JEFFREY JAMES GRANT

Interviewer: Valmai Redhead

Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

TRACK 1

00:00 Interview identification

00:35 JEFFREY JAMES GRANT born 02 January 1958

00:45 Recording Agreement

01:30 GRANT FAMILY in BALFOUR over 100 years Great grandfather ROBERT GRANT arrived NEW ZEALAND 1876 to BALFOUR MACPHERSON – ARDLUSSA STATION – Mentioned

02:11 MACPHERSON opened pub (hotel) – ROBERT GRANT opened shop - BALFOUR Sod hut in ARDLUSSA area– Mentioned

02:43 Land purchased 1883 – ROBERT GRANT married 1886 COWIE (?) – Mentioned

03:00 Vegetation on 600 acres (243 hectares) – Described MATAGOURI (Wild Irishmen) – Mentioned

03:27 BORDER LEICESTER sheep

03:54 ROBERT died in 1928 – Son managed farm and shop

04:21 Uncle managed farm Grandfather ROBERT GRANT II – Shop – Transport business – Bee-keeper

04:42 Father took over farm in mid 1950s

04:54 Self born in AUCKLAND – Adopted by STUART and ELAINE STUART third of four children of ROBERT ELAINE eldest daughter of HORACE HULL of GORE

05:30 Parents married in 1953

05:36 Naming of farm “THE PLANTATIONS” – Explained WAIMEA PLAINS – Mentioned

06:55 Enjoyed childhood on farm – Not a farm boy per se Freedom in environment – Childhood activities Driving farm vehicles

07:49 Changes to farm over the years WAIMEA PLAINS – Diversity on all farms in district

08:28 Production of grasses – Coxfoot – Dogs tail – Fescue Hard grains – Oats – Barley – Wheat GORE – mentioned Integrated farming – 1960s-70s-80s – Sheep 1940s-50s-60s – Dairying

09:30 Dairy factories – Cream can at the gate

09:49 From 1980s – Deer – Hard crops – Sheep – Dairy grazing

10:33 [CLIMATE]: WAIMEA PLAINS halfway between ALEXANDRA and INVERCARGILL Annual Rainfall – Nor'westerly winds HOKONUI HILLS – HEDGEHOPE – Mentioned

11:36 Dry periods can be a problem – Average one drought per decade Evaporation due to winds

12:24 Diversification irrigation – Bulbs - Livestock SOUTHERN FLORA NZ – Christmas Asiatic Lilies

13:01 Memories of extreme weather conditions – 1996 – 1971 “TIGER PADDOCK” – Name explained Honeymoon AUSTRALIA 1985

14:14 Earliest memory – Rain in 1972 No creeks or streams on property BALFOUR RACECOURSE – Mentioned Lambing Beat

15:00 End of Track 1

TRACK 2

00:00 Appearance of rivers on property 1996 – 3 weeks of frosts

00:35 Climate – Described NEW YORK – Mentioned

01:06 1985 – ROGER DOUGLAS (Minister of Finance) – Meeting at LUMSDEN DAVID LANGE [Prime Minister] – Mentioned Subsidy removal – Deregulation

02:04 Other activities taking place – Described Collapse of exchange rate – Rise

02:39 Own first interest in activism outside farm gate ROGER DOUGLAS – Mentioned LUMSDEN MEMORIAL HALL – Public Meeting – 600 people Meeting – Described

03:27 Economic situation – Farmers' reactions to abruptness of effects Effects of subsidies – Explained

04:52 SOUTHLAND FEDERATED FARMERS boycott ALLIANCE FREEZING CO. Processing of lamb stock – Many debates Sheep slaughtered in INVERCARGILL

06:12 Frustration of farmers at lack of action

06:23 ALLIANCE purchase of WAITAKI ASSETS (Processing company)

06:34 1980s – 1990s demise of rural communities – SOUTHLAND most affected province CANTERBURY – OTAGO – TARANAKI – HAWKES BAY – Mentioned

07:34 Effects on businesses in DIPTON – WINTON

08:08 GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS – COPORATES – STATE OWNED ENTERPRISES (SOEs) Closing of POST OFFICES – Attitudes of communities

08:36 Disappearance of SHOPS – ENGINEERING FIRMS – BANKS

08:56 Effects on BALFOUR...

09:04 BNZ (Bank of New Zealand) – Building now at PIONEER PARK in GORE Businesses – Mentioned Sales of tractors by FORD AGENCY – 1960s

09:47 Closure of BALFOUR POST OFFICE – Family Post Box No 1 Shifted to store – Post Office hours compared with store hours 10:43 LABOUR GOVERNMENT – Mentioned Self stood for PARLIAMENT in 1987 – Past involvement in YOUNG NATIONALS

11:21 Father RURAL LIBERTARIAN – Attitude to self Self interested when at High School MULDOON – Mentioned

11:47 Met SIMON UPTON – Conference – CORONET PEAK Intellectual debate

12:17 First Past Post – WALLACE ELECTORATE Sir BRIAN TALLBOYS – Tall Gentleman NORA ENGLISH mother of BILL ENGLISH – Described

13:16 Self stood for AWARUA ELECTORATE REX AUSTEN retired Own father-in-law interested in politics – Influenced own decision to apply

13:51 Selection Process – Experience for WALLACE ELECTORATE Won on last ballot at midnight JOHN FALCONER – Chairman of ALLIANCE GROUP 14:41 Looking for younger people – Self felt it was a mistake

14:56 Stood against HEATHER SIMPSON...

TRACK 3

00:00 … Knew her brother BOB – Architect in INVERCARGILL DOUGAL SOPER – Labour Party HEATHER (SIMPSON) – Described WELLINGTON – OTAGO UNIVERSITY – Mentioned

00:59 Political party not individuality NORMAN JONES – INVERCARGILL – Mentioned

01:23 HEATHER formidable candidate

01:35 Own rural background big bearing – Social rather than economic conscience LABOUR PARTY changes – Mentioned

02:03 Best education being parliamentarian for six years Exciting in terms of policies

02:18 If unable to convince friends – neighbours – local community – How can you convince Nation

03:03 Economic upheaval – People living on minimum wage BLUFF – INVERCARGILL – Mentioned

03:40 Did not see self as being MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE – Desire to see other things in life

03:54 One year in DIPLOMA of AGRICULTURE – Mentioned

04:15 Constituency Clinics – Really enjoyed Examples given of help needed

04:52 Country boy gone to town WELLINGTON – AUSTRALIA – Mentioned

05:12 Not aware of parliamentary pay

05:21 Allocation of secretary – Miss JONES – Introduction Use of dictaphone – Described

06:15 Criticism of own attire – Described

06:47 MIKE MOORE – MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS “Think of yourself as the waiter”

07:21 COLIN MOYLE – MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE for LABOUR PARTY

07:48 BUTCHER – ASSOCIATE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE JIM SUTTON – MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

08:03 JOHN FALLOON – WAIRARAPA KEITH HOLYOAKE – Mentioned

08:14 Self more interested in SOCIAL REFORM ACC – SOCIAL WELFARE – SUPERANNUATION – Mentioned

08:46 No desire to MINISTER OF HEALTH or MINISTER OF SOCIAL WELFARE

08:54 Appointed SENIOR WHIP in second term JENNY SHIPLEY – JOHN LUXTON – WYATT CREECH – Mentioned

09:18 JOHN CARTER – Mentioned

09:26 1990 Elections – Largest caucus – 65 members of parliament Usual path for appointing SENIOR WHIP – Explained JIM BOLGER – PRIME MINISTER – Mentioned JOHN CARTER – JUNIOR WHIP

10:26 Responsibilities of SENIOR and JUNIOR WHIPS BILL BIRCH – WARREN COOPER – Mentioned

11:21 Farm situation when self elected to parliament JULIA (wife) worked at Veterinary Service – resigned to be on farm Farm manager appointed 12:29 Own travel schedule – Detailed

12:43 Monday and Friday afternoon in electorate – when house sitting Events on Saturdays

13:47 Living outside electorate not a common practice STEWART ISLAND – BALFOUR – EDENDALE – Mentioned Never turned down requests to attend functions

14:31 A & P SHOWS WINTON – INVERCARGILL – GORE …

15:00 End of Track 3

TRACK 4

00:00 … WYNDHAM – TAPANUI – WEST OTAGO – Mentioned

00:15 Need for A & P SHOWS and their environment need to adapt WANAKA – CHRISTCHURCH – Mentioned

00:35 Left High School – Worked at TARRAS – A & P SHOW very different then INVERCARGILL – GORE – Mentioned

00:51 (Shows) Important for town understanding country Some areas have adapted to suit the mix – GORE – Mentioned INVERCARGILL – Mentioned

01:14 Final year of first term in parliament 1990 – 1993 SENIOR WHIP Self announced intention not to stand again BOLGER – Mentioned Arthritis – Family – Influenced decision

03:02 Governance roles predominantly agriculture FARMERS FOR CHANGE – Producer Boards – WOOL BOARD – MEAT BOARD Self stood for MEAT BOARD in 1994 – RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL DAVID FRITH – Mentioned

05:23 PHILIP BURDON – MINISTER OF SOEs Requested to be DIRECTOR of LANDCORP

06:19 Opportunity to understand Governance – Management ALISON PATERSON – LANDCORP BOARD BRONWYN MONOPOLI – Mentioned

06:45 Enjoyed involvement with variety of organisations 07:12 No other SOUTHLAND people on most of the Boards DEER INDUSTRY – DAIRY INDUSTRY – BALLANCE – RAVENSDOWNE FERTILISER COMPANY – ALLIANCE – SILVER FERNS – FONTERRA – Mentioned

07:48 Belief that farmers are not good directors in governance sense – Self objects to that Skills necessary in governance roles – Detailed

08:52 'BALFOUR PUB TEST' – Explained

09:29 SOUTHLAND about 3% of population – about 17% of total economy in export terms Increase in DAIRY – Amount taken out of province about equal for SHEEP and DAIRY

10:12 RURAL and URBAN VIEWS – Need to be aware of past family connections to farms – Responsibilities of 'stewards of the land' AUCKLAND – BOMBAY HILLS – Mentioned

11:26 Environmental debates – Personal views described

12:08 SOUTHLAND SHEEP COUNCIL – FOCUS FARMS in 1990 BALFOUR – ROBIN CAMPBELL of TUSSOCK CREEK – Mentioned Farmer Discussion Groups – Described

13:16 Activities of FOCUS FARMS – Described

13:39 MEAT BOARD – Self Head of Research – Set-up similar to FOCUS FARMS up locally then nationally Name change to MONITOR FARMS – Number of farms and farmers involved Still exists

14:25 SHEEP COUNCIL evolved over time – Built on models from SOUTHLAND

14:37 BEEF COUNCILS established

14:43 Amalgamation of SHEEP and BEEF COUNCILS Drive sciences at AG-RESEARCH...

15:00 End of Track 4

TRACK 5

00:00 … work done for Sheep and Beef Industry

00:06 Personal views regarding DAIRY FARMING a commodity cycle

01:18 Money made SHEEP FARMING KOREAN WAR – Mentioned

01:26 Recent cycle – EDENDALE FACTORY only one in SOUTHLAND Number of farming properties in SOUTHLAND – About 5,500 farming properties in SOUTHLAND – includes 700 DAIRY

01:49 Sites of dairy farms – Described Important investment for next 2 to 3 decades

02:28 Continuing growth in DAIRY – Care needed for environmental sustainability Social aspect – Ethnic change in rural communities Immigrants - PHILIPPINES – SOMALIANS – KENYANS – EASTERN EUROPEANS – SWISS – ROMANIAN etc Effects on local communities especially children

04:12 Balance in diversification of land use

04:31 Non-Rural companies self involved in – Interest in co-operatives and mutuals SOUTHLAND BUILDING SOCIETY (SBS BANK) – Described Take-over attempts WESTPAC [bank] – INVERCARGILL – HAMILTON – Mentioned

06:19 MILFORD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY – Described REAL JOURNEYS – SKEGGS GROUP – SOUTHLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL – Mentioned

07: 07 Local authorities – SHARED SERVICES MECHANISM – Described INVERCARGILL – GORE – SOUTHLAND – ENVIRONMENT SOUTHLAND – Mentioned

08:04 Acknowledgment of past and present learning experiences for self – Explained

09:09 Attractions of being involved in things in SOUTHLAND – Attitudes of people Typical Southlander – Described AUCKLAND – Mentioned

10:25 Level of violence and crime significantly less (in Southland) WYNDHAM – AUCKLAND – Mentioned

10:42 Personal values probably envied by other countries Local lifestyle compared with other places AUCKLAND – WELLINGTON – Mentioned

11:14 Self had considered shifting (away) – Described Chief Executive position applied for – Missed out Children's reaction to possibility of leaving farm WELLINGTON – Mentioned several times OHARIU VALLEY – Mentioned

13:20 Lack of cellphone coverage deciding factor for children

13:50 Self only GRANT left farming – Done least farming in physical sense

14:11 Explanations to visitors – Scenic attractions BLUFF – Mentioned...

15:00 End of Track 5

TRACK 6

00:00 … STIRLING POINT – STEWART ISLAND – INVERCARGILL'S wide streets – MUSEUM – LINDSAY [HAZLEY] – BLUFF OYSTERS – CATLINS – FIORDLAND – MANAPOURI – TE ANAU

03:12 MANDEVILLE – AIRCRAFT FACTORY – Described

03:57 SMELTER (Ti Wai Point) – No longer the icon it was EDENDALE DAIRY FACTORY – Difference between 1984 and present time TUATAPERE – RIVERTON – WINTON – TE ANAU – WYNDHAM – Mentioned

04:50 Southland traits typical – Unlike other provinces – Homogenous people

05:24 [DINING OUT]: LICENSING TRUSTS (MATAURA and INVERCARGILL) BUSTER CRAB – HOWL at the MOON – KING'S RESTAURANT – COPPER KETTLE – CHEESE ROLLS – Mentioned WAITAKI ROVER – Mentioned

07:07 Self attached to the land – Children to choose whatever they want to do Property probably stay in family – Own commitment

08:15 Self in a great place to be

08:58 End of Track 6