental in full view. Take it with you or
lock it up. If you're in the houses or you're
going away, making sure that someone's looking after your house,
neighbors keeping an eye on it. If you've got cameras,
(41:10):
that's great. And make sure newspapers in your postbox canceling them.
So it just makes life more difficult for the for
these people out there that go around ruining people's lives, Well, that's.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
The beggar, isn't it. If you're going away for a
few days or a few weeks for that matter, get
somebody to mow your lawns, keep your mailbox as clear,
don't order any packages, and the likes and you who
are if you are able to have some cameras in place,
so just let your neighbors know, look them away for
a couple of days. If you can keep an eye out,
there'll be grouse.
Speaker 6 (41:38):
Absolutely. And if there's people acting suspicious, ring it in,
if it's urgent like one one one or crime stoppers.
You've got someone going up your driver acting suspicious, you
think they're going to break in, that's urgent. So we
need to know about that and we can we can
act at the time as opposed after the fact and
try and catch them.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Yeah, so one of those numbers again, this triple one,
the star, triple five. What else have we got, Gary.
Speaker 6 (42:00):
We've got uh yeah, one oh five in the crime
important line. So if you've got something that's happened and
it's like the next day and there's no witnesses, Yeah,
it's not urgent. Then becoming one oh five of a
cl crime important line and it just you know what
happens is once it's been reported, it goes into the
system and then it gets allocated that said area and
this case being gore and then it's a signed out
(42:22):
for investigation. Crime Stoppers is a hundred number. So I
just picked things you want to report in the community,
but you want to stay anonymous, you can bring that
through there. Just make sure you have the full detail.
If there's driving out there and it's really really bad
and you think someone's going to get hurt or you
know they're doing dangerous overtakes and that that would potentially
(42:42):
look at one one one.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
And just finally as well, scams with technology and the
elderly and just the vulnerable in general. Just look out
for people and net scenes as well. Help your parents
out they're a bit older and a bit shy of technology.
There's a lot of people out there trying to be
a Nigerian prince or princes.
Speaker 6 (42:59):
Yeah, we're still getting the odd one to it still
keeps coming. As Tommy here, Yeah, they'll make they'll target
the vulnerable and you know it's their life savings. They've
worked hard all their life and these I got to say,
these people that are just the dregs of society don't
care overseas and they just won't pill with lives and
put them into a dark space. If you think you've
been scammed, we're not sure. Contact your banks, speak to
(43:22):
a family member, come into the police station. But we
need to make sure it's you know, get it done
sort as soon as possible, not wait for a few days.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
Senior Sergeant Gary Yeddington of the Good Police, we always
appreciate your time on the Master. You enjoy the afternoon.
Speaker 6 (43:37):
Yeah, thanks andyan, thanks to community and have a saved
Christmas a new year as well.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Laugh out loud with agg proud because life on the
land can be a laughing matter. Brought to us by
sheer Well Data working to help the livestock farmer and
Jamaica a slice of apple pie costs three dollars fifty
and the Bahamas a slice of pie costs five dollars fifty.
These are the pirrates of the Caribbean. Put up bomb.
(44:07):
That's us for the afternoon. Remember and get on the
muster on hockey. New Facebook page to get in the
drawer to win a five hundred dollars Prezzy card thanks
to a team at Mainland Minerals were but over time,
just a few technical errors at the start of the hour. Nonetheless,
we've got there. I'm Andy Miller, enjoyed the afternoon, said
tomorrow
Good afternoon and welcome to the muster on Hakanui. My
name is Andy Mueller. I'm here until two o'clock thanks
to a team at Peter's Genetix. Thanks for your company
on an overcast afternoon here in Gore with a few
showers about as well. We'll talk with it surely, but
before we do anything else, thanks to Murray and the
team at Mainland Minerals, they've joined up with Hockeynui this
week and we're going to give you the chance to
(00:34):
win a five hundred dollars preezy card. So to get
it to the draw. To win this priezy card, you
need to follow Mainland Minerals on Facebook. Tager made them
the comments on the Mainland Minerals post on either Hockinui
Breakfast or the must Facebook page. And we're going to
draw a winner on Friday, hopefully with Murray and Studio
remembering Mainland Minerals giving you a pasture the gift of
good nutrition this Christmas. So great to have Mainland Minerals
(00:58):
on board as it is this season of fertilizer. Let's
be honest, Tears for Fears is the music everybody wants
to rule the world. This song coming out in nineteen
eighty five five day four casts brought to you by
twin Farm tefrom and suff text. The proof is in
the progeny Teffron dot co dot m Z. Monday afternoon
(01:22):
brings light rain with breezy sow westerlies and twelve. Tuesday
rain developing with breezy sow westerly seven and sixteen. Wednesday
afternoon sholls of breezey sow easterlies five and fifteen. Thursday
sunny with breezy westerleies ten and twenty and Friday afternoon
showers of breezel or westerlies nine and twenty three. So
temperatures to hand Clinton fourteen point u Kerry at twelve
(01:43):
point eight, northern South from fourteen point one, Riverton fourteen
to down Now thirteen point eight, tinorow of fourteen winter
and fourteen point one at Woodlands fourteen point three. James Meagher,
Minister of the South Island, Minnesota Hunting and Fishing, amongst
other portfolios, starts us off for a Monday afternoon. He
was down at Stuart Island last week, tells us how
that all went andy. Dennis Farms at the self proclaimed
(02:06):
gold coast of the South Island, but Kaka's thinking, hmm,
we need a bit of sunshine. We catch up with
Andy to see how things are on the farm. Ben Dooley,
sheep beef and YouTube farmer from Wyndham is on the program.
Tessa and I from Thriving Southland telling us about another
awesome competition that Thriving Southland's got underway, and Senior Sergeant
Gary Eddington out of the Gore Police and as well
(02:27):
shout out to the team from Balfer Young Farmers with
Miss Balfer having a hell of a good night with
that competition on Saturday raising funds for the Balfa Hall.
To everybody involved with that, congratulations. I was actually involved
the running of the night actually and it was a
real hoot, so hopefully everybody didn't wake up too sore yesterday.
It seemed to be a hell of a celebration going
(02:48):
on and I left. But that's what these events are
all about, right. So we'll start the l and next
with James Meager. You're listening to the muster and Hakanui
thanks to Peter's genetics. James Meager as a Minister for
(03:13):
the South Island. He has also got a few other
portfolios including Minister for Hunting and Fishing for Youth and
as well Associate Minister of Transport and joins us this afternoon. James,
good afternoon, Thanks for catching up once again.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Any great to be here.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
So it sounds as though you've had a busy week.
You were down in Stuart Island. How's everything down there?
From your perspective, it was good.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
It's actually my first visit to Stuart Island. I mean
as a kid, we probably got as far south as Dnina,
never eventually any further. So it was really awesome to
be able to go down there. That was on the
back of a trip to Fjordland. Actually went to the
Whoppity ballot that night. To what I have not seen
grown men squoil and delight as much in my life
when they win a ballot for the Whoppi ballot. So
(03:57):
congratulations all those guys who won their ballot. Then we
shot down to Stuart Island and just I had a
really good day. They met plenty of the locals, saw
some of their infrastructure needs, but also saw some of
the awesome environmental outcomes on over and then some of
the pretty pristine hunting opportunities that are down there for
white tail too. Didn't find any, found a few tracks,
(04:19):
to be fair, I didn't walk too far from the
hunter's hut, but definitely keen to go down there next
year and see what we can catch.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Well, that's a great thing about your portfolios. I suppose James,
you get around the South Island and get off the
beaten track.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah, And I mean I had got the opportunity to
spend the weekend at Sinano in Nelson, Tasman as well.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
All portfolio work, of course.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
And I mean hunting and fishing means you have to
be on the ground to see what's actually happening. So
it can be a hard life sometimes getting up at
six o'clock to go and wander down the river for
about seven or eight hours. But you know someone's got
to do it, and I'll do it for you. I'll
do it on your behalf.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Ending now, the big talk over the past ten days
or so has been all around council of algamations. I
ha JB. Scott on the program last week's Southland District
Council mayor. He's all for this occurring. Depending on who
you speak to, especially in the farming fraternity. It seems
to be mixed as far as views.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Yeah, so we take a step back a second when
we release the RIMA reforms in the next couple of weeks,
and let's not be around the bush here. This is
going to totally turn the resource management system on its head.
You're talking massive reductions in the amount of consents that
people are going to need, massive savings and costs, hugely
simplified planning system. With a simplified planning system, we're going
(05:32):
to need a simplified system of local government. And questions
have arisen, i think over the past two years quite
rightly from locals about the role of regional councils and
about whether it are fit for purpose anymore. And so
on the back of the RAMA reforms, we've taken this
step of saying, right, if the community wants to change,
will allow them the opportunity to have changed. So quick summary,
(05:53):
replacing the regional councils a council laws with the elected
body of mayor's the mayor's job that those groups will
the NB to determine what the local government looks like
in the area. So if you take the Acan catchment,
it might be, for example, that you have unitaries in
and around the Greater Cristich area, then it might be
that for South Canterbury, amalgamation is not what they want
(06:15):
and they still want a layer of regional council at
the top of that. But ultimately that'll be up for
the mayors to come together and decide with the community
and they put that pitch to ministers for all regions
in the country.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
One concern around the amalgamations, James, is the staffing issue
and the workflow concern. If rationalization was on the cards.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yeah, there's the thing with regional councilors is that they
still do do things right, so they are still carrying
out functions that are provided to them by statute, so
that the changing of the elected officials at the top
won't have an immediate uphauling of the structure of the
councilors themselves. That'll be have to be worked through as
(06:54):
we go through RMA reform and figuring out what functions
properly lie with an a regional council structure, Functions should
be with the territorial authorities or your local councils, and
what kinds of functions can we keep back to either
you as the landholder to be responsible for your own
water quality or your own environmental quality, or a wider
environmental regulator, like if you're talking air pollution, whether we
(07:17):
kick that back to a national regulator. So all of
those conversations and discussions have to be had and what
it will mean for There will be some change for
the staffing and the regional council structures, but that happens
in private enterprise all the time. People have to change
and adapt and move with what the demands of their
customer are. And in this case, the customer is the
voting public. And I think the voting public has seen
(07:38):
enough of regional councils that haven't been as enabling and
as proactive around resource management as what they could have been.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
So the government at the moment they're hoping to implement
changes towards us over the next couple of years, Is
that right? Or start making movements toward this.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Yeah, The plan is to first to prioritize RMA reform,
So the first tranche of those or the major tranche
of those changes will be coming out the side of
Christmas and off to select committee. That'll be what fundamentally
changes the system. Then you'll need to have that local
government reorganization off the back of that, because it'll be
hard to determine exactly what the regional council or the
(08:16):
replacement functions are until you know what RMA looks like.
But we can kind of do it at the same time.
So you're looking mid twenty six, which is next year,
for the RMA to go through, and then legislation to
start making those changes around regional councils at about the
same time. So there is a bit of a sequence
in challenging to get this all lined up, but we
think we can do it, and we think we can
(08:37):
get change that is probably long overdue for a lot
of people.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Now putting your hunting and fishing cap on now, James,
the stout that was seen in the past between South
and Fishing Game and South Confederated Farmers has been pretty
quiet on that front over the past couple of months,
so perhaps they're finally on the same peace pipe.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Yeah, I hope. So I hope it's not a seasonal
thing and that we're not just heading into a bit
of a winter low where things have been all right.
But I think I think the two organizations are working
much more closely together. There has to be some change
in and around staffing and around leadership, and I think
of of course, looking forward to a reform of the
wider Fishing Game Organization has probably put it at the
(09:19):
front of regional Council's mind that change is coming and
that if they want to continue to have sort of
that social support to operate as a regional council, they
need to be able to be working more closely and
more proactively with the key stakeholders and whether that's sort
of your airports or local farmers or local environmental groups.
We want them to be the voice for anglers and
(09:42):
game booed hunters on the ground and to do that
that key work that I think we all want them
to focus on. If you if you pay your license,
we want that money to go into you know, maintaining
the fisheries and increasing the bird numbers and increasing the
fish numbers so there's good hunting opportunities and less of
that airgro on that back and forth. And I think
we have seen that.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Now your other hat you want to put on today,
the Associate Minister of Transport, Now the roads down here
in the south, particularly between Gore and and Vcagle State
Highway one going up Edendale Hill, which is a very
important link going down in v Cargo than the south
of the country. As such, it's in diabolical need of
an upgrade. Now we're hearing about infrastructure happening up the country,
which is great, but can we expect anything meaningful regarding
(10:22):
State Higway one in the south.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
So there's a couple of things there for state highways,
both one and across the board. There is the significant
amount of money we put into the pothole both maintenance
and prevention funding. Now every winter that turns into a
bit of a dog's breeface because it's hard to do
decent amount of work on the road, but the weather conditions.
So you do a bit of INtime maintenance, a bit
of patching here and there, try and get things through
(10:48):
the summer, and then do a significant amount of work
over summer. So you'll see some large roading programs and
repair programs underway over the summer when the weather's a
bit good. I've always thought we could probably push a
bit harder and get a bit more over the Christmas
period when traffic is a little bit lower, when there
are a fewer trucks on the road, so we'll see
if we opportunity to have a bit harder along there.
(11:09):
But then you're right. You also mentioned some recent announcements
around State Highway sixth on the west coast that will
help feed all the way through down to Southend as well.
And there's a slipping amount of resource and money going
into a new road up near the Epitaf Slip, and
there's a series about six resilience projects coming through a
Targe and South and two. But ultimately we all know
(11:30):
what it comes down to, and it comes down to
a limited amount of resources and being able to spread
that across quite a significant amount of infrastructure needs. So
we need to think more carefully about how do we
raise the revenue that we need to invest in the
infrastructure that ever run in demands, and we'll be thinking
very carefully about that over the next few years, including
things like value catcher and transitioning light user vehicles onto
(11:52):
road user charges and tolls and all the things that
we can look at to try and get the revenue
to fix the roads.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Good on you, James, always appreciate your time on the
Master John You thanks Andy, James Meager. He wears a
lot of hats must have a pre big closet. Minister
of the South Island Hunting and Fishing as well as
Youth and Associate Minister of Transport be great to get
his thoughts on the muster this afternoon. Next we're away
(12:17):
to the Gold Coast of the South, the self proclaimed
gold Coast of the South. We are catching up with
Eddie Dennis. Thanks to Sergeant Dan Stock Foods, it is
time for the Southern farm around.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Up.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
We're away to Menapori, the self appointed gold Coast of
the South Island, and we're catching up there with Eddie
Dennis KAKA. Good afternoon and welcome once again.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
There were done. Yeah, I might retract that statement I
made because it certainly hasn't been the Gold Coast of
New Zealand for a long time. There. Actually it's turning
into the puddle Coast of just about to be where
I think, yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Well you've got those sandy beaches. There's surely in a
few weeks time it'll be blue sky and people some bathing.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
Well, yeah, we've had a better run of weather. We're
sort of getting some fine days in a row, but
we're probably still getting thirty or forty miles a week
which you just sort of get everything lined up ready
to go. And if you don't squeeze all that track
to work in twenty four hours and get stuff drilled,
you get another sort of fifty meals each day and
you have to go back and start again. So we
are getting somewhere, but there's a battle. It's a real battle.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
It's interesting you say that because parts of Southend are
starting to brown off on the likes, but it's a
polar opposite there in the basin.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Yes, well it's still this just that weather flow. When
we're getting rain, I think everywhere else is getting the
wind pushed in front of it. So yeah, no, as
long as it keeps raining we can get some stuff
in the ground, they'd be great. But yeah, we're going
to need sort of a few reasons the rains through
the summer just to try and get these crops to
(13:53):
catch up if we ever get them in the ground,
because if we go dry straight away, it's not going
to be pretty.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
So how much of the trick to work would you
say you've got done?
Speaker 4 (14:03):
Oh, we've sort of got everything lined up really go,
We just need a week of good, good weather just
to get it all sort of ticked off. I've sort
of got I went hard on Saturday and got pretty
much most of the young grass and then rolled, so
that's a bit of a relief. And then yeah, hopefully
it's randal yusterday today. We can just sort of get
(14:24):
some tiles sorted by the end of the week or
the week after. And I've sort of spray out all
the suede ground. It's all drake drilled, so they're sitting
there where to go. So yeah, once once everything lines
up at the same old story, it'll happen. But you know,
the first of the sembits it's getting on there.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Yeah, so how much wonder crop do you put in Andy?
Speaker 4 (14:48):
About thirty five pies of swedes and then yeah, thirty
five pigti of kailes the seeking seeking crop seeking year,
and then he's usually be out there to man coming
into the young grass.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
There's sort of.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
Another teen heads red clover. But yeah, it's all still
underwater at the moment, so the yeah, that's sort of
me in a nutshell. Yeah, well, I think, yeah, the
fishing competition again the weekend have been postponed from Labor weekend.
I think plenty of people made it up and I
think a lot of people got a bit of a
shock at how high the lakes and the all are
(15:20):
and the rivers and everywhere. And they've probably dropped sort
of a meter and a half two meters since it
was really bad. So there's still a lot of water
coming out of the hills the ground. The ground so
full of water it only takes another ten to fifteen
mills and everything it's lying all over the place, all
in puddles and holes every again. So yeah, we're certainly,
(15:41):
we're certainly full.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Yeah, So how are the stock doing in the weak conditions?
Speaker 4 (15:46):
They seem they seem pretty good. Yeah, Like the hinds,
they are all set stock obviously falling. They've really kicked
a gear in the last sort of week. So it'd
be nice to have a little bit more grass around there.
But as long as everything carve's okay, it sort of
doesn't create a lot of work later on to tidy
up stuff. So yeah, that'd be the only concern at
(16:08):
the moment. News look okay, and lambs look okay. So
I think we're taking away right. Yeah, as far as
sort of stockwise goes, Yeah, you'll be coming up to
waning shortly i'd imagine, yeah, the middle of the month,
and then I've pushed the Romney's right back up until Christmas.
We won't do a draft out of them. Were sort
of back quite a lot of lambs, so I'm just
(16:30):
going to wean them and put them back out and
go through and get replacements out of everything before I
start killing lambs.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Yeah, and of course falvetings and full swing at the moment,
but unfortunately, unfortunately the price isn't.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Yeah, so it's all sort of come a bit oble
to nowhere, which is a bit crazy because dinzer z
to sort of prepare farmers for this, and we've had
no comment from them, which is very disappointing. But we've
effectively have had a price drop this year. We don't
know it yet. The prices aren't even out and where
the valveue seasons effectively finished, there's just young stags to go.
(17:06):
But we've had a price drop, and we've also had
another non traditional grading come in, so there's two non
traditional grades now, so a lot of what used to
be a well super as moved over into a non
traditional grade. And yeah, we don't even know what the
price is, but you get a bit of a shock
when you're going through the grading your velvet and you're
(17:27):
looking at a third and the third and the third.
Now I can can can can considering you know, I
used to have a lot of essay and a So
it's China wanting it back sort of more cemensionally round
and smaller and lighter. Yes, so they can do more
with it. But it certainly it's a bit of a
kick in the guts getting an expected price drop. Like
(17:49):
I said, we don't know that yet, but everyone's saying
it will be, as well as a different grading system.
So yeah, Velvet's velvet's really been spun on its bummer
weave it.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Yeah, I knowed you said duns have pretty much been
null and void lately. As far as commentary, what would.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
That be, I have no idea, Like, surely throughout the
last twelve months I would have been having these talks
and stuff. But yeah, I mean it all comes from
buyers and changing the way they do it. So yeah,
we just need some answers probably, But luckily there's been
(18:27):
there's been money talked, and there's that low that people
were in shock, and luckily people were just holding onto
their velvet and just saying, well, you're not getting anything
until we get a decent firm amount, because if people
started putting it onto the market or dropping on the market,
suddenly that becomes the price. Which that's it's miles off
where where that where it should be from what I've heard.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
So realistically, how long can you hang on to velvet?
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Well, it don't depend too much freezer space you've got, Yeah,
like if you've got plenty of phrases freeze space, you
can fit it all in and just or But that
creates a problem for next season as well, doesn't it.
But yeah, who knows? Who knows? China is very good
at doing business a whole lot bitter than us. So yeah,
we just need to MANswers, probably before Christmas, which would
(19:14):
be good. But I've already heard of a lot of
guys selling velvet and stags or cutting the heads off
velving steaks already. So yeah, the problem is gonna get
solved one way or another. We're going to go smaller
or they'll be less velvet Captain New Zealand. So yeah,
that's that's sort of there it goes, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
And the big thing is to remember only Korea a
South Korea that is in China to New Zealand velvet.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
Is that correct effectively? Yeah, and probably eighty percent of
it goes through China as process there and then on
sold of Korea. So yeah, that's they sort of control
a little wee bit, which is a bit of a shame.
But I mean, I mean New Zealand's always done what
New Zealand's done well and bread breed better stea eggs,
cutting more velvet over the last sort of ten fifteen years,
(20:04):
and we probably are cutting a lot more velvet than
we used to, definitely are, and we've also got bigger
and thicker, and that's probably not what the market ever wanted.
But it just goes to show how well New Zealand
farmers can sort of breed bread bread breed so well
and go forward so fast.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Now you're a strong advocate for the deer industry. Care here.
Has this got you changing your opinion or you still
think you've got to keep the faith.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Velveting's eggs are a very good fit on this farm.
Like in the spring we've grown a lot of grass.
In the summer we can go dry, so that velvet
and staggs. He's get his cut in the spring, has
he had red growth taken on and over in the summer,
and then through that sort of dry period every March
he's on nothing and and that suits really well. But
there's a price that that Staggs sort of got to
(20:53):
still return you. And they're just a small part of
my business. Not they're not, they're not. They're not everything.
There one hundred and twenty stags on the farm, so
they certainly had this fit. But yeah, we'll be we'll
have to be rethinking here. It looks at the prices
what I've heard, which that's hope not Yeah, Hey, good
on your KK.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
We've always appreciated your time on the must of Us afternoon.
You enjoy the festive season, and here's hoping the sun
comes out and you get a week of that blue
sky you're after. We always appreciate your time.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
Yeah, I thanks very much, long I said, Yeah, if
we just the next or of three weeks of pleasant
and we get a bit of sun, you know, the
basin will be back on Deacon. Hopefully everyone can enjoy
Merry Christmas and start the new year in a positive spin. Really,
which the way the way prices are looking for for
all their red meat. Yeah, it'd be nice to have
(21:46):
a really good season. So yeah, Merry Christmas anyone everyone,
And that's same to you, Andy, you enjoy your best
of season.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Andy, Dennis and Minapori. Of course, thanks so Sage and
Dan Stock for this is the mass next a way
to Windham, catching it of Ben Dooley The Musters on
the Farm brought to you by Southland District Council working
(22:15):
together for a better Southland away to wind In This
afternoon on the Muster where we catch up with Ben
Dooley's Sheep, beef and YouTube farmer. His YouTube channel Deep
South Sheep and Beef has been active for quite a while.
Dell's good afternoon, house things.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
You're not going too bad, how about yourself?
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Don't really complain, although we're just like summer to turn
up and just give us a nice happy equilibrium of
wet and dry weather.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
I've got to admit I think the last sort of
three four weeks I've been reasonably happy with her. It's
all gone. We've sort of been wanting a little bit
of rain. We're still going trying to get crops and
there aren't wanting the rain, but the other stuff I've
got in the ground are certainly absolutely loving it so
that we've been a rain last night was just beautiful.
But yeah, like we've had quite a bit of sunshine
(23:06):
out this way and it's been good. Possibly won a
little bit more, but gott to be very careful what
we ask all there because we don't want those taps
to turn off for a few months.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Yeah, it's underesting speaking to people around the province. Andy
Dennis on the show before saying the Fiordland basin was
just sacked. He's after a week of dry weather. But
then you see certain parts of the region again in
northern South and they're crying out for a bit of
moisture or a lot of a fair dose of moisture.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Yeah, well someone must have got a fair bit of
rain up that way at some point, because we're up
the lake up on Lake Dunston the other day and yeah,
the filth coming out of the Colorra River was just huge.
I'm presuming it was sentiment and not just surge overflow,
but yeah, there must have been plenty of rain up
that way. But yeah, I have heard there's people in
Norton South and looking for a bit and you you
(23:53):
are now as we know has had plenty of The
poor old fishing competition got canceled because a huge rain,
and then when they did run it a month later,
there's an inch a day for both days forecast and
not whether they've got it or not. But yeah, it's
certainly been plenty of that way. But yeah, we're probably
just sitting about right where we want to be here,
so yeah, long long may that continue.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
You're talking about your loving the weather from your perspective.
At the moment, grass growth looking pretty good.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Yeah, reasonable, really good quality. We're sort of probably pretty
on top of it. Normally i'd be you know, i'd
happen the twenty hitnies young grass being grazed by now
pretty much all of it, But we haven't even started
on the first one yet. It's it's just right on
the edge of being ready, but there's just still a
few too many plants pulling out. So another four or
five days, I reckon, we'll be end of that and
then that's that'll be fifteen hit there is online by
(24:38):
the time each paddy gets finished, so that'll that'll change
the cover situation a bit, because it's just that overlap
with single cropping from when you pull your ground out
for swedes when you get on that young grass, it's
it's forty hit viers on a two fifty Hittview farm
that's out. So it's a bit more than that with
all the buffers and everything. But now we're we're sitting
pretty okay at the moment. We went the earlier the
other day and got rid of one hundred ninety years
(25:00):
and forty seven lambs, so that was nice that e's
a bit of feed pressure or with it. Yeah, So
it's just a matter now trying to hope we get
a bit of a surplus at some point so we
can we can lock some panics up for some more
under feed. But no, we're we're sitting comfortable enough at
the moment.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Were you happy with your lamb bites?
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Yeah, so we're not big weaving draft people. We went
down to thirty four kilos, like, there was only three
hundred lambs in the mobs, so for us to get
forty seven away out of that, and there are only
eighty one to eighty two days on none, it's all
about getting rid of those used before that U space
titens up. So they went sixteen point nine I think
sixteen eight sixteen nine and one hundred and eighty one bucks.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
So that's pretty good.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Hard, yeah, very hard to complain of that. And yeah,
the US between nine kilos at about one hundred and
sixty five or seventy or something, so once again hard
to complain about that. But yeah, just yeah, Well, like
I say, we're comfortable for feed, but yeah we could
just yeah, we haven't quite got that surraplus ht to
be thinking about locking up any hal baylage.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
So what are you doing for a LAMB budget this year?
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Just going to take it as far as we're comfortable going.
I think we won't really worry about setting a price
we need to achieve or anything, because yeah, historically I've
done things like that and it just sets you up
for disappointment, sets you out for failure potentially, or for
leaving too much opportunity there. So we'll just monitor things
the whole way through. I think the plan is if
(26:23):
the schedule stays where it is, we'll go in pretty deep.
At weaning. We are going to shift their terminal weaning.
Traditionally we do it mid December. We're going to shift
it to early January, just to see if we can
get a few more away off month because yeah, we
do you know, if the twelfth of September to start
a landing weaning in mid December, we are just just
tight enough for days on mum there. But yeah, we'll
(26:44):
see how that goes. But yeah, go and reasonably deep
then you know, try and aim for that sixteen sixteen
to five without too many going under it leaning and
then provided the feeders around, we'll just shut up shop
and we'll just be aiming for twenties after that, mid
nineteens maybe entergenury start of February. Out of the romneys
there will get wind in mid December, but yeah, we'll
(27:06):
be aiming high, go as far as we can at
that and just do what the weather allows.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
As far as one to supplement being made. Have you
made any baylors.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Yet, no, you know, nothing yet, nothing locked up yet.
So just yeah, with the way September oc table where
if the opportunity wasn't just there possibly as a weaver
it now. But like I say, with that young grouse
not being online yet, just trying to keep the hoggts
feed and stuff like that, we just thought we're better
just feeding them. So yeah, like I say, the next
(27:34):
few days we'll get onto the young grass and yeah,
surely then something will pop up somewhere we can lock up.
Got a bit of top and done, got rid of
a few thistles, so there's a few options there for
paducks we could do. But to be fair, we've got
one hundred and fifty odd bails left over from last year.
So as much as it would be nice to make
the sort of four hundred bars this year, if we
can do it, if you have that, carry on for
(27:54):
the next year. If it doesn't happen, we're you know,
if we can do two hundred and fifty bails, we'll
have we'll have plenty on hand to get through. And
sort of thinking this year just because of the pimbing.
You know, traditionally if you're making baileage at this time
of year, it has to be bailage. But if we're
locking it up now and it cares on growing, we
have the opportunity to make hate say, have a bit
of money there, we've got the sheet to put it in.
(28:14):
So yeah, hay for sheep on crops everybody as good
as baileage. It's just the castle of trying to get
it made. But there is there are notable savings here
to make.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
So yeah, see every one goes yeah, fascinating the old
bayword versus meadow hay de bait carries on. But so
does this debate too, talking about the amalgamation of council.
Speaking to James Meager earlier on the show, does and
what's your thought process around this?
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Yes, so I'm I'm a big, big fan of something changing.
We are a province of one hundred thousand people. Most
of those are not rate payers, being you know, under
the age, you know, children, or renters or whatever else.
So there's there's plenty of people there that aren't. You know.
What I'm saying is it's a very small number of
rate payers to support four councils. Yes, in some ways
(29:04):
the representation of having those four councils can be a benefit,
but there's a lot of duplication involved in that. There's
a lot of extra cost And I see a big
benefit in having the Southern District, the Gore District and
Environments South and councils all fall into the South and
District Council. I wouldn't want to see the City Council
into that because I just see it as a way
(29:24):
for money to be funneled from the rural areas to
the city, and that's how the province works. Anyway, every
time we go to town, we spend money in town,
don't we say the money's going that way? Anyway, I
think it should probably stand on its own two feet.
We don't really want to be paying for the museum
or if there surge treatment systems and things like that.
So I think having an independent city council and then
(29:47):
a district council sitting separately would be quite a good
system for us moving forward.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Do you think there's going to be a concern though
about debt levels shared by previous councils.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
Yeah, well, I mean it's all it's all above my head,
my pay grade, that stuff. But it's gonna have to
be sorted out. But I guess if you have the
district councils merging, then the dead all has to become one,
doesn't it. So yeah, probably another reason to keep the
city council out too, just keep things a bit more
fear and honest. But ultimately the debt has to be
(30:18):
paid back at some point, doesn't it.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
We talk about your YouTube channel. How's it been. Have
you been active on there? Lately.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Yeah, I got a few videos out since the last
time I was talking to you. I'm just trying to
think what they were. The last one was crutching the
crutches and crutch of Hoggins, which men I called the
video I feel like a cheater, and I did because
traditionally we do their SLS and we do the mixtau.
I use SLS too pre sharing, but I've bit the
bullet this year. I've got the crutches in. It feels good,
(30:46):
but it does feel a bit I don't want to
say dishonest, but you feel like you're cheating away bit.
But yeah, we used to work as house to the
bone or up before Christmas to get all the used
crutched and ready for sharing and then getting shorn. And
I just decided, I'm sick of feeling completely wrecked by
Christmas time. I'm going to enjoy it this year. So
does that one? I think there was one. That's what
(31:07):
the other two were getting the swedes in and getting
the play on done beforehand.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Work smart or not harder? Ben Durley, we always appreciate
your time on the muster.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
No, that's the one, Andy, Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Ben Diurley Farming at Wyndham. You're listening to the Muster,
remembering go to the Muster on Hockey We Facebook page
for your chance to winn a five hundred dollars Prazzy
card thanks to Mainland Minerals. Remembering you need to follow
main Minerals and Facebook tag I made on the comments
on the main Land Minerals past on either Hockey We
Brickey or the Muster facebook pages. And we're going to
(31:39):
draw this with Murray Kobra and on Friday. Next on
the Muster for your Monday afternoon is Tessa Miller out
of Thriving Southland. Welcome back to the Muster. Tars forfares
is the new. As we catch up with our next guest,
(32:02):
Tessa Miller, Catchment Coordinator for Thriving Southland, gid A Tessa.
Speaker 5 (32:07):
Hey Andy, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Yeah, always good to catch up now. Thriving Southland has
been a busy year.
Speaker 5 (32:15):
Yeah it has been. It's actually been a busy year
in a busy few months. We had a successful ADM
just the other day where we had Ewan Mathison step
down in one of the lovely Clear officers stepped back
ond We've been planning for the Gore Catching Group Wetland
Open Day which will be on Surursday, and we've been
(32:38):
working on this year's Christmas competition.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
Yeah, we'll touch on the Catchman Group Wetland Open Day
and this just personifies the work that's happening around the province.
Speaker 5 (32:49):
Yeah, it's absolutely incredible to see where the Ward's Wetland started,
which was meant to be a small wetland which was
funded by a fishing game and west Pac, but then
they decided that actually it needed to go way bigger
and so now it's been funded by so many different
businesses as well as the Ward's family who have really
(33:10):
just gone behind, you know, trying to make this wetland
as beautiful and big as it could be, but make
it accessible for as much of the community as possible
and we can learn what the farmers are after about
wetlands at the same time. So their open day is
going to be from twelve pm for a barbecue, one
(33:31):
pm kickoff and finished by three and Katie will make
sure that we are sticking to the timeframe I think.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
And that's happening Friday the fourth, which by memory will
be this Thursday, Yes Thursday, and the fourth yep, right now,
this Christmas competition. We always catch up with you guys
at Thriving about the Christmas comp What are the deets
this year? Because this is really cool.
Speaker 5 (33:52):
I'm actually really stoked to be talking to you Annie
about the Christmas comp because I actually put up my
Christmas tree in the weekend. So for us a December
ready to go. Yeah, it's bet between and twenty five.
And you can even enter as a catchment group, a business, individual,
farm or just any way that actually suits you. It's
(34:13):
open to everyone in Southland. So whether you are painting bails,
lining up palettes, stacking tires, decorating your shit or getting
creative with your Christmas display, we can't like to see it.
Speaker 1 (34:26):
We heart back to the COVID times, not that we
want to, but decorator all the decorations in the way
of hay bales on the roadside around the province. It
was a thing of beauty at least be perfectly honest.
And the fact of this competition to soonifize everything that's
going on in the farm in a rural sense and
what's been happening and the way that people use their imaginations.
Speaker 5 (34:45):
It is really neat, absolutely Yeah, it's been a tough
old season and so yeah, every year we find new things.
My favorite of all time was the Hennings nutcracker with
dio plastic drums, but we've had Yeah. Last year's entry
was the Davis family, which was seen to got stuck
in the foot rock flats And it's just awesome when
(35:08):
you are driving past all down the road and you
get to see all the Christmas decorations out there and
all the farmers kind of getting into.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
It, right, So how do you enter?
Speaker 5 (35:19):
So the inter sindous the photo of your Christmas display
along with the name of your display by the fourteenth
of December to office at Thrivysouthland dot co dot nz.
And we're actually also running a kid's Christmas coloring competition
which sends your entries along to the same address, same date.
(35:40):
But we just jump on the website to find the
Christmas competition.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
So something down there to download obviously.
Speaker 5 (35:49):
Yeap, just a pdf. Yep, get into it kids young
and old.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Pretty much though. This just personifies the time of year,
getting kids to color things in, getting a few cruise
so it's thinking about center and the likes and it works. Sence,
let's be honest, it's a bit of a rip three
weeks ahead of us. But at the same time, what
you talked about is about recognizing the cool things that
you can do on farm if you get an hour
or so with the family, just get creative and thing roight.
(36:14):
What can we do to prareck people's day out when
they're driving past.
Speaker 5 (36:17):
Yeah, exactly. I can't wait to get into it this year.
So hopefully the Christmas spirit is loud and proud out there.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Absolutely, do you rock two Christmas trees in the house
or just one?
Speaker 5 (36:28):
Just the one? But it's fairly large, so yeah, a
lot to Connor racing around the house.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
Yeah, good luck Connor with that one. You had a
big weekend is did yourself. But that's a topic for
another day. Tessa Miller out of Thriving Southland, thanks very
much for your time on the Muster. Thanks Andy, Tessa
Miller from Thriving south and get amongst it. There were
some really cool stuff happened in this space last year
regarding their competition, their Christmas competitions. So yeah, an organization
(37:00):
doing some really great work. Senior Sergeant Gary Edington and
the Gore Police is up next. You're listening to the Muster.
(37:21):
Welcome back to the Muster. I don't think everybody wants
to rule the world, but a few people do. But nonetheless,
if that was the case, Senior Sergeant Gary didn't out
of the Gore Police here, wouldn't be enough hours of
the day trying to sort everything out. Hell Suggs.
Speaker 6 (37:35):
Yeah, good and thanks and hello to the communitee.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Now from the Gore Police we even spoken for a
few weeks. Scary, but I dar say you guys be
out and about drink driving and the likes at the moment,
just catching rivelers, yeap.
Speaker 6 (37:48):
Just it's that Tommy here. We're just asking people just
to sort of, you know, have a great time, just
be safe, think about the consequences and planning easings and
social events. Unfortunately, we've got a lot of checks out
there at the moment and we are actively targeting people
for drink driving and trying to avoid the police. That
includes boy racersh And also another thing we just want
(38:09):
to mention, toy reminder is the liquorban area in the
Gour main street there and around just around the licensed premises.
If you're self loading court drinking alcohol in the van,
you're probably going to get stopped and expected a two
hundred and fifty dollars fine.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
So how far does that liquor of band extend to
and goore?
Speaker 6 (38:25):
So it probably goes onto the if you look on
the map, you can get it at the council. But
it's sort of just short of Norfolk Street all the
way through touring, including the main street all the way through,
and there's obviously ma Toda as well, just the main drag.
So it's just if anyone's court driving or in a
van drinking alcohol, or anyone's sort of walking the streets
(38:46):
with an open vessel drinking, and you'll be breaching the
liquor van.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
So what we're saying is here to have a plan
B in place. If you're going out for a few
bivies this season, be respectable. There are liquor bands and
force and have a player and if you're having a couple.
Speaker 6 (39:01):
Right, yeah, just enjoy yourselves, don't be sort of don't
make some sunny decisions because they're life changing as we know,
and we just want people to see in the new year.
Families are important to us at this time of year
and in all years, so I just want to make
sure people understand that and have a great time, but
just think about and plan now.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
As far as boy racers and vehicles and the like,
are we seeing the surge and this kind of activity
as such.
Speaker 6 (39:27):
Yeah, we've got people out there at the moment quite recently,
just a very small amount of minority. They think it's
a bit fun, fast and furious driving on the roads,
and unfortunately it's not like the films. It ends up
with serious injuries or fatals. And again we're just asking
people that you know, cars a weapon. If you're going
to drive, you like it, so will be taking your
license or we be taking your vehicle and you know,
(39:48):
and sometimes it's twenty six months depending on the circumstances.
What we're asking people is if you've you tempt to
flee the police, you know, it puts yourself at risk,
the public at risk, and obviously there'll be consequences.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
What are the requirements for a vehicle will be pink
sticking or red stick it on the spot? Gary, How
does that process work?
Speaker 6 (40:07):
It varies pink and green stickers, but it depends on
the danger and what the default is.
Speaker 3 (40:12):
So you know, if.
Speaker 6 (40:13):
You've got bold tires, you know, obviously brakes aren't working.
That's quite serious, so you'll be looking at pink. If
it's something that's minor but needs looking at or going
to VT and Z, then you know less it will
be sort of a green sticker. But if you remove
it and don't get it done, it's quite a few
thousand dollars, which you know is better in your pocket.
(40:34):
It's just it's all about safety as well, making sure
vehicles are safe on the road.
Speaker 1 (40:39):
Now fifts as well, especially at this time if your
unfortunately you said occurs twelve months of the year, but
leading up to the Sully season, Gary, unfortunately, we see
a lot more of an that take in this.
Speaker 6 (40:50):
Yeah, there's opportunitiest fiefs out there at the moment, and
what we're saying to people is just making sure your
cars a lot, you know, and if you're leaving things
that we make sure they're lot, not no property or
this sentimental in full view. Take it with you or
lock it up. If you're in the houses or you're
going away, making sure that someone's looking after your house,
neighbors keeping an eye on it. If you've got cameras,
(41:10):
that's great. And make sure newspapers in your postbox canceling them.
So it just makes life more difficult for the for
these people out there that go around ruining people's lives, Well, that's.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
The beggar, isn't it. If you're going away for a
few days or a few weeks for that matter, get
somebody to mow your lawns, keep your mailbox as clear,
don't order any packages, and the likes and you who
are if you are able to have some cameras in place,
so just let your neighbors know, look them away for
a couple of days. If you can keep an eye out,
there'll be grouse.
Speaker 6 (41:38):
Absolutely. And if there's people acting suspicious, ring it in,
if it's urgent like one one one or crime stoppers.
You've got someone going up your driver acting suspicious, you
think they're going to break in, that's urgent. So we
need to know about that and we can we can
act at the time as opposed after the fact and
try and catch them.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Yeah, so one of those numbers again, this triple one,
the star, triple five. What else have we got, Gary.
Speaker 6 (42:00):
We've got uh yeah, one oh five in the crime
important line. So if you've got something that's happened and
it's like the next day and there's no witnesses, Yeah,
it's not urgent. Then becoming one oh five of a
cl crime important line and it just you know what
happens is once it's been reported, it goes into the
system and then it gets allocated that said area and
this case being gore and then it's a signed out
(42:22):
for investigation. Crime Stoppers is a hundred number. So I
just picked things you want to report in the community,
but you want to stay anonymous, you can bring that
through there. Just make sure you have the full detail.
If there's driving out there and it's really really bad
and you think someone's going to get hurt or you
know they're doing dangerous overtakes and that that would potentially
(42:42):
look at one one one.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
And just finally as well, scams with technology and the
elderly and just the vulnerable in general. Just look out
for people and net scenes as well. Help your parents
out they're a bit older and a bit shy of technology.
There's a lot of people out there trying to be
a Nigerian prince or princes.
Speaker 6 (42:59):
Yeah, we're still getting the odd one to it still
keeps coming. As Tommy here, Yeah, they'll make they'll target
the vulnerable and you know it's their life savings. They've
worked hard all their life and these I got to say,
these people that are just the dregs of society don't
care overseas and they just won't pill with lives and
put them into a dark space. If you think you've
been scammed, we're not sure. Contact your banks, speak to
(43:22):
a family member, come into the police station. But we
need to make sure it's you know, get it done
sort as soon as possible, not wait for a few days.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
Senior Sergeant Gary Yeddington of the Good Police, we always
appreciate your time on the Master. You enjoy the afternoon.
Speaker 6 (43:37):
Yeah, thanks andyan, thanks to community and have a saved
Christmas a new year as well.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Laugh out loud with agg proud because life on the
land can be a laughing matter. Brought to us by
sheer Well Data working to help the livestock farmer and
Jamaica a slice of apple pie costs three dollars fifty
and the Bahamas a slice of pie costs five dollars fifty.
These are the pirrates of the Caribbean. Put up bomb.
(44:07):
That's us for the afternoon. Remember and get on the
muster on hockey. New Facebook page to get in the
drawer to win a five hundred dollars Prezzy card thanks
to a team at Mainland Minerals were but over time,
just a few technical errors at the start of the hour. Nonetheless,
we've got there. I'm Andy Miller, enjoyed the afternoon, said
tomorrow
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