Wednesday, 18 December 2024 09:29

Middle finger

Written by  The Hound

OPINION: Kainga Ora's decision to categorically rule out use of woollen carpets in social housing is a total slap in the face for struggling Kiwi sheep farmers.

The National-NZ First coalition agreement said government agencies would be directed, where appropriate, to prioritise the use of woollen rather than artificial fibres in government buildings.

Wools of New Zealand said it was "disappointing" wool carpet was excluded from the new tender.

KO is NZ's largest landlord, owning or managing over 75,000 homes and a contract to supply this many homes would equate to over a million lineal metres of carpet - a vital shot in the arm for the wool sector.

The Hound has to wonder, how much longer is Luxon's government going to allow unelected officials to give the middle finger to clear directives?

More like this

Dreams aren't plans

OPINION: Milking It reckons if you're National, looking at recent polls, the dream scenario is that the elusive economic recovery finally roars to life.

If voters see some growth and wages rising faster than prices, the government could say they've "fixed" things as they ride into the next election.

Back here on Earth though, the economy they inherited is a basket case, and the long-term headwinds are fierce.

Political commentator Liam Hehir says, "dreams are not plans" and if the turnaround doesn't come in time, National may have no choice but to go negative.

"Everybody wants to fight on the economy if they can. But when neither side has a compelling story, the contest shifts to other issues. That's not new. In fact, it's the stuff of politics everywhere, always."


 Read More:


Wrong focus

OPINION: Your old mate reckons townie Brooke van Velden, the Minister of Workplace (or is it Woke Place) Relations is now showing how underemployed she is as a minister by initiating an investigation into whether young children should be banned from collecting eggs on farms and feeding animals.

Burn the village

OPINION: There's an infamous term coined by a US general during the Vietnam war, specifically in reference to the battle of Ben Tre: "We had to burn the village to save it."

Purist problem

OPINION: The sudden departure of Jim Ward, manager of Molesworth Station for 24 years, highlighted some major dysfunction in the way conservation estate is managed in this country - the biggest problem, as the Hound sees it, being idealogues who harp on about "taonga" and use all means possible to block sensible commercial operations on conservation land.

Drill baby, drill!

OPINION: While the destruction of NZ's oil and gas industry by Jacinda Ardern's band of merry vandals was virtue signalling on a heroic scale - producing no environmental benefit whatsoever - the politician vowing to make that industry whole again, Shane Jones, is not above a bit of virtue signalling of his own.

Featured

Expo scales to new heights

Engaging, thought provoking speakers, relevant seminars and relatable topics alongside innovative produces and services are the order of the day at the 2026 East Coast Farming Expo.

New target 'political theatre'

OPINION: Farmers are being asked to celebrate a target that changes nothing for the climate, wastes taxpayer money, and ignores real science.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Red faced

OPINION: The Greens have taken the high moral ground on the Palestine issue and been leading political agitators in related…

Cold comfort

One of the most galling aspects of the tariffs whacked on our farm exports to the US is the fact…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter