Fletcher Tabuteau

New Zealand First Deputy Leader

13 June 2018

New Zealand First Deputy Leader Fletcher Tabuteau says New Zealand First’s strong representation at National Fieldays in Mystery Creek expresses the importance the party places on the provinces. Fieldays is the largest agribusiness exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere, with more than 130,000 people from around the country and world attending over a four-day period.

“It’s really important that we represent because we’ve always been proud of the work we do for our regions, the provinces, and the people working the land,” Fletcher Tabuteau said.

“Fieldays is about innovation, creativity and the potential to see a whole lot of exciting value added goods and services on offer, so it’s really great to be here.”

Mr Tabuteau, alongside Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Primary Industries Spokesperson Mark Patterson, visited a range of sites before attending the official Governor General’s opening ceremony this morning. Mr Peters then delivered a speech at the prestigious Presidents Luncheon made up of key industry leaders and representatives.

Mr Patterson, a former sheep farmer from Lawrence, said Fieldays is tremendously important for the farming community and the economy. “New Zealand First being strong advocates for the regions, it’s important for us to be here listening to what farmers are saying and to be getting our message out there about the positive influence that we’re having in the Government.

“The Bovis response is a massive cloud hanging over New Zealand agriculture at the moment but underpinning all that is that agriculture’s actually in a really good space, taking that aside. Commodity and product prices are at record highs essentially across the board, so hopefully it is going to be a really positive event with lots of commerce going on.”

“We will continue to work to ensure New Zealand’s reputation as the most trusted source of sustainable and premium natural products in the world. Biosecurity remains a top priority, reflected in the $9.3 million funding boost in Budget 2018, a key New Zealand First Budget win,” Mark Patterson said.

New Zealand First MP Shane Jones was also at Fieldays albeit in his Ministerial capacity, alongside Associate Forestry Minister Meka Whaitiri, to launch a new forestry scholarship, Ngā Karapihi Uru Rākau, aimed to grow the capability of the forestry sector and increase the number of women and Māori in the industry. A limited number of scholarships will be awarded to Māori and female students, starting in 2019, who enrol in either a Bachelor of Forestry Science or Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Forest Engineering at the University of Canterbury.

ENDS

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