Tuesday, 10 November 2020 10:02

Minister of ‘plate to paddock’

Written by  Peter Burke
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor is happy to have picked up additional portfolios of trade and export growth. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor is happy to have picked up additional portfolios of trade and export growth.

Damien O’Connor has been put in a unique position in the Labour Government’s new cabinet line-up announced last week.

As well as retaining his role as Minister of Agriculture, he’s been handed the Trade and Export Growth portfolio previously held by David Parker. In that sense, O’Connor has control over the primary sector from paddock to plate. Dairy News is unaware that this has ever happened before in the modern political era.

O’Connor told Dairy News that he is very excited, happy and humbled to be given the opportunity to contribute positively in these two crucial areas of the New Zealand economy and says the two portfolios are interrelated. 

“We are a nation of food and fibre producers and 95% of our efforts all have to go offshore so that we can survive. There are too few of us to consume the production that we generate and we have to knock on doors and ask governments to allow their people to buy our products,” he says.

O’Connor believes there is a growing recognition across the primary sectors that ultimately consumers drive the success of NZ primary producers. He says he takes up his new roles at a time when, worldwide, there are a lot of protectionist views being expressed.

“But because of Covid there is also a growing awareness of food security and the interdependence between the trade of food between countries and the production of food within them,” he says.

O’Connor says now that overseas travel is restricted by Covid, he and other trade ministers around the world are going to have to learn how to develop relationships using new technologies such as Zoom. He says it won’t be easy, but NZ has just got to continue to battle hard and get its message across that historically we are honest brokers, treat people as equals and are good trading partners.

While O’Connor is firmly in charge of the overall primary sector in the new cabinet, there are a number of other portfolios that relate to the primary sector. This includes David Parker who remains in the somewhat controversial role as Minister for the Environment. Willie Jackson takes over from Nania Mahuta as the Minister of Maori Development, meaning he will have a significant role in shaping Maori development in the primary sector through Te Puni Kokiri and Te Tumu Paeroa. Stuart Nash has Forestry, Ayesha Verrall is Minister of Food Safety and Kiri Allan is Minister of Conservation. 

O’Connor has two ministers outside cabinet who will assist him. Phil Twyford is Minister of State for Trade and Export and Meka Whaitiri makes a comeback with the role of Associate Minister for Agriculture with responsibility for animal welfare.   

More like this

Not popular

OPINION: This old mutt hears that his editor has copped a fair bit of flak from readers after an article on former Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor appeared in the last issue of this fine organ.

Reflecting a challenging period

Damien O'Connor admits his six years in office were incredibly challenging, with Covid, droughts, floods, storms, M. bovis and volcanic eruptions to name a few.

Back to the backbench

Former Labour agriculture and trade minister Damien O'Connor hopes the new coalition Governent will continue the direction of travel initiated by his government in terms of ensuring the high reputation of our primary exports.

Out to pasture?

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.

Featured

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

Editorial: Passage to India

OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.

National

Govt urged to reduce ETS units

The Climate Change Commission wants the new Government to reduce NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction volumes as son as…

Dairy sheep, goat woes mount

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand…

Machinery & Products

All-terrain fert spreading mode

Effluent specialists the Samson Group have developed a new double unloading system to help optimise uphill and downhill organic fertiliser…

Can-Am showcases range

Based on industry data collected by the Motor Industry Association, Can-Am is the number one side-by-side manufacturer in New Zealand.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Papal visit

OPINION: European farmers are going to extreme lengths to have their message heard.

Thai egg tarts

OPINION: The hustle and bustle of one of Bangkok's most popular fast food outlets may feel a world away from…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter