Labour and rural voters

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, November 6th, 2017 - 94 comments
Categories: Conservation, Deep stuff, democratic participation, Economy, elections, Environment, farming, farming, jacinda ardern, labour, national, Shane Jones, vote smart - Tags: ,

What would it take for Labour to win back rural support?

Even at this Jacindamania peak, Labour got pasted in the regions. Again.

The Democrats are having to face the same question, particularly with the Virgina election coming up in a couple of days:

Yes, Red State Wins Are Possible

Beyond the seats of Hawkes Bay and the West Coast, Labour no longer has a meaningful rural component.

Invercargill and East Coast have been won occasionally, both with a large rural hinterland.  New Plymouth used to be pretty even, same with Whanganui.

Then slim pickings.

Well, Labour doesn’t have a meaningful rural component, except for the Maori seats.

Three of those are largely rural: Hauraki-Waikato, Ikaroa-Rawhiti, Waiariki.

Far be it from me to detect a common pattern of attractiveness in Labour’s Maori members to rural voters there.  But there’s a big rural component, which they win.

The Labour Party must be able to maintain its strong base with women, ethnic minorities in South Auckland and northern Wellington, and inner city electorates, while simultaneously creating a successful rural strategy.

Yet we have to go a long, long way back in history to find progressive politicians who have really inspired the provinces.
Let’s start with Prime Minister Richard Seddon.

This guy came out of the hard core of the west coast. He was mocked in parliament for his provincial accent, and had no formal education.

So what did he do that the whole people of the west coast so loved him for?

He became the nation’s king of mining operations and regulation. He also railed against all elites. But his signature policy was the formation of old age pensions.

It was incredibly hard to get through parliament, such that it undermined his health. This policy was the foundation of our welfare state. He was a guy with fire in his belly, an expansionist and confident view of the future of New Zealand, and he stood up for the west coast as a real hard-ass fighter, and was adored for it.

The first Labour government thought and acted in the interests of rural people.

They established a country library service and a horseback allowance, they expanded the correspondence school, increased boarding and travel allowances for rural children, strengthened rural schools, enabled returning servicemen to get farms, and guaranteed prices for farmers’ produce. That and a whole bunch more, despite abolishing the country quota of electorates. Ministers of Agriculture were hard working farmers themselves, including Lee Martin, James Barclay, and Edward Cullen.

This current Labour-led government is the first to have positive policies aimed straight for the rural sector in a long, long time. $1 billion to rural projects. Scrapping the water tax. Encouraging organic farming. Supporting the rural riparian margins. Supporting free trade particularly for rural exports (despite the Canadians and Japanese) against global subsidies and protections.

Time to attempt to reverse this trend to losing the rural vote.

There are a few possible inroads, which may turn a few votes their way next time if it’s highly focussed.

  • Labour needs to find a way to throw full-throated support behind dairy farmers. You heard me. They are too big a part of our country to be implied enemies. They could start by reviewing the legislation that formed Fonterra, and hold them to account on behalf of dairy farmers: more value, greater payouts, less mess, more trade access.
  • Defend rural land from foreign buyers, just as they are intending to do.
  • They need more actual farmers in its ranks. Not lifestylers. People that show generations of commitment to turning up, not sounding too smart-arse educated, people that really work hard. Check the way Liz Craig ate away into the national vote in Invercargill this time, after multiple terms working that electorate. Respect.
  • Their rural Maori MPs need to do crossover work into Pakeha rural enclaves: Parliamentary ghettoization is corrosive.
  • Their credibility with rural people will be enhanced by scaling back on more direct regulation and scaling up support for shrinking rural towns. Building up regional government with funding, and supporting rural roads through greater NZTA funding would help.
  • Make sure that $1 billion actually gets spent within one parliamentary term by holding Shane Jones to account. Make a difference Shane.
  • Target rural media with surprising stories: regional rail, horticultural growth, regional airports, regional roads, organic farm successes, Country Life as RNZ tv.
  • Build their farm workers houses. Thousands of them. Just as they are promising to do. Then shift the furniture in themselves.
  • Turn up to rural events until they trust you again. The A&P Shows, autumn festivals, harvest festivals, district plan change hearings, church fetes, smaller school prizegivings, and farmers markets.

I sure ain’t saying it’s going to be easy to reverse generations of growing district of Labour. It’s going to be hard, tough, repetitive political work.

Above all, sound like you have a positive and optimistic view of the whole of New Zealand that explicitly includes rural life. It’s not some sickly-sweet chocolate box of tasseled boganettes rolling in rich tall green hayseed grass popping out babies, or some wastrel paradise of P production where cows roll around lighting their farts on a Friday night doped to their fat eyelashes, nor some knuckle-ragging squad of f-grade provincial Rugby teams smacking down all effete university-trained opposition like a running yelling line of Braveheart highlanders. They are committed people who work hard on the land and for our land. Labour could do worse than to be and be seen to be the same. One word: respect.

The alternative is increasingly to let National have it all – a fully blue New Zealand set of electorates – without resistance.

94 comments on “Labour and rural voters ”

  1. Sanctuary 1

    I think that if the coalition with NZ First works out then it is worth asking if it is a good idea for Labour to try and win back the provincial blue collar vote, or to cede them to it’s coalition partner as part of the quid pro quo of a long term governing arrangement. After all, National’s failure has been it’s inability to construct governing partners, a failure obscured by the 44% brigades insistance that National is somehow dominant because it ate all its partners.

    An alliance of a party that represents the socially conservative but potentially economically radical provincial vote with a more urban party like Labour potentially removes many internal pressure ponits and cause of division, whilst in MMP offering a good chance of forming a governing coalition along with the Greens.

    • Antoine 1.1

      Sanc, this is a good strategy in the short term but fails when Peters leaves politics and NZ1st vote evaporates…

      A.

      • Why do people always assume that NZ1st will evaporate when Peters leaves politics?

        NZ1st seems to be part of our political landscape now and I, for one, think it will still be there after Peters. I think Peters is good enough to understand that there does need to be a replacement for him.

        • lprent 1.1.1.1

          It is part of the landscape and has all to the hallmarks of a real party. I think that hoping it will disappear with Peters is.just deluged. There are quite a few personalities in there and some formidable political talent that can’t be expressed fully until Peters leaves.

          • Matthew Whitehead 1.1.1.1.1

            I think it will definitely always have voters, the question is will it still have a path to Parliament after Peters. It’s hilarious they’re opposed to lowering the threshold because there’s a very real chance that it will kill them off without a powerful personality that can pull media attention like Peters at the helm.

            That said, I think it’s absolutely possible it will hang in there long enough that the understudies will learn their lines and turn it into a permanent political vehicle. It is the only unashamedly conservative party in our Parliament, after all, both Labour and National are liberal-conservative coalitions, effectively.

            • Antoine 1.1.1.1.1.1

              > I think it’s absolutely possible it will hang in there long enough that the understudies will learn their lines and turn it into a permanent political vehicle

              Possible but seems unlikely to me.

              1. If you take their current popularity (7%?) and subtract whatever Peters brings to the table, you don’t have much left, surely not 5%

              2. Labour is stealing their oxygen. Much of NZ 1st’s support was xenophobes and they should be reasonably happy to vote Labour now that the Labs support immigration cutbacks. Throw a few freebies to the elderly and what else has NZ 1st got?

              A.

    • Peter 1.2

      Now that coalition Governments are fully understood to be the name of the game, what might National’s strategy be to develop new coalition partners? For instance, do they have anything in common with TOP?

  2. Tiger Mountain 2

    good topic for discussion

    there are electorates like Northland that on demographics should not vote tory–ever–but voting National up here has become like a bad habit, one that surely needs to be broken, there was an aberration over the Sabin affair, but even Winston could not hold on when the Labour vote went back to Willow Jean

    the reason “we’re blue around here mate” persists, is due substantially to the reactionary conservatives long time capture of leadership, such as it is, and more particularly “gatekeeping”, of rural society; this means that your acceptance into the community, employment, social activity, and even potentially very life, can depend on “fitting in” and basically being compliant to the prevailing political culture, the provinces are often not the multicultural mix of the cities either, sometimes being almost ‘apartheid’ in feel with Pākehā and Māori running parallel existences

    from the school BOTs, to “calf day”, horse eventing, the Police stations and rural Fire “Party” stations, the lodges, societies, sports clubs, business associations, rural servicing companies, district councils, Regional Councils, community boards and district planning, to power supply, DHBs and Civil Defence–it is 98% tied up by active (think about that word) National Party members and supporters–go through the lists of people in your area and see if I am correct…

    this will obviously take many years to seriously turn around, but yes, real attention to rural development that is transformational–like rejuvenated rail links in Northland/Whangarei will sure help gain support for Labour/Green/NZ First

    • DH 2.1

      That’s an excellent summary TM, you’ve encapsulated near everything I thought but wouldn’t have been able to express.

      Adding an anecdote to that….

      I looked to transfer the business out of Auckland and couldn’t believe the price of commercial property up North. It should be way, way cheaper to rent or buy commercial premises but it ain’t. I walked away from the idea with the impression the landed gentry are very happy with strangling the supply of commercial property and collecting high rents from their own holdings.

      • Tiger Mountain 2.1.1

        perennial problem in the North, lot of empty commercial buildings in Whangarei and Kaitaia and other parts–the idea of “incubators” etc., or lower rents to encourage new business is rare up here

        an anecdote for you–Northtec wants to cut staff at its various campuses due to the “bums on seats” model when it comes down to it, and one of the first areas will be Visual and Digital Arts! luckily the students have been out and about getting support and have appointments scheduled with relevant MPs in the new Govt.

        • DH 2.1.1.1

          Doesn’t make a lot of sense does it, but the property owner knows that reducing rents to fill empty buildings has a flow on effect to already filled buildings. They don’t want to give up their gravy train.

          I’ve been spending more time up North and I’m constantly bemused by the high prices for goods. Even the simple bakeries are charging Auckland prices. It’s a myth that high transport costs are the culprit, it costs bugger-all to freight goods and lower rents should more than compensate for that. I’m convinced you pay too much because commercial rents are too high.

          • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1.1

            Doesn’t make a lot of sense does it, but the property owner knows that reducing rents to fill empty buildings has a flow on effect to already filled buildings. They don’t want to give up their gravy train.

            And if they’re free-hold on those premises, which many probably are, then even having an empty building probably isn’t that much of an issue.

            I’m convinced you pay too much because commercial rents are too high.

            People in a position to charge excessive rents will do so.

            But think of all the whinging that we’d hear if the government moved in, grabbed a heap of land and started an actually thriving business hub with reasonable rents.

            • In Vino 2.1.1.1.1.1

              Good point. When I was young, State Insurance was called so because it was state-owned, and its role was to compete in the market just aiming at a moderate profit, thereby easily undercutting the private profit-gougers.
              To keep them honest… It worked to my mind. I was appalled at the cost of motor insurance in England and France 1977-80, where they had no such company. But our beloved Rogernomes under Labour quickly put an end to that: State Insurance kept its name but was sold off to private hands.
              Up went costs of motor insurance, as if by magic.
              So what we now need is a state company to buy and rent out commercial premises at a moderate profit. That would really undercut the stinking profit-gougers who for so long have extorted far too much from our productive people who need premises. Profit-gouging, unproductive middle-men, the whole lot of them. Starting with names like Brierly and Jones.

              Why should they not have to compete on a level playing-field with non-gougers like the state?

      • Shona 2.1.2

        Spot on DH. The landed gentry of Northland have had so much land and money for so long whilst breeding with their relatives that they are incapable of forward thinking. They like being stuck in the 1950’s. Our kids mostly have all fled overseas and do not intend to return despite solid community connections here. It is so backward in rural NZ.
        Combined Willow Jean Winston vote was well over 20,000 in Northland. No reason why a combined effort wouldn’t take the seat back for either party. Ms Prime is very popular and the right policy mix targeting women would get the Green/Maori vote too.

        • Tiger Mountain 2.1.2.1

          the future of the North is most likely ‘young and brown’–it is tantalisingly close but not just yet, the “tory coots in suits” are nearing their end of days

          Willow Jean should be the natural pick for Northland seat

          • AB 2.1.2.1.1

            Old tory coots in suits are some of the dullest, dumbest and least imaginative people you will encounter in these places – the very last people who should be in charge. And probably not even in business – though that said, they are very good at protecting what they have.

      • Sabine 2.1.3

        not only Northland. there are a lot of businesses not created because commercial properties, even run down ones, are the same price of an equivalent property in AKL.

        lots of empty properties in Taupo, Rotorua, Tokoroa, Whakamaru!!, Te Kuiti, Turangi, Taumaranui etc because people just can’t afford to spend 20 + grand for an ‘office’ space ex GST and outgoings, and funny all commercial properties seem to be ‘office spaces’.

        Is the tax write of for empty properties that good an incentive to keep real estate empty?

        And is Labour gonna do something about it?

  3. Labour needs to find a way to throw full-throated support behind dairy farmers. You heard me. They are too big a part of our country to be implied enemies.

    So are employers. And, like employers, dairy farmers already have a party that offers them full-throated support, a level of support that Labour couldn’t hope to compete with. Trying to go after your competitor’s core customer base when you have less to offer that customer base than your competitor is a recipe for disaster.

    • Puckish Rogue 3.1

      It can be done, National is doing well in South Auckland for example, it just needs to be done correctly

      Like water surcharges

      • Psycho Milt 3.1.1

        National has a way in to South Auckland via being able to fake sympathy for socially conservative viewpoints. Labour’s only potential market among dairy farmers is among those who’d like to adopt a less-damaging mode of operation, which is a pretty small part of an already-small group of voters.

        • Puckish Rogue 3.1.1.1

          Not true, I’ll bet theres a large number of people in the regions that care quite a bit about the environment, that see the economic benefits of having a pristine environment whether it be via farming, adventure tourism, hunting etc etc

          • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1.1.1

            Of course there are – that’s why we get huge amounts of whinging from the rural sectors when we seek to clean up our rivers and waterways from the damage done by farming…

            Oh, wait…

          • Psycho Milt 3.1.1.1.2

            Not true, I’ll bet theres a large number of people in the regions that care quite a bit about the environment…

            I expect there are. However, the point was about the value of targeting dairy farmers, who are a small subset of people in the regions.

            I’d suggest the government starts by working with, not alienating, the farmers

            Both Labour and the Greens have said they’ll be happy to work with farmers on reducing farming’s environmental impact. It’s the “reducing farming’s environmental impact” part that’s alienating the farmers, not Labour Party hostility.

            • Puckish Rogue 3.1.1.1.2.1

              It’s the “reducing farming’s environmental impact” part that’s alienating the farmers, not Labour Party hostility

              Sure so the water charge fiasco didn’t start out as trying to make farmers the scapegoats

        • Aaron 3.1.1.2

          Farming is changing, there are fewer and fewer people owning more and more of the land these days, most of the young farmers are either working for them or struggling share milkers being screwed over by landowners. There is huge potential – and more importantly a huge need – to do something in those communities.

          • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1.2.1

            I find it amazing that people can write stuff like that and not realise the problem.

            You identified the problem – the solution is to get rid of that problem.

      • swordfish 3.1.2

        Puckers

        It can be done, National is doing well in South Auckland for example

        Not all that well, Puckers

        2017 National Party-Vote %

        Māngere 17%
        Manukau East 23%
        Manurewa 29%

        It’s true that they did manage to withstand the nationwide swing in South Auckland – I’ll give you that … (though the broader Right Bloc vote was still down – the Nats gobbling up their little helpers as elsewhere)

        • Puckish Rogue 3.1.2.1

          Well ok then fair enough, maybe I should have used Chris Bishop as an example. Hutt South (thanks Wikipedia) replaced Pencarrow which replaced Petone so stretching back to 1946 the electorate was Labour but this election National won the seat

          Basically it can be done was my point

  4. Keith 4

    It’s hard to see how.

    National were all too willing to wipe out elected boards like Ecan to suit vested interests for irrigation
    Change the definition of polluted waterways to quickly and cheaply deal with the nasty effects of sloppy farming practices,
    Delete livestock farming from climate change regulation,
    Remove higher risk farming from health and safety laws
    Pour millions of taxpayer dollars into other fanciful schemes that bore no fruit,
    Ensure irrigation won over the environment,
    Supply cheap exploitable migrant labour for what would otherwise be a failed business model,
    And basically ensure no enquiry would touch farm life.

    To Federarated Farmers, the National Party were an extension of their organisation.

    Quite how any other party corrupts themselves to anything approaching the same level for rural NZ is a question Labour or any other ethical party will struggle with.

    9 years of this kind of partisan shit has left some quite damaging after effects!

    • garibaldi 4.1

      Nine years? It has been more like 150 years and is now part of their DNA. They will never accept Labour, having been bred to believe Labour=Communism.

      • timeforacupoftea 4.1.1

        I would believe the farmers who vote for The National Party if they read the article Written By: ADVANTAGE – Date published: 7:30 am, November 6th, 2017.
        Labour and rural voters.
        They would Automatically think Armageddon, Labour want us to turn into Amish Farmers.

        http://amishamerica.com/a-visit-to-an-amish-ghost-town/

        Aye ! Great idea Advantage on wrecking the Natz Farmers.
        This could work I suppose.

        Would be good for us Labourites for Xmas holidays at home wouldn’t.

        A TOURISM bonus, excellent for our visiting Freedom Campers.

        http://amishamerica.com/tourism/

        Lets do this.
        Copy to Jacina Adern.

    • Quite how any other party corrupts themselves to anything approaching the same level for rural NZ is a question Labour or any other ethical party will struggle with.

      Te solution to that is to make such corruption illegal. Difficult but possible.

  5. Zorb6 5

    Yes try and please everyone.That is a sure recipe for failure.Dairy farmers themselves are not a large group.The small business sector however is worth devoting time to,as is boosting regional development.Corporates and the big cities have had all the attention and the resources in recent times.This Govt better have broad shoulders-the expectations are unbelievable.

  6. cleangreen 6

    Yes advantage; you are so correct here.

    We ran a good campaign in Napier and gisborne.

    Luckily we got Stuart Nash re-elected but Gisborne was left to the ‘persuation’ of a very tory right wing editor of the gisborne herald and Labour failed there and stayed tory.
    Gisborne previous to 2008 went to Labour back during the Helen Clark era.

    So our community issues of having no rail, (National stole the rail mainaintence funds and allowed the rail along one km to get washed out) so these issues along with other environmental issues never were aired properly effectively during the election.

    This time while Labour has the numbers the labour coalition must bring forwared the public media plan to have their own media again to present in a wide range of meaningful ways all their planed changes they are about to make using their new RNZ/TVone non commercial platforms and leave the right wing ‘baised media’ to spin their wheels ineffectively while a new positrive Labour coalition media tell the real positive side of the story.

    By the next election we will have a clear ‘responsive’ media trhat is prepared to cover community provincial issues as we had back in the helen Clark era.

    If anyone thinks the media is fair now redad the respose we got from RNZ CEO’s office after we filed an OIA for details about him providing us with no HB reporter now, as the OIA asked him why we had no HB/Gisborne regional reporter now.

    His OIA ‘co-ordinator Mr George Bignell replied simply that they had no HB reporter now (as they used to have during the Clark Government,) and he was un-apologetic about it at the same time.

    read his letter below.

    Here is a copy of the request for information as to why no reporting service for HB/Gisborne is not available any more now.
    ===========================================================
    October 13, 2017
    Mr ——————-
    Napier 4140

    Dear Mr ———-
    I write in response to your request “how the regional reporting structure of the Radio NZ broadcasting services now are different to the way the operations serviced the regions formerly.”
    I can advise that RNZ does not hold any specific information in this regard that we can supply to you. To answer your question, apart from the relocation of one reporting position from our Queenstown office to our Dunedin office, there has been no recent changes to our regional reporting structure.
    The Hawkes Bay regional reporting position is currently vacant and Radio New Zealand will look to fill that position in the near future.

    We trust this of assistance to you.
    Yours sincerely
    George Bignell
    OIA Inquiries Coordinator
    GEORGE BIGNELL | OIA INQUIRIES COORDINATOR
    RADIO NEW ZEALAND | LEVEL 2 | 155 THE TERRACE
    PO BOX 123 | WELLINGTON | NEW ZEALAND 6140 | http://www.radionz.co.nz
    DDI +64 4 474 1424 | Mobile 027 491 2246

    Labour must restore thew regional reportig of all community issues brought before them for ‘fair balanced’ media coverage for the best interests of the local commmuities in tha regions where L:abour need to get the points accross and appeal to those voters Labour is on the right track. (in HB/Gisbone’s case it should widely xcover the lost “rail track”.)

  7. Gristle 7

    One of my in laws, who runs a Southland sheep farm, surprised me over the weekend.

    They commented that they hadn’t seen much from the Key and English Governments and that having a Labour led Government was not that bad a thing. While not voting for any of the Government parties, they were not seeing this as an inherently antagonistic relationship.

    The objective must be to build on this view by showing regional development, and showing that water, nitrates, CO2, workplace health and safety all are capable of being addressed for a sustainable rural life.

    • Robert Guyton 7.1

      True, Gristle and I note your comment, “While not voting for any of the Government parties…” – therein lies the rub!

  8. Puckish Rogue 8

    Always a good idea for parties to reach out (John Key did it very well) but its not just National Labour will be up against but rather NZFirst

    To me it looks like NZFirst is making a big play into rural NZ voting so Labour will have to counter that or make sure Winston doesn’t claim all the credit for whatever positive happens in the regions

    Still if you don’t try then you’ll never know

    • Tamati Tautuhi 8.1

      Labour/NZF/Greens need to demonstrate to the NZ Public that they can function as a decisive and proactive MMP Government otherwise they will not last long and people will gravitate back to the main parties ?

  9. red-blooded 9

    It’s good to see discussions about policy and things like attending rural events Thinking about this issue another way, though, Labour don’t have to win rural electorates in order to increase their party vote in rural areas. Down here in the lower South we ran a very integrated campaign this time, with Dunedin activists giving a lot of practical support in the wider area. There was active mentoring of candidates. The vote percentage went up substantially throughout the area and while we didn’t win any of the rural electorates we now have more active branches dotted about and MPs who will have offices in Invercargill and Timaru. That in itself should start to build more profile and sense of connection.

    If we can do it, so can other regions.

  10. Im in tasman and damien is well likd even though my particular area has the highest green vote. What is working here?
    The candidate is the main reason.
    Policy is okay and a good candidate can make the connections between policy and people.

    Main problem is gnat lies and greedy dairy farmers.

    • gsays 10.1

      I am in rangitikei electorate, an essentially safe Tory seat, Bruce Beetham being a notable exception.

      I have looked back through the list (thanks Wikipedia) and there is a new Labour candidate every election. Heather Warren,Deborah Russell, Josie Pagani, Jill Angus Burney.
      The % vote share has slowly shrunk from around 30% to 27% and change.

      So I agree with getting out there to all the meetings, A&P shows etc, but it is a long term plan if there are to be inroads here.

  11. Antoine 11

    I think it safe to say that you cannot reconcile getting the support of the farming sector, with making them clean up their act at their own expense. It’s one or other.

    (Of course the regions are much more than just farming!)

    A.

  12. Supporting free trade particularly for rural exports (despite the Canadians and Japanese) against global subsidies and protections.

    So, you’re saying that the government should encourage more damage to our environment just because a few people will get richer?

    Defend rural land from foreign buyers, just as they are intending to do.

    But then what will the capital gains farmers retire on?

    Their credibility with rural people will be enhanced by scaling back on more direct regulation and scaling up support for shrinking rural towns. Building up regional government with funding, and supporting rural roads through greater NZTA funding would help.

    It’s the lack of regulation that’s the problem as it allows the farmers to destroy the environment with no consequences.

    The only way to build up the regions is to turn them into cities and that means factories and universities. Building up the necessary infrastructure to make those cities high tech hubs.

    This would probably be good for our extraction and processing industry as all those factories are going to need the raw resources to make stuff like CPUs, motherboards, graphic cards etcetera.

    It’s not farms that will get the regions developed. Higher productivity on farms has always resulted in less people needed in the regions because there’s no more land and there’s limits to intensification.

    • Jimmy 12.1

      So the best way too stop farmers destroying the environment, is too turn farms into cities with factories and universities.
      Yeah it’s not like cities and factories are the epitome of human environmental destruction.
      And if you think farming is unregulated, think again.

      • So the best way too stop farmers destroying the environment, is too turn farms into cities with factories and universities.

        That’s not what I said.

        Due to productivity increases rural areas have a declining demand for people. To maintain that demand for people the regions have to increase services and that’s going to mean actually building cities with factories, universities and all the other infrastructure needed for a high-tech hub.

        The future of the regions is not farming. This is something that the regions simply don’t want to accept.

        Yeah it’s not like cities and factories are the epitome of human environmental destruction.

        They’re a hell of a lot better than present farming practices. They have to be else no one would be able to live in them.

        Actually, it’s now getting to the point where no one can live in the country because the farmers have poisoned it.

        And if you think farming is unregulated, think again.

        They’re poisoning our land without consequence. This screams that they’re not regulated enough.

        • Jimmy 12.1.1.1

          “Actually, it now getting to the point where no one can live in the country because the farmers have poisoned it”

          Unreal comment/opinion right there my man.

          I better tell all my country neighbours, they might get a laugh I guess.

          Maybe you should get out of the 50k zone sometime.

          • Draco T Bastard 12.1.1.1.1

            Unreal comment/opinion right there my man.

            Unreal?

            That’s what they’ve been doing for the last 150+ years.

            I better tell all my country neighbours, they might get a laugh I guess.

            That would make them as delusional as you. This is not a recommendation on their sanity.

            • Jimmy 12.1.1.1.1.1

              Which regional/rural area in NZ can people, plants or animals not live in?
              Due to 150 years plus of farming?

          • Foreign waka 12.1.1.1.2

            Jimmy, the capacity of rural NZ does not support the millions of cows, this is a fact. To say otherwise is being ignorant. Sorry o be so blunt.
            I do belief that a number of farmers have over capitalized and if they don’t stick with these unrealistic cattle numbers, they will go broke. This is where the real hook is.
            Perhaps, just perhaps Fonterra as a commercial entity is too big and has outgrown its usefulness for farmers to get any benefit and return? Just my impression – but if the CEO gets 8 mil, which is way more than the farmer hauling them selfs out if bed at 4 am, than something is seriously wrong. Don’t you think?
            So NZ is getting more and more cows on the paddock to get more millions to the CEO?
            And yes, the environment has and will further deteriorate and in the end the next generation has to be content with farmland that has become unusable and tourist will certainly not want to swim in a poo soup. Meanwhile, on the sunshine coast, with a martini in hand…..
            Good luck, I am really hoping that you guys can see things for what they are.

  13. Southern Man 13

    Labour targeting rural NZ will largely be a waste of time and resources. Farms and provincial towns are dominated directly and indirectly by rural conservatives who will continue to vote for National, even though it’s often against their best interests.

  14. Michael 14

    Why bother? More voters live in the cities than in the sticks so that’s where elections are won or lost these days. It’s not as though farmers have much economic power anymore; they’re all owned by corporations anyway. Let them grumble away (although it might be worth encouraging whatever progressives there are in rural areas).

    • Puckish Rogue 14.1

      The reason you bother is because you’re supposed to govern for all NZ not just those sectors that vote for you

      • Robert Guyton 14.1.1

        Yes, well, The Government will govern for the National Front members but that doesn’t mean doing as they demand. The best Government governs with The Greater Good in mind 🙂

        • Puckish Rogue 14.1.1.1

          Last time I checked the National Front endorsed NZFirst so the present government already has that covered 🙂

          But seriously do you really think ignoring the rural sector is the way to go for Labour?

          • Michael 14.1.1.1.1

            Yes, because the “rural sector” are economically and politically marginalised and it’s all their own doing. Labour needs to rebuild the trust of its base – non-rich city-dwellers.

            • Puckish Rogue 14.1.1.1.1.1

              Labours in power so it already has a level of trust, so now it can look to building bridges with the rural community

  15. Puckish Rogue 15

    I think a good, first step for the left would be to realise that the rural community is made up of individuals

    Like the left always seem to forget the whatever group they’re denigrating are made up of people, its always something like “all farmers vote National and hate the environment”, “the military just want to kill everyone”, “the police are just uniformed thugs”, “landlords are all rich pricks (exaggeration for effect)

    People with families that may have similarities but also many, many differences

    • Siobhan 15.1

      “all farmers vote National and hate the environment”…and similarly its funny how people talk as though the countryside is full of of farmers and orchardists…when in fact there are far more workers than landowners.

      When the Little and Ardern road show came to the Hawkes Bay there was not one single picker/packer in the room, and the talk was all about congratulating the Orchardists on their successes and philanthropic endeavours, and offering ways to further help their industry, including bringing in more RSE workers

      ….but its the LABOUR Party..shouldn’t the room have been full of pickers being told how they would benefit from their hard work, how it would no longer be acceptable to still be on the same bin rate as 25 years ago, how we shouldn’t be struggling with a devastating lack of housing in these areas….we sure as eggs shouldn’t have had to listen to our Labour Party bemoan the so called drop in productivity…

      The Labour Party needs to look at who actually lives rurally, not just at who holds the reigns of power, the Labour Party and rural dwellers are actually (should actually) be a perfect fit.

      • Grey Area 15.1.2

        “When the Little and Ardern road show came to the Hawkes Bay there was not one single picker/packer in the room, and the talk was all about congratulating the Orchardists on their successes and philanthropic endeavours, and offering ways to further help their industry, including bringing in more RSE workers”

        Was this the Little/Ardern meeting at the Clive Hall? Because Andrew Little was challenged there about the bin rate being unchanged for so long and how the rates paid for picking did not provide enough for locals to live on. It was about here and in response to another challenging question the wheels fell off as he basically talked (to me unconvincingly) about growing the pie so everyone got a slice.

    • I think a good, first step for the left would be to realise that the rural community is made up of individuals who are all authoritarian group-thinkers who follow National from a deep seated sense of being told to.

      FTFY

  16. patricia bremner 16

    Labour should learn from National’s mistakes. (National no mates)

    By allowing our natural partners to have a point of difference to attract voters we stay viable.

    What is needed is overarching values which resonate with all three parties which are the glue.

    People often rationalise after an event, giving acceptable reasons for their behaviour.

    “We didn’t vote for them, but we think it is ok they won” Given a reason they may support next time.

    Part of Jacinda’s kindness/empathy is finding common ground to begin the conversation.

    She has chosen children’s welfare.

    Other common points of common interest could be rural radio, internet, rail transport, health services, apprenticeships underpinned by Govt, green initiatives for insulation solar panels and wind farming and tree planting. Not forgetting Research and Development.

    We have to wax clever by improving lives and the environment and communication.

  17. swordfish 17

    5 problems, Ad

    (1) You seem to be conflating (or at least not clearly distinguishing between) Candidate & Party Votes

    (2) You seem to be conflating (or at least not clearly distinguishing between) quite large Provincial Cities, smaller Provincial Centres, minor service Towns & purely Rural-farmer areas

    (3) Farmers & Rural areas have always comprised the backbone of National support – Blue as a New Tattoo … Hell, I mean Bill Massey established his Reform Party specifically as an electoral vehicle for Dairy Farmers

    (4) Provincial Cities, smaller Centres, minor Towns are another matter – but, as Sanc & others have already suggested, NZ First is shaping up to be Labour’s (morally conservative) Provincial arm. Provincial Cities -yes – but smaller towns shouldn’t be a priority.

    (5) Labour needs to focus first & foremost on making major in-roads within your neck of the woods = esp West Auckland

    • swordfish 17.1

      Problem Number 6
      (already touched on by Psycho Milt)

      (6) We’re talking about a relatively small number of Voters in Rural & Small Town NZ

      Aim all those precious campaign resources at that big old recalcitrant Carbuncle in the North

    • Fred H 17.2

      Too true, the following provincial cities are blue: Hamilton(both sides), Tauranga, Nelson, Rotorua, Whangarei, Hastings, New Plymouth, Whanganui, Invercargill, Oamaru and Timaru. Going after the small businesses, working voter, students, unemployed and retired there with practical infrastructure, r&d funding and decent social services would obliterate the Nat vote without having to kneel to the dairy gods…

      • DS 17.2.1

        Oamaru and Invercargill are red cities surrounded by ultra-violet farmland. The Invercargill electorate is only winnable if Labour is winning the party vote nationwide, and Waitaki is only winnable if Labour is winning the party vote nationwide by double digits.

        Timaru is currently gerrymandered. It also didn’t help a few years back that the Labour candidate was an anti-semitic loony (and the only other options on the ballot paper were National, ACT, and Conservative).

        Tauranga and Whangarei are safe Nat (not having been won by Labour since 1935 and 1972 respectively), but Hastings, New Plymouth, and Whanganui were held by Labour in Opposition (as was Invercargill) from 1993 to 1999.

  18. Keepcalmcarryon 18

    Incentivize the move from larger intensive dairy herds with mass produced lower value product, to smaller herds with localized value ad production – niche local butter cheese employing locals etc with government help to move back to local co-ops , small factory set ups and more government help marketing overseas.
    This makes dairy more environmentally sustainable and returns jobs to the regions.

  19. Labour needs to organize the dairy workers and get them helping the farming people among them. We certainly need to make sure farm workers are given a fair deal. Because farm workers also vote and they need to understand that their working conditions would be improved by having a Labour Government.Labour certainly need included farmers and farm workers in their policies.

  20. Sparky 20

    That’s easy pass the TPP11 and all the cockies will LOVE them……

    Of course that said that seat is taken by National so poor old Labour could still be out of luck…….

    Hmmm maybe they should be more concerned about keeping left leaning middle and working class voters…..?

  21. mac1 21

    People need to realise that in rural electorates there are still large numbers of workers, professionals, teachers, who vote Labour.

    Some years ago I stood in a rural seat. The electorate was divided into two geographical areas.The larger area I won by some 400 votes on election night, but the smaller and more rural southern area voted traditionally and so I lost. The larger area had been severely affected by electricity ‘reforms’ under Max Bradford and voted accordingly. Some 3000 voters stayed away altogether.

    The government of the time was also suffering from third-termitis. The Green vote was double the winner’s majority. That Green candidate was a farmer.

    The point of this is to show that local issues can be massive in rural areas, and that vote levels do fluctuate. Also, even if the Tory candidate gets re-elected, the party vote, the more important one, is still paramount. Labour voters in two electorates like mine will elect one list MP.

    Parties of the Left can also cooperate more with strategic voting to get rural MPs elected. Coromandel is an example.

    Strong candidates, and organisations, can also help keep Labour presence and message high.

    Labour can also look to ensuring more rurally focussed list MPs. That would require a change in thinking and practice, but is possible.

    Strong action on local issues would help. For example, can we have our community owned electrical generation back?

    In my electorate there are thousands of workers who are not NZ voters but are guest workers. The more that such labourers are Kiwi voters, the more Labour votes and also greater the union presence with its message.

    All of this can help Labour and rural voters.

  22. Robert Guyton 22

    Farmers are tribal Nats, by and large and tribesmen and women stay loyal to the tribe, no matter what. Labour can work with tribal Nats, but never get their votes, imo.

  23. Ian 23

    Dream on folks. The lefts hate campaign against farmers this century has left a scar that will take generations to fade. I read all the bile and misinformation and are now resigned to being under attack from misinformed,envious socialists.
    Cindy has brought it on and I now know what we are up against.
    A left wing Government is not good for NZ,let alone rural NZ. Christmas is coming and I can’t wait for the turkeys to start wailing when they realised they voted for it .

    • Sam aka clump 23.1

      It’s disingenuous to label “the lefts hate campaign” as such. When Labour hold all of the Māori seats. Working with, instead of against might heal the rift.

    • Keepcalmcarryon 23.2

      Nailed it Ian, being petulant and childish is the way forward.
      It’s worked a treat for the Feds and dairy NZ so far.

      • Ian 23.2.1

        I am over it to be honest. I play by the rules,pay my taxes and live a good life.I avoid anyone associated with Fish and game,the labour party ,greenpeace and outlaw motorcycle gangs.
        I have friends in the green party and we laugh alot over the issues of the day.
        Do you have any understanding of how dairy NZ has evolved,how they are governed and what they do ?
        Where is winston the whore ?

        • Keepcalmcarryon 23.2.1.1

          Some of my best friends are farmers

        • One Anonymous Bloke 23.2.1.2

          Not quite over it then.

          The sky is going to fall on your head any day now. Just after Nibiru.

          • Ian 23.2.1.2.1

            comet jacinda looks like dust and hot air. She will have whooshed thru before you can say ” The Honourable Winston Peters “

            • Sam aka clump 23.2.1.2.1.1

              Farmers say it’s to hard. You are pushing us to hard. I can kind of understand what happened. The last government incentivised dairy intensification. Now New Zealand has 3 million to many diary cows. Shame really now that butchery as a career has largely disappeared. I mean honestly Ian. What are you angry about? And what can we do about it?

  24. Tamati Tautuhi 24

    Labour/NZF/Greens need to demonstrate to the NZ Public that they can function as a decisive and proactive MMP Government otherwise they will not last long and people will gravitate back to the main parties ?

  25. Gavin 25

    I like your turn of phrase towards the end, Ad.

    There are some provincial townships where the ideal end of a night on the town is a regular bare-knuckle fight outside a local pub, a sort of a fight club with other ex-patrons watching. They make their own entertainment. Yes, they work hard, and they play hard too. Most urban dwellers won’t recognise this behaviour.

    Can Labour make inroads in the blue seats? You’re right about the amount of effort it will take, several years of work by many members, it won’t be easy. At the moment the feedback from the provinces is that Labour will overspend, and the whole economy will be stuffed in short order.

    Of course Labour will probably be able to grow the economy, and not superficially, just like last time, so the tax take increase will be pretty phenomenal. I think we’ll be OK.

  26. CHCOff 26

    Economically, the rural sectors and associated primary industries being given options to move away from the speculative pricing and interest rates dominated model of supply and demand, thus safe guarding them from the agri. business model taking over.

    Components of that would be govt. framework of a guaranteed stable local market (that being NZ) for it’s products that allows such industries to have high standards in how they conduct their livelihoods and the quality of their product – thus enabling the primary sector to see itself in a partnership with the urban centres as more of a mutually beneficial state of affairs to uphold.

    Secondly setting up a framework where their own independent associations of their own choosing are enabled to use the apparatus of the state on an international level for the excess remaining from the local market systems to making trade deals directly either via other international states or trading associations within those states.

    An updated approach of economic integration that has worked very beneficially for all in other periods of civilisation generally speaking then. !

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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
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  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
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    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
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    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
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  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
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    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
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    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
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    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
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  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
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    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
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    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
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  • AT Need To Lift Their Game
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  • Christopher's Whopper.
    Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Funding hole for tax cuts growing by the day
    The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Luxon’s brave climate change promise
    The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles  and that ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
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    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
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    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
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    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
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    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
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    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
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  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
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  • Government delivering on tax commitments
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    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
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    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
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    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
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    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
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    5 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
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    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
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    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
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    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
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    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
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    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
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    7 days ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
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    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
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    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
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    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
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    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
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    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
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    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
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    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
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    1 week ago
  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
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    1 week ago
  • Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity
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    1 week ago

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