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.
Your old mate notes that after almost two years of cosy meetings and more than $2 million wasted, Ag minister Damien O’Connor’s brainfart, the Primary Sector Council, released its ‘strategy’ on the eve of Christmas, last year.
Despite O’Connor having the ‘Cuddler in Chief’ (PM Ardern) in tow at the launch, the PSC strategy was insipid – coming up with the big idea that NZ will become a world leader in regenerative agriculture and the oh-so woke Māori concept of Taiao!
No wonder this forgettable piece of work was released so that it would disappear in the pre-Xmas madness.
However, while the PSC is under the auspice of MPI, that organisation’s legions of communications advisors and PR were all too busy. Instead, the PSC – no stranger to freely spending taxpayer funds – hired an expensive, Auckland-based PR agency to spin its strategy.
No amount of money or PR spin will ever make a silk purse out of this pig’s ear of a policy!
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%.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change would be “a really dumb move”.
The University of Waikato has broken ground on its new medical school building.
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.
Farmers are being urged to keep on top of measures to control Cysticerus ovis - or sheep measles - following a spike in infection rates.
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.

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