fbpx
Print this page
Wednesday, 08 September 2021 12:55

Nats new first woman of Ag

Written by  Peter Burke
National's new agriculture spokeswoman Barbara Kuriger with former Prime Minister John Key. National's new agriculture spokeswoman Barbara Kuriger with former Prime Minister John Key.

The National Party's new agriculture spokesperson says she'll be working from the grassroots up, rather than the top down, as she tackles her new role.

The Taranaki-King Country MP Barbara Kuriger has been handed the agriculture role in Judith Collins' latest reshuffle of portfolios. She takes over from Waikato-based list MP David Bennett who has been handed the transport, horticulture and biosecurity portfolios.

She describes being appointed National's agriculture spokeswoman is a "dream come true".

Kuriger is the first woman to hold the agriculture role in either National or Labour. She has had a lengthy career in dairy farming and agribusiness - including being a former board member of DairyNZ, Primary ITO and the Dairy Women's Network. In 2012, she was named the Dairy Woman of the Year.

Kuriger says since her appointment to the agriculture role, she's been speaking with rural leaders and advocacy groups. She says she and her team are "fizzing and ready to go".

Kuriger says part of her new role is to hold the Government to account and that she's yet to see a workable and warranted proposal from them.

"Creating change with no concept of food production is not helpful or useful," she told Rural News. "Labour has drafted a raft of regulations, altered others, and enacted unintended uses of various bits of legislation, leading to the enormous pressure now on the agricultural sector. And farmers have had a gutsful. It's too much, too fast."

Kuriger says the broad brush approach to farming will do nothing to either fix or support what the Government claims the outcomes will be.

 "I intend to be out and about... I just really live for agriculture and rural communities.

"It's my reason for being in Parliament, and I'll be giving the Government a bit of a shake up."

Other changes of note in the latest Collins reshuffle sees Stuart Smith pick up Viticulture, Tim van Molen - Animal Welfare, and Nicola Grigg - Trade and Export Growth.

More like this

Editorial: Great expectations

OPINION: As the new National-led coalition begins its term in office, there are high expectations that the promises and rhetoric of the election campaign will quickly be transformed into actions.

Days of over-regulation over!

The days of farmers facing an avalanche of regulations around how they farm will be a thing of the past, says National's new Northland MP Grant McCallum.

Over fat!

OPINION: The Hound suggests that the new National-led government has plenty of scope to deliver on its – and coalition partner ACT’s – election promise of trimming the fat in the public service.

Ag's wish list keeps growing

When the new National-led government is finally formed there will be a long list waiting for it to action from the primary industries sector.

Featured

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

Editorial: Passage to India

OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…

A different shade of blue for Norwood

Norwood and ARGO Tractors, the Italian manufacturer of Landini and McCormick tractors, have announced an agreement that gives Norwood exclusive…

Kubota tests diesel engines

Kubota last month used the UK LAMMA Show to test the water with its new 200hp, four-cylinder 09-series diesel engines.