Invermay: Meddling Joyce Ignores the Evidence

Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, March 10th, 2014 - 8 comments
Categories: farming, jobs, science, Steven Joyce - Tags:

My brother has posted across at Red Alert on Steven Joyce’s bungling oversight of AgResearch’s current $100 million restructure. The Crown Research Institute is New Zealand’s largest, and a recipient of generous Government support. Andy West, the former head of AgResearch stands to gain as head of Lincoln University from a plan that independent review found wanting. Cosy board relationships leave plenty of room for speculation about a back-room deal.

The independent report was commissioned by the people of the South concerned that an effective scientific and commercial hub in Mosgiel was about to be destroyed for no good reason. Southern community leaders already put work into generating a more robust analysis to assist Joyce – but saw no flicker of light in his eyes when they met with him.

My brother’s the Dunedin North MP so has been doggedly pursuing the Invermay case which has become a touchstone issue in the South. It has a regional jobs angle and an ideological Government angle, both of which show how arrogant and out of touch National has become.

What is most intriguing is that National is looking to shaft National-voting Sheep and Deer breeders – most of whom hate the Invermay proposals. It’s going to be a real humdinger of a meeting when AgResearch’s Chief Executive stares down breeders in Gore on Wednesday.

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8 comments on “Invermay: Meddling Joyce Ignores the Evidence ”

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  1. Ergo Robertina 1
    10 March 2014 at 11:55 am

    This is a prime example of the supposed independence of these entities leaving them prey to parochial and professional agendas. I’d prefer the days when the Minister was fully accountable/meddling; at least we elect them. David Clark has worked hard on this, but where are the regional development, science, agriculture spokespeople?

  2. fambo 2
    10 March 2014 at 1:12 pm

    I wonder how many National voting sheep and dairy farmers will vote Labour or the Greens this year – none, I expect. Just like a lot of people in Christchurch will still vote National despite their anger regarding earthquake rebuilding and school closures. If you vote for National, then you have no-one to blame but yourself when they do what they do.

  3. Tracey 3
    10 March 2014 at 1:55 pm

    fambo

    +1

  4. tricledrown 4
    10 March 2014 at 3:47 pm

    Joyce has fucked up virtually every department he has headed Mobie is a joke .
    Farm research has been hacked to pieces by this numpty.
    Joyce Cut farm research at lincon in 2008 allowing the worlds foremost wool research scientists to be lost to south Africa.
    Joyce cut research to bits in 2008 only to bring it back to its previous funding levels 3 years later.
    The damage this thug does is imeasurable.
    Then where is Mobie on Peter Whitall.
    Joyce is is all image and no substance just like the rest of Nactional.

  5. Claris Moses 5
    10 March 2014 at 9:39 pm

    Has he got his knighthood yet?

  6. RedBaronCV 6
    10 March 2014 at 10:50 pm

    Oh to be in Gore – any chance of meeting feedback?

  7. floyd 7
    12 March 2014 at 9:58 am

    All the best to those breeders/farmers fighting this plan. I hope that they can get it stopped. Then maybe the plan to relocate staff from Ruakura to Lincoln/Massey will be looked at again. The staff involved in relocation are just sitting there waiting for news of any sort as to what is happening. They are not kept informed and AgResearch will answer none of their queries. There is a lot of despondency and stress felt by these employees. Most of who are not in a position to just up sticks and move to another part of the country. Most of the women involved have husbands who are fully invested in their own careers,they have children who are settled in the community and at school, they have family close by who they would lose close touch with and so on. And from some I have spoken to it just doesn’t make economic sense to them. They are all living in limbo, with no funding available to carry on with any work and no offer of redundancies so that these PROFESSIONAL people can get on with their lives. Maybe Ag thinks that if it waits them out they will leave with no redundancies. But what is it costing to have these people sitting there with nothing to do.?

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