Events
Rural Contractors News
Rural Contractors NZ is the voice for the $1.5b rural contracting industry accounting for 0.6% of GDP and 0.9% of national employment. Source: Infometrics 2018 report available here
RCNZ media releases and comments below – or contact our Communications advisor Brendon Burns (0274 305501)
Media Comments
Perfect conditions and absentees see noxious weed spreading
The invasive weed velvetleaf is taking advantage of perfect growing conditions to spread in various parts of New Zealand this summer and into autumn, warns Rural Contractors NZ vice-president Helen Slattery. She says there have been new finds of velvetleaf in...
Rural contractors face climatic mixed bag and inexperienced labour
New Zealand’s rural contractors are facing a mixed bag of conditions from drought in Northland to a cracker season in Southland. They’re also reporting some labour issues with inexperienced Kiwis causing damage to machinery and pumping up insurance claims. The Rural...
Radio NZ story – Red tape obstructing access to overseas workers
Rural contractors say red tape obstructing access to overseas workers By Sally Round and Riley Kennedy of RNZ. The rural contracting industry says red tape means they can't make the most of some overseas workers who've been allowed into the country. Last year, with...
Lack of isolation facilities leaves rural contracting in crisis
A shortage of Managed Isolation Quarantine facilities is the latest delay facing rural contractors who now say they are at crisis level in attempting to bring in sufficient foreign skilled machinery operators to meet seasonal demand. Rural Contractors New Zealand CEO...
Cannabis reform would increase health and safety risks say rural contractors
Rural contractors are concerned that a referendum vote in favour of legalising cannabis would lead to more risks around drug-affected people working in the industry, which is entirely focused on the use of machinery. At a recent board meeting of Rural Contractors NZ...
Photo evidence not essays, new tool in rural contractor training
A new ‘user-friendly’, fees free qualification has gained a big thumbs up from Rural Contractors New Zealand for workplace evidence such as photos being accepted as one way to recognise the skills of people working in rural contracting. The New Zealand Certification...
Skilled imports a key to farm production
Column for Southern Rural Life July 2020 By David Kean, President, Rural Contractors NZ Right now, the rural contracting industry needs around 700 skilled machinery operators for the coming season to support New Zealand farmers. That’s been shown by a survey we did...
Rural contractors survey members amid rising concerns
An urgently-arranged meeting last Thursday with Primary Industries Minister Damien O’Connor has seen Rural Contractors NZ surveying members to determine how many skilled machinery operators need to be brought in for the coming spring/summer season. RCNZ president...
Increased local contracting jobs still need imported top-up
Rural contractors attending two expos last week to promote their sector have been blown away by the turnout and begun recruiting locally to fill vacancies. However, Rural Contractors NZ says it will still need to bring in some skilled machinery operators from overseas...
Rural contractors get in behind training initiatives
Rural contractors in the deep south are lending machinery and support to three training initiatives designed to attract and interest those who’ve lost jobs so they can move into available work in the farming and contracting sector. Southern Institute of Technology SIT...