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The blame game over the collapse of agri training provider Taratahi rages on.
Opposition National says the Government has turned its back on Taratahi.
But Agriculture Minster Damien O’Connor isn’t buying it. Responding to a Rural News article on Twitter, he described National’s claim as “BS”.
“In trouble since 2014. Nats buried heads in sand. We will fix it! O’Connor tweeted.
The future of Taratahi remains in limbo after it went into interim liquidation just before Christmas at the request of its board of trustees.
Former Federated Farmers president Katie Milne is National’s candidate for the West Coast- Tasman seat in this year’s general election.
Katie Milne, former Federated Farmers president, has been announced as the National Party’s candidate for the West Coast-Tasman electorate.
OPINION: Milking It reckons if you're National, looking at recent polls, the dream scenario is that the elusive economic recovery finally roars to life.
If voters see some growth and wages rising faster than prices, the government could say they've "fixed" things as they ride into the next election.
Back here on Earth though, the economy they inherited is a basket case, and the long-term headwinds are fierce.
Political commentator Liam Hehir says, "dreams are not plans" and if the turnaround doesn't come in time, National may have no choice but to go negative.
"Everybody wants to fight on the economy if they can. But when neither side has a compelling story, the contest shifts to other issues. That's not new. In fact, it's the stuff of politics everywhere, always."
OPINION: Your old mate's ear has been chewed off recently by farmers voicing their displeasure with the National Party, particularly relating to how they're treating their farmer base.
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”.
More than 300 growers, exporters, researchers, service providers and industry leaders will descend on Queenstown later this month for EXPO 2026, the annual conference for New Zealand’s apple and pear sector.
