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OPINION: The Hound wonders why so much fuss was made about the PM’s recent overseas trip to Singapore and Japan.
It appears, to this old mutt, that the press pack who attended this trip, along with the PM and Trade Minister Damien O’Connor (whose sole purpose seems to have been to carry Ms Ardern’s handbag), seemed to have over-imbibed on the Government Kool-Aid after three years of closed borders and over-egged just how much of big a deal this overseas junket actually was.
The facts were that, of the 50 people on the week-long jaunt, only 12 were real business people – with three of these failing to make it to Japan due to that country’s strict Covid test regime.
The other 38 were just a bunch of politicians, bureaucrats, media and government spin doctors – making it more a glorified junket for officials and hangers-on than some earth-shattering trade delegation!
OPINION: The same mainstream media muppets that brought you Jacindamania in 2017 have been flat out pimping for the Opportunities Party, labelled by some as the 'LinkedIn Greens' for their corporate spin on Green-esque 'tax the rich' policies.
OPINION: Your old mate reckons the atrocious way farmers in the UK are treated by their lords and masters in Westminster is a salient warning for us.
OPINION: Proponents of regenerative agriculture tend to be naturally aligned with a 'green mindset', so they will be nonplussed with their new mates in the US of A.
OPINION: Mike Chapman, former chief executive of levy-funded HortNZ, has thrown out a challenge to farmers and growers to put their levy-funded industry organisations under the same scrutiny as fertiliser, electricity, labour and freight.
A fair question has been raised about how member-funded organisations should conduct themselves when taking a public position on any given issue.
A Palmerston North shearer has been sentenced to six months' community detention and 12 months' supervision after being found to have physically abused three lambs while shearing them.
Power Farming has launched a joint venture in Southland.
Food rescue charity Meet the Need has released its 2025/26 Impact Report, revealing a record year of growth alongside a stark warning: demand for food support across New Zealand is rising faster than supply can keep up.
As we move into the second half of 2026, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that Year-to-Date figures ending June 30 saw new tractor deliveries hitting 1,386 units or 10.7% ahead of the same period in 2025.
The avocado sector is entering the new season with a larger crop and positive market opportunities.
New Zealand growers have always adapted to changing conditions, but one challenge is steadily gaining ground across the horticulture sector: resistance.
