Consent Rollovers and $13b Savings: What the new RMA bills could mean
There was much theatre in the Beehive before the Government's new Resource Management Act (RMA) reform bills were introduced into Parliament last week.
OPINION: This old mutt suggests the new government is going to have to move fast to rein in a number of district and regional councils around the country who seem hell-bent on trying to push through their own agendas.
A good example is the Otago Regional Council (ORC), which has been warned against ploughing ahead with a controversial water plan, despite recently meeting with Resource Management Act Reform Minister Chris Bishop to discuss how the new government's plan to update national freshwater management policies would affect the council's under-development land and water plan.
When Bishop informed the ORC in December that their June deadline had changed, the ORC issued a statement the following day saying, no, it had not.
Bishop needs to let ORC know - quick-smart - who is in charge and that it's not them!
The Coalition Government will need the support of at least one opposition party to ratify the free trade deal with India.
Primary sector leaders have welcomed the announcement of a Free Trade Agreement between India and New Zealand.
At Pāmu’s Kepler Farm in Manapouri, mating has wrapped up at the across-breed Beef Progeny Test.
More than 150 people turned up at Parliament recently to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ).
Biosecurity New Zealand says Kiwis should continue to keep an eye out for yellow-legged hornets (Vespa velutina) over the holiday season.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.

OPINION: The release of the Natural Environment Bill and Planning Bill to replace the Resource Management Act is a red-letter day…
OPINION: Federated Farmers has launched a new campaign, swapping ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ for ‘The Twelve Pests of Christmas’ to…