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OPINION: Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor doesn't get too many plaudits these days, but at this month's Ahuwhenua Awards he got one that took him by surprise and, he said, it was one of the nicest things anyone has said to him in a long time.
In a speech to the 800 or so people at the dairy awards, Paki Nikora, who is the chairman of Tataiwhetu Trust, declared O'Connor as an honorary Maori for his work in support of Maori.
There is no indication that other iwi support this, but certainly Maori Development Minister Willie Jackson supported the move saying that Damien was an Irishman and that Irishmen are just like Maoris.
O'Connor responded that while he was not part of the people from the mist (a reference to Tuhoe), he was from the people of the rain - the West Coast.
OPINION: When Trade and Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor arrives back in the country in a few days' time, don't expect him to be waving around a piece of paper saying NZ has nailed free trade agreements (FTAs) with the UK and EU.
OPINION: University researchers in the UK believe that a cow will produce more milk if you give it a name.
OPINION: Auckland yoghurt maker The Collective claims it is the first New Zealand dairy yoghurt brand to offer a plant-based range.
OPINION: The debate over whether it's okay to drive a petrol guzzling ute polluting our environment with carbon dioxide is getting personal.
OPINION: It seems the Australian Government has realised how serious the labour shortage issue for its agriculture sector.
OPINION: University researchers in the UK believe that a cow will produce more milk if you give it a name.
OPINION: Auckland yoghurt maker The Collective claims it is the first New Zealand dairy yoghurt brand to offer a plant-based…
