Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Consumer NZ says loyalty data for grocery discounts could push supermarket prices even higher

Source: Consumer NZ

Supermarket loyalty cards might seem like the best way to get a bargain, but Consumer NZ is warning they might ultimately lead to higher prices at the checkout.

Supermarket loyalty cards might seem like the best way to get a bargain, but Consumer NZ is warning they might ultimately lead to higher prices at the checkout.

Loyalty programmes like Foodstuffs’ Club+ and Woolworths’ Everyday Rewards allow supermarkets to gather data about individual shopping habits – including clues as to how much each person is willing to pay for a particular product.

This data could allow supermarkets to use increasingly targeted “dynamic pricing”, where prices are changed based on different variables, rather than remaining fixed.

Pricing discrepancies already exist in that different regions can pay different prices for the same item, says Gemma Rasmussen, Consumer NZ’s head of research and advocacy.

“Customers across the country can walk into a store and pay very different prices for the same item. As an example, we found the same tub of ice cream from New World cost $5.99 in Orewa and $8.79 in Queenstown, while Turkish apricots varied between $48.50 per kg and $56 depending on whether you were purchasing at Alexandra or Thorndon.”  

And there’s potential for supermarkets to take this much further, changing prices as often as they like based on market demand and customer behaviour.

This type of dynamic pricing is gaining traction in Europe, where some supermarkets change their prices multiple times throughout the day to discount items that are close to expiry or, in the case of Norway’s REMA 1000, to beat competitors’ pricing.

To do this, they rely on electronic shelf labels – technology that has already been rolled out in many New Zealand supermarkets.

The most extreme and controversial version of dynamic pricing is when items are priced differently for each shopper, based on an algorithmic calculation of how much each individual will be willing to pay.

Last year, an investigation by Consumer Reports found that shoppers buying groceries from several US retailers through Instacart, an online shopping platform, were shown different prices, with some shoppers paying up to 23% more than others.

There’s no evidence of this in practice in New Zealand, but Consumer NZ is concerned that customer data could still be used to drive prices up.

“While some shoppers may love getting a ‘deal’ at the supermarket through loyalty programmes, there is concern that our already highly concentrated supermarket sector could grow more powerful as they push harder to collect increasing amounts of customer data,” Rasmussen says.

“The widespread collection of personalised shopping data could end up being detrimental to customers, as it greatly increases supermarkets’ understanding of how aggressively items can be priced to individuals. Customers could end up paying more.

“Meanwhile, it’s getting harder and harder to access supermarket services without signing up to a loyalty programme. This month, Foodstuffs has followed Woolworths’ lead and made online shopping available to loyalty programme members only.

“New Zealanders need a grocery market that works in their interests. That includes confidence that personal data is not being used in ways that disadvantage shoppers.”

Foodstuffs, which owns New World, Pak’nSave and Four Square, employs UK company Dunnhumby to help it make decisions around pricing.

Dunnhumby’s chief executive has gone on the record saying, “The company [will] help Foodstuffs analyse sales and customer data to make decisions about store locations, product range, pricing, promotions and loyalty programs.

“We have a track record of helping companies in retail, in particular, do this and they typically outperform their peers – in the case of Foodstuffs that’s the goal as well.”

Vulnerable people paying more at the checkout

It’s not just dynamic pricing that has Consumer NZ worried – we’re also concerned that people who don’t have phone or internet access are paying more for groceries, since they aren’t able to access member-only specials.

“We have received several complaints about high prices for non-members unable to access discounts. Some of New Zealand’s most vulnerable are digitally excluded and may be forced to pay higher prices for their groceries,” Rasmussen says.

In response to a query from Consumer NZ on loyalty cards, a Woolworths spokesperson said keeping its services accessible to everyone was “incredibly important”.

“If a customer is facing accessibility barriers or challenges to shopping online, or does not have an email address or mobile phone, we encourage them to contact our Customer Care team. We are committed to working with individual customers to provide support and help them access the benefits of the Everyday Rewards programme.”

However, when Consumer NZ called the Customer Care team and asked if an elderly shopper with no email address could get access to a member card, the customer service representative told us an email address was mandatory. The elderly person could try to get a card at their local store, we were told, but there were “no guarantees”.

Foodstuffs was asked for comment but did not meet the deadline.

About Consumer

Consumer NZ is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to championing and empowering consumers in Aotearoa. Consumer NZ has a reputation for being fair, impartial and providing comprehensive consumer information and advice.

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Appointed – GUARDIANS APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF PRIVATE EQUITY & ALTERNATIVES

Source: Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation

The Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation, manager of the $93 billion NZ Super Fund, has appointed William Fletcher to the role of Head of Private Equity & Alternative Investments.

Fletcher joins the Guardians from Fisher Funds, where he managed the global private equity and alternatives portfolio. His previous roles include Goldman Sachs in New Zealand, J.P.Morgan in the UK and Carlyle AlpInvest in The Netherlands.

Prior to that, he spent eight years as an Executive Director in Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs' Auckland office, having previously held a range of banking and investment roles in Europe and the UK.

In his new role, Fletcher will have overall responsibility for the Super Fund’s direct private equity investments and its relationships with external investment managers who hold investment mandates covering a broad range of listed and unlisted securities.

Fletcher said the Guardians had a well-deserved reputation for excellence, and he was very much looking forward to joining the investment team.

“I am excited to be joining an organisation of the Super Fund’s calibre and helping to realise what is a really important objective for all New Zealanders,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher’s appointment follows the Super Fund’s announcement last week that it would commit $35 million to local technology investor Movac’s latest fund.

Investments in private equity and alternatives currently account for some 13 percent of the Super Fund’s total assets under management.

Guardians co-Chief Investment Officer Will Goodwin said Fletcher’s international experience matched the Super Fund’s global investment focus and would help the Super Fund further develop its broad network of asset managers and investment partners.

Earlier this year, Private Equity International magazine named the Super Fund its Asia-Pacific Limited Partner of the Year.

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Government twiddling thumbs while the wood sector burns – Workers First Union

Source: Workers First Union

Workers First Union is calling out the National-NZ First-ACT Government for abandoning Northland's workers with empty words and a blame game, as the proposed closure of Juken New Zealand's Northland Mill in Kaitāia is likely to become the seventh major wood processing site lost on their watch, with over 800 jobs lost in the industry since late 2023. The union is calling for intervention and public ownership of the Northland Mill, even if temporary.
Dennis Maga, Workers First General Secretary, said the Government's response to this week's announcement had been as useful as a wet log.
“We got two responses from this Government. The Prime Minister blamed Labour's oil and gas ban and said MSD will be on the ground for affected families. Shane Jones said it was 'enormously disappointing' and that Juken never asked him for help,” said Mr Maga.
“What’s enormously disappointing is this lack of interest and lack of intervention by a Government that appears to have given up on New Zealand manufacturing altogether.”
“Chris Luxon has referred workers to WINZ and blamed Labour with an irrelevant accusation that has no relation to the problem at hand – that is the sum total of his leadership.”
“Shane Jones, supposedly the Minister for Resources and Regional Development, would have us believe that he is the great champion of the regions and understands the working people of Northland.”
“He shouldn’t need to be asked for help. A skilled Minister keeps an eye on their portfolios and does whatever they can to support local jobs, a value-adding industry and a major employer in the Northland region.”
“But Shane Jones is not a champion of the regions. He is a champion of Shane Jones.”
The proposed closure of the Northland Mill is the latest in a mounting toll under this administration. Since taking office in late 2023, the Government has presided over the loss of Karioi Pulpmill and Tangiwai Sawmill (Ruapehu), Oji Fibre Solutions (Penrose, Auckland), Kinleith paper production line (Tokoroa), Eves Valley Sawmill (Tasman), the Carter Holt Harvey plywood plant (Tokoroa) and now the Northland Mill (Kaitāia).
“More than 800 jobs in wood processing have been lost during the term of the National, NZ First and ACT Government,” said Mr Maga.
“This will forever be remembered as the Government that burnt the wood sector to the ground.”
Shipping our future overseas
Workers First organiser Marcus Coverdale said this week that the Northland and Triboard mills operated as an integrated system, with the full log used between them. Without the sawmill, roughly two-thirds of every log leaving the Far North will go overseas unprocessed, with the value added somewhere else.
“We grow the trees. We own the land. We build the infrastructure. And then we hand the logs to someone else to turn into profit while New Zealand woodworkers sign up for benefits,” said Mr Maga.
“This Government is content to be a raw log exporter. It has no manufacturing strategy, no industrial policy, and apparently no interest in developing one.”
Buy the mill, or at least stop the clock
Workers First is calling on the Government to intervene before the 16 July decision date and to consider temporary public ownership of the Northland Mill while a viable buyer is found.
It would not be the first time New Zealand has intervened in this way. When the rail network had been run into the ground by private owners, the Government bought back the infrastructure for $1 in 2004, then paid $690 million to bring operations fully back into public ownership in 2008. It established a clear principle that some assets are too important to the national interest to be left to market failure.
“The Northland Mill is Kaitāia's second-largest employer, in a town of 6,000 people where there limited other work. It is the centre of a value chain that, without it, exports raw logs instead of finished products,” said Mr Maga.
“We are not asking for a handout. We are asking for a government that understands that letting this mill close permanently without a fight is a choice, not an inevitability.”
“The consultation window closes on 16 July and there is still time. The question is whether this Government has the will or whether it will keep blaming Labour and wishing these workers good luck at MSD.”
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Transport – Road freight update highlights progress on driver fatigue

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Fatal road crashes where fatigue was a contributing factor have declined steadily over the last four years.
That is one of the findings from Transporting New Zealand’s Fatigue Management: Road Freight Update , launched today at the association’s 60th Anniversary Conference at Parliament, with the support of AutoSense, an industry leader in fleet and driver safety solutions across Australasia.
The Update examines fatigue trends, highlights practical initiatives being used by trucking operators, and identifies priorities for government and industry to further reduce fatigue-related risk.
Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says fatigue management is one of the road freight sector’s most important safety issues, and thanked AutoSense for supporting the project.
“Fatigue is particularly important to our sector, where the road is the workplace of more than 30,000 professional truck drivers.”
“Transporting New Zealand is grateful for AutoSense’s support in helping produce this Update and promote industry understanding of fatigue risks and fatigue management.”
“We know fatigue cannot be eliminated, but the risk can be better managed.”
“The Update highlights encouraging progress in reducing fatigue-related harm, while also identifying practical steps government, regulators and industry can take to further improve safety outcomes.”
The report identifies several strategies for reducing driver fatigue risk, including improving roadside rest stop facilities, increasing awareness of Alternative Fatigue Management Schemes, and the use of fatigue detection technologies.
It also showcases how two road freight companies, Tranzliquid and VT Transport, are taking proactive approaches to fatigue management through NZTA-approved Alternative Fatigue Management Schemes and innovative in-cab safety technology.
The Update sets out Transporting New Zealand’s four fatigue management priorities for government and industry:
  • Work to get fit-for-purpose truck rest stop facilities on key freight routes identified as a priority in Regional Land Transport Plans and the National Land Transport Programme, so that drivers can keep well rested and refreshed.
  • Increase uptake of Alternative Fatigue Management Schemes by working with NZTA to refresh resources, ensure consistent guidance, and increase operator awareness of their safety and productivity benefits.
  • Review the Land Transport Rule: Work Time and Logbooks to ensure it remains evidence-based and fit for purpose, including consideration of fatigue and rest management requirements associated with Cook Strait ferry travel.
  • Collaborate with regulators and suppliers to improve the collection and analysis of fatigue-related safety data to better understand fatigue risks and target interventions where they will have the greatest safety benefit.
AutoSense data highlights fatigue challenge
AutoSense is New Zealand’s sole distributor for the Guardian safety system from Seeing Machines, which detects fatigued and distracted driving. Now installed in more than 6,000 fleet vehicles, the technology identified 26,903 fatigue events over a 12-month period (to 31 March 2026), with events verified by trained analysts at the 24/7 Guardian Centre.
AutoSense Chief Executive Charles Dawson says fatigue can develop through inconsistent routines, disrupted sleep schedules, or underlying health conditions such as sleep apnoea.
“Importantly, fatigue is not simply a transport issue, nor is it a reflection of poor intent or carelessness. In many cases, it affects experienced, conscientious drivers doing demanding jobs under real operational pressures.
“That is why education and awareness remain so important, including resources like Transporting New Zealand’s Fatigue Management: Road Freight Update, that can help operators better understand fatigue risks and the practical steps they can take to manage them.”
Fatigue Management: Road Freight Update can be read here .
About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country.
Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4,700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.
About AutoSense
AutoSense is a leading provider of fleet and driver safety solutions across Australia and New Zealand. Supporting both heavy and light vehicle fleets, AutoSense plays a key role in advancing road safety through a connected approach – bringing together fleet training and advisory, advanced in-vehicle monitoring technology, and expert guidance on fatigue and sleep health.
Combining innovative safety solutions with expert-led services, AutoSense helps businesses reduce risk, improve performance, and keep drivers safer on the road.
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Rural Health – Gumboot Friday records busiest month of 2026 so far, supporting 2,213 young Kiwis in May

Source: Authority PR for Gumboot Friday

In May 2026, 2,213 young people aged 5–25 accessed free counselling through Gumboot Friday — the highest monthly total recorded so far this year — with 3,578 sessions delivered nationwide.

Sessions are free, no referral is required, and young people choose the counsellor they want to talk to from Gumboot Friday’s registered network of counsellors.

Breakdown by age group:
• 640 young people aged 5–11 (28.9%)
• 608 young people aged 12–17 (27.5%)
• 965 young people aged 18–25 (43.6%)

May’s figures show demand at its highest point this year, but they also show the system working: young people reaching out, appointments being made, and support getting to them.

“May was our busiest month of the year so far, and that tells us two things. The need is real, and the door has to stay open. When 2,213 young people come through in one month, you don’t get to look away or slow down. You make sure the help is there,” says I Am Hope founder Mike King.

“What matters to me is that these kids didn’t have to wait until everything fell apart before they could talk to someone. They didn’t need a referral, they didn’t need money, and they didn’t need to prove they were struggling enough. They put their hand up, chose a counsellor, and got started. That’s what meeting demand looks like — removing the excuses and getting help in front of them,” King says.

Government support helps pay for the counselling sessions, while community backing helps keep the rest of the work going — the platform, the counsellor network, the team behind it, and I Am Hope’s early-intervention work in schools and communities.

With May now the busiest month of the year so far, that support matters more than ever. Every donation, fundraiser, shared post and gumboot sold helps keep young people connected to free counselling when they need it.

If you or someone you know is 25 or under and needs someone to talk to, visit www.gumbootfriday.org.nz to book a free counsellor today — no referral needed.

To donate, fundraise, or get involved with I Am Hope, head to www.iamhope.org.nz or text HOPE to 469 for a $3 donation.

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Fire Safety – Message to landowners: you are responsible for the fires you light

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Landowners whose unattended burn piles caused a string of vegetation fires across Canterbury last Saturday are being visited by Fire and Emergency New Zealand to ensure they understand their responsibilities for land management fires.
District Commander Dave Stackhouse said that 11 fires escaped and spread quickly in the severe nor-westerly winds. As a result, the district’s firefighters were stretched to levels normally only seen in mid-summer. “I am very disappointed at the number of fires that had been left unattended,” he said. “If it hadn’t rained later on Saturday, we would have been calling on brigades from other districts to assist.”
As it was, almost every fire brigade in Canterbury was called out, so volunteers were called away from their families and Saturday activities for fires that were mostly completely avoidable.
The winds were well forecast so should not have caught anyone by surprise.
While Canterbury is currently in an open fire season, meaning permits are not required for outdoor fires, landowners are always responsible for the fires that they light on their properties. The same applies to forestry managers.
Under Section 60 of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act, it is an offence to cause or allow a fire to get out of control and to spread to vegetation or property. The penalties for individuals include a fine of up to $300,000 and up to two years imprisonment.
The message was very simple, Commander Stackhouse said: if you light a fire, you are responsible for it.
While Fire and Emergency always preferred to educate people rather than prosecute, at least one of last Saturday’s fires was on a property where there had been an escaped land management fire within the last year.
Fires must not be left unattended and have to be completely extinguished, not left to smoulder. When strong winds are forecast, anyone who has lit a fire should be checking for hotspots that could be reignited.
There is extensive advice at www.checkitsalright.nz.
Vegetation across Canterbury is already unusually dry for this time of year, and the outlook suggests a very high risk of wildfire in spring and summer because of the predicted El Nino weather pattern.
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Nurse Maude workers to stop work over threats to cut to sick leave – PSA

Source: PSA

PSA members working at care provider Nurse Maude will be holding stop work meetings in 11 locations on Monday (29 June) as their employers seeks to cut their sick leave by two days.
The PSA represents more than 250 workers at Nurse Maude, which is trying to claw back two extra sick leave days that were granted to workers while they awaited pay equity settlement, which the Government has since cancelled.
The sick leave claw back was presented in a document sent to the union when they thought they had an agreement agreed in principle, after six months of bargaining.
“In 2026, workers shouldn’t have to fight for their sick leave,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association, Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“Sick leave isn’t a luxury. Workers caring for vulnerable people in our communities need sick leave to manage risks to themselves and those they care for,
“Support workers are among the lowest paid workers in the country and already had their pay equity claims cancelled,
“The care system relies entirely on the dedication of these workers, but their work is not properly valued,
“Nurse Maude needs to drop this claw back and come to the table with a fair pay offer.”
Stop work meetings are being held on Monday 29 June from 8am to 10am in the following locations: Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt, Wellington, Porirua, Kāpiti, Nelson, Motueka, Blenheim, Rangiora, Christchurch, Lincoln.
Workers will be discussing what escalating action they may need to take if mediation on 3 July is unsuccessful.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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Advocacy – Gaza Cannot Wait: A Call for Justice and Accountability

Statement by Palestine Forum of New Zealand

The Palestine Forum of New Zealand expresses its profound alarm at the latest documentation by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, which details the continuing humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. The report presents further evidence of the systematic destruction of civilian life, infrastructure, and the conditions necessary for survival. 

These are not isolated incidents. They form part of a sustained pattern of conduct that demands urgent international attention, accountability, and action in accordance with international humanitarian and human rights law. 

We call on the New Zealand Government to uphold its longstanding commitment to human rights by:

  • Demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
  • Supporting unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza.
  • Holding perpetrators of violations of international law accountable.
  • Working alongside the international community to ensure justice for the Palestinian people.

Silence in the face of documented atrocities is not neutrality, it is complicity.

The Palestine Forum of New Zealand stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people and reaffirms its commitment to advocating for justice, accountability, freedom, and a future founded on equality, dignity, and lasting peace.

Palestine Forum of New Zealand

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VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES: ‘A cataclysmic event’ – Children spend second night sheltering in open spaces amid hundreds of aftershocks as needs rapidly rise

Source: Save the Children

Families in earthquake-devastated Venezuela spent a second night sheltering in open spaces amid fears of further building collapses and raising serious concerns over children’s safety and their immediate needs, Save the Children said.
Venezuela has declared a national emergency following two consecutive 7.5 and 7.2 magnitude earthquakes in the north-central region of the country, putting thousands of children and families at risk. [1]
At least 255 people have been killed and 4,500 injured as of 25 June, according to the country’s health ministry, although these numbers are likely to rise.
Save the Children’s teams and local partners on the ground have reported child deaths and injuries and children have been confirmed separated from their families during evacuations in the capital Caracas and La Guaira – a major port city.
Fatima Andraca, Save the Children’s Country Director in Venezuela, fled her old, 12-storey building barefoot through an outside staircase when the interior stairs of the building were too damaged to use.
Fatima said:
“There is devastation and destruction everywhere you look and many children and families, including here in Caracas, have been forced to spend another night sheltering in open spaces.
“Families are clutching what few belongings they managed to save, children are in the open streets too scared to return to their destroyed homes which are unsafe. The safety of children is a serious concern and our top priority.
“In the days and weeks ahead, children will need protection, psychosocial support, safe water and safe spaces as communities recover from this cataclysmic event.”
Save the Children and its partners have teams on the ground in affected areas who will be responding to children and families impacted, providing child protection, shelter, health services, food and emergency relief items.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, Save the Children has launched an emergency appeal to support the response in Venezuela. 
Save the Children New Zealand CEO Heather Campbell said as New Zealanders, we understand all too well the devastation earthquakes can bring to families and communities. 
“That’s why we have launched this emergency appeal – to urgently support children and families in Venezuela. Children are always the most vulnerable in disasters like this, and they need immediate protection, care, and support. We are calling on New Zealanders to stand with us and act now to help deliver life-saving assistance where it’s needed most.”
Save the Children has been working in Venezuela since 2019. Since the humanitarian crisis started to rapidly deteriorate a few years ago, Save the Children has been scaling up its response through local partners to support the increasing number of children in need. Save the Children is delivering health, nutrition, education, child protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene and food security and livelihoods support.
VLOGS: Save the Children staff Fátima Andraca and Laura Ciudad give first-hand accounts of the destruction caused by the earthquakes in Venezuela:
References:
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Federated Farmers elects new national president

Source: Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers has today voted in South Canterbury farmer Colin Hurst as the organisation’s new national president.
Gisborne farmer Sandra Faulkner has been voted in as vice president.
Hurst, a mixed arable and dairy farmer in the Waimate area, says he’s deeply honoured to take the reins of New Zealand’s leading rural advocacy organisation.
“It’s a huge privilege to be entrusted with this role by my fellow farmers.
“Federated Farmers has such a proud 127-year history of standing up for rural New Zealand, and I’m committed to building on that legacy.
“Farmers are facing no shortage of challenges, but they’re also full of determination and optimism for the future.
“My job as president is to make sure their voices are heard loud and clear wherever decisions are being made – and that’s exactly what I intend to do.”
Hurst steps into the role after serving as Federated Farmers’ vice president for the last three years.
He has also been the organisation’s spokesperson for freshwater, biodiversity, and fire and emergency issues.
Hurst was quick to acknowledge the work of his predecessor Wayne Langford.
“I want to pay tribute to Wayne Langford for his leadership, energy, and unwavering commitment to farmers during his time as president.
“We’ve had six years on the board together and I love the guy. He’s been a phenomenal leader who has really transformed and modernised the organisation.
“Wayne has been such a strong and passionate advocate. I wish him all the best for whatever comes next. I have no doubt he will have a huge future,” Hurst says.
He says his focus will be on continuing to ensure farmers’ voices are heard clearly in national decision-making.
“Farmers are operating in an incredibly complex environment right now, from compliance pressures through to economic uncertainty.
“I’ll be working hard with a fantastic team of farming leaders from around the country – and that’s our strength. We are the trusted voice of grassroots farmers.
“Together we’ll be working to make sure farmers’ experiences and perspectives are front and centre in every discussion that affects them,” he says.
Hurst has nearly 40 years as a hands-on arable and livestock farmer, and extensive experience within Federated Farmers at both a regional and national level.
He was the 2019 Arable Farmer of the Year, is a former director for the Foundation for Arable Research, and has dedicated countless hours as a volunteer to the South Canterbury Rural Support Trust and United Wheatgrowers.
He has also been a staunch advocate for farmers at the Seed Quality Management Authority and on the Fertiliser Quality Council.
Colin, his wife Janis, and their family farm 700ha, which includes 450ha in arable crops such as wheat, grass seed, plantain and turnips, and the rest for grazing cattle. Around 250ha is irrigated.
The family has also just bought a dairy farm nearby.
New vice president Sandra Faulkner farms with husband Rob at Wairakaia, near Gisborne, where they run a diverse operation including sheep, beef, cropping, citrus, farm forestry and contracting.
She has been on the Federated Farmers national board for four years, with the local government, adverse events, health and rural communities portfolios.
She also serves on the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee and is a trustee for the Campaign for Wool, along with holding other charitable directorships.
“I’m honoured and really excited to hold this role,” Faulkner says.
“There’s so much work still to do, particularly in this period of legislative reform.
“The new RMA and local government legislation will inform how our children will farm, and that can’t be understated.”
Faulkner says she’s proud of the way Federated Farmers has built relationships with decision-makers around New Zealand.
“Right now there are national and regional leaders considering if they should pick up the phone or flick a message to the provincial Feds president.
“They know the response will be well-informed, considered from multiple points of view, deeply practical – and probably more affordable.”
Meanwhile, Southland’s Chris Dillon joins the board as arable chair, taking over from David Birkett.
South Canterbury’s Greg Anderson has been voted in as an at-large board member, and Mark Hooper has held his spot as the other at-large member.
Richard Dawkins (meat and wool chair) and Karl Dean (dairy chair) have retained their positions.