Wednesday, 15 December 2021 11:30

What's she hiding?

Written by  The Hound
What's she hiding?

OPINION: This old mutt wonders what information Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's office apparently "overlooked" in briefing notes relating to Groundswell NZ.

Back in July, Ardern was sent an OIA request by media asking for all letters, emails, documents relating to Groundswell NZ. 

Ardern's office refused the request, saying media advice to the PM was being withheld.

However, following a complaint lodged with the Ombudsman, the PM's chief of staff has now advised that there were some briefing notes provided by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet's Policy Advisory Group.

It'd be interesting to know just what - and from whom - information about Groundswell both Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor and PM Ardern are hiding.

What's that about being open and transparent?

More like this

Wrong focus

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.

Popular Reads

Bold taste wins gold medal

Bold taste wins gold medal

Alliance Group's Pure South Handpicked 55 Day Aged Beef has been recognised on the world stage, securing top honours at the…
back to top

Featured

Jack Jordan takes Stihl Timbersports gold for NZ

Jack Jordan takes Stihl Timbersports gold for NZ

Going one better than a frustratingly close second place finish at last year's event, the country's top axeman, Jack Jordan of Taumaranui, last weekend won the Stihl Timbersports World Championship individual event in.

Canterbury A&P Show expands with new Wool Zone

Canterbury A&P Show expands with new Wool Zone

Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show president Brent Chamberlain says a big development for this year is the Wool Zone, first introduced two years ago as a showplace for everything produced from wool, but now greatly enlarged with its own Wool Marquee and more than 30 trade sites.

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.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

dairynewscover
ruralnewscover
winegrowercover

Visit archives

The Hound

BSA BS!

OPINION: The Hound reckons the recent stoush about the old Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) expanding its brief – with no…

Red faced

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

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter