I was pleased with the initial Government response and was reassured by last week’s reaction that involved effectively closing our borders. It was the right call.
The response has been interesting.
The cruise ship union cried foul over the Government’s banning cruise ship visits. I had little sympathy. Their pollution factor and carbon footprint is excessive in my view. Add to that the threat of coronavirus and banning them is a complete no-brainer.
There has been considerable hand wringing over the problems of the tourism industry.
While my sympathy goes to anyone suffering because of factors beyond their control it should be a salutary lesson about the fragility of tourism.
It survives on discretionary dollars, it is a low-wage industry with a massive carbon footprint and pollutes seemingly at will.
The tourism industry will need help and I accept that.
The crisis has a message for everyone in NZ.
Those who have been effusive in the media claiming food production is an overnight, massively polluting, totally irresponsible industry, a sunset industry in fact, all need to take a deep breath.
They should be grateful for what farmers can do to help them out of the crisis.
We’re all NZ has.
Our strength is producing food. We produce lots of different types of food. There’s meat, dairy products including milk, cheese and infant formula to mention but a few.
Despite what the fundamentalist vegans might think, we also produce lots of fruit, vegetables, grains and legumes.
We produce them naturally, environmentally responsibly and with commitment to leaving the land in a better state than when we took it over.
So, when everything turns to custard, as it has, what can we do?
Simply, the world has to eat and we produce food sustainably.
Our processing industry has excelled itself in keeping our food going to the markets that want it and are prepared to pay. They deserve a medal.
Our farmers do too. They’ve produced quality food in harsh drought conditions.
It’s helping keep NZ Inc afloat.
I totally agree with Feds president Katie Milne the Government should be deferring a wide range of policy and regulatory impositions on farmers.
If the Government wants farmers to step up and help get the country back on its feet it can’t do it with the Sword of Damocles of draconian government regulation hanging over them.
That also applies to local government.
Farmers need surety.
It would also be great to see farmers more involved in government advisory groups instead of many of the anti-farmer types there now.
They also need support going and, as the drought has shown, water storage is pivotal.
I have friends who want to put a large dam on their property. It will benefit the district. The process and expense they’ve been put through for no rational reasons has been nothing more than an expensive circus that’s been playing for years.
That needs to change.
I’d also like to see a legislative requirement for people in central, regional and local government to actually get out onto farms and see what life is really like in the engine room of the economy.
In addition, I have a real concern over farmers’ wellbeing.
Field days, farm discussion groups, briefings and stock sales aren’t going to happen. That exacerbates the isolation farmers already feel. It is an issue that will need to be addressed and quickly.
Isolation takes a toll on farmers now. It’s going to get worse.
Putting everything in perspective, MPI’s export figures for the March quarter have agriculture down just $800 million. That’s an amazing achievement.
Adding to that, on March 12 Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford congratulated the food and beverage industries for topping a massive $71.7 billion in the last financial year.
That is one light in an otherwise bleak economic outlook.
The Government’s response to the crisis has been decisive,
The initial Government announcements that restricted entry to NZ and required a 14-day self-isolation was the right call to make.
I also believe the Government’s finance package was inspirational, done as it was in days not months. On top of the earlier infrastructure package it’s the best shot at seeing us through.
Finally, a lot of what the Government and bureaucracy have done over the last two years has annoyed me.
What both have achieved over the coronavirus crisis has been exemplary.
