Time for action
OPINION: If David Seymour's much-trumpeted Ministry for Regulation wants a serious job they need look no further than reviewing the rules and regulations governing members of the so-called House of Representatives.
OPINION: Kermit the Frog was the first sing “it’s not easy being green”. Now the Muppets in the Green Party are finding out how true that is.
Ridiculed as hypocrites for clocking up obscene air miles during what they describe as a “climate emergency”; treated like doormats by their coalition partners who have knocked back most of the key Green pet projects, Milking It reckons they must sympathise with the frog.
But were they on the right track with their now-dead electric car policy?
A new study by the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that even if the number of electric cars grows from the current 5 million (0.3% of the global fleet) to 130 million in 10 years, emissions would be reduced by a mere 0.4% of global emissions.
As academic and author Bjorn Lomborg wrote in a New Zealand newspaper last week, “EVs...will not be a major part of the solution to climate change. [They] are simply expensive gadgets heavily subsidised for the wealthy to feel good while doing very little for the planet.”
According to the latest Federated Farmers banking survey, farmers are more satisfied with their bank and less under pressure, however, the sector is well short of confidence levels seen last decade.
Farmer confidence has taken a slight dip according to the final Rabobank rural confidence survey for the year.
Former Agriculture Minister and Otaki farmer Nathan Guy has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy (SATE).
Alliance Group has commissioned a new heat pump system at its Mataura processing plant in Southland.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.
Meat processors are hopeful that the additional 15% tariff on lamb exports to the US will also come off.