NZ Local Government Reform: Regional councils axed, CTBs proposed
The biggest reform of local government in more than 35 years is underway.
OPINION: A reader recently called out the Hound for not giving Federated Farmers enough credit for taking Otago Regional Council to task on its dodgy rule changes.
Fair cop - Otago Feds have led the fight with ORC.
They're again calling on ORC to "delay notification of new freshwater rules and lay the full costs bare for the community to see".
Otago president Luke Kane says the council has been about as transparent as a brick wall.
"First they said we were totally wrong, and we didn't understand, then they said it's complicated and we were only partially correct, and now they've gone totally quiet".
Feds say the sheer arrogance on display from ORC is simply jaw-dropping.
"It's not just Environment Minister Penny Simmonds waiting for these costings. It's the entire Otago region."
The Government is set to announce two new acts to replace the contentious Resource Management Act (RMA) with the Prime Minister hinting that consents required by farmers could reduce by 46%.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change would be “a really dumb move”.
The University of Waikato has broken ground on its new medical school building.
Undoubtedly the doyen of rural culture, always with a wry smile, our favourite ginger ninja, Te Radar, in conjunction with his wife Ruth Spencer, has recently released an enchanting, yet educational read centred around rural New Zealand in one hundred objects.
Farmers are being urged to keep on top of measures to control Cysticerus ovis - or sheep measles - following a spike in infection rates.
The avocado industry is facing an extremely challenging season with all parts of the supply chain, especially growers, being warned to prepare for any eventuality.

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