Tuesday, 26 November 2019 11:13

More carrot, less stick

Written by Milking It

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

Rural News last week summed up the disconnect going on in rural communities: “It seems incredible that in times when commodity prices are strong, interest rates low and climate favourable there should be so much angst and concern in rural NZ”

The angst has been expressed by farmers in protests around the country and in angry confrontations with ministers Damien O’Connor, David Parker and Shane Jones. The latter responded with smart-arse and dismissive comments like “get over it”.

As Rural News said, the angst is the current reality and “can be squarely sheeted home to policy changes being proposed by the Government”. Consultation with farmers on these changes has been at best token.

Some changes are certainly needed, but the politicians must use more carrot and less stick if they’re to take farmers with them.

More like this

Damien O’Connor: NZ united on global trade

When it comes to international trade, politicians from all sides of the aisle are united, says Labour's trade spokesman Damien O'Connor.

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.

Banks on notice

OPINION: Shane 'Matua' Jones, crusader against all things woke, including "woke banks", couldn't have scripted it better when his NZ First colleague Andy Foster had his Members' Bill drawn from the ballot recently.

Dead in the water

OPINION: In a victory for common sense over virtue signalling, David Parker's National Policy Statement (NPS) work on freshwater is now dead in the water.

All hot air?

OPINION: While The Hound reckons it's great to see Shane 'I'm-a-red-blooded-male' Jones boiling over about the energy crisis - so much so that he's dropping f-bombs in the daily rags - your old mate hopes we'll see more than his usual bluster and get real action on this critical issue.

Featured

Restrictions on fruits, vegetables movement in Mt Roskill

Legal controls on the movement of fruits and vegetables are now in place in Auckland’s Mt Roskill suburb, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.

Free herbicide resistance testing

Arable growers worried that some weeds in their crops may have developed herbicide resistance can now get the suspected plants tested for free.

Fruit fly discovery puts growers, exporters on edge

Fruit growers and exporters are worried following the discovery of a male Queensland fruit fly in Auckland this week.

Global dairy prices snap a five-month negative run

Dairy prices have jumped in the overnight Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction, breaking a five-month negative streak.

Alliance Group chief executive steps down

Alliance Group chief executive Willie Wiese is leaving the company after three years in the role.

New field book helps identify common pests, diseases

A booklet produced in 2025 by the Rotoiti 15 trust, Department of Conservation and Scion – now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – aims to help people identify insect pests and diseases.