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.
OPINION: Ten out of ten points for Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor for his confidence of winning the upcoming general election.
On a recent visit to India, O’Connor talked about “a regular pattern of Ministerial and Prime Ministerial engagement” between the two countries.
“While I hate to say it, I think we can learn a thing or two from our cousins across ‘The Ditch’. Sustained engagement between Prime Ministers and Ministers from both governments has been a critical part of the step change that Australia achieved in its relationship with India.
“Prime Minister Hipkins has already announced his intention to visit India after our elections.”
We believe this comment would have raised a few eyebrows in Delhi.
New Zealand's diverse cheesemaking talent shone brightly last night as the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association (NZSCA) crowned the champions of the 2026 New Zealand Cheese Awards.
Tracing has indicated that the source of the first velvetleaf find of the 2025-26 crop season, in Auckland, was likely maize purchased in the Waikato region.
Fish & Game New Zealand has announced its election priorities in its Manifesto 2026.
With the forage maize harvest started in Northland and the Waikato, the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) is telling growers of later crops, or those further south, to start checking their maize crop maturity about three weeks prior to when they think they will start silage harvesting.
Irrigation NZ is warning that the government's Resource Management Act (RMA) reform risks falling short of its objectives unless water use for food production and water storage infrastructure are clearly recognised in the goals at the top of the new system.
More than five million trays, or 18,000 tonnes, of Zespri’s RubyRed Kiwifruit will soon be available for consumers across 16 markets this season.