Rural Vote Debate on Q&A: Substance or Just Platitudes?
It was billed as a chance for all the political parties to woo the rural vote, but question marks hang over just how effective this was.
OPINION: The death of Dame Tariana Turia is a loss for the country and a reminder of how far the quality of politician has fallen in the party she founded.
In contrast to the circus that the Māori Party has become, Turia put results before grandstanding, working with whoever was in power.
Now we have divisive politics, threats of violence, and as Winston Peters claims, "economic sabotage", the party allegedly sending a letter to all companies who applied for fast-track consideration, trying to undermine investment confidence.
"If true, they have shown what extremist economic morons they are and how little they value the future of our country," he says. "They have threatened these private companies with economic sabotage and condemning NZ to a bankrupt future - all because of their delusional and separatist views."
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Synlait has swung to second-half profit as operations stabilise, but the dairy processor still posted a $75.4m annual loss.
LIC shareholders have elected a new North Island representative to the co-operative's Board, along with five representatives to its Shareholder Reference Group (SRG), following the company's Annual Meeting held in Invercargill.
Farmers across parts of Southland and South Otago are continuing to deal with difficult conditions after a prolonged run of wet weather, with pressure building around feed supply, stock management, pasture damage, farm infrastructure and everyday workloads.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.

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