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Guardian
Ashburton
Thursday, April 11, 2013
FIRST PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 27, 1879
Meat industry shake up By Michelle Nelson A new group formed to shake up the country’s flagging meat industry wants all players to attend a meeting in Christchurch next week. Meat Industry Excellence was launched following a meeting of 1000 farmers in Gore last month. The group is seeking a mandate from farmers to work with meat companies to consolidate the industry. West Otago farmer Richard Young has been elected as chairman of the seven-person executive committee. “We are all active sheep and beef farmers who are totally committed to improving the returns for all farmers, who rely on our red meat industry, “ Mr Young said. “Our initial focus is to gain a national mandate from farmers for industry change with meetings planned throughout New Zealand.” Mt Somers farmer Blair Gallagher, the local spokesperson for the MEI group, said it was important to involve all players in the industry, including farmers, bankers, transport companies and mercantile firms. He said service industries working in the red meat sector needed to attend because they were also reliant on strong sheep, beef and venison sectors for their livelihoods. One of the group’s key objectives was to have 80 per cent red meat processed and marketed by one “coalition of the willing” structure. “We need to get the two big processing co-operatives (Silver Fern Farms and Alliance) and at least one other major player involved in discussions,” Mr Gallagher said. “Whatever entity we end up with we’ve got to have farmer commitment, probably on a contractual basis – to support the companies. “This will require a change in farmer behaviour to drive the structure through.” Mr Gallagher said the initiative also applied to dairy farmers – who now supply a significant amount of manufacturing beef into the industry. He said it was imperative that the structure was in place for next season when an anticipated global shortage of 100 million lambs, was set to prime another procurement war. While this might create short term gains for farmers it would be at the expense of processors. Under the committee’s proposal the restructuring would be funded by all participants. The meeting will be held at the Wigram Aviation Museum in Christchurch on April 17 at 2pm. Keynote speakers will include Professor Keith Woodford from Lincoln University, Hamish Gower, from Massey University, John Brackenridge from Merino New Zealand and Mr Young.
Home delivered from
Couple recall horror of the Wahine disaster By Myles Hume When Gill Kingsbury awoke early yesterday morning she had to ask her husband Lyn what the date was. Hearing it was April 10 the Kingsburys carried on, making their way into the kitchen where they flicked on the television and opened the newspaper, taking in the pictures and headlines that informed them on the day’s happenings. It was at that moment they remembered it was the anniversary of the darkest day of their lives. The Ashburton couple were passengers aboard the Wahine, the boat responsible for taking the lives of 53 people and New Zealand’s worst maritime disaster on April 10, 1968. Among the fortunate passengers to survive the collision with Wellington Harbour’s Barrett Reef, they still remember the stormy seas, the panic, the death. But 45 years on, the day itself is what Mrs Kingsbury describes as “a distant memory”.
Mt Somers farmer Blair Gallagher is confident a new initiative will deliver better returns for the meat industry.
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“Today, it does not really mean that much to us now, if I didn’t read the paper I don’t think I would have remembered Wahine,” Mrs Kingsbury said. The significance of the day might not be the same for the Kingsburys, but dig a little deeper and the details of the disaster stick vividly in their minds. Mrs Kingsbury can remember trying to reach the rocky shore on Wellington’s Pencarrow Coast in the life raft. Moments before she was going to leap, the boat tipped, tangling her in the webbing. She eventually freed herself and made it to safety. The sticking point for Mr Kingsbury was when they had to jump in one of the last life boats, which almost went under the bow of a tug boat. In recent years, the Kingsburys have visited schools and held public talks about the traumatic day, but yesterday in their Allenton home it was just another day for the retired couple. A day the Kingsburys have moved on from, but will never forget.
Photo Kirsty Clay 100413-kc-008
Ashburton Hospital’s meals already outsourced By Sam Morton and APNZ Ashburton Hospital is unlikely to be affected by nationwide kitchen closures, as the bulk of the work is already outsourced. Yesterday, the Government announced plans to axe all hospital kitchens across New Zealand, in a bid to cut costs and make savings within the public health service.
However, although the initiative comes at some loss to 1300 people who stand to lose their jobs under the proposed changes, Ashburton Hospital will remain unaffected. The Guardian understands the Canterbury District Health Board currently outsources the kitchen work to Compass, which carries out a daily service at the local hospital, under branch business Medirest.
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At present, only a third of hospitals made their own meals and delivered them to the wards on-site under instruction from their district health board. The remaining hospitals outsource the work to business like Compass and Spotless Services. The kitchen closures, which will affect 50 kitchens, have been proposed by Crown company Health Benefits Limited (HBL).
It is understood HBL also plan to move to one provider who will produce and supply the food for the entire public health system through one production kitchen in Auckland and another in Christchurch. The idea will see a multi-national consortium operating the kitchens and making the meals, before they are delivered chilled to hospitals, whose staff will then reheat and deliver them to patients.
The process will no longer involve the DHBs, but will still be controlled by the contractor. Under the proposal, it is still unclear if the consortium will be responsible for hiring staff to reheat the food at the hospital, but a further announcement is expected later next week. Ashburton Hospital general manager Garth Bateup could not be contacted for comment.
Photo Tetsuro Mitomo 100413-TM-030
Wahine survivors Gill and Lyn Kingsbury, of Ashburton, reflect on the disaster that claimed 53 lives, marking one of the country’s worst maritime disasters 45 years ago.
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Construction of the Lochlea Lifestyle Resort has commenced which is adjacent to the Lochlea Estate. The Lifestyle Resort will provide a range of indoor and outdoor activities and both Duplex and Stand-alone Villas and Aged Care Units. A fully equipped hospital is also planned. This will be Ashburton’s first complete lifestyle resort – covering each stage of the rest of your life.
Phone 03 307 9080 Free phone 0800-2727-837 - After hours: 03-302-6887 - Email: tony@lochlearesort.co.nz
Tony Sands, Resort Manager
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