The Muster- Michelle Watt: Pen Pal Reminiscing!

Michelle Watt wonders if pen pals could make a comeback in the digital age.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:20):
It is time for the country crossover once again. Michelle Watt,
executive producer of the Country Out of Dunedin. Good afternoon,
Michelle Casey in the Sunshine Band. That's song there called
keep It Cavin Love. I just had to play that intro.
It's just a great tune for a Friday.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Oh you can't not be happy when you hear Casey
in the Sunshine Band.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
Absolutely, it's one of the Friday banger bands in my opinion.
But nonetheless, look, it's been an interesting week, Nestle. This
is big news and this could have ramifications down the
line as well. The Dairy Methane Action Alliance launched back
in twenty twenty three of members including denn Taines and Starbucks,
all committing to publicly measure and disclose methane emissions from

(01:05):
their dairy supply chains and published plans to reduce those emissions.
Well Nessla decided, Nah, we're pulling out.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yes, interesting time, isn't it. I think this would have
hit the global climate world by storm a little bit,
this story, because it's kind of in a way given
Act and his yellin first, who have been saying let's
get out of Paris. Some vindication and what they're saying.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
Right, especially with somebody like Nesle. You see them at
the field days, the National field Days, and there's nothing
to do with dairying on their standards all about climate
change and you look at it and I'm just intrigued
as to way the change of stance.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
Yes, interesting, isn't it. That hasn't actually come out. I
don't think has it about why they've quit that global
alliance now?

Speaker 1 (01:50):
It doesn't actually say anything. I couldn't find anything either
on that.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
No, So it'll be interesting to see if any more
comes out. I guess there will be more that comes
out about that, but you know, to see what happens
further on from this decision. Is it going to be
like a domino effect?

Speaker 1 (02:04):
Of course, let you say act have they been pretty
vocal when New Zealand first regarding the Paris Accord. But
the more this goes on, likes in Nessley, this is
a Domino's effect then who knows? This could be a
game changer.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
It could be a game changer. And I think it's
going to be interesting moving forward to see if any
of those other companies, because they're big companies, Mislay is
a massive company and of course supplied by you rather
large dairy companies all over the place, so it could
have big, big ratifications this decision that THESLAY have made.
And I think you know, one of the big things

(02:36):
that they've said is for not pulling out is the
fact that if you're supplying a certain company or something
like that, they're already signed up to the Paris Accord
through the supply route. And that's why you know, if
we pulled out that actually farmers who are already signed
up to supply will not be able to really pull
out because they're already signed up in another way through
supply agreements. So this could be really interesting times.

Speaker 1 (02:59):
New Zealand Posts. Well, this is another big issue for
rural New Zealand, doesn't it cutting back services?

Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yes, so it's interesting. It was announced this week that
New Zealand Posts are going to be cutting some of
its services for postage around rural places. In rural women
are leading the charge on this. What they're going to do,
I'm not sure, but I'm sure that they'll set up
some sort of lobby. We have a great interview with
Nicola Eckleton, who was the interim CEO for Rural women

(03:28):
New Zealand during the week about all this, and a
lot of people will say things like, well, now it
doesn't really matter, you know, I mean people aren't buying
from local businesses anyway. You know, this is what rural
post is all about. People getting postage is all about.
Now people are getting stuff online and all that sort
of thing, but actually, in rural areas the postage means
more than that. You know, they're getting their milk, some

(03:49):
people are getting medications, all sorts of things, and if
they reduce that is just creating further isolation from larger
communities and a way to communicate with others. It's sad, really,
and you know, I think especially those really out of
the way, middle of nowhere places. I'm thinking, you know,
way down in the west and the Catlan's Andy, you know,

(04:09):
where there's basically no one or anything, and you're about
probably an hour or more away from dar closer at
South or South Totago. Some people posted it's quite an
exciting thing to get. And people still send letters. I think,
do you send a letter?

Speaker 1 (04:22):
No, I haven't seen a letter for a very long time.
But I remembering when I used to go to boarding
school up in Avaru. We had to write a letter
at seven o'clock to somebody on a Sunday eating before
we get before we could go down to the gym.
And yeah, that was your lyric to letter writing skills.
You got given a number of stamps at the start
of the term for writing letters and it was a

(04:43):
real novelty. In fact, to get a letter, it was
a real hoot. Although you fast forward these days eventually
getting into the age of emails in the late nineties
and slowly but surely snail mail came to a pause.
But suppose from New Zealand Posts perspective as well, Michelle,
they've got to stay relevant as far as money to
it and make a decent amount to stay in the games.
So they just got to change your services somehow, do

(05:04):
they not?

Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yeah, one hundred percent. I mean it as a balancing
act in that respect. But I think should rural community
lose out again? You know, connectivity is such an assue
and rural area already cutting something like this. It's another
life lying gone. And I see in the survey that
rural women New Zealand did with their membership in twenty
twenty four, ninety six percent identified maintaining New Zem's post

(05:27):
current service stand is as important. So that's a lot
of people who still feel that their rural mail delivery
service is an important saying. And I know a lot
of actual rural postings around the place. My parents are
friends with some up in North Otago Way and everyone
knows their rural posting as well, which is kind of
a fun thing. And we're talking about letter writing in
the old days, Andy, Because I grew up in the country,

(05:49):
I pen pals all over the world. It is to
take like months for leaders to arrive from England and
things like that. It were very exciting times.

Speaker 1 (05:57):
Do you still keep in touch with those pen pals?

Speaker 2 (06:00):
No, actually don't know where any of them have gone.
I'll be honest with you. One of them, though, I
feel like I did have one that might potentially be
related to Jane Smith. I think I might have to
ask her about that.

Speaker 1 (06:13):
Hey, Look, it's been a big week as well, mental
health Awareness week. We had Catherine right on the program.
She speaks a lot of scenes doing some really great
stuff in the rural scene, regarding it as well, and
just speaking of correspondence, what they do to break the
grind at this time of year too. It's been pretty cool.

Speaker 2 (06:29):
It's been amazing, headn't and we've had some really incredible
stories and really heartfelt moments. You know, we've talked, we've
talked about grief, we've talked about dealing with you know,
how to talk to people that are going through a
tough time. We've had some really incredible stories this week
from around the rural sector, from all parts of it.

(06:49):
I think the major thing to pick up from that
is it's not just one week. Make sure that you
look after yourself and others and think about these things
throughout the whole year. One week is it's great to
have that acknowledgment for a week, but remember mental health
is a year round thing and people don't just suffer
for one part of this year or you know, going forward.
It needs to be all year round. Take care of

(07:11):
your staff, take care of yourself. Look out for those signs.
Best way to find some more information. Actually, we're all support.
Trust are fantastic. They provide incredible support. You can hunt
them out. They also farmstrong. Of course, you can hit
to their website and lock up all their tools tracks.
They've got lots of knowledge there to find out how
you can help your own mental health and help others

(07:31):
that you feel like are struggling. And especially this time,
you're coming off a busy time with lambing and carving.
Some people are still in the sick of it. It's time,
you know, good time to take that time off farm,
chill out, have some time to yourself and just take
care of that top had.

Speaker 1 (07:45):
It a good time to go and watch some footy
at the Glasshouse tonight. Is a Tago going to beat Wakhatto?

Speaker 2 (07:51):
Of course they are. No, no, no, no.

Speaker 1 (07:53):
When we're not thinking head over heart here be honest.
Is a Tiger going to beat Wakato.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yeah, they're going to beat Wakhatto.

Speaker 1 (08:00):
I like your confidence. I tend to agree with you
on that as well, because the Targo's playing outstanding rugby.
Go on you, Michelle, great work this week as always,
enjoy the weekend you doo. Michelle Watt and the Country Crossover.
Up next, Paul Miller. We'll talk a bit of NPC.
Of course, former Stag played for a Targo as well.
Now a commentator on Gold Squad