India FTA Unites NZ First, Greens
National’s much-touted free trade deal with India featured in the Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek, Hamilton on Wednesday night.
OPINION: Before we all let The Green Party have at it with their 'bold' emissions reduction plan, the Hound thought it wise to run the numbers through the old Casio.
Their cunning plan is to cut net emissions 35% by 2030 and 47% by 2035, relative to 2020 levels.
NZ currently runs 99% of its transport on fossil fuels.
Forcing us into electric vehicles would overload the creaky power grid.
55% of power generation is hydro, 25% is fossil fuels, more when the lake levels are low as they were this year, which along with a gas shortage, forced up power prices, closing mills and factories.
Of course, the Green plan also includes knee-capping farming.
In short, their 'plan' is to drive NZ back to the dark ages, all in the name of lower emissions.
When Northland leather worker Vernon Suckling started making horse saddles 50 years ago, quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles were unheard of.
Alliance Group has confirmed that eligible farmer-shareholders who supply and continue to back the business will receive up to $20 million later this year, following the strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats.
With a general election under five weeks away, Rural News is asking major political parties about their policies and positions on key issues facing the primary sector. We will run their responses to each question over the next four weeks. The ACT Party and the Greens didn't respond in time.
The red meat sector is in great heart.
Dr Scott Champion, Foundation for Arable Research chief executive, says that everyone in the supply chain had a role to play in driving the sector's long-term success.
Entries opened on Monday, 5 October 2026 for the 2027 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA), which organisers describe as the nation's biggest celebration of excellence in the dairy sector.

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