Under clauses 18.2 and 18.6 of the Special Needs Grant Welfare Programme (as established and approved on 18 December 1998 under section 124 (1) (d) of the Social Security Act 1964), the Minister of Social Services and Employment establishes and approves Part 6 of the programme to apply as follows:
Rural Assistance-Farmers in Masterton
Farmers in the Masterton area whose Land Based Industry is orcharding and who are directly affected by the hail storm on
7 January 2001 are eligible to be considered for financial assistance under Part 6 of the programme.
In relation to such farmers, Part 6 begins to apply on the day after the date of this approval and ceases to apply on 1 March 2002 unless extended by the Minister.
For the purposes of this approval, Masterton means the Masterton District.
Dated this 6th day of March 2001.
STEVE MAHAREY, Minister of Social Services and Employment.
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N o t i c e
1. Title-This is Part 6-Special Assistance to the Rural Sector notice.
2. Commencement-This notice comes into effect on the day after the date on which the Minister gives his approval to it:
18. Grants to Farmers, Orchardists etc.
18.1 The object of this Part is to provide financial assistance for Farmers.
18.2 The chief executive may make non-recoverable Grants to a Farmer who-
(a) has a Land Based Industry of a type or condition approved by the Minister from time to time, which is located in a Region, District, or area approved by the Minister from time to time, and that Land Based Industry is in financial difficulty and is not producing sufficient income to meet essential living expenses, and
(b) has no significant income other than from the Land Based Industry, and
(c) either-
(i) has made a decision to sell the Land Based Industry at a price the chief executive considers to be realistic; or
(ii) is in the process of actively evaluating the ongoing viability of the Land Based Industry; and
(d) has no assets unconnected with the Land Based Industry which it would be practicable to realise.
18.3 The approvals of the Minister for the purposes of clause 18.2 (a) and clause 18.6 in force at the commencement of this programme are set out in Schedule 1.
18.3A The chief executive may, on and after the date the Special Needs Grant Amendment (No.9) comes into effect, from time to time make non-recoverable grants to any Farmer-
(a) whose Land Based Industry situated in the North Island of New Zealand is bee-keeping and is in financial difficulty because its hives are severely affected by the Varroa Jacobsoni species (honey bee mite) and is not producing sufficient income to meet essential living expenses; and
(b) who has no sufficient income other than from the Land Based Industry; and
(c) who either-
(i) has made a decision to sell the Land Based Industry at a price the Chief Executive considers to be realistic; or
(ii) is in the process of actively evaluating the ongoing viability of the Land Based Industry; or
(iii) has evaluated the ongoing viability of the Land Based Industry and is actively working towards its recovery as a viable bee-keeping business from the effects of the species; and
(d) who has no assets unconnected with the Land Based Industry that it would be practicable to realise.
18.4 For the purposes of this Part the definition of "Cash Assets" in clause 3.1 does not apply and the following definition is substituted:
"Cash Assets", in relation to any person, mean assets of that person and his or her spouse (if any) that can be readily converted into cash and include-
(a) shares, debentures, bonus bonds, and other bonds;
(b) bank accounts, including fixed and term deposits with any bank, friendly society, credit union, or building society;
(c) money invested with or lent to any bank or other financial institution;
(d) the net equity held in any property or land not used as the person's home (except that the net equity in the Land Based Industry, as defined in this clause, is not to be included in the Applicant's Cash Assets in relation to an application for a Grant under this Part);
(e) building society shares;
(f) mortgage investments and other long term loans;
(g) bills of exchange or promissory notes;
(h) the Applicant's share in any partnership;
but do not include-
(i) the motor vehicle principally used by the Applicant for his or her personal use;
(j) a caravan, boat, or other vehicle-
(i) the net equity in which is less than $2000; or
(ii) which is used by the person or a member of his or her Immediate Family for day to day accommodation;
(k) the personal effects of the person and his or her spouse (if any);
(l) the proceeds from the sale of capital pastoral stock (whether held or not held in any of the assets in paragraphs (b), (c), (f) or (g) of this definition);
18.5 For the purposes of this Part-
"District", unless otherwise stated, has the meaning in the Local Government Act 1974;
"Farmer" means-
(a) person who derives his or her principal income directly or indirectly from a Land Based Industry and has a history of so doing; or
(b) a person who intends to so derive his or her income but the Land Based Industry is in the developmental stage;
"Income", in relation to a married person, includes the income of his or her spouse;
"Land Based Industry" includes, but is not limited to, the primary production of meat, wool, or dairy products, arable farming, sharemilking, an orchard, bee-keeping, herb or flower growing, a market garden, and poultry farming but does not include hobby farming;
"Region", unless otherwise stated, has the meaning in the Local Government Act 1974.
18.6 Grants may not be made under clause 18.2 for more than a period of 1 year or the appropriate period approved by the Minister, whichever is the lesser.
18.6A Grants may not be made under clause 18.3A for a period of more than 2 years.
18.7 If the Minister has extended the application of this Part in relation to a district, region, or an area for a further period, on application made by the Farmer the chief executive may, in his or her discretion, make Grants under this Part for up to that extended period if, after conducting a review of the Farmer's circumstances, the chief executive considers the personal circumstances of the Farmer justify such Grants being made.
18.8 The maximum amount of Grants under this Part are-
To a married person with one dependent child 75 per cent of the applicable rate of community wage diminished by $1 a week for every $1 a week of that person's income.
To a married person with 2 or more dependent children 75 per cent of the applicable rate of community wage diminished by $1 a week for every $1 a week of that person's income.
To a married person without dependent children 75 per cent of the applicable rate of community wage diminished by $1 a week for every $1 a week of that person's income
To a sole parent with one dependent child 75 per cent of the applicable rate of community wage diminished by $1 a week for every $1 a week of that person's income
To a sole parent with 2 or more dependent children 75 per cent of the applicable rate of community wage diminished by $1 a week for every $1 a week of that person's income
To an unmarried person with no dependent children 75 per cent of the applicable rate of community wage diminished by $1 a week for every $1 a week of that person's income
Definitions: dependent child, chief executive, income, sole parent, Social Security Act 1964, section 3.