OPINION: While we're on the topic of lumberjacks, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has no doubt used a chainsaw hundreds of times, but your old mate reckons he would’ve still been sweating on getting it right when cutting down a pine in front of the cameras, as he did above Queenstown during a recent pre-Budget announcement around extra funding for wilding pine control efforts.

OPINION: To a chorus of crying greenies, and not a minute too soon, the Government has moved to put the courts back in their place through proposed amendments to the Climate Change Response Act 2002, intending to limit climate litigation claims such as Smith v Fonterra, in the interests of providing greater certainty for vital industry.

OPINION: On the same day that pigs were reportedly seen airborne over the capital, a political journalist gave the PSA union a chip for being biased towards Labour – not the revelation of the year if you ask the Canine Crusader, but very rare to hear coming from a member of the press gallery.

OPINION: The coalition Government’s plan to make about 9000 public servants redundant looms as a major election issue

OPINION: New Zealand's dairy sector has been a mainstay of this country's prosperity for generations.

OPINION: This is my last article as Chief Executive, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to talk about three recurring issues which I have seen over the years, and which are almost certain to be issues in the future.

OPINION: Growing great grapes takes hard work and heavy investment, with a post-harvest marathon of pruning and maintenance, frost defence and yield management, and the relentless spraying, mowing and trimming of the growing season, before vintage lands again.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently addressed the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. He spoke about what this week’s Budget will look like. Here’s some of the key points.