8.3 Local and national government issues
The 1980s changes, at both local and national government levels are continuing to have a major impact in the mid-Rangitikei, and there are pragmatic difficulties that deserve attention:
Points of contact: changing of names of government departments may seem a trivial matter when one lives in the city and can phone any number of offices to get the new name and number. Toll calls, however, especially when most phone calls, are toll calls are expensive. Automatic answering phones bring about their own difficulties, as well as adding considerable extra time to toll calls; so too changing personnel arriving from any number of sources out of town, and a non-understanding of distances, rhythms of farming life, seasonal cycles.
Consultation and information: these could benefit from attention, such as better handling by DOC and the Rangitikei Council of a recent research project concerning stands of bush on farm properties. The scars remain with a number of families who feel they were invaded, and insulted - by ‘kids from Massey’ who were doing the research.
Some horrific stories were told of officials telling families off for spending trivial amounts of money, eg $1 for a cup of coffee, when they went to negotiate on a number of matters following the share market collapse; or being told "to put the car in the garage and not go anywhere - [by advisors] kids just out of Lincoln". Most officials and advisors in today’s world did not get a pass mark from many people.
Administration assistance: there could be better publicity, help and advice given in matters of administration, of form filling and time to do so. One person suggested they get requests from both government and non governmental agencies to complete this research survey, or this set of forms, within a short period of time, only to discover that a decision and plan of action has already been decided upon.
The administrative load being heaped on Principals, Boards of Trustees, health professionals, community workers needs investigation. The actual requests for completion of forms may compare with those in urban areas, but in rural areas there are fewer people to do the task, and no one in the next office or down the corridor with whom one can easily check a query. Inservice training opportunities can often not be accessed because of time and travel difficulties, or finding a replacement, even for a short time. Network meetings, such as those operating in the health area, help considerably to ease the professional ‘aloneness’.
MAF role: improved understanding of the role of MAF and what it can do for farming in general, and for specific areas is needed. Recognition of the continuing importance of farmers, and farming, from both local and national governments, would be appreciated and dissolve some of the hurt and anger.
Contact for Enquiries
Rural Affairs Coordinator
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0675
Fax: +64 4 4 894 0745
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