ACT, farmers push for changes to Paris Agreement
The ACT Party's call for a better deal on the Paris Agreement on climate change is being backed by farmer organisations.
OPINION: The Hound suggests that the new National-led government has plenty of scope to deliver on its – and coalition partner ACT’s – election promise of trimming the fat in the public service.
The jump in the number of bureaucrats under the Labour government from 2017 is clearly evident in figures recently released by the Public Service Commission.
This shows the number of Wellington public servants – excluding health and education workers – has increased by 7255 since 2017.
That’s an increase of 35.64%.
Meanwhile, the average public service pay was $97,200 which suggests that increase in the government’s annual wage bill in Wellington since 2017 has grown by $705 million.
There’s also been an increase in the number of public servants in Auckland – growing by 2800 to 12,810 since 2017.
Anyone suggesting there is no room for cuts here is delusional!
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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