Wednesday, 22 September 2021 14:30

Who?

Written by The Hound

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

OPINION: The refusal of both Damien O'Connor and PM Jacinda Ardern to release some of the correspondence they received about Groundswell begs a question or two.

Who was this correspondence and why are the Government protecting them?

Your canine crusader suggests the Government - and especially O'Connor - has had a long, tetchy relationship with Feds and would have been happy to throw them under the bus for political gain.

According to a mate of yours truly, he reckons this correspondence will be from either Beef + Lamb and DairyNZ, or the Food and Fibre Partnership Group.

Funny this is that, at present, Groundswell seems more in touch with rural concerns than any of those three groups who are about as popular in farming circles as Ron Brierley would be at a kindergarten picnic!

More like this

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.

New methane targets here to stay?

A drop in methane targets announced by the Government this month has pleased farmers but there are concerns that without cross-party support, the targets would change once a Labour-led Government is voted into office.

Costs too high?

OPINION: This old mutt is loath to sound like Groundswell has been topping up his bowl with brisket off-cuts, but the ginger group makes a good point about the arguments raised in favour of toeing the Paris Agreement line.

ACT, farmers push for changes to Paris Agreement

The ACT Party's call for a better deal on the Paris Agreement on climate change is being backed by farmer organisations.

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.

Featured

Restrictions on fruits, vegetables movement in Mt Roskill

Legal controls on the movement of fruits and vegetables are now in place in Auckland’s Mt Roskill suburb, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.

Free herbicide resistance testing

Arable growers worried that some weeds in their crops may have developed herbicide resistance can now get the suspected plants tested for free.

Fruit fly discovery puts growers, exporters on edge

Fruit growers and exporters are worried following the discovery of a male Queensland fruit fly in Auckland this week.

Global dairy prices snap a five-month negative run

Dairy prices have jumped in the overnight Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction, breaking a five-month negative streak.

Alliance Group chief executive steps down

Alliance Group chief executive Willie Wiese is leaving the company after three years in the role.

New field book helps identify common pests, diseases

A booklet produced in 2025 by the Rotoiti 15 trust, Department of Conservation and Scion – now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – aims to help people identify insect pests and diseases.

National

Waitoa launches QR-enabled campaign to trace free range chicken

Poultry producer Waitoa is launching a new campaign, complete with on-pack QR codes, giving Kiwis the ability to trace their…

Rural health programme inspires new optometry graduate

Grace Su, a recent optometry graduate from the University of Auckland, is moving to Tauranga to start work in a…

Waikato dairy effluent breaches lead to $108,000 in fines

Two farmers and two farming companies were recently convicted and fined a total of $108,000 for environmental offending.

Geopolitical shifts drive fertiliser market volatility – Ravensdown

According to Ravensdown's most recent Market Outlook report, a combination of geopolitical movements and volatile market responses are impacting the…

Environment Canterbury promotes on-farm composting as a practical alternative to offal pits

Environment Canterbury, alongside industry partners and a group of farmers, is encouraging farmers to consider composting as an environmentally friendly…