2022

After receiving the Nuffield Scholarship in 2020, Shannon experienced COVID-related delays to the project to restrictions on overseas travel. As restrictions eased within New Zealand, she was able to produce an impressive report on plant variety rights (PVR) with domestic research that was published in 2022.

PVRs grant the rights to propagate and sell the products of a specific variety of a plant for a set period of time, and to licence others to grow and sell the product. Understanding these rights is important in the horticulture industry, and Shannon’s report on the value that PVRs contribute to our primary sector is a valuable resource. You can read more about her research here.

2021

2020

Experienced in dairy, sheep, beef, & horticulture, as well as having involvement  in several horticultural start-up businesses, Shannon believes NZ has an exciting opportunity to grow high value, consumer driven produce. Her plan is to research the value that Plant Variety Rights could contribute to our primary sector. 

2019

Rural Accountants turns 100!

What would Archie Runciman make of so many women in accounting  nowadays? 

More than half of all New Zealand accounting graduates are women and the tipping point, where women will outnumber men in the profession, is not far away.    

2018

Christine, Frans and Shannon formed a three-way partnership called Rural Accountants Limited Partnership.​

Rural Accountants purchased two Whakatane accounting firms; Brian Ritchie Accounting Services in April and John Banbury's Prideaux & Co in June.

2017

Frans Els joined the practice, based in the Waipukurau office.

2017

Shannon Harnett (Christine’s daughter) returned to the practice and opened a second branch in Whakatane.

2016

The name of the practice changed from Donald & Associates to Rural Accountants Limited.

2014

Christine married Ian Craig, a kiwifruit orchardist and co-founder of OPAC in Opotiki.

2010s

The 2010s began with the Pike River Mine incident and the PSA-V outbreak that devastated the kiwifruit industry in 2010, followed by  a 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch in 2011. ​

In 2017, the first outbreak of M. Bovis saw 182 farms affected.​ This was also the year Jacinda Ardern lead Labour to victory with a coalition government. She was New Zealand's 3rd female Prime Minister. ​

​2019 brought good news as export earnings reached highest ever recorded to a total of $5.7 billion.

2009

The practice opened an additional branch at Waipukurau, operating solely from Waipukurau from 2014.

2007

Murray Donald, Christine’s husband, was tragically killed in a tractor accident on the farm at Motea.

2006

Grant Ingram retired. Christine ran the practice alone, changing the name to Donald & Associates.

2005

Christine & Murray purchased another 1250 acre farm at Kumeroa, east of Woodville.

2000

Christine & Murray won the Scanpower Business Excellence Awards, winning both the farming and the overall business sections.

2000s

The 2000s began with big changes to farming as the dairy industry was deregulated and two dairy companies merged to form Fonterra.  The first cow was milked with an Automatic Milking System in 2001. ​

In 2003 the  Dairying and Clean Stream Accord highlighted freshwater pollution  due to dairy farming. A tax on agricultural gas emissions was proposed. ​

In 2008 the Global Financial Crisis began to effect world markets and John Key led the National Party to victory in the General Election.​ By 2009 New Zealand was experiencing the longest recession in the country's history.

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1996

Christine & Murray sold their farm at Wimbledon and purchased 1,000 acres at Motea, much closer to Dannevirke.  Christine & Murray became Tararua’s first Monitor Farm, a programme run by Meat & Wool NZ to help pass knowledge from the experts to the farmers.

1996

John Clarke retired, leaving Christine and Grant running the practice – now known as Clarke Ingram & Donald.

1994

Christine Donald (Christine Craig since remarriage in 2014) joined the practice. 

1990s

National began the decade with their success in the 1990 New Zealand general election. ​​The following year, the Resource Management Act 1991 was enacted. 

National won the 1993 General Election. It was New Zealand's last election under first past the post. ​They retained leadership in 1996 under the mixed-member-proportional (MMP) system. Jim Bolger was usurped by Jenny Shipley in 1997.​

The decade closed with New Zealand’s 2nd woman Prime Minister, Helen Clark, leading Labour to victory in the 1999 General Election

1984

Christine and Murray Donald purchased their first “economic” farm at Wimbledon, Central Hawkes Bay.

1980

Grant Ingram joined the practice and became a partner in 1992 – the practice was known as Ruby Clarke & Ingram.

1980s

1980 began with a wage, price and rent freeze that lasted until 1984.​

Prime Minister Robert Muldoon called a snap election in 1984, which led David Lange and Labour to victory. 

In 1986 Goods and Services Tax  was introduced​

Black Tuesday, the greatest Stock Market Crash in recent memory, took place in 1987. 

Lange resigned in 1989 and Geoffrey Palmer became Prime Minister.

1970s

​​The 1972 General election saw a Second Labour Government elected, ending the National Party’s 4 consecutive terms in power. National regained power in the ​1975 general election.

In 1976 the metric system was introduced.​

In 1977 The Livestock Incentive Scheme encouraged the farming of more livestock, aimed to keep farmers in the industry.  This was followed by the Supplementary Minimum Price Scheme in 1978 to provide minimum income guarantees to farmers. Land development and use of fertiliser were encouraged. The decade ended with a strong push to keep Kiwis on farms.

1969

John Clarke joined the practice and worked with Harold Ruby till he retired in 1975 – the practice was known as Ruby & Clarke.

1963

Frank Skipper and Norman Webley retired, leaving Harold Ruby practising on his own.

1960s

The National-led Holyoake government was in power from 1960 to 1972.

New Zealand's armed combat forces join the Vietnam War between 1964 to 1968, sparking protests at home. Force numbers kept to a minimum, troop withdrawals began in late 1972.  ​​

Decimal currency was introduced in 1967.​

​Taranaki farmer Merv Hicks developed the first turnstile milking system in 1969– forerunner to the rotary.​

1950

Frank Skipper joined the practice.

1950s

The 1950s started with the deployment of forces to the Korean War. In 1951,the wool boom hit and tanker delivery of whole milk from farms to factory began. ​Dairy farming intensified in 1952 when Waikato farmer Ron Sharp developed the herringbone dairy. 

National presided over a steady rise in the average standard of living; by 1957 New Zealand was called "a materialist's paradise.”

The 1957 General Election went to Walter Nash as he lead the Second Labour Government to victory.​

​In 1958, PAYE tax was introduced.

1940s

The number of women in NZ employed during 1939 to 1945 increased by 50% due to the men being away at war. 

In 1947, New Zealand gained full independence from Britain. Aerial topdressing was introduced the same yea. Many aspects of farming were revolutionised in 1948 with the arrival of the first Ferguson tractor.​

The 1949 General Election voting saw the start of New Zealand's First National Government, led by Sidney Holland.​

1939

Mr H Rowe Dingle joined the practice – he retired in 1950.

1935

Harold Ruby joins the practice.

1930s

The 1930s were a decade of change in government and social support programmes. ​The First Labour Government of New Zealand was elected under Michael Joseph Savage. It was in power from 1935 to 1949. National Party formed from former Coalition MPs.​

The First commercial orchards of Chinese gooseberries (later known as kiwifruit) were established in 1936.​

​World War II started in 1939 with war declared on Germany by Britain and France with Allied Forces, including New Zealand and Australia, joining days later.

1924

Archie Runciman was joined by Norman Webley – Archie Runciman retired in 1930.

1919

The practice was established in Dannevirke by Archie Runciman, a past mayor of Dannevirke.

1920s

Sometimes referred to as New Zealand’s “coming of age” decade, the 1920s were politically and economically unsettled. In 1921, recession hit. The Reform Party retained power in the 1922 election through coalition. 

1928 saw the newly re-named Liberal Party succeed in the general election. Reform took Labour’s long-standing stance as opposition.​

​Income tax was levied on farmers, prior to this farmers were exempt because of heavy land tax.​

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