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Over The Gate
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Over the Gate
Monday, 27 April 2009
 | | Jeanette Fitzsimons. | with Jeanette Fitzsimons, Green Party Co-leader
Rural Living: How do you see things ahead for the rural community given the current economic climate?
Jeanette Fitzsimons: It will be difficult for everybody I guess, and the biggest threat will be when oil prices rise again as there is no public transport in rural areas. How to live with a lot less use of cars will be the major problem, but I think there will be a big emphasis on local food markets. Country people will always have the big advantage over city dwellers of being able to feed and shelter themselves.
RL: How do you see the growth of the lifestyle block in New Zealand?
JF: There are two kinds of lifestyle block. The first is the one that is into serious small-scale production – perhaps they have unusual animals – and they use the land intensively and productively. The other is the kind that runs a couple of ponies for the kids. The growth of the second is not positive. They are really only city commuters who happen to live in a nice place. If the first kind becomes a place were you spend most of your time, then I say we need more of them.
RL: Farmers – especially dairy farmers – seem to be accused of being responsible for everything from global warming to the rising cost of living. Do you think this is accurate or fair? How can we change this view?
JF: Farming is currently the biggest source of pollution in our lowland waters, and it is also the biggest cause of abstraction. We have a shocking record today – over 90% of our rivers are unswimmable lower down due to farm run-off. I think farmers need to take responsibility – they are also responsible for half of all our greenhouse gas emissions, and I think they should at least acknowledge it. Some are trying very hard, but they cannot continue to expect the taxpayer to subsidise them with regard to our obligations under the Kyoto protocol. It would be nice if they offered fewer excuses and took more action.
RL: What is the one thing you do everyday to help the planet?
JF: As a nation our biggest cause of carbon dioxide is from our cars. I do my utmost to use mine as little as possible both in Wellington and at home. I walk to work and I use a very small car when I have to!
RL: What is the most interesting book you have read recently and you would recommend to others?
JF: It is “High Country Lark” by Neville Peat. It is a story about his expeditions around North Otago, and in particular his search for the South Island Kokako – much rumoured but still unproven. The book is a wonderful mix of natural history, the people who live in the areas and their history going back many generations. It is a very thorough, deep and thoughtful story.
RL: What three people would you invite to dinner if you could?
JF: Well if there is no stipulation that they have to be alive, then I would love to have three people who I feel would spark off each other and provide good conversation! So I would invite Mahatma Gandhi, because he has always been a hero of mine. Yehudi Menuhin, because he had such a broad and humane outlook on life. (He would be obliged to bring his violin). Also, Menuhin spent a lot of time in India – he played with Ravi Shankar, and I think he and Gandhi would have a lot of amazing things to talk about together. To complete the trio I would have David Suzuki, the great Canadian Environmentalist.
RL: Is New Zealand still the clean green haven it has traditionally been viewed as?
JF: No we are not, and we don’t deserve the reputation. Tourists are going to find out as time goes on, and we need to take action to live up to it.
RL: What is the most important thing lifestylers could do to help the environment?
JF: Well, I think it would be different things for different people. Certainly less car use, but I would say get involved in local farmers markets, local production and the Transition Town movement. If we help to create real rural communities, then we will be able to achieve so much more together, than as individuals.
RL: If there was one single aspect of civilisation that you were given the power to change this afternoon, what would it be?
JF: The almost universal belief that success is measured by growth. That is the root cause of all our environmental problems, and current crisis. We simply cannot keep growing in a finite world.
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