The years of big talk from governments of every hue about the need to support the struggling wool sector are still not being backed by action.
Sheep farmers were entitled to expect better from this government.
New Zealand First’s coalition agreement said the government would "direct government agencies where practical and appropriate to preference the use of woollen fibres rather than artificial fibres in government buildings".
But last week we learned Kāinga Ora, which owns and maintains more than 75,000 homes, had released a proposal for companies to provide carpet and underlay under the government’s tendering system, which closed on Friday, which specifically ruled out wool carpet.
Farmers did not get the chance to argue their case for wool, to show how practical and appropriate it would be.
Kāinga Ora says it would save 34% by using nylon carpet. Due to the size of its housing portfolio, planned construction activity and ongoing maintenance requirement, it says it is important it is using the most cost-effective products.
No mention seems to have been made of the environmental cost associated with plastic carpets which ultimately end up in landfill when they wear out.
It is estimated more than 130,000 tonnes of plastic carpet is dumped in New Zealand every year.
Nor, it seems, has anyone been given the chance to make the case for the benefits of wool for those with respiratory conditions, many of whom are likely to be living in Kāinga Ora housing.
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand is clearly convinced of the value of wool and has teamed up with Wools of New Zealand to improve education about the health benefits of wool carpets.
It is estimated one in every three homes has a person with a respiratory condition living there.
When the world is drowning in plastic pollution and there is increasing concern about the effect of microplastics’ invasion of almost everything, it is embarrassing madness for the government not to be supporting the wool industry.
Doing so could have been a little beacon of hope amid a global inability to develop a coherent plan to reduce plastic production.
It’s another example of the government’s obsession with short-term cost-cutting getting in the way of sensible long-term decision-making.
It is all too convenient for Housing Minister Chris Bishop to waffle on about the government working through the finer details of the directive about the use of wool and Associate Agriculture Minister responsible for wool Mark Patterson saying he expected to make an announcement on procurement rules soon.
If the government was serious about this, it would have had these rules in place before Kāinga Ora sought proposals. It is supposed to be the government that is getting things done, after all.
Perhaps it was hoping that nobody would notice, in the same way the government initially put off dealing with its cancer drugs’ promise.
Because of its size and impact, Kāinga Ora would be the obvious place for the government to set a good example on the use of wool — not just for carpets, but for other woollen items such as insulation and acoustic panelling.
However, we wonder how enthusiastic National is about this policy. During last year’s furore over the installation of plastic carpets in schools, then wannabe prime minister Christopher Luxon said wool was a fantastic product, but the matter was ultimately about getting value for the taxpayer’s money.
It has been left to a Green Party Member of Parliament Steve Abel to point out the obvious, that the full cost advantage needed to be considered, rather than just the monetary cost.
That would include understanding the environmental, health and long-term benefits to the domestic economy through the agricultural sector.
Ironically, the news about the government’s failure to follow through on the promise came around the time Mr Luxon was photographed giving a speech behind a lectern emblazoned with the words "Restoring farmer confidence".
Yeah, right, might have been sheep farmers’ response to that.
