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OPINION: Your canine crusader was staggered to learn that an investigation by the Taxpayers' Union has revealed that taxpayers and Otago ratepayers have forked out more than $2.76 million to kill just... 18 wallabies!
That's a kill cost of $153,000 per wallaby and it's taken 26,000 hours of work.
An OIA by the Taxpayers Union revealed this was just one of the 'Jobs for Nature' projects funded by the Government's Covid slush fund.
Labour dreamt up the 'Jobs for Nature' scheme - and allocated it $1.2 billion in funding - as a 'make work' programme when it feared NZ would see mass job losses as a result of the pandemic.
According to the Taxpayers Union, 'Jobs for Nature' has continued to dish out taxpayer money to ineffective 'conservation' projects at an average cost of around $200,000 per 'job'.
No wonder the country is facing massive fiscal problems when the Government develops silly ideas like this!
OPINION: Media luvvies have pigeon-holed the Taxpayers Union (TPU) as some right-wing lobby, but as far as this old mutt can tell, the TPU focuses on shaming poor behaviour and wasteful spending by those that govern us, no matter who's in power.
The chair of the Otago Rural Support Trust, Tom Pinckney, says he believes that they will be especially busy in the coming months as the enormity of the floods hit home.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes the announcement of extra Government support for farmers and growers in Southland and parts of Otago after the region was hit by severe wet weather.
OPINION: Your canine crusader believes the Taxpayers Union is on to a good thing with its latest campaign to get media outlets who took the previous Labour Government’s ‘bribe’ – sorry taxpayer handout – via the highly controversial and discredited Public Interest Journalism Fund (PIJF) to pay it back.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is copping flak over its decision to carpet 800 small and remote rural schools with synthetic tiles rather than wool.
New tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump signal an uncertain future, but New Zealand farmers know how to adapt to changing conditions, says Auriga Martin, chief executive of Farm Focus.
A global trade war beckons, which is bad news for a small open economy like New Zealand, warns Mark Smith ASB senior economist.
Carterton's Awakare Farm has long stood as a place where family, tradition and innovation intersect.
Fonterra says the US continues to be an important market for New Zealand dairy and the co-op.
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand's trade interests are best served in a world where trade flows freely.
New Zealand's red meat sector says it is disappointed by the United States' decision to impose tariffs on New Zealand exports.
OPINION: At last, a serious effort to better connect farmers and scientists.
OPINION: If you believe Maori Party president John Tamihere’s claim that “nothing dodgy” occurred at Manurewa Marae during the last…
