Policies and interest areas

Rural Women New Zealand takes a keen interest in issues that affect the rural community.  Our focus is based on four main areas:

Land use issues - Environmental policy, animal welfare, property rights/access, food safety, land based industry, pollution solutions/waste minimisation.   Read more:  Our Land Use Policy

Education issues - Special Education Review, broadband, school transport and safety around schools/buses, equitable access to education, RERG, Correspondence School.   Read more:  Our Education Policy

Health issues - Rural health services/strategies, adult health, agricultural safety and health, public health, mental health, genetic modification, older persons, disability, children's health.  Read more:  Our Health Policy

Rural Health Survey

Rural Women New Zealand conducted an extensive survey of rural families in 2001, investigating levels of access to primary health services . The survey indicated that the difficulties associated with accessing health care in rural communities were far worse and more widespread than previously thought. 

Social issues - Access to services, income support, social welfare, family and the law, violence and abuse, consumer standards/rights, privacy/human rights, disabilities. Our Social Issues Policy.

Consultation with members:

We consult our members and have made submissions or statements on a wide range of topics including:

- rural representation

- terminator gene technology

- land access

- dog chipping

- paid parental leave

- the safe use of ATVs

- depression

- pandemic preparedness

- home healthcare

- drinking water

Published Articles

Some of the issues we have written about recently include:

ATV Safety

Early Childhood Education

Rural GPs

Homecare

Horizons One Plan

Leptospirosis

Nurse Practitioners

Rural Education Reference Group

Rural broadband

Terminator Gene technology