Thursday, 24 April 2025 09:25

Own goal

Written by The Hound

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

OPINION: The irony of President Trump’s tariff obsession is that the worst damage may be done to his own people.

Maurice Obstfeld, a former IMF Chief Economist, recently noted these tariffs will hit Americans hardest, if reintroduced after the 90-day pause.

Here in NZ, commentator Oliver Hartwich reckons the Trump administration is taxing imports in precisely the areas in which the US economy gains the most – like cheap inputs for manufacturing or products no longer made domestically.

The result will be higher prices, less choice and less prosperity. “It is economic self-sabotage dressed up as patriotism.”

This mutt reckons the temporary suspension is a welcome reprieve but the underlying strategy has not changed – nor has the threat. Trump’s decision to hike tariffs on Chinese imports to ridiculous levels shows that this trade war is far from over.

More like this

Editorial: Hope for the best

New Zealand's dairy industry is right to call out Donald Trump over the damage the additional 15% tariff the US is imposing on our exports but also imposition on lower tariffs on our competitors.

Trump’s tariffs put $1.3B NZ exports to US at risk, DCANZ warns

Donald Trump's uncompromising tariff policy is set to put New Zealand dairy exports to the US under huge pressure.

Wrong focus

OPINION: Your old mate reckons townie Brooke van Velden, the Minister of Workplace (or is it Woke Place) Relations is now showing how underemployed she is as a minister by initiating an investigation into whether young children should be banned from collecting eggs on farms and feeding animals.

Burn the village

OPINION: There's an infamous term coined by a US general during the Vietnam war, specifically in reference to the battle of Ben Tre: "We had to burn the village to save it."

Purist problem

OPINION: The sudden departure of Jim Ward, manager of Molesworth Station for 24 years, highlighted some major dysfunction in the way conservation estate is managed in this country - the biggest problem, as the Hound sees it, being idealogues who harp on about "taonga" and use all means possible to block sensible commercial operations on conservation land.

Featured

AgriSIMA 2026 Paris machinery show cancelled

With the current situation in the European farm machinery market being described as difficult at best, it’s perhaps no surprise that the upcoming AgriSIMA 2026 agricultural machinery exhibition, scheduled for February 2026 at Paris-Nord Villepinte, has been cancelled.

MIA showcases refreshed Taste Pure Nature brand with Shanghai pop-up experience

The Meat Industry Association of New Zealand (MIA) has launched the first in-market activation of the refreshed Taste Pure Nature country-of-origin brand with an exclusive pop-up restaurant experience in Shanghai.

Cricket memorabilia up for auction for youth mental health

Jayna Wadsworth, daughter of the late New Zealand wicketkeeper Ken Wadsworth, has launched an auction of cricket memorabilia to raise funds for I Am Hope's youth mental health work.

NZ tractor sales show signs of recovery – TAMA

As we move into the 2025/26 growing season, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that the third quarter results for the year to date is showing that the stagnated tractor market of the last 18 months is showing signs of recovery.

Dairy farmers urged to participate in 2026 Levy vote

DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown is urging dairy farmers to participate in the 2026 Levy vote, to be held early next year.

B+LNZ calls for director nominations for 2026 annual meeting

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling for nominations for director roles in the Eastern North Island and Southern South Island electoral districts.