Tuesday, 18 June 2019 11:24

Death by trees

Written by 

OPINION: Your canine crusader finds it ironic that the pompously self-proclaimed ‘champion’ of the provinces and ‘first citizen’ of regional NZ, Shane Jones, is single handedly destroying the regions.

Jones’ obsession with trees is seeing vast swathes of good farmland around NZ being planted in forests and resulting in the loss of people, infrastructure, jobs and services in rural communities up and down the country.

While in opposition Jones and his political master Winston Peters railled against foreign ownership – especially of farmland and meat companies.

However, as soon as Jones and Co put Jacinda into power they outlawed foreigners buying houses and farms but made it easier for overseas interests to buy land for forestry. 

More like this

SNAs will go - eventually

Despite some earlier confusion around the exact timing, the new Government is moving to reform the way local bodies implement Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) rules on farmland.

Fish returns to farm streams

Environmental work on-farm helps native fish return to streams, that’s what Aparima dairy farmer Ewen Mathieson is discovering.

Featured

Editorial: War's over

OPINION: In recent years farmers have been crying foul of unworkable and expensive regulations.

NZ-EU FTA enters into force

Trade Minister Todd McClay says Kiwi exporters will be $100 million better off today as the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) comes into force.

National

Food recall system at work

The New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) has started issuing annual reports, a new initiative to share information on consumer-level recalls…

Machinery & Products

Factory clocks up 60 years

There can't be many heavy metal fans who haven’t heard of Basildon, situated about 40km east of London and originally…

PM opens new Power Farming facility

Morrinsville based Power Farming Group has launched a flagship New Zealand facility in partnership with global construction manufacturer JCB Construction.

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Cut with care

OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.

Bubble burst!

OPINION: Your canine crusader is not surprised by the recent news that New Zealand plant-based ‘fake meat’ business is in…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter