NZ Local Government Reform: Regional councils axed, CTBs proposed
The biggest reform of local government in more than 35 years is underway.
OPINION: Forget about the fabled 'rural-urban' divide, the real fault-line in farming might actually be the divide between grass-roots farmers and the industry corporates who claim to be 'speaking on behalf of farmers'.
This gap came to the fore over the Feds' Save Our Sheep campaign to stop productive sheep & beef land being locked up in unproductive pines.
Some reckon a few of these corporate types framed the campaigners as a 'fringe group'.
Not so, says Richard Dawkins, Feds Meat & Wool Council: "Polished corporate narratives may sound convincing, but they often ignore on-farm realities. Quite simply, observing without objecting is a form of endorsement. We're observing the landscape of New Zealand and the face of our industry changing, but our Meat and Wool Council are also objecting. We do not endorse the status quo."
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.

OPINION: Your old mate welcomes the proposed changes to local government but notes it drew responses that ranged from the reasonable…
OPINION: A press release from the oxygen thieves running the hot air symposium on climate change, known as COP30, grabbed your…