Tuesday, 18 June 2024 14:12

Special cases

Written by The Hound

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

OPINION: The old saying ‘Everyone wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die’ seems to apply to the wailing coming from public service entities facing cuts under the new Government’s belt tightening.

Having enjoyed massive growth within their little empires over the previous six years, ministerial bosses are working hard to avoid any cutbacks, arguing that, while savings are important, they’re so special that they should be exempt.

The Hound notes, for example, the PSA claims a 30% cull at the Ministry for Environment will ‘jeopardise work on combating climate change’.

Unless the MfE staffers being cut were on the cusp of convincing China and India to stop burning coal, it seems unlikely their absence will affect global change one iota.

More like this

Ministry for the Environment to sponsor Ballance Farm Environment Award

The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).

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

Global Trade Uncertainty 'Likely To Remain'

Global trade has been thrown into another bout of uncertainty following the overnight ruling by US Supreme Court, striking down President Donald Trump's decision to impose additional tariffs on trading partners.

Queensland Fruit Fly Movement Controls Lifted in Mt Roskill

Controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill have been lifted.

Another Windfall for Fonterra Farmers, Unit Holders

Fonterra farmer shareholders and unit holders are in line for another payment in April.

Dairy Farmers Urged to Review High-GWP Refrigerants as Phase-Down Accelerates

Farmers are being encouraged to take a closer look at the refrigerants running inside their on-farm systems, as international and domestic pressure continues to build on high global warming potential (GWP) 400-series refrigerants.

Fonterra Milk Price Raised to $9.50/kgMS

As expected, Fonterra has lifted its 2025-26 forecast farmgate milk price mid-point to $9.50/kgMS.

Bovonic Study Shows $29,547 Seasonal Benefit for NZ Dairy Farmers

Bovonic says a return on investment study has found its automated mastitis detection technology, QuadSense, is delivering financial, labour, and animal-health benefits on New Zealand dairy farms worth an estimated $29,547 per season.