Murphy Farms Limited currently owns the 15-hectare site of farmland chosen for Project Kea.

Farmer and landowner Bruce Murphy said Murphy Farms agreed to sell the land to SIRRL because they do not believe landfills are a sustainable long-term option for waste disposal. The proposed facility would provide a reliable power source to heat the glasshouses they are considering building on their land. 

“Glasshouses need large amounts of energy and CO2 which can be provided from the new plant.

This will allow us to diversify our production and potentially create up to another 200 jobs in food production,” Murphy told Timaru Herald Stuff reporter Yashas Srinivasa.

With SIRRL stating that they will provide up to 100 jobs and Murphy claiming another 200 jobs, WWW questions: Where are these 300 employees going to come from? Employers within the district are struggling to fill positions currently available. 

There is also a significant concern about the shortage of housing in Waimate. Nearby Oceania and Studholme Dairy Factories are currently busing a large percentage of their work force from outside of the district. If employees will need to be bused to and from the site from outside the district, then how does that benefit Waimate?