Damien O’Connor: NZ united on global trade
When it comes to international trade, politicians from all sides of the aisle are united, says Labour's trade spokesman Damien O'Connor.
A mate of the Hound’s wonders just how Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor is getting along with his 2IC in the agriculture portfolio Meka Whaitiri.
Remembering O’Connor’s infamous comment about the Labour Party list selection process, a few years back, in which the West Coast MP described it as controlled by ‘’self-serving unionists and a gaggle of gays’’, the Hound’s mate suggests it could make for an ‘interesting’ working relationship between O’Connor and Whaitiri.
That’s because the associate ag minister’s whanau are “staunch union members’’ and she is also a proud member of the Labour Party’s rainbow caucus.
Mind you, your old mate suggests if O’Connor does get out of line, Whaitiri should avoid giving him a bit of a slap – like she was accused of in her first term as a minister and subsequently lost her job!
OPINION: After two long years of hardship, things are looking up for New Zealand red meat farmers.
A casualty of the storm that hit the Bay of Plenty recently was the cancelation of a field day at a leading Māori kiwifruit orchard at Te Puke.
Michael Wentworth has joined the team at Mission Estate Winery, filling the "big shoes" of former Chief Executive Peter Holley, who resigned in September last year, after almost 30 years running the storied Napier venue.
Some arable farmers are getting out of arable and converting to dairy in the faced of soaring fuel and fertiliser prices on top of a very poor growing season.
The New Zealand seed industry has reached a significant milestone with the completion and approval of the new seed certification system.
New Zealand's persimmon season will kick off early this year, with fruit set to hit shelves soon.

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