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OPINION: This old mutt suggests farmers and tradies will be delighted to learn that the exorbitant ute tax they are now paying is helping wealthy Aucklanders buy subsidised Teslas.
According to the latest figures, the Government's controversial 'clean car discount' scheme has seen buyers of 9,730 Teslas getting a combined total of $83m in rebates from the scheme - averaging about $8,500 a car.
Meanwhile, a regional breakdown of these sales shows that many of the suburbs where these cars are registered are well-known for their wealth.
The clean car discount scheme works by giving refunds of up to $8625 off the price of the cleanest new EVs when they are first registered and is paid for by slapping a $5,175 fee on utes.
It appears the country's ute buyers are subsidising the owner of Tesla - the world's richest person - Elon Musk to the tune of $30 million a year.
OPINION: This old mutt well remembers the wailing, whining and gnashing of teeth by former West Coast MP and Labour Agriculture Minister Damian O’Connor when Chineseowned Yili took over the troubled dairy company Westland Milk a few years back.
OPINION: Your canine crusader gets a little fed up with the some in media, union hacks, opposition politicians and hard-core lefty whiners who claim the answer to all the country’s current financial woes is to tax the rich even more.
OPINION: Readers of this column will know that your old mate has been a long-time critic of $55 million of taxpayers’ money handed out to ‘favoured’ media outlets via the Public Interest Journalism Fund (PIJF) through NZ on Air by the previous government.
OPINION: The Hound reckons school teachers like nothing better than to complain constantly about how tough things are for them and that their generous holidays are all spent ‘marking school work and preparing for next term ahead’.
OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.
More bull breeders are using genetic tools according to the latest research.
Females are dominating the veterinary profession worldwide and many farmers are welcoming this change in the composition of the profession, says Britain's Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) Professor Christine Middlemiss.
A five-year randomised survey of herbicide resistance on New Zealand arable farms has found widespread high levels of resistance - with 71% of farms affected in the worst-hit region - South Canterbury.
OPINION: The recent Federated Farmers / Rabobank 2024 Farming Salaries Report revealed strong growth in farm salaries over the past two years.
The low unemployment environment is one of the key factors driving on-farm salaries higher over the past 24 months, says Rabobank general manager for country banking Bruce Weir.
Fonterra has appointed a new chief financial officer, seven months after its last CFO’s shock resignation.
