Wednesday, 07 April 2021 12:30

Foot in mouth - again!

Written by The Hound

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

OPINION: This old mutt reckons Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor too often suffers from 'foot in mouth' disease.

Speaking at last month's Central District field days, O'Connor told an audience of agricultural leaders and politicians that the last year has taught the tourism industry "not to be so cocky" after losing its spot as the top export earner to the dairy industry.

Not a very smart thing to say when tourism operators are going broke all over the country due to his government's policies on border control - especially when tourism businesses in his own patch on the West Coast are suffering terribly.

This follows O'Connor's dumb comment, earlier in the year, when he told the Australians to show China 'more respect'.

The Hound suggests O'Connor should practice engaging his brain a whole lot more before opening his big, fat mouth!

More like this

Damien O’Connor: NZ united on global trade

When it comes to international trade, politicians from all sides of the aisle are united, says Labour's trade spokesman Damien O'Connor.

Wrong focus

OPINION: Your old mate reckons townie Brooke van Velden, the Minister of Workplace (or is it Woke Place) Relations is now showing how underemployed she is as a minister by initiating an investigation into whether young children should be banned from collecting eggs on farms and feeding animals.

Burn the village

OPINION: There's an infamous term coined by a US general during the Vietnam war, specifically in reference to the battle of Ben Tre: "We had to burn the village to save it."

Purist problem

OPINION: The sudden departure of Jim Ward, manager of Molesworth Station for 24 years, highlighted some major dysfunction in the way conservation estate is managed in this country - the biggest problem, as the Hound sees it, being idealogues who harp on about "taonga" and use all means possible to block sensible commercial operations on conservation land.

Drill baby, drill!

OPINION: While the destruction of NZ's oil and gas industry by Jacinda Ardern's band of merry vandals was virtue signalling on a heroic scale - producing no environmental benefit whatsoever - the politician vowing to make that industry whole again, Shane Jones, is not above a bit of virtue signalling of his own.

Featured

PM hints Govt to deliver 46% reduction in farming consents

The Government is set to announce two new acts to replace the contentious Resource Management Act (RMA) with the Prime Minister hinting that consents required by farmers could reduce by 46%.

Leaving Paris Agreement would be a dumb move – PM

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change would be “a really dumb move”.

University of Waikato breaks ground on new medical school

The University of Waikato has broken ground on its new medical school building.

Te Radar celebrates kiwi farming heritage in latest release

Undoubtedly the doyen of rural culture, always with a wry smile, our favourite ginger ninja, Te Radar, in conjunction with his wife Ruth Spencer, has recently released an enchanting, yet educational read centred around rural New Zealand in one hundred objects.

Sheep Measles Spike: Farmers urged to strengthen control measures

Farmers are being urged to keep on top of measures to control Cysticerus ovis - or sheep measles - following a spike in infection rates.

Export delays, weather and global supply pressure hit NZ avocado growers

The avocado industry is facing an extremely challenging season with all parts of the supply chain, especially growers, being warned to prepare for any eventuality.

National

Government approves nationwide recycling scheme for primary sector plastics

Rural recycling scheme Agrecovery is welcoming the Government's approval of regulations for a nationwide rural recycling scheme for agrichemicals and…