Picking winners?
OPINION: Every time politicians come up with an investment scheme where they're going to have a crack at 'picking winners' with our money, the Hound cringes.
OPINION: Your canine crusader reckons the recent immigration reset by the Government, restricting the inflow of 'low-skilled' migrant workers into the country, is not only myopic and ideological but also poorly thought-out policy.
The union powerbrokers - who run and control the Labour Party - mistakenly believe that turning off the tap to 'low-skilled' migrants will see all the vacant jobs in the horticulture, farming and other sectors suddenly filled by hordes of 'hard working' unemployed Kiwis.
That is fanciful.
One only has to look at the evidence from last year, when Covid closed our borders, and the number of unharvested apples, kiwifruit and grapes that were left to rot, and the rural contractors who could not get tractor drivers.
Those with the mistaken belief that all migrant workers coming to NZ to work on farms are 'low-skilled' should take a good look at this year's NZ Dairy Industry Awards winners!
New tractor deliveries for 2025 jumped 10% compared to the previous year, a reflection of the positive primary sector outlook, according to the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA).
Entries have opened for two awards in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) programme, aimed at helping young farmers progress to farm ownership.
Federated Farmers has confirmed interim chief executive Mike Siermans to the role.
Registrations are now open for the 2026 Ruralco Golf Classic, with all proceeds from the event set to support the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust.
Mating wrapped up last month at the across-breed Beef Progeny Test on Pāmu’s Kepler Farm in Manapouri.
Libby Judson is a keeper of memories from an age gone by. Tim Fulton tells her story.

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