Tuesday, 27 May 2025 11:25

Unserious greens

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: The Greens aren't serious people when it comes to the economy, so let's not spend too much on their fiscal fantasies.

It's worth noting though that NZ's merchandies trade surplus in April 2025 was $1.4 billion, compared with a deficit of $12 million in April 2024, according to Stats NZ.

New Zealand has had only four monthly surpluses over $1 billion.

This one, and the others, are thanks to farmers.

And yet, the 'Green Budget' includes a 2.5% annual tax on a couple's net assets over $4 million and a 33% tax on inheritances over a $1 million threshold.

This would see land held within the family for generations sold off just to pay the tax bill and, as Andrew Hoggard says, we'd see "a scarring effect on rural communities, a sledgehammer to rural investment, and food production shifted offshore".

More like this

Red faced

OPINION: The Greens have taken the high moral ground on the Palestine issue and been leading political agitators in related protests – and that is to be expected, but the diplomatic efforts and wisdom of Winston Peters in this area should not be overlooked or ignored.

It's all about economics

OPINION: According to media reports, the eye-watering price of butter has prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to ask for a 'please explain' from her former employer Fonterra.

Red line on dairy

OPINION: As India negotiates to open its borders to more global products, dairy is proving a sticky issue.

Farmland security

OPINION: Paranoia about foreigners is at an all-time high in the US and attention is now turning to foreign-owned farmland.

Featured

AgriSIMA 2026 Paris machinery show cancelled

With the current situation in the European farm machinery market being described as difficult at best, it’s perhaps no surprise that the upcoming AgriSIMA 2026 agricultural machinery exhibition, scheduled for February 2026 at Paris-Nord Villepinte, has been cancelled.

National

Machinery & Products

New pick-up for Reiter R10 merger

Building on experience gained during 10 years of making mergers/ windrowers, Austrian company Reiter has announced the secondgeneration pick-up on…

Krone EasyCut B1250 fold

In 2024, German manufacturer Krone introduced the F400 Fold, a 4m wide disc front mower, featuring end modules that hinge…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Dairy dilemma

OPINION: Last week India's powerful Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal was in the country for another round of negotiations on a…

Strange bedfellows

OPINION: Two types of grifters have used the sale of Fonterra's consumer brands as a platform to push their own…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter