Damien O’Connor Criticises Budget 2026 as ‘Miserable’ for Rural New Zealand
A miserable budget that didn’t deliver much for anyone.
OPINION: A mate of yours truly wonders if outgoing Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor will now call it a day on his 30-year long political career.
Not only did O'Connor's Labour Party take a drubbing on election night, but he also lost his West Coast seat to the infamously labelled 'F#$%ing useless' Maureen Pugh.
While O'Connor got back into parliament, courtesy of his high list placing, one would have to wonder if the 63-year-old fancies a likely (at least) six years in opposition before getting back into government again.
That would see him nearing 70 years of age and frankly well past his use-by date.
As a list MP, O'Connor can depart from Parliament without triggering an expensive by-election and the next 'union flunky or gay gagglist' (to paraphrase his own words) from the Labour list can take his place.
New Zealand dairy farmers are set to be the first in the world to receive access to a new digital physical milk pricing tool that enables them to fix the price for their physical milk.
State farmer Pāmu is opening its farm gates this summer in an effort to give the rural sector the opportunity to see how large-scale, multi-system farming is delivering productivity and profitability across New Zealand.
A five-year study has found that the cost of reducing emissions without technology may be significant and unsustainable for Northland dairy farmers.
DairyNZ says Waikato farmers need certainty on Plan Change 1, but they say that certainty must be matched with practical, workable rules and a clear transition that doesn't get ahead of the new resource management system currently under review.
While the Government has moved quickly to make commercial hauliers' lot easier during the current fuel crisis, they appear to be stuck in the creep box when it comes to the agricultural industry.
Waikato farmers have been told that the Government’s new planning system legislation and the region’s Plan Change 1 (PC1) “won’t mesh together very well”.

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