Wednesday, 12 June 2024 16:55

Rural travel

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: It seems ‘rural travel’ is getting very expensive these days.

Milking It notes that Rawiri Waititi, chief co-agitator for Te Pati Maori, has done us all a favour by highlighting this overlooked fact: His Q1 travel expenses of $31,653 were the highest for MPs (excluding Ministers).

A spokesperson says Waititi lives in a rural area some 250km from the closest airport in Rotorua.

All the same, that doesn’t explain his air travel costs last year.

In 2023, he incurred $59,847 on air travel and $43,262 on surface travel costs - a total of $103,109.

David Seymour incurred $31,706 on air travel and $15,184 on surface travel - a grand total of $46,890 or 45% of Waititi’s costs.

More like this

It's all about economics

OPINION: According to media reports, the eye-watering price of butter has prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to ask for a 'please explain' from her former employer Fonterra.

Red line on dairy

OPINION: As India negotiates to open its borders to more global products, dairy is proving a sticky issue.

Farmland security

OPINION: Paranoia about foreigners is at an all-time high in the US and attention is now turning to foreign-owned farmland.

Cuddling cows

OPINION: Years of floods and low food prices have driven a dairy farm in England's northeast to stop milking its cows and instead charge visitors to cuddle them.

Featured

2026 fresh produce trends shaping Kiwi food culture

According to the latest Fresh Produce Trend Report from United Fresh, 2026 will be a year where fruit and vegetables are shaped by cost pressures, rapid digital adoption, and a renewed focus on wellbeing at home.

Editorial: Having a rural voice

OPINION: The past few weeks have been tough on farms across the North Island: floods and storms have caused damage and disruption to families and businesses.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Battle for milk

OPINION: Fonterra may be on the verge of selling its consumer business in New Zealand, but the co-operative is not…

Birth woes

OPINION: What does the birth rate in China have to do with stock trading? Just ask a2 Milk Company.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter