​“Can you smell that? That’s the smell of money.” It’s strange because the strong scent that Otago Lakes Central Iwi Liaison Officer Peter Rameka is referring to smells a lot like sheep excrement.

Having spent the day in a couple of Central Otago woolsheds, the pungent aroma has crept its way back into the patrol vehicle with Peter and Queenstown Public Safety Team (PST) Sergeant Blair Duffy.

“Yeah, shearers at the top of their game can clear $900 easily for a day’s work,” says Blair.

Naturally then, it’s a line of work that attracts a large number of transient workers looking to make the most of a hardworking shearing season.

However, the lifestyle that goes along with this lucrative and backbreaking work tends to bring a lot of risk to this community too.

Blair knows this firsthand, and not just from his regular interactions with shearers who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law throughout his 20 years of policing.

Having been brought up in rural Eastern Southland, Blair learnt how to shear relatively early on in life, a skill he’s perfected over many years and seasons in woolsheds.

It’s this real-world experience that helps Blair and Peter with the work they’ve undertaken over quite some time within Central Otago’s shearing community.

“The shearing industry is something I’m passionate about, but it is fair to say that there’s an element of vulnerability to this community,” says Blair.

“Drug and alcohol abuse and family harm are the common negatives we see falling out from the tough lifestyle of contract shearers here.”

ILO Peter Rameka with Uruuruwhenua Whānau Navigator Grace Gibbons.

Blair and Peter have used their industry and support services connections to actively engage the shearing industry throughout Central Otago to spread prevention messaging and connect workers to any help they may need. 

This help can range from arranging health professionals and GPs to visit woolsheds, through to encouraging shearers to think ahead and make goals to sustain them over long periods of hard work in the sheds.

Peter’s work with Alexandra based Uruuruwhenua Health is also a vital partnership in providing holistic support to the shearing community from a Te Ao Māori perspective. 

Uruuruwhenua Health is a predominantly iwi-funded support services organisation, made up of a team of dedicated Whānau Ora Navigators, Rangatahi Support Workers, and other social services staff. The team has grown over the past couple of years from two staff to more than 10, and will soon be moving to larger premises in Alexandra. 

“The team at Uruuruwhenua do so much good work with the shearing community, and a large proportion of that community are Māori whānau,” says Peter.

“Connecting with them to spread prevention messaging and work directly with shearers from a Te Ao Māori perspective is proving to be a really effective partnership. Combine that with Blair’s strong bond with Peter and Elsie Lyons, and we’ve been able to build a strong relationship with the community.” 

Peter and Elsie Lyons are the owners of the largest shearing contracting company in Central Otago, which has been running for almost 35 years. They are regarded as figureheads, if not legends, of New Zealand’s massive wool industry.

They can employ between 400 and 500 people over the course of a year, with up to 250 on the books at any given time.

Blair’s experience in working alongside Peter and Elsie’s business has meant that he has been a welcome presence at their woolsheds, as well as at training days for new staff, which is where Blair and ILO Peter find themselves today.

“To have this chance to engage with new workers kanohi ki te kanohi, familiarise themselves with us and our kaupapa, and how we can support them to avoid problems, is really valuable,” says Peter.

Peter and Blair share their prevention messaging kanohi ki te kanohi.

Blair and Peter korero with the workers, and also hand out questionnaires to gauge their attitudes and objectives.

It’s messaging and a presence that is also highly valued by those running the training. On this occasion, that includes former world champion shearer Tom Wilson.

“It’s a tremendous thing – the help they offer to the trainees here, and the industry as a whole,” says Tom.

“We understand things are changing and the Police are more in prevention and helpful mode than many years before… with alcohol there was always the risk and the problems that it causes, so in the past there’s been a lot of problems, but now hopefully we’re trying to do something about it with the help of New Zealand Police.”

Peter and Blair’s prevention work and face-to-face approach is also helped by Blair’s skill with the shears.

Whenever they visit a woolshed Blair goes out of his way to shear a few sheep, a tactic that instantly breaks down barriers and goes a long way in building strong relationships.

“People are usually pretty surprised when they see a police officer start shearing,” says Blair, “but once the novelty wears off, they see that we’re coming from a place of understanding and they’re maybe more likely to listen to a fellow shearer giving them advice.”

This story was recorded before the introduction of the current Alert Level 4 restrictions.

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