Trade tariffs of up to 20 per cent on all imported goods could follow the re-election of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States.
In a report going to Federated Farmers Waikato Executive this week, Economic and Finance chair Garry Reymer warns of the
far-reaching implications Trump’s re-election could have on New Zealand’s primary sector.
Agricultural, horticultural and viticultural producers will all be impacted Reymer, the owner of two dairy farms at Cambridge and Kaipaki, warns.
“Our wine and meat exports to the US are significant and if they get hit with tariffs that Trump is proposing it will really be felt here at home,” he warned.
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Chloe’s Curry’s in favour…
By Sigrid Christiansen
Curry is the name of Te Kūiti Primary pupil Chloe Woodney’s goat, thanks to her mum Bridget’s sense of humour, but it won’t be going in the pot any time soon.
The kid was just one of the many animals, which also included lambs and calves, on show at St Joseph’s Catholic School Pet day recently in Te Kuiti.
The goat was perhaps three days old when he was found on a friend’s farm.
“We were looking for teeth for our science homework, lamb’s teeth or something like that. Then my dad, Dan spotted him.
“Some other friends who had been there hunting said they thought he was about three days old, because they’d seen him abandoned there earlier. Goat mums don’t leave their babies, so something must have happened.
Owner/Publisher David Mackenzie david@goodlocal.nz Office 07 878 1188 reception@goodlocal.nz
“My mum (Bridget) wasn’t happy at first, but she soon came around. It took about two days.”
Curry’s favourite pastimes included jumping on the laundry benches and the family sofas, before she was banned from the house.
“We live in town, in Te Kūiti, so after this, Curry is going to live on a farm,” Chloe said. She started giving it milk, but now grass is the main food.
Te Kūiti primary students Chloe and her friend Inika Nahna are both in Year 6.
Inika’s own pet was lamb “Woofy” - because it made funny little sounds - enjoyed the event.
St Joseph’s shares its pet day with other neighbouring schools, including Te Kūiti Primary.
Principal Suzanne Downey said she always loves the event, and was a passionate pet day competitor during her own schooldays.
Parent, long term helper and woolhandler, Keryn Herbert said pet day used to be held at St Marys School Ōtorohanga, before moving to St Josephs, several years ago.
Previously, St Joseph’s students had travelled up to St Mary’s for the event.
Keryn was feeling nostalgic.
“It’s my last day as a pet day parent, but I’ll probably be back helping next year,” she said.
Other pets included Flynn Adams’ Forrest: “The only name I could think of for him,” Flynn said, and his brother Jacob’s “Bugs.”
Chloe Woodney with her pet goat ‘Curry’ . Photos Sigrid Christiansen
Jacob Adams with his lamb.
Call to return to ‘old school’
By Chris Gardner
Bring back local discussion groups.
That’s the message dairy farmers have for DairyNZ’s new chief executive Campbell Parker and chair Tracy Brown.
The industry good organisation took local discussion groups online during the pandemic and scrapped them altogether afterwards.
Instead, dairy farmers, who pay 3.6 cents per kilogramme of milk solids to DairyNZ raising a collective $67 million in levies, are invited to larger regional events.
One is the Pokeno field day on November 13 on Jamie Lyons’ farm.
Federated Farmers Waikato Provincial Dairy Chair Matthew Zonderop said he had got used to a 15-minute drive to discussion groups, but regional events were more than an hour away.
“I would like to go back to the old school local discussion groups,” he said.
Such groups build community, he said.
“I don’t want to drive up to Pokeno where I will stand out like a sore thumb.”
Zonderop welcomed the appointment of Tracy Brown to the role of DairyNZ chair after fellow Waipa dairy farmer Jim van der Poel stood down at the October 22 annual meeting after seven years in the role.
“Jim has led us through some very difficult and hard times. He has always remained very positive, and I would like to wish him all the best,” Zonderop said.
“Tracy is a very experienced dairy leader and has been around a long time.”
Ōhaupō dairy farmer Andrew Reymer echoed Zon-
derop’s sentiments.
“The only real farmer connection that DairyNZ had was the discussion group,” he said.
“I just don’t see the regional events they have replaced them with as something I would bring staff to,” he said.
Reymer was concerned with the time commitment involved in driving to and from Pokeno, and the impact that would have on the business if he were to invite staff.
Sharefarming Consultants founder Louise Gibson said her clients also wished for the local discussion groups to return.
As well as delivering on topic information to farmers, they assisted with propagating good mental health.
“A lot of my sharemilking and contract milking guys move around a lot and use the local discussion group to meet the community so it’s a huge loss for them too and really puts them in isolation,” she said.
DairyNZ chief executive Campbell Parker said in a statement the organisation had delivered 27 events with an average of 30 attendees after calving and 72 per cent said they liked the new format focussing on putting scientists and experts in front of farmers.
“We have 34 more events planned till December 12 focused on improved workplace productivity and healthy waterways,” he said.
“When DairyNZ started out 17 years ago, we were one of the few advisors around for farmers, but the industry has changed and many other organisations host events now. We’ve evolved ours to ensure we meet the demand without duplication, with a focus where farmers have requested of us, on future sector challenges, as well as helping on farm today.”
‘World order is changing’
• from page 1
Trump’s protectionist policies could impact the whole order of international trade, including New Zealand’s key trading partners across the Asia Pacific region.
“If we overlay that with the growing power of the BRICs (Brazil Russia India China) grouping which is picking up new members all the time like South Africa, Iran and some other mid-east countries, the world is truly moving in a very different direction that we saw through the 70s 80s and 90s,” Reymer said.
“Our government, especially trade and foreign affairs, is going to have to fight hard to keep our ag exports in front of the world at good prices ensuring good returns to our farmer producers,” said. Reymer said producers could add trade tariffs to a list of big issues threatening their business such as the behaviour of banks and the drive to decrease carbon emissions.
“The banking inquiry has a few key issues for me, one being the pricing of risk both by the trading banks themselves but also by the Reserve Bank.
“Two different risk assessments but both add cost to what we pay. The Reserve Bank being the biggest culprit here.
“Another question needs to be asked and that is why our banks are getting involved with scope three emissions?
“They sell money, they do not trade with other countries and do not produce goods. What is the rational of them demanding that we reduce our emission to remain bankable?”
“The world order is changing, free trade has peaked, and we are rapidly moving to an isolationist’s world where the rules of trade are being rewritten or just ripped up, but New Zealand can work and prosper in that world because we produce quality food at a competitive price.
“Energy security, border security and food security will be the drivers for the foreseeable future.”
Federated Farmers Waikato Executive members will discuss Reymer’s report on Tuesday. Can we Trump in? See page 10.
Matthew Zonderop wants a return to local discussion groups.
Garry Reymer says we are rapidly moving to an isolationist’s world
Paving the way for surgery
Te Kuiti’s VetEnt lead mixed vet Stacey Turner has a skillset unique to the region. Her passion for working dogs and for surgery have combined to lead her down the path of orthopedics.
Te Kuit’s VetEnt lead mixed vet Stacey Turner has a skillset unique to the region. Her passion for working dogs and for surgery have combined to lead her down the path of orthopedics.
“I arrived in Piopio 11 years ago as a newly graduated vet from the University of Queensland. I am South African-born, Australian-raised and now reside permanently in New Zealand with my husband and two daughters,” she says.
Stacey was employed as a mixed vet, and in her early years developed a passion for working dogs.
“I ended up marrying a local Piopio farmer. I realized quickly how important working dogs are and, as all farmers who depend on them know, we need them in tip top shape,” she says.
“I had a fabulous mentor in Richard Atkinson who himself, was dedicated to providing this unique skillset to his clients. This mentorship set me on the surgical path and fueled my passion in providing orthopedic surgery to small animals.”
Under Richards guidance, Stacey began to learn a wide range of skills. She has since completed many courses which include theory and practical hands-on work and has received a Masters Paper in orthopedic surgery in cats and dogs.
“Our clients over the years have developed trust in us to do the surgery and provide really good post-surgical care – something that can be harder to manage distance-wise when seeing a specialist, especially when the post operative care is extensive.
“And some,” she says, “can’t always afford a specialist’s costs, or they simply want to support local businesses. Being in Te Kuiti, local clients can call me, pop in to see me or bring their working dogs in if complications arise.”
“We have a skilled nursing team to assist with rehabilitation which is extremely important. If any complications arise, my team are here to help promptly.”
“My skill set is not limited to orthopedic surgery. I can help with non-surgical needs such as muscle injuries, rehabilitation and physio. I have experience in soft tissue surgery, burns, gastro-intestinal surgery and a range of medical cases.”
“My hope is to encourage and inspire my colleagues and young vets at VetEnt to follow their passions”
“Because of the very nature of what working dogs are expected to do, they often have their unique set of injuries,” Stacey says.
“This is why I have pursued extra study in orthopedic surgery. I will continue to focus on this as I expand on my skillset and the types of surgeries I can offer.”
She says there is a wide range of injuries or problems requiring surgery that she can perform. Some of the more complex or complicated surgeries still require referral to a specialist surgeon.
“They are the best at what they do and I still believe In giving our clients this option. I can repair a wide range of fractures, dislocations and some tendon and ligament repairs.”
Stacey says its best to decide on a case-bycase basis as to whether she can offer this service locally, or whether referral is the best option.
“While a lot of specialists do the more complicated surgery, they are inundated with the ever increasing number of animals who need their services.
“General practice vets are encouraged to persue their special interests under their guidance.”
“For my clients and patients, the ability to offer and perform these surgeries locally is quite important – the travel for treatment can be hard for clients and can put extreme stress on the animals.
“We accept referrals from local vets and are committed to working collegially with them to support best patient outcome. Our ultimate goal is what’s best for our pets and working dogs. We are committed in assisting our colleagues with post operative care and will hand our patients back to their trusted vet clinicians.”
Stacey says orthopedic surgery will always be high risk for animals, they can be prone to many post-operative complications and compliance from working dogs can be difficult. She will spend time with clients to have these discussions before any decisions are made.
“I like my clients to be well informed,” she says. While she’d like to be able to take care of all surgical needs, she says becoming a specialist surgeon is not her dream. She loves the nature of mixed practice and enjoys working on farm alongside farmers just as much as she loves surgery.
“With a family and a farm, and doing what I do for work being my first priorities, becoming a specialist isn’t on my radar right now.”
She says she is lucky to also have a mentor specialist based in Hamilton who is helping her and will continue to learn and improve with additional study to further her skillset with the support and encouragement from VetEnt.
“As a mixed practice vet, I wear many hats –and the quality and support of our veterinary team is what I believe achieves the best outcomes for our patients.”
“My hope is to encourage and inspire my colleagues and young vets at VetEnt to follow their passions. I had a great mentor in Richard Atkinson who encouraged me to follow my working dog passion.
“I valued his teaching. Not only did he spark my interest for orthopedic work, he inspired me to want to be a great mentor to others just as he was to me.”
Wearable technology work gets a boost
By Chris Gardner
King Country sheep and beef farmer Natasha Cave will research how new wearable devices can enhance productivity in the beef industry as she completes the Kellog Rural Leadership Programme in 2025.
Cave co-manages 396ha Rotowai Farms at Mokauiti, south of Te Kuiti, with her husband Alan.
The couple purchased the property from Alan’s parents Stuart and Brenda Cave two years ago.
It is also home to Rotowai Angus Stud and Rotowai Hills Farm Stay.
She received the inaugural 2025 Beef and Lamb New Zealand Leadership Advancement Scholarship after applying in October, making a case that such research could help beef farmers better manage their pastures.
The newly launched scholarship is a key part of Beef and Lamb New Zealand’s refocused People and Capability workstream, dedicated to fostering on-farm leadership and enabling innovation and information transfer across the sector.
“I feel extremely privileged to have received this scholarship and appreciative of the investment that Beef and Lamb New Zealand is prepared to put into me to not only fund the course but also provide extra wrap-around support, training and mentorship,” Cave said,
“The extra opportunities that this scholarship will provide me is very
exciting.”
Cave is especially interested in ways to encourage the adoption of wearables among farmers to maximise their impact.
“At the beginning of this year we invested in Halter technology on our farm, using wearable technology to provide virtual fencing for our beef herd,” Cave said.
“Being one of the first farmers to implement this technology in beef and having to learn as we go rather than from others and the many questions and enquiries from other farmers made me aware of the need for trusted information on new technology such as this.
“I believe the potential to use emerging technology such as wearables is immense and potentially a game changer for our beef industry, particularly on our hill country farms.”
Cave is also interested in the impact of other wearable technologies such as Gallagher’s eShepherd Virtual Fencing neckband and cow heat detection collars.
“I hope the research will help provide our beef farmers with a better understanding of the potential benefits of technology such as wearables can provide and also some insight into the potential for further developments to the technology that could benefit the beef sector,”
Cave said.
“As well as the research, I hope that the skills I am able to develop on the Kellog programme enable
me to be able to better support my local community in the roles I hold within it currently and also in my role as a catchment coordinator for the Whanganui Region Catchment Collective where I work with catchment groups and farmers in the wider Taumarunui area.”.
Cave is the coordinator of six catchment groups, three established in the last 18 months.
“I hope I will be better equipped to represent them on matters of importance such as regulation that may heavily impact them.”
Beef and Lamb New Zealand national extension programme manager Olivia Weatherburn said she was excited about the scholarship’s potential.
“We look forward to seeing the impact of Natasha’s findings from completing the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme.
“We believe her work will offer valuable insights for farmers and the wider sector.”
Weatherburn, an alumnus of the programme, said it was more than just a research project.
“The Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme goes beyond just research – it challenges participants, connects them with like-minded leaders and opens doors that can make a significant difference in careers.”
Cave will share her learning outcomes at a series of Beef and Lamb New Zealand events.
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Climate change ‘shambles’
‘New Zealand is in the middle of a mono-cultural disaster thanks to its fixation on radiata pine’ – Andre de Haan.
By Paul Charman
Honikiwi sheep and beef farmer Andre de Haan says this country’s target of net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases emissions, other than biogenic methane, by 2050 is a noble one.
“I can’t fault it, but what I have trouble believing is that even if we do manage it, how will it have any meaningful impact on global warming?”
De Haan points out that New Zealand only generates 0.17% of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“To quote an article I read in the farming media recently, ‘our efforts won’t even be noticed by the climate and so we need to proceed with caution on the basis that we should not damage our farming economy if we are too small to influence the trajectory of accumulated carbon in the atmosphere’.”
de Haan also has an issue with the conventional wisdom that if we achieve a carbon neutral position, we will no longer be contributing climate change.
“I’ve heard it said, and I fully agree, that we could stop all industry, stop all agriculture and reach our national emissions target tomorrow – but we will still be importing food, plastics, clothes, steel, concrete, phones and a huge array of digital services – all manufactured in other countries from carbon intense energy sources.
“This is the problem, until carbon is priced at a consumptive level, instead of national territorial level, much of our carbon production will simply move from one country to the next.”
De Haan is no climate denier; as far as he is concerned the science behind global warming is sound.
“But the political steps to solve the problem have been a shambles. New Zealand is in the middle of a mono-cultural disaster thanks to its fixation on radiata pine.
“This rankles for farmers of my generation who have been actively planting natives over our entire careers. Of the 315 ha on this property, 25% is now in natives.”
He has also extensively planted poplars for soil conservation. The dams and steams on his property are lined with raupō and flax, the gullies are fencedoff and full of healthy bush, the native birdlife and the ducks have plenty of habitat to live in.”
However, de Haan doesn’t think his property is particularly unusual, pointing out that many of his neighbours are just as passionate about growing natives on their properties.
“A lot of us started doing this simply as a hobby, because we wanted to. Yes, we’ve had some help from QE2 and the Regional Council and that’s appreciated.
“But reafforestation in natives really
Andre de Haan planted thousands of native trees and polars over a 40-year farming career and dams on the property teem with birdlife.
comes out of your heart – if your heart’s in in you’ll make it happen.
“If your heart isn’t in it, all the talk and ‘green wash’ in the world won’t make a
bit of difference. I think we’re lucky in the King Country because almost all farmers here genuinely care about the land they farm on.”
Coming up the hard way
By Paul Charman
When Andre de Haan grew up in Honikiwi during the 1950s, Bromley Rd was considered so isolated he and his sister took correspondence rather than attend the nearest primary school.
De Haan was raised on a 263ha hill farm on the road, where his Dutch immigrant parents grew potatoes on some of some of its flat paddocks flat land.
De Haan remembers a childhood of seemingly endless toil, alleviated somewhat on weekends by visiting friends on neighbouring farms.
“Today some might call the hours my sister and I worked as tough, but we never questioned it. And I don’t think the hard work harmed us in any way.”
One bright spot was provided by kind-hearted Honikiwi identities, known to locals as “Peg” and “Ma”.
These women taught the young children from the district to waltz at the local hall, accompanied by a band made up of two piano accordions. This skill was to come in handy once the young de Haan started dancing in his late teens.
He was sent to Ōtorohanga College, but only stuck it out for a single year. The youngster was the subject of violent and irrational bullying from schoolmates.
He often arrived home with black eyes and other injuries. His crime was having limited English skills, as the family tended to speak Dutch at home.
Thankfully for de Haan, a big good-looking chap in younger days, things picked up for him when he left school aged 15.
He studied agriculture by correspondence for a couple of years and had an increasingly active social life powered by the cars of the 50s and 60s, which are now considered classics.
To this day de Haan collects and fixes up Stude-
bakers.
He and his wife Doreen own eight of the machines and are active members of the NZ Studebakers Drivers Club.
De Haan also owns classic Ford and International trucks, which he sometimes uses to get around the farm. Don’t talk to him about quadbikes, however, because he calls these, “man killers”.
The property he has farmed for 40 years is adjacent to his parents’ old one, in Bromley Rd, being slightly bigger at 315 ha.
“As a youngster I was a determined saver, wheeling and dealing in farm machinery, plus trapping possums,” he says.
“I hunted possums all through the 1970s – it was just something everyone did back then. The remarkable thing is that it paid so well that it helped me get into my own farm.”
After buying his present property he mainly ran sheep initially to help eliminate the gorse which then infested much of the land.
He and Doreen were married in 1985, with Doreen playing an active role in farming.
Gradually the couple got on top of their gorse problem and began to progressively run more cattle than sheep.
They have three children Sarah, a funeral director; Rose, a nearby farmer and Toby, an electrician. Doreen, a former district councillor, is active in the community, her interests including the Ōtorohanga Baptist church, Creative Fibre and Riding for the Disabled.
As well as an extensive classic car collection Doreen and Andre de Haan have a garden which boasts two sets of working train signals
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The tax debate
By Clyde Graf, Waipā-King Country Councillor
My neighbour Michael was telling me about his rental properties and how the tenants are paying them off.
The discussion raised some questions. The Bright Line Test – is it a legitimate investment policy - or a discriminative, tax-avoidance vehicle? Here’s their situation, with permission.
Diana is a high school teacher, and a single mum in her late 20s. She rents a house that belongs to Michael, one of several houses that Michael owns on our street.
Jack and Jane are a hard-working, middle-aged couple living across the road from me. They have three teenage children. Jane is a nurse, and Jack drives a truck. Jack’s also a volunteer fireman. They’re saving to purchase a rental property.
Michael retired at the age of 50. He owns six houses, plays golf three times a week, and spends three months a year overseas holidaying. Life’s pretty good for Michael.
After paying the mortgage and bills, there’s never much money left for Jack and Jane to invest, so any excess goes into their savings account. They’ve now accumulated $25,000, well off the deposit required to purchase a rental property. Each year they’re required to pay income tax on the interest generated on their savings. The extra income also accrues to their overall annual income, meaning an increase in ACC levies.
Diana saves all she can spare, trying to accumulate enough money for a house deposit. As a single mum, renting is a slog. Diana tried to buy a house two years ago, using her $100,000 in savings as a depos-
it. She was told by the bank to go away and save some more. Because Diana didn’t have enough money to invest in houses she bought gold, while trying to accumulate a larger deposit. The price of gold has risen by 55 per cent over the last two years. Any profit generated by Diana’s home deposit investment is liable for income tax. If she was wealthy, she would have been able to invest in property and avoid paying any tax at all.
Over the last five years, Michael has sold two of his houses, for a profit of $700,000. He says it’s not worth investing in businesses because of the risk, and the share market means tax on profits. He’s not required to pay any tax on the handsome profits generated from speculating on houses he says, because The Bright Line Test means he can avoid tax, legally, if he waits at least two years before selling.
People without the money required to purchase investment property are taxed on all the earnings they generate, including interest. Perhaps it’s time to introduce a policy that allows people without investment properties to retain their investment and savings earnings, tax-free, just to even the playing field.
The Bright Line Test and the absence of a Capital Gains Tax on investment property benefits only the wealthy and effectively legalises tax avoidance. It’s time to address this unethical policy conundrum. This is my view, not necessarily that of council.
Waipā chair for Global Landcare
By Chris Gardner
New Zealand Landcare Trust chief executive Nick Edgar has been elected chair of Global Landcare.
Global Landcare is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2020 to support global efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change, enhance biodiversity and improve food security.
Landcare is an international movement to encourage communities to collaborate and adopt environmentally sustainable land and water management practices.
It is founded on an ethos of grass roots, local, community-led approaches to solving difficult environmental management issues.
“It’s super exciting to be elected by my colleagues to lead this organisation,” said Dr Edgar who moved to Mystery Creek near Te Awamutu from Hamilton eight years ago.
“The landcare approach is working in over 30 countries, from Africa to Asia, from the Caribbean to the Pacific, from Iceland to Bhutan, and from Europe to the Americas. It is a truly global effort.”
The NZ Landcare Trust, headquartered in Hamilton, has worked for 30 years with iwi, farmers, and local communities on a wide range of environmental projects nationally.
Projects include working with farmers to improve water quality in the Waipā peat lakes, building new wetlands, and supporting predator-free initiatives at Mystery Creek and Te Awamutu. More recently the trust has managed the Taiea
to Taiao project, building a wildlife corridor to connect the Maungatautari and Pirongia maunga.
“The plan is to plant trees and reduce pests, creating stepping stones along the corridor to allow for the safe dispersal of native birds from the mountain sanctuary at Maungatautari to the Mt Pirongia volcano and beyond,” Edgar said.
This includes fencing off farmland and planting hundreds of thousands of trees in the last couple of years working in partnership with iwi, local landowners, and agency staff from Waipā District Council, Waikato Regional Council, and the Waikato River Authority.
“My vision is to take the kinds of innovative approaches, knowledge and skills that we have developed in New Zealand and apply them in other countries,” Edgar said.
“We have an exciting opportunity to take some of the best examples of Kiwi ingenuity and intellectual property related to sustainable agricultural practices and environmental conservation and export it to the rest of the world.”
Landcare is not a heavy handed top-down approach being foistered on developing countries.
“That approach does not work with communities in New Zealand, and it will not work anywhere else,” Edgar said.
“We must be respectful of local communities in other countries, let them design local solutions, based on their local and indigenous knowledge.
“We are simply there to support them with training, new technologies, and
funding.
“Planting trees also helps to protect local streams from eroding sediment and nutrient enrichment, with their precious taonga of native aquatic plants, invertebrates, and fish.
“It is a genuine partnership approach that can function as a model for what can be achieved when local people take ownership of environmental management.”
Global Landare will emphasise knowledge exchange and provide training in other countries.
Oceania will be a hot spot for Global
Landcare efforts over the next couple of years.
“We are developing partnerships between Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, and Rarotonga.
The aim is to support local landowners and communities in the Pacific to address climate resilience, flooding, and water resource protection, and to assist with the conservation of engendered terrestrial and marine species.
“The work is already underway, and we hope to scale it up in partnership with our Pacific cousins,” Edgar said.
Planting a sediment trap at Rotongata.
A chance to
With about half of America’s electors looking at life under a president theydid not support, some will be considering a move. Paul Charman looks at prospects of attracting them here.
The King Country could consider touting for its share of disgruntled American electors looking for buy farms and lifestyle blocks in New Zealand.
That’s the message from Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton, who points out that New Zealand attracted significant numbers of US emigres following the Trump victory in 2016.
“There’s already a precedent for attracting US citizens keen to find greener pastures,” he said.
“It would be marvellous to see an influx of Americans who buy lifestyle blocks in the King Country, adding their energy and talents to our rural communities - it would be a great thing.
“We’ve got beautiful scenery and plenty of prime land for lifestyle use and farming. Also, let’s not forget that due to climate change a stable climate like ours here in New Zealand could be seen as a great incentive. The prospect of increasing hurricanes, wildfires and sea level rise and so forth is a worry for many Americans, but we’re seen as a safe haven country.”
The research company Journo Research confirms that this is more than wishful thinking on Kirton’s part, as New Zealand outranks Australia as a country Americans want to relocate to.
Based on Google searches, Journo Research data shows New Zealand is the eighth most searched country for Americans wishing to relocate, while Australia is at 12. Canada is by far the most popular with keyboard dreamers, followed the prospect of moving to Japan, Costa Rica, Brazil and Mexico in that order.
“Following President Trump sweeping to office in the 2016 election we had a
massive uptake from people from the US inquiring about visas,” Lane Neave immigration lawyer Rachael Mason told The News.
“Our own firm experienced this and anecdotally we understand that it was widespread.
“At the time, Immigration New Zealand also reported a substantial influx of queries from the US.
“We heard it was part of a much wider phenomenon following the Republicans taking the White House that year.
“Global events can and do trigger inquiries to live and work in New Zealand. Around the same time as the Trump victory there was instability in Europe and many Europeans were also coming to us to understand their options for emigrating here.
“Another factor driving international inquiries was that New Zealand was viewed favourably for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. We expect this US election to result in more enquiries.”
However, Mason cautioned that the desire to move to New Zealand is not enough all on its own, as this country’s immigration system is a challenge for many. Americans can come for lots of visits as a tourist, but getting a long-term visa generally has to fit into three main buckets:
They are:
Family connections – such as marrying a Kiwi, which most of these people are not generally going to qualify for.
An employment connection – being offered a job by an employer who is prepared to sponsor you.
Being in investor and entrepreneur categories, where an uber wealthy per-
trump in?
son must be prepared to invest $5m to $15m. You can’t buy citizenship but you can buy residence.
“The most common pathway into New Zealand is the employment connection, of course. The main barrier for an employer is that it needs to be demonstrated that they (the employer) can’t find a New Zealander for the role. And we know that there is quite a bit of unemployment at present – so this is more challenging.
“But if you have the right skills it can be an open door. For example, I wouldn’t envisage that a surgeon or an engineer would have much trouble getting a job offer and therefore a visa.
“Coming to a place like Taumarunui and working over the internet (for an American business) could be done but it would have its limitations. “
You are not really meant to park up here and do that, though some people do of course. But they’ll have no access to (Government) healthcare.
“The Government is looking this category – because it’s getting to be a thing. There has been talk of these ‘digital nomads’ having their own immigration category, but nothing has come of it so far.
“But yes, if you were prepared to come in for 6-8 months – depending on what country you were coming from – you could park up on a lifestyle block in the King Country and work on your computer.
“But for most that’s not really a long term fix – a lot of these people tell us they don’t want to come for short periods like that. Rather, they tend to want to come for 2-3 years.”
Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton says with beautiful scenery and abundant productive land the King Country could promote itself to Americans looking for a rural lifestyle.
Barham United Welldrillers Ltd is going all out to be the ‘go to’ drilling company for all things water wells in the greater Waikato. Family owned and operated, it is under the management of Dirk and Jeannie Hermsen, who were sharemilkers all their married life, managing large herds in both Tasmania and New Zealand, and sharemilking in the Waikato, before embarking on a career change.
Mike and Chris Ormsby had owned Barham United Welldrillers for 47 years before the Hermsens purchased it. During the 18 months transactional stage, Dirk and Brad worked for the company and acquired a good understanding of the business.
Originally from Kurow, Dirk returned to school in Greymouth as a 44-year-old to complete a drilling course. He furthered his training after winning a scholarship and went on to work all around the country on drilling jobs, including oil, gas, geo-tech and water bores.
After two years into working in Australia’s oil and gas industry, Covid struck and Dirk returned to New Zealand. Thus began his career with Barham United Welldrillers in Te Awamutu.
Jeannie was a technical advisor for the Earthquake Commission’s Business as Usual Team for seven and a half years but left after the Kaikoura earthquake to take on a business manager role for a building Company in Te Awamutu. She later worked for Ovation Homes.
����Rÿk���������������������������� and mechanical engineer, spent most of his work life at Stewart & Cav����� before moving to Paige McRae in Tauranga. He returned home to start his own contracting business after Covid hit. As workshop manager, Rÿk ensures the drill rigs and vehicles are well-maintained. He is also fabricating additional equipment to complement each rig to make the drilling process ����� ������������
acquire drilling non-hydrocarbon ��������������������������������������� and stable future.
The team at Barham United Welldrillers (2021) Ltd understand the stresses and importance of running out of water. As water bores are an investment, and a costly one at that, the company would like their clients to have a bore that will last many, many years. For those who are restricted to rainwater, a water bore certainly takes ��������������������������������� There’s nothing worse than running out of water and having to wait in queue for a water delivery service.
Understanding what clients are using their water for is important as it enables Barham’s to deliver the right volumes. The consultation process is undertaken by Rÿk, who visits the
“As water bores are an investment, and a costly one at that, the company would like their clients to have a bore that will last many, many years.”
����������������������������� builder, son Brad embarked on a career change in 2020 when he started ���k����������k������������������������� to the industry, Brad spent his school holidays working for Drillforce in Auckland and seriously contemplated a career as a driller in his youth.
Daughter Temika helps automate the business systems o��a weekend.
the business and the company invests
proposed water bore site, discusses clients’ needs, determines the logistics, and does the groundwork. He provides an estimate based on the information acquired on site and through accessing a massive water bores database.
Barham’s experienced ����������������������� professional water well drilling, geot������ and environmental drilling services. Water bores are provided to a wide range of rural, commercial and city-based clients sector and services include - but are not limited to - testing water supply, repairs, and maintenance of existing water bores, and arranging servicing of pumping equipment.
The company’s large database of completed drilling work assists in determining drilling requirements. No job is too big or too small, and free water bore estimates are ���������
