Wednesday, 27 March 2024 14:45

Fat to cut

Written by The Hound

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an 8-hour marathon hearing.

Let’s hope members of the select committee were going through MPI’s budget with a fine tooth comb.

There seems to plenty of fat in MPI’s budget to cut that would help with the Government’s goal to trim back excessive public sector body spending.

A couple of suggestions for the chop would be everything to do with the totally useless and expensive Fit for a Better World programme, which seems to deliver a fancy report each year but has achieved SFA.

Another area your old mate would aim to drop is the pointless money waster that is MPI’s investment in promoting regen ag and its huge handouts to Māori farming organisations.

Surely if regen ag and the Māori farming sector are viable options they don’t need MPI (i.e. taxpayers) subsidising them.

More like this

Times have changed

OPINION: Back in the 1960s and '70s, and even into the '80s, successive National government Agriculture Ministers and Trade Ministers were at the top of the cabinet rankings.

Hallelujah moment

OPINION: The new Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche has just had the hallelujah moment of the 21st century in his candid review of the NZ public service.

Waste-watch

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.

Tariff risk

OPINION: Some commentators across the ditch reckon the second Trump administration's anticipated trade protectionism, coupled with China's economic fragility, poses a significant risk for Australia's agricultural export industries.

MPI investigation finds 'concerning' instances

The first phase of a Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) investigation into allegations of mistreatment of sheep connected to shearing practices has been completed.

Featured

Forum to discuss Angus genetics and beef production

The Neogen World Angus Forum, a major event in global Angus beef industry, is set to return in 2025.

Animal welfare drives scientist’s research

Whatever an animal is raised for, it deserves a good life — and just as importantly, a “good death”.

‘Nanobubble’ trial trims irrigation water usage

North Canterbury dairy farmer and recently-elected deputy chair of DairyNZ, Cameron Henderson, is enjoying a huge reduction in irrigation water use after converting a pivot irrigator to drag perforated drip tubes across the ground instead of elevated sprinkler heads.

Editorial: Elusive India FTA

OPINION: Without doubt, a priority of the Government this year will be to gain traction on the elusive free trade deal with India.

Sport star to talk at expo

Rugby league legend Tawera Nikau is set to inspire, celebrate and entertain at the East Coast Farming Expo's very popular Property Broker's Evening Muster.