Listen: Rural health group's funding bid 'chicken feed'

RHAANZ chief executive Michelle Thompson. Photo / Supplied

The Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand (RHAANZ) has agreed that it will cease operating if it doesn't get core funding support from the Government tomorrow.

RHAANZ Chief executive and Waipukurau farmer Michelle Thompson spoke to The Country's Jamie Mackay to explain why the organisation needs $600,000 in financial support.

"We set up five years ago on the goodwill of all our members. We did charge membership levies and we've gone as far as we can with that."

Thompson says that industry groups have also supported RHAANZ financially but the organisation has now got to a point where it needs extra help from the Government in order to "stabilise our core activities."

RHAANZ submitted its funding bid in November last year and the meeting with Minister of Agriculture Damien O'Connor tomorrow will reveal the Government's final decision.

According to 2006 Census data there are 600,000 people living in rural New Zealand and Thompson says the bid is the equivalent of $1 per person which is "chicken feed."

Listen below: