M.I.A.
OPINION: The previous government spent too much during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite warnings from officials, according to a briefing released by the Treasury.
OPINION: Did former PM Jacinda Ardern get fawning reviews for her book?
Not so much. One local reviewer quips the book “is written with the American market in mind… and aimed at a particular kind of young, liberal, educated American idiot eager to drink the Kool-Aid that Ardern goes around dispensing in her various meaningless roles in the US as an ambassador of kindness”. Ouch!
Did she admit mistakes around Covid? Not according to reviewer #2: “The closest thing I found is on page 309, where she admits that she made ‘imperfect decisions’, but that’s really underselling the massive balls-up that was our Covid response.”
One Ardern anecdote suggests some self-awareness though.
One lady approached her one day. ‘I just wanted to say thank you,’ she said. There was a beat before she added, ‘Thanks for ruining the country.’
Brett Wotton, an Eastern Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and harvest contractor, has won the 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for his work to support lifting fruit quality across the industry.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.