Wednesday, 10 February 2021 10:30

No change

Written by The Hound

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

OPINION: Your canine crusader suggests hopes for a change in some of the anti-farming government policies will not be helped by the clear dearth of farming experience and lack of rural knowledge in the ranks of the current Labour administration.

This has been made abundantly clear by its choice of chair and deputy of the primary production select committee.

The Hound reckons that while Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor remains the only member of the current Government with any actual farming background and understanding and have his work cut now with the addition of the huge trade portfolio to manage.

Meanwhile, O’Connor will get bugger all real world advice from the new chair of the primary production select committee Jo Luxton, a former playcentre teacher, or her deputy, former union delegate, and newbie MP Steph Lewis. God help us!

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

Australian teams to help repair North Canterbury irrigators after storm

Moves are afoot to get a team of Australians over here to help repair North Canterbury's irrigation machinery, ravaged by the big windstorm of late October.

Early drought conditions emerging in Hawke’s Bay as rainfall drops

As you approach Hastings from the south along SH2, the colour of the west-facing hills are a good indicator of a drought.

Global beef trade set for growth driven by Asia – Rabobank report

Global beef trade is expected to grow steadily over the next five years, driven by increasing demand from Asia and strategic export expansions by South American countries.

Bremworth reintroduces solution-dyed nylon while backing wool carpets

Carpet maker Bremworth is reinstating solution-dyed nylon (SDN) into its product mix but says wool carpets remain central to its brand.

New series draws rural inspiration

While New Zealand may be under siege from braindead, flesh-eating monstrosities, that doesn’t mean lambing can stop.

India-New Zealand free trade agreement (FTA) dairy outcomes

OPINION: As negotiations advance on the India-New Zealand FTA, it’s important to remember the joint commitment made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at the beginning of this process in March: for a balanced, ambitious, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial agreement.

National

Levies return 26c/kgMS per year in value, DairyNZ reports

Milksolids levies paid by dairy farmers over the past six years have generated nearly $3 billion in value, according to…

Landowners urged to trim trees to prevent major power outages

Power bills could be lower, and power restored faster following a storm if landowners took greater responsibility for trimming trees…

Hawke’s Bay farmers donate livestock to support rescue helicopter

A Hawke's Bay farming family of self-confessed 'frequent flyers' has donated the proceeds from their spring lambs.

Biosecurity NZ ramps up hunt for yellow-legged hornet on Auckland’s North Shore

Biosecurity New Zealand is intensifying its campaign to locate and eliminate the invasive yellow-legged hornet, following confirmed detections on Auckland's…