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RNZ News
2 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Call for more rural psychologists to help farmers with mental health
While many farmers are feeling good about record meat and dairy prices , mental health is still a massive issue with disproportionately high suicide statistics in rural areas. Depression is something Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is familiar with, after his own battle began eight years ago. "It's amazing how it creeps in. It affects your farm, your family and your entire life. "I describe it creeping in like a fog - all of a sudden you find yourself in a bit of a mess and you need help to get out," he said. Langford is grateful for the support his wife wrapped around him, and urges other farmers in his situation to reach out. "The key for me was getting off farm, spending time with kids and family," he said. Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi The sector is welcoming a $3 million funding boost for the Rural Support Trust over four years to improve access to mental health services, but it's sparked calls for more clinical psychologists in rural areas. Clinical psychologist Sarah Donaldson told RNZ that through her work with the Trust she sees high demand from the farming sector. "Our largest proportion for referrals is distress - from mild through to acutely suicidal. "There are greater risk factors in the rural sector unfortunately - huge workloads, isolation, work and home are all wrapped up in one bundle and there's lots riding on it," she said. Clinical psychologist Sarah Donaldson. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi The Rural Support Trust helps farmers access the help they need, which Donaldson describes as a 'lifesaving' service. But she's worried about a shortage of specialists in rural areas, such as clinical psychologists. "We need more people that have some clinical training that can be attached to rural support or do outreach services. "There are people scattered around the country but there's no specific channel to train in rural mental health currently," she said. Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey assured RNZ that the government is working on a workforce plan in a bid to reduce wait times for patients needing mental health services, which he said will also have an impact in rural communities. "But let's be very clear, one of the biggest barriers to people accessing timely mental health and addiction support is too many workforce vacancies," said Doocey. He said a key factor is the lack of clinical internship placements. "Sadly, only up to a couple years ago there was only 30 clinical internship places a year. We've committed to doubling that, growing it by 100 percent to up to 80 placements by 2027," said Doocey. The new funding for the Rural Support Trust is on top of another $3 million over the next four years allocated through the Ministry for Primary Industries, and $2 million of health funding is being invested in the Rural Wellbeing Fund. The sector is welcoming a $3 million funding boost for the Rural Support Trust over four years to improve access to mental health services. Photo: RNZ Rural Support Trust chair Michelle Ruddell said the farming sector has been calling for this for years. "We are immensely grateful for the funding and it means our rural people will be better supported. "We are going to be able to deliver our core work - it's one on one, free, impartial and at a time and place that suits them," she said. Ruddell describes the demand for their services as "huge" and said a key part of the work is getting farmers to speak up when they need help. "Looking after our mental health is really hard and it often gets left behind - our rural people not only struggle to ask for help on a day to day basis, but actually don't often ask for help very often for their own wellbeing," she said. It's a challenge the group is up for, they're determined to reach more farmers in every nook and cranny of Aotearoa. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Tourists vow to 'never return' to holiday hotspot as rocketing prices leave them 'skint'
With holiday season in full swing, tourists have been left shocked at the extortionate prices in one popular travel destination - with one man advising his followers to avoid it at all costs Brits are turning their backs on a beloved holiday destination as soaring costs leave them feeling "skint". Whispers of skyrocketing prices last year have turned into loud complaints this season, with once-bustling spots now eerily quiet. The cost shock is real for tourists who are finding the price of enjoyment in these areas to be through the roof. TikTok user Tez has been particularly outspoken, warning his followers to steer clear of Antalya in Turkey"unless they want to be skint". He's shared that the cost of eating out and enjoying a drink has become exorbitant, reports Belfast Live. His made his warning after years of rising inflation in Turkey, which has hit 85% in recent years. It has turned the once bargain holiday hotspot into a place where tourists have to pinch their pennies a little more. Have you been shocked by the price of holidays to Turkey? Email webtravel@ to share your experience For those looking to ride the waves on a jet-ski, expect to shell out close to £100 for less than an hour of fun. Fancy a pint? Tez cautions that you won't find one under £5. And for Vodka lovers, brace yourselves for a steep bill. Tez points out that bars in Antalya are cashing in big time on booze sales. Drinking water prices in the country increased by over 100 per cent in 2023, according Türkiye Today. Recently, Istanbul Airport was also dubbed the most expensive airport in the world. Fin-tech global money transfers company Wise puts Turkey's cost of living (COL) at 37.4 as of April 2025, with Antalya's cost of living at 35.9 and Istanbul at 37.9 on the COL Index. According to Holiday Hypermarket, the cost of eight bottles of sunscreen at Marmaris in Turkey would be around £53.36, whereas in the UK the same would cost approximately £17.36. Tez's travel tip? Going all-inclusive might just save your bank balance. Turkey's ongoing battle with inflation means that Brits are getting less value for their money and feeling the pinch on their holidays to Turkey, due to rampant inflation, with the country's economic struggles causing it to lose its shine as a budget-friendly destination. High inflation in Turkey has been linked to several factors, including surging energy costs and the economic impact of the COVID pandemic. A report from World Data indicates a staggering 310 per cent surge in inflation in just five years, taking a toll on Turkey's appeal for cost-conscious holidaymakers. The days of Turkey being a cheap getaway are dwindling, as costs for essentials like hotels, meals, and travel inflate. This shift has prompted many Brits to rethink their travel plans, seeking places where their pound stretches further. Fast Cover Travel Insurance's senior travel claims analyst, Sarah Donaldson, highlighted "hyperinflation" as the key factor denting tourism, remarking that "even foreigners find it hard to justify the cost of accommodation and dining". Despite a jaw-dropping 75% inflation rate in May 2024, Turkey managed to reduce this figure to 44% by December, sparking optimism that the dip in tourists last summer may be a short-lived setback. As of March, Turkish inflation is at 2.46 per cent month-on-month, falling below the 2.9 per cent consensus. Consequently, the annual inflation in the country has continued its downward trend, dropping to 38.1 per cent year-on-year from the 39.1 per cent it was at in February. However, the inflation rate still exceeds the Central Bank of Turkey's (CBT) forecast of 24 per cent. The food sector was once again the main driver of the country's inflation, contributing 1.23 percentage points. The monthly inflation in this sector hit a peak in March, reaching its highest level according to the current inflation series. This is largely due to the escalating prices of unprocessed food. Alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and housing were the next major contributors, each adding 0.33 percentage points. Tez's video quickly went viral, racking up thousands of views and sparking a wave of comments from viewers who've experienced Turkey's inflated prices firsthand. One viewer lamented: "I went there last year, all inclusive. Still spent £2,000 - never again!" Another shared their own pricey tale: "We stopped at the shop on the way from the hotel to the airport. Ordered two kebabs and two drinks - they charged me £52." One disgruntled tourist grumbled: "Turkey is so expensive now. I went to Marmaris. I will never go to Turkey again." Meanwhile, another holidaymaker expressed their astonishment at the prices, saying: "Won't be going back to Side. Nearly £1,3000 spent between two people for five days and that was doing no excursions, having two meals a day and barely drinking." Yet, not all travellers feel the pinch, as one person argued: "Still cheaper than the UK." So, what's behind the soaring costs in Turkey? A mix of factors are driving up expenses in Turkey, with Statista shedding some light on the situation. The site notes: "Domestic producer price indices have been continuously rising, which has directly resulted in a price increase in all consumer goods and services. Accordingly, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in all commodity groups increased extremely since 2022. "In the same year, the food and non-alcoholic beverages category had one of the highest inflation rates in the CPI. This particularly affected Turkish consumers, as these products accounted for the highest share of household expenditure in 2023. "Since 2020, food prices have increased significantly around the world, and Turkey is no exception. Although inflation has started to slow down recently, food prices in Turkey continue to go up steadily, increasing by 48.6 percent in November 2024 compared to the same month in the previous year." Despite this, it's reported that Turkey is making strides to boost tourism by addressing the issue of rising costs, diversifying tourist attractions and improving infrastructure. The authorities are aiming to rein in inflation, with a focus on promoting niche tourism sectors such as spas and health care.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio Republican lawmakers again seek to override voters on legal weed law in blatant cash-grab
Stock photo from Getty Images. Ohio Republican lawmakers want to raise taxes. Specifically, they want to raise taxes on recreational weed by 50% while making it less potent and redirecting all of its tax revenue into their own grubby little hands. Just like they've resurrected a zombie version of their proposal to overhaul Ohio higher education and turn our institutions of higher learning into a national laughingstock, they have also brought back to life their proposal to rewrite the legal weed law that 57% of Ohio voters passed in 2023. The Statehouse News Bureau's Sarah Donaldson reports they want to 'fast track' Senate Bill 56. The proposal from Tipp City Republican state Sen. Steve Huffman would raise the excise tax on product sales from 10% to 15%, which is a 50% increase. Not only does he want to charge Ohioans more for legal weed, he wants to make it less potent, placing more restrictive limits on THC in products with a 35% max for plant products and 70% for concentrates and extracts. Huffman also seeks to limit home grow from 12 allowable plants per household down to six. As ever though, it's the money that really tells the story. The bill proposes to take all the weed revenue away from the addiction services and community programs that voters chose, and to redirect it into the General Revenue Fund so that Ohio lawmakers can do whatever they want with it. Ohio Senate Republican lawmakers started making plans to attack the voter-passed law immediately after voters passed it. That was held up most notably by Republican state Rep. Jamie Callender of Concord in the Ohio House. While Callender held the line throughout 2024, Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman has now become Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman and he has retained a deep desire to overturn the voters' will and reshape the law he opposed to his own liking. After coming online in August 2024, the state's recreational marijuana sales surpassed $242 million by late December. An Ohio Ohio State University Drug Enforcement and Policy Center study from August 2023 estimated the potential annual tax revenue from legalizing marijuana under Issue 2 ranges from $276 million to $403 million in the fifth year of an operational cannabis market. That's what Ohio Republican lawmakers want to grab, and jack it up even more with a higher tax rate. Under the voter-passed law, revenue from weed sales goes to an adult use tax fund, the cannabis social equity and jobs fund, the host community cannabis fund, the substance abuse and addiction fund, and the division of cannabis control and tax commissioner fund. Republican lawmakers last year proposed redirecting the money toward law enforcement and building more jails. Now they're proposing to just put it in the general fund where they can have a free hand to spend it how they please. But voters have already decided how this revenue should be spent, and lawmakers trying to overturn that in a blatant cash-grab is just another flagrant insult. 'Pay more money for worse weed — while we pillage the profits from the community chest.' That's a helluva scam to try to run on Ohio voters, again. Even the knuckleheads selling dirt in the dorms weren't this bad at business. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
