increase font size
NZ is ranked number one in the UN Global Census on Cooperatives.
NEW ZEALAND should play to its strengths as the world’s most co-operative economy and consider the co-operative approach to running services in the community and state sectors.
The United Nations’ first ever Global Census on Co-operatives places New Zealand at number one in its survey measuring the social and economic impact of co-operatives in 145 countries.
Government – central and local – could look to the success of Kiwi co-operatives to find the solution to growing and retaining our public assets here at home.
While this country’s co-op sector has been traditionally agricultural – other nations have state-owned operations such as power generation, infrastructure, education and many council services successfully run as co-ops.
We have much to learn, from overseas and our own history.
The spectre of asset sales to foreign opportunists remains a concern to many Kiwis who might consider local co-operatives where profits are retained in New Zealand to be a better alternative.
Let’s consider the pressing needs of a growing Auckland, the nation’s economic powerhouse, which many claim can’t even boast a reliable power supply let alone an integrated transport system.
We know we need to invest in our infrastructure to sustain our collective future.
But we don’t want to lose hold of the assets we’ve created and risk being priced out of our own communities. The cost need not mean privatisation – in part or total – of our assets if we instead consider the proven co-operative business model as the best shared ownership model for New Zealand.
• Ian Macintosh is chief executive of Cooperative Business New Zealand.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) says the Government needs to argue for an agreement that would see emissions managed based on the warming impact of greenhouse gases at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference later this year.
A new report from the United Nations has highlighted how a lack of effective refrigeration has resulted in the loss of 526 million tonnes of food production, or 12% of the global total.
A newly formed beef industry group is condemning a United Nations campaign about the impact of the meat industry on the environment.
The United Nations has removed a tweet following a global backlash from farmers.
Brett Wotton, an Eastern Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and harvest contractor, has won the 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for his work to support lifting fruit quality across the industry.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
