by Nick Clark, National Manager General Policy At a Glance Big spending Budget. Emphasis on cost of living, health, and climate change, plus ‘business support’ and Māori. Surplus return delayed a year. Next year’s will be even bigger. The Big Picture: Hey Big Spender Budget 2022 is being sold by the Government as putting New […]
Opinion
Feds calling out shoddy behaviour
By Karen Williams, Vice-President, Federated Farmers of NZ While an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Indonesia has Australasian biosecurity authorities on high alert, on a more local and human scale it’s a deplorable case of ‘foot in mouth’ that grabbed headlines in New Zealand last week. DLG chief executive Simon Henry’s offensive, misogynist […]
The mysterious case of the paddocks deemed ‘wetlands’
By E McGruddy, Senior Policy Adviser, FFNZ Some readers may have been on the receiving end of frightening letters from their regional council. It’s the letters that invite you to come to a meeting, you may wish to bring your lawyer with you, and be aware that if you’ve done what we think you’ve done, […]
Heads in the sand over looming food crisis
By Bernadette Hunt, Vice-President Federated Farmers Southland It blows my mind that here in New Zealand we seem to be utterly oblivious to the impending international food crisis. Farmers were feeling the impacts of rapidly increasing prices long before Russia invaded Ukraine. Fertiliser prices have jumped 200-300% in the last year or so, plus fuel and […]
The perils of spending other people’s money – what Feds wants from the May Budget
By Andrew Hoggard, President Federated Farmers of NZ It’s easy to spend other people’s money and this Government is proving to be expert at it. Unfortunately, it has not been so expert at spending it wisely or caring much about value for money. The Auditor-General reported at the end of March that a $290 million […]
I’m waiting by the phone…
We are very disappointed with the decision from the local body commission. Having lost the rural representation that has been the founding part of forming the Gisborne District Council. When the smaller councils amalgamated it was with the understanding that the dedicated rural voice would not be lost. Well, it has only taken 30 odd […]
Council uses rates dollars to fight its own residents
by Colin Guyton, President Federated Farmers Rotorua/Taupo Federated Farmers, along with many others in rural Rotorua, have pushed hard yet again for rural representation to be at the Rotorua Lakes Council table, being part of decision making and bringing our unique perspective to the outcomes. Sadly following the 2022 Representation Review arrangements, it is clear […]
It’s people that we need to value first
By Karen Williams, Federated Farmers Vice-President and workplace health and safety spokesperson Last year we lost at least eight farmers or workers visiting the farm to do a job (figures to September). The year before that 20 people died on the farm, and 15 in 2019. These are not just statistics, this is the end […]
Animal agriculture ‘essential to global food system’
Animal foods can form part of a healthy, sustainable and ethical lifestyle, despite increasing claims to the contrary, says Lincoln University Professor of Livestock, Pablo Gregorini. His recent article, Animal source foods in healthy, sustainable and ethical diets – An argument against drastic limitation of livestock in the food system, is sparking discussion worldwide, including […]
Questions remain on RUC reduction
After denying there was a cost of living crisis in New Zealand last week, this week the Government came out with a hiss and a roar to reduce the pain at the pump Kiwis are feeling with rapidly increasing fuel costs. It is good to see some agility from this Government, we are going to […]