The petition, launched by Otago farmer Amy Blaikie, containing more than 15,000 signatures was handed over by Blaikie to Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Otago MP Mark Patterson on the steps of Parliament on Tuesday.
Flanked by a strong contingent of industry stakeholders and farmers, Blaikie said the result was overwhelming.
“I had no expectation, I’m absolutely chuffed, and amazed by the support of emails and phone calls too,” Blaikie said.
“I learnt when I set up the petition you only need one signature, so me signing it was enough but I got my husband to sign it too, and the other 15,000 are such amazing support.”
Inspired to initiate the petition by the dire state of the New Zealand strong wool industry, Blaikie saw the chance to make a difference and get the industry’s voice heard.
Wool prices are currently at an all-time low as industry and Government work towards a new vision and strategy to revitalise the languishing sector.
“We all want to have sustainable farms and businesses and we’re all looking at this amazing product that we produce that no-one wants to buy, it’s just crazy.”
Blaikie campaigned the petition on using NZ-produced and made in NZ wool in public funded buildings and Kiwibuild homes.
She urged the Government to lead by example in a move, given wool’s sustainable nature, that would benefit farmers and all Kiwis.
With wool being environmentally friendly, renewable, fire resistant and biodegradable, it’s a no-brainer to use it over synthetics, Blaikie said.
“We need to start at home and with the Government pushing New Zealanders to buy NZ-made products, now is the perfect time to mandate wool’s use and who better to lead than the Government.”
In receiving the petition Patterson and Peters praised Blaikie for her courage and drive in getting the wool message into Parliament.
“Amy (Blaikie) is to be commended, this is courageous,” NZ First agriculture spokesman Patterson said.
“It’s easy to grizzle to the neighbour over the fence but to step up and do something is courageous and this has certainly galvanised the sentiment out there.”
Patterson strongly supports the intent of the petition suggesting it is very timely.
“There’s some changes pending to the Government’s procurement that will be supportive of wool,” he said.
“These 15,000 signatures are a clear signal, not just from farmers but wider expectations too, of the Government to be using wool.
“This petition will be very helpful in building pressure.”
Patterson is uncertain when the proposed changes may happen.
“I am unsure of the timing, before the election or for the next government, but the basic intent of what Amy is trying to achieve, as I understand, is in those changes.”
Patterson presented the petition to Parliament on Tuesday afternoon (August 4) but given it is the last week for Parliament sitting, he is not expecting the Select Committee will turn it around immediately.
National Council NZ Wool Interests chairman Craig Smith was among those who attended the petition handover.
The pressure is now on the Government to walk the talk, Smith said.
“I was in the brand-new Ministry for Primary Industries building last week and it’s all plastic carpet,” he said.
“Government needs to take ownership in line with the primary sector report specifying 100% NZ wool, made in NZ.”
Smith acknowledged putting wool carpets in government buildings is not going to change the industry overnight.
“The number of signatures on the petition is very pleasing to industry and shows there is genuine demand on the government to get this put through,” he said.
“The rhetoric of the Government’s clean and green, carbon zero, carbon neutral environmentally friendly is very hypocritical of their practice.
“They (the Government) need to take a hard look at themselves and we all need to commend Amy for bringing genuine farmer frustration up to this level.”
