Chairman backs trust grant for rural support

Russ Rimmington

Waikato Regional Council leader Russ Rimmington says his decision to force through a $50,000 a year grant to the Rural Support Trust was right.

Mr Rimmington used his casting vote to push the proposal through. The money will be paid for the next three years.

“It should have been a unanimous decision,” he said. “Maybe I didn’t do enough lobbying.”

Rural Support Trusts provide free and confidential support for rural people and farming families across the country.

Council Chief Executive Chris McLay said staff work closely with the trust due to their regular face-to-face contact with farmers and provide valuable advice and training for recognising signs when rural people might need assistance.

Mr Rimmington, who has been a dairy farmer for 40 years, says stress has never been greater on the rural community.

“I have never seen farmers so tired; they are unsung heroes, but they can’t afford extra staff and their mental health is suffering.

He said a side effect of the quite appropriate clamp down on drink driving had been that isolated farmers were meeting far less frequently to discuss their problems and work at the rural tavern.

“There has been a social change. Those talks about weather, money and prices don’t happen as they once did. Farmers are under enormous stress and banks have become like robots – and they give farmers no slack.”

Figures from 2016 show the rural suicide rate in New Zealand was 13.8 per 100,000 people, in comparison to the urban rate of 11.

“Fonterra is moving in this area, but more needs to be done,” Mr Rimmington said.

More Recent News

Waipā plays the Trump card

Donald Trump is a risk. Without naming the president, Waipā District Council’s Business Resilience and Risk advisor Genny Wilson says the US government’s introduction of tariffs and any later retaliatory action by the rest of…

Mailouts can stay private

Ombudsman Peter Boshier has ruled Waipā District Council is entitled to withhold weekly mail outs from Good Local Media, citing obligations of confidence, free and frank nature, and legal privilege. Boshier also rejected Good Local…

Navy pennant flies high

Kirikiriroa & St Peter’s Scout Group received the Royal New Zealand Navy Recognition Pennant at Scouts Aotearoa Northland Zone Regatta at Kai Iwi Lakes on Saturday. Senior patrol leader Hamish Smith, 14, and Venturer Kaylee…

Profits dry up as drought hits

Zane and Marie Kite expects to lose tens of thousands of dollars of milk production this season as they farm through extreme drought conditions. Their Parallel Road farm, near Kaipaki, is one step ahead of…