Mother Nature gives Groundswell NZ the middle finger

Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, July 20th, 2021 - 78 comments
Categories: climate change, Environment, ETS, farming, national, same old national, science - Tags:

So last Friday Groundswell NZ also known as the grumpy farmer element within the National Party decided to disrupt the country by driving tractors through some urban centres and preying for congestion.

The coordination of the messaging was weak.  There were signs complaining about too much use of Te Reo, numerous suggesting that Jacinda Ardern was a communist (as if), one portraying her shagging a sheep, I presume by an 8 year old boy who persuaded his mentally challeneged father this was a good idea, and some borrowing of themes from progressive protests that occurred at important times to suggest that trying to persuade rich wealthy farmers that were wrecking their local environment in the pursuit of profit they should stop was the same as subjecting black people to suppression because of the colour of their skin.  They clearly shall not be moved.

The protests were treated gently by the media.  Even the attack on a woman in Dunedin who was just trying to point out that there is no farming on a dead planet was treated in a somewhat muted way.

And the complaints were somewhat random.  Not being able to buy gas guzzling utes featured, even though tax benefits and misplaced visions of masculinity feature in the purchase decisions.  And even though these same vehicles are slowly making the earth uninhabitable, and the big ones more quickly than the small ones.

Significant Natural Areas featured.  We may be destroying forests and waterways at a disturbing sustainable rate but surely land owners should be allowed to do so because of their god given complete rights over their land and apart from sequestering carbon, holding slip prone areas together and providing habitat for local fauna and flora what good are trees?

Protecting biodiversity?  Pffft.  And there should be more foreign workers allowed in so that wages and conditions can be driven down.

So what is mother nature doing?

On the weekend a slow moving rain storm flooded Westport, Buller and Marlborough.  From Radio New Zealand:

Marlborough recorded its largest flooding event in history today – far bigger than the previous biggest event in 1983.

Marlborough District Council declared a state of emergency this afternoon, to ensure it has the resources to evacuate hundreds of properties.

In total, 900 people were evacuated from over 500 properties across the region, deputy mayor Nadine Taylor said.

…

The red warning for heavy rainfall in Buller has been extended until 3am Sunday. Red warnings are reserved for the most severe weather events and require immediate action.

The Buller District is in a state of emergency as rain hammers the region.

The Buller River burst its banks today and joined up with the Orowaiti River to the north, turning Westport in to an island.

And in Westport half, yes that is right half, of the residents were told to leave their homes.

Overseas flooding events in Germany and Belgium that have devastated parts of both countries have been clearly put down to climate change.  From Vox:

“The rainfall we’ve experienced across Europe over the past few days is extreme weather whose intensity is being strengthened by climate change — and will continue to strengthen further with more warming,” Friederike Otto of the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford told German news outlet DW.

And in America the North East has flooded while the North West has burned.  And climate change has been implicated.  From NBC News:

A warmer atmosphere is able to hold more water, which means heavy rain events like what happened Monday in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are becoming more prevalent with climate change. The Northeast, specifically, is the region that has seen the highest increase in heavy rainfall events, more than any other region, since the 1950s.

…

The Bootleg Fire in Oregon is currently over 150,000 acres and zero percent contained. It could become the first 200,000-acre wildfire of the year for the U.S.

This year is already off to a faster wildfire start compared to 2020. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, compared to this same time last year, there has been more than 700 wildfires and over 103,000 more acres burned.

This is alarming, considering 2020 set a record for most acres burned in California, at a staggering 4.3 million acres.

Extreme temperature is one of the weather events that can be most strongly attributed to climate change. The warmer atmosphere is leading to heat waves that are more intense, more frequent and last longer.

At one level I get Farmers anger and frustration.  They are really afraid that the academics and the politicians are right and that they are contributing to the destruction of our planet.  They are really afraid of the change that is required to address this crisis.  Their anger is a response to their fear.  They need to get over it.  We all have a planet to save.

As the sign says, there is no farming on a dead planet.

78 comments on “Mother Nature gives Groundswell NZ the middle finger ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Dennis Frank 1
    20 July 2021 at 8:50 am

    They're just acting like typical protestors: oppose the govt. Copying several generations of leftists. No evidence of problem-solving in their political stance (as Eugenie Sage pointed out in a media report). Not acting like adults.

    Relating cause & effect isn't as hard as the deniers pretend. "Two plus two equals four?? Nah, only a dangerous radical would think that."

    • Drowsy M. Kram 1.1
      20 July 2021 at 11:30 am

      "Copying several generations of leftists."

      ‘Groundswell NZ’ are closer to a carbon copy of the 2003 'fart tax' protests, when that well-known leftist farmer and MP (later PM) Bill English brandished his "THE MAD COW SHOULDN'T HAVE SIGNED" placard from a tractor seat on the steps of Parliament – he was positively beaming. ‘Groundswell’ has flasher tractors though.

      https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0309/S00040/images-farmers-fart-tax-protest-at-parliament.htm “Images from the National Party media unit.”

      The climate's changing, but some farmers, and politicians, aren't for turning.

      • Dennis Frank 1.1.1
        20 July 2021 at 12:02 pm

        True. I concede that point. Where I was coming from is the psychology of protest: assume a subservient state of mind, then complain about it. Doesn't present a good look to the public, whether it emanates from the left or right. Constructive engagement works better than protest – with the qualifier that the govt of the time is open to making progress via consensus. Nats' track record worse than Labour…

        • McFlock 1.1.1.1
          20 July 2021 at 2:08 pm

          What rot.

          Protest is about assessing a situation and figuring out what power one has, then leveraging that power to achieve a defined objective where "constructive engagement" has failed.

          Civil rights protests were not about sitting in the front seat or getting a cup of coffee, they were about exposing and publicising the reality of life in segregation.

          The '81 protests were about stopping the tour so the apartheid regime faced consequences for its actions, and its victims felt support.

          The tractor protest was about a list of poorly-defined gripes against the gummint, and had what objective? Get the support of townies by blocking the streets?

          The counter-protestor, on the other hand, had the objective of pointing out the cost of placating those gripes. And achieved it in spades when the self-entitled thug went in for a bit of petty theft and was awfully pleased with himself.

          • Dennis Frank 1.1.1.1.1
            20 July 2021 at 3:06 pm

            I agree that protesting often worked back when I was doing it – but not obviously so since then. Sometimes political theatre is effective in shifting the public. Then the govt shifts in response to the change in the public mood. However the risk that too many people will see a group stuck in grievance mode does tend to make that group less effective.

            • McFlock 1.1.1.1.1.1
              20 July 2021 at 3:21 pm

              Like I said, it worked for the counterprotestor the other day.

              It worked to keep neurosurgery in Dunedin only ten years ago (shit, time flies).

              It doesn't work all the time, and sometimes the only objective is just to expose that whatever is going on is not done with your support. But it still works, especially if you have clear focus.

        • Alan 1.1.1.2
          25 July 2021 at 9:21 pm

          Dennis. You seem to miss the point. The Protest is about the lack of "Constructive engagement" from the Government. This Labour government has become very arrogant in the believe they know better than anyone else in the country. They behave more like dictators than a democratic party. Change the laws to help force undemocratic views in to Law and eroding the peoples rights (our rights). There has been a number of changes where this governments has eroded our rights to force unequal rights to a proportion of society who are only to happy to grab as much of our nations assets for their own benefit and not to the benefit of ALL NEW ZEALANDERS !
          With all respect. Alan from Tuakau. A tradie and farmer.

  2. GreenBus 2
    20 July 2021 at 8:58 am

    At the same time that Maori land rights, teaching Te Reo language, Maori co-governance He Puapua and other issues are in political debate, the privileged white farmer comes out in a show of force. This isn't about Utes, this is all about old white men raging against change that includes our Maori people, women leadership, fair wages and most importantly the environment, that they ignore in the pursuit of profits from the white gold. This is going down like a cup of cold sick with urban populations who see a privileged industry whinging again, that is frontlined with racist, misogynistic, ignorant and arrogant farmers giving the rest of the country the big finger. This is nothing to be proud of.

    • Jim 2.1
      20 July 2021 at 11:06 am

      You seem to think only old white men farm or are involved in industry like Dairy.

      Farmers are a diverse group of which many Maori men and women are involved.

      pkw.co.nz

      miraka.co.nz are examples

      To label a diverse industry, of people of all races and backgrounds racist, misogynistic (many women will be out farming today), ignorant and arrogant, probably isnt something to be proud of either.

      • GreenBus 2.1.1
        20 July 2021 at 11:48 am

        It's mainly old white men that are racist and misogynistic IMO. Having lived in Waikato and Taranaki most of my life I know the turf and the people on it. Maori, women and immigrant farmers not my target, they are pretty neutral IMO. Not so the "kiwi bloke". He's a different fish.

        • Jim 2.1.1.1
          20 July 2021 at 6:58 pm

          Totally understand, Its old white men that you hate, farming or not, thanks for clarification.

          [please stick to one e-mail address, i.e. the one that has been pre-approved, thanks]

      • McFlock 2.1.2
        20 July 2021 at 2:13 pm

        Oh, I'm sure.

        But the barking mad protestors seemed to be a bit less diverse than the industry as a whole.

    • vto 2.2
      20 July 2021 at 11:08 am

      Unfortunately I cant help but agree…. in discussing (very carefully) with said rural protestors, several things came to the fore very strongly…

      1. personal attacks on PM. Stemmed from her being young and female….

      2. "why do we have to listen to bloody maari language"…

      3. "no food we all die, so be grateful"

      The last one is so very inane and meh… no houses we all die faster… no midwives we never get born… no teachers we cant read tractor instructions… no ports no exports… really, I mean where do you stop with this childish nonsense? It seems it doesn't stop with farmers, they just keep bleating on — "you gonna die without us" …. ffs…

      cant be fucked with rural sector after that selfish over-indulgent show..

      got record farm gate prices, booming economy, low unemployment..

      bloody whingers

      • tc 2.2.1
        20 July 2021 at 1:00 pm

        Sadly IMO yes.

        The angry few encouraged by the usual suspects whilst many farmers were not there.

        We've seen this all before. How many actually understand the issue V rent a mob. Truckers up next again ?

        • Molly 2.2.1.1
          20 July 2021 at 3:21 pm

          Truckers up next again ?

          There's no excuse if they are.

          My partner works for a transport company that announced it's carbon zero status last month (admittedly with the use of of forestry credits to do so).

          The intent is to be carbon-free without such credits by 2025, and they are well on the way to achieving that goal. The only thing in the way of other companies doing the same is lack of foresight, initiative and a sense of social responsibility.

          I hope government puts money into rewarding and supporting early adopters rather than providing transition funds to laggards.

      • Craig Hall 2.2.2
        20 July 2021 at 2:49 pm

        Totally agree, we produce enough food for 40 million people, if we cut the sector in half, we would still be producing an exportable surplus.

  3. ianmac 3
    20 July 2021 at 9:06 am

    Micky wrote, "And the complaints were somewhat random. Not being able to buy gas guzzling utes featured, even though tax benefits and misplaced visions of masculinity feature in the purchase decisions. "

    Marc Daalder wrote

    Let's be clear: The feebate scheme doesn't single out utes, it singles out high-emitting vehicles.

    In fact, of 431 vehicle models analysed by Driven.co.nz, just 21 were subject to the maximum fee. Of these, just two were utes, including a Volkswagen ute that retails at $90,000.

    A very interesting well researched article which matches what Micky wrote. They say eloquently what I think.

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/feebate-wont-bankrupt-farmers-but-climate-change-might?utm_source=Friends+of+the+Newsroom&utm_campaign=d3ed4644ca-Daily+Briefing+20.07.2021&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_71de5c4b35-d3ed4644ca-95522477

  4. pat 4
    20 July 2021 at 10:06 am

    You may wish to edit the homepage….Greymouth to Westport

    [Oops now corrected – MS]

  5. Muttonbird 5
    20 July 2021 at 10:17 am

    Less sign-writing, more sand-bagging seems the order of the day.

  6. vto 6
    20 July 2021 at 11:18 am

    So here's another thing…

    Farmers claim they "keep the lights on" in NZ. That somehow their export dollars pay for everything. I mean everything. And that without export money we would have no money (yes, I know its bizarre, but thats what the claim is).

    However, we all know that NZ has just lost its biggest export earner, tourism. And what happened to the economy? It didn't fail. The lights didn't go out. The money never disappeared…

    … what actually happened is that the economy did even better! Their predictions were shown up to be nonsense. When the outwards-facing tourism sector turned itself inwards the economy improved..

    .. and I would suggest that if, say, dairy lost its export money overnight the same thing would happen again. All that outward-facing activity and investment would become inward-facing activity and investment and the domestic economy would get busier and busier.. Sure, some farmers would go bust like tourism operators did, but the offsetting change in activity would be a substantial improvement. This is self-evident and tourism-evident.

    There is so much nonsense around

    • Enough is Enough 6.1
      20 July 2021 at 11:36 am

      You think the state of the economy is because the tourism industry has turned inwards?

      I think you will find the economy is booming on the back of a property market on steroids. It is very debateable whether that is a good thing, and it it is certainly not a sustainable thing.

      Inflation and interest rate increases are on the horizon. Adrian is also switching off the printing press. And we still have intergenerational poverty and housing issues.

      Farmers need to change, but lets not think things would be fine if dairy exports dissapeared. We can't live off massive capital gains on our homes forever.

      • pat 6.1.1
        20 July 2021 at 12:10 pm

        We undoubtably need to be more capable at providing that which we need but a level of imports will always be required (assuming lifestyle) but as Graeme asked a few days ago is our ag sector a net benefit to NZ given the level of offshore ownership (and profit extraction) , the imports required to facilitate it and the social/environmental costs it imposes?….I dont know if that question can be definitively answered.

        Certainly it isnt the clear positive it was some decades ago.

      • vto 6.1.2
        20 July 2021 at 1:31 pm

        Sorry, I should have elaborated more, because of course the stimulus and low low interest rates have turbo-charged things.

        But I think the point still stands, notwithstanding other factors. Tourism was our biggest foreign exchange earner. It disappeared virtually overnight. The lights stayed on.

        People in NZ (esp. farmers) always seems to think it is not possible to have a domestic economy without inwards flowing money. But that is a nonsense. If NZ needed external monies flowing inwards to create and support an economy, then so too must the whole world need monies flowing inwards to create and support an economy. Hahahaha.. money from Mars please…

        … thing is that domestic economies are real and true. All an economy is, is people going about their daily business – buying their breakfast, fueling up the car, building a sleepout, trading on trademe, etc etc. It is nothing more than the sum of each of our daily activities. Those daily activities keep going, no matter any export earnings.

        And I strongly suggest, on the back of the failure of our biggest export earner, that our domestic economy would do better if it turned itself inwards more… like we have been… imagine all us gifted, hard working, keen kiwis going for it within our own borders… the place would go nuts…

        • pat 6.1.2.1
          20 July 2021 at 1:48 pm

          The main difference between Ag and tourism is the flows….if you are transporting x number of outsiders to NZ then economics determines you are likely to transport a similar number of NZers outwards to optimise the use of resources….this isnt so pronounced with commodities.

          It is always possible to have a closed economy but that limits activity to that which you can provide for yourselves and while it is true that ultimately not all economies can be net exporters deficit spending can run for long periods (witness NZ).

          I agree we would do better if we chose to be far less reliant on imported goods, labour and growth, but Im not sure that when what that entails is understood at a personal level that it will receive widespread support…..much like climate change mitigation.

      • Dorothy 6.1.3
        21 July 2021 at 1:25 pm

        Farmers retiring have also benefited hugely from the increase in property prices. Around the year 2000 a modest size sheep and beef farm might sell for $1m in the right place. Now it's several million. So farming for capital gain has been prominent.

      • Ian 6.1.4
        21 July 2021 at 9:28 pm

        A voice of reason in the wilderness.In reply to Enough is Enough

    • woodart 6.2
      20 July 2021 at 2:58 pm

      ask a whingeing cockie( most arent) whether he would like to wind back the regulations that enable his high commodity payout, along with a reduction in said payout…tradeing in 100% clean green kiwi while whingeing about regs that make it 100% clean green kiwi..its the same old ,socialise the cost, privatise the profits con game, just with redbands and swandri's

    • populuxe1 6.3
      21 July 2021 at 5:58 pm

      According to MBIE tourism is only 5.5% of GDP with an additional 3.8% from support industries. According to Statistics NZ Primary production is around 7%. The vast part of our GDP is actually service industries, infrastructure, and construction.

  7. Ad 7
    20 July 2021 at 11:48 am

    Time to consider the managed retreat of Westport itself. As a whole.

    • Dennis Frank 7.1
      20 July 2021 at 12:09 pm

      You have a destination in mind?? These cryptic utterances merely tantalise. Perhaps the other coast & rename itself Eastport? Is there even a port where it currently is?? A quick scan here suggests not: https://westport.nz/

      • greywarshark 7.2.1
        20 July 2021 at 1:28 pm

        Timely warning for now.

        https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC2107/S00051/frequent-flooding-in-nz-expert-reaction.htm

        [removed the following text from user name: “Timely warning”]

      • greywarshark 7.2.2
        20 July 2021 at 7:58 pm

        Charleston could if the conditions are right, be a beauty spot on the West Coast. Perhaps there could be a marina in one of the double bays there. An historic piece says that in colonial days they landed in Constance Bay.

        There could be an ecological village there for the Westporters, built as long-leasehold houses, and paid for by a special Housing Trust that would retain ownership. It would be built to the best designs and equipment for the 21st century; invite Greta to open it. Have people from all over coming as tourists to look at it, run seminars there. Get Damian O'Connor onto it, with something to offer the sad people from up north, forced out of their homes.

        It looks deepish water there, perhaps no bar to worry about, and the fishers could still go in and out there. They would be employed by DOC to be kaitiaki for the Maui/Hector? dolphins there, that would be part of their business, their tourism.

        Just some ideas. Possibilities if the coastline is right for it.

    • woodart 7.3
      20 July 2021 at 3:02 pm

      no,it should be given to the act party, as an experiment to see how quickly and badly their brand of voodoo bullshit doest work. and they cant walk away from it!!!lets see how the free market can win over mother nature!!shit, thats a T-shirt..

      • WeTheBleeple 7.3.1
        21 July 2021 at 6:09 pm

        Free Market vs Mother Nature – love it. So many smug assholes out there, feel a little guilty watching their BS get obliterated by current events, but a lot of schadenfreude.

  8. bwaghorn 8
    20 July 2021 at 12:00 pm

    The sna's are the one they seem to be most worried about, does it really mean they have to fund the retirement of land,the fencing and protecting of said land and still pay full rates on it,

    Is their a way to defend property rights if one thinks the sna on their property is onerous.

    • greywarshark 8.1
      20 July 2021 at 12:13 pm

      Perhaps the government can establish what they want, and then come down from Wellington and work with the individual farmers and talk to the people and farmers in their area about what they could achieve and how best to do it. It would lance the bursting boil I think if they have not spent time doing this as a matter of course. We have to have government working with and for us, and not just issuing edicts and targets for contracted agencies setting themselves up as little Lord Fauntleroy, as my gran used to say.

      • bwaghorn 8.1.1
        20 July 2021 at 4:46 pm

        We already have qe2 covenants and council is helping fund river fencing, that's the argument farmers are putting up ,that they are already doing the right thing .

    • Graeme 8.2
      20 July 2021 at 12:59 pm

      You can challenge the SNA on ecological grounds, arguing that there’s nothing significant there to protect. Good luck with that because the piece of land wouldn’t have been designated if there wasn’t something significant to protect.

      Just arguing that it’s too onerous won’t get far. Try arguing that the house you’re building in town should be higher than allowed or of greater footprint because there wouldn’t be enough rental return at permitted size and therefore the restrictions are onerous and you wouldn’t get far either.

      There’s restrictions on what can be done with all types of property, some pretty tight and restrictive. Strangely rural agricultural land has been a lot later to get these rules compared to land in town.

      • greywarshark 8.2.1
        20 July 2021 at 1:19 pm

        The farmers often bring up the loss of land available for farming and money earning. Perhaps the areas could be covenanted or something if that seems better to them, or shown how people with covenants manage, or they could grow special trees there that could be harvested later, tree by tree for special orders. Individual farmers need to form their own plan, along with an advisor, which gives them something to hang onto, a way ahead to follow.

        Farming areas anywhere lack the intellectual stimulation of interaction with others, other ideas as in cities, it's well known. It's why NZ falters to enter the 21st century – always two decades behind and yet unwilling to use that time to gather ideas on what is best for us.

      • bwaghorn 8.2.2
        20 July 2021 at 4:44 pm

        Who gets to decide what's an sna ?

        Is it a balanced panel?

        Or is it government appointed, a labour panel would have different ideas to a national one and image how much land a green panel would sna.

        • Graeme 8.2.2.1
          20 July 2021 at 8:31 pm

          It's generally done as part of a district wide ecological assessment as part of the District Plan process by the local Council. The assessments would be done be suitably qualified ecologists, nothing political about them at all. Can also be the result of a tenure review. The place I'm working on at present has half a dozen that came out of one of the very early tenure reviews. So they've been around for a 20 years or so. QLDC district plan lists 96 of them, the chapter of the plan is still under appeal but probably won't change much.

    • Gabby 8.3
      21 July 2021 at 5:33 pm

      Seems a bit rude not to be buying the retired land really.

  9. Poission 9
    20 July 2021 at 1:56 pm

    As the sign says,

    Which is the salient conundrum.

    Climate structures and systems,are a set of preferred states (called attractors in mathematics) it is not comparable for NH and SH events as the systems are different (as were the weather events Germany/westport)

    In the Southern hemisphere,the signs were all slightly negative,to negative,the switch to negative in the Antarctic oscillation,SAM and IOD,along with a trend to negative (La nina) suggest (strongly) that a set of qualities (all of the same sign) conspired against climate expectations ( positive persistence) to allow an extreme event.

    https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/precip/CWlink/daily_ao_index/aao/aao_index.html

  10. Patricia Bremner 10
    20 July 2021 at 5:55 pm

    That lady with the sign was brave. The reaction to her shows no regard for her rights.

    So much for "Freedom of Speech" If you agree, you can speak, otherwise…

    SNA's are often previous wetlands which have been drained. We need those natural catchments as they keep moisture in the soil.

    Tell me, when did you last hear a frog? See wild bullrushes? See a small clear stream flowing freely?

    When people feel threatened by change, they can react with aggression. The whole idea of the tractor protest was to show might, not reason.

    The fact one group is disowning the behaviour of their associates tells us the feedback has been widespread disgust, and now a faction is distancing themselves from some of the wilder elements of the protest.

    Weather events muted the "Howl"

    Someone said "Nature is in control now!" Sadly nature's cycles are disrupted by too much heat, and these destructive events will grow more regular and damaging as the energy is released. Planning is needed not protest.

    Thanks for the post Micky.

    • Heather Grimwood 10.1
      21 July 2021 at 11:22 am

      Your comment re “Freedom of Speech ” one of very few to point out the ludicrous act of one of its proponents snatching in a protest banner in Dunedin.

  11. peter sim 11
    20 July 2021 at 6:20 pm

    Thank you farmers. Your parade through my rural town convinced me you are stupid, ignorant, illiterate, loud mouthed, strutting, play ground bullies, showing contempt for people who are not farmers.

    It is time you all grew up.

    Who organised this charade?

    Climate change, pandemics, water quality do not matter?

    Migrate to the USA.

    We own a small block, sheep, cattle, horses, chickens.

    Given the idiot slogans displayed I suspect national party ideologues.

  12. William 12
    21 July 2021 at 1:46 pm

    It's not only mother nature giving the well timed finger, our overseas income that farmers crow about earning could also be at risk.

    "Last week, lawmakers in the European Union and the US announced proposals to put levies on foreign goods that aren’t subject to carbon pricing in their home countries."

    Their whole 'no farmers no food' concept shows a complete lack of understanding. Growing food for human consumption is the epitome of an anthropogenic activity. They might feel virtuous about feeding the world's people but there's no reason that should be done without accounting for the carbon emissions produced.

  13. WeTheBleeple 13
    21 July 2021 at 6:19 pm

    This is not aimed at the Author but all those who tried make me out to be a hysterical greenie when outlining how water would become such a big deal. It was only a few short years back.

    Now change is happening harder and faster than any of us predicted. Very Bad.

    To all those ridiculous trolls and right wing whingers:

    I fucking well told you so.

    • Patricia Bremner 13.1
      21 July 2021 at 6:45 pm

      devil So you did!! Didn't want to listen though did they?

      • WeTheBleeple 13.1.1
        21 July 2021 at 6:59 pm

        No. And so I stopped bothering. Now we get to listen to (insert know-all here) telling us how it is.

        We still need catchment wide water strategies.

        Drought is still intrinsically linked to flood.

        Decentralisation is still the wisest strategy – but government putting all water eggs in four baskets. Ridiculous.

        We need incentives for collecting water, restoring wetlands, small earthworks at a massive scale…

        Not holding my breath, but any more rain I may have to.

        • Patricia Bremner 13.1.1.1
          21 July 2021 at 7:07 pm

          Cheers I am pleased you are back. Hope your tests in 2019 were not insurmountable. Have just had a lung scare.. it was the waiting!!

          Well, Health and Water are real issues. I will say it "You were and are right!!"

  14. vto 14
    22 July 2021 at 6:52 am

    If I might offer one final whinge about these whingers…

    The whinge was three-fold – over-regulation, so-called ute tax, and sna's.

    One, the industry I work in is subjected to more over-regulation than any other including farming, and I suspect that goes for many other sectors. Excess regulation. I work in a regulatory environment which is constantly changing. I constantly have a resource consent in play and deal in the RMA… along with all of the grump issues that come with that… but you don't see my sector crying like the farmers…

    Two, the so-called ute tax also affects my industry equally as much as farming, again as I suspect many many other industries are similarly affected. EV's are currently very limited, so pretty much anyone in business other than delivering lightweight flowers and such is at a small disadvantage for a little bit of time…. but you don't see these sectors crying like farmers…

    Three, sna's are a regulatory issue as well. All privately owned land in NZ is subject to control, regulation and such changes. All such landowners are thrown curve balls at times – zoning changes, a motorway going in next door, a stop on draining swamps (after 150 years of being encouraged to drain swamps….), not being able to build a home close to a stream, on it goes…. but you don't these people crying like farmers…. (well you do sometimes, but you get the point).

    So the farmers had a big cry. But the issues are no different to those everyone else faces.

    Farmers are a big body of people and resource in NZ. This seems to embolden them and make think they are special ("no farmers no future" .. ffs)… they are not special…. they are just like the rest of us…. do you think they would agree with that? Or do they really think they are special?

    imo they think they are special and that is a big part of their downfall

  15. Jenny how to get there 15
    22 July 2021 at 9:29 am

    How are you feeling as climate predictions come to pass?

    Joe Bennett, Stuff.co.nz, Jul 21 2021

    So, how’s the optimism? How’s your sense of where the world is heading? How’s the belief in progress? In short, how are things?

    …. Buller’s drowning, Germany's drowned

    …..the North American continent is running out of water with which to fight an apocalypse of wildfires.

    …..All of which is precisely as foretold by climate scientists. They told us decades ago. They told us in plenty of time.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/125804999/how-are-you-feeling-as-climate-predictions-come-to-pass?

    I hoped and prayed this time would never come.

    But it has.

    The global climate has passed a tipping point into a new normal.
    And you may think it is bad now, but it could to get much, much worse.
    We don't need to worry about militant farmers withholding our food.
    If things continue in the way they are heading, the collapse of industrial agriculture as we know it with resulting mass famine is a real possibiltiy

    Now that climate change is here.
    Is it time to start prosecuting those responsible?
    Do we need punitive measures enacted to discourage them from damaging the climate even more?
    Is it time yet, for us to make an example of those in positions of responsibility in the past, who brought us to this place by wilfully ignoring the warnings?
    Should we charge them with enabling and abetting the crime of ‘Ecocide’.

    Maybe the citizens of Westport who have lost their homes to flooding linked to climate change could be allowed to take a class action for damages against Jerry Brownlee and the National Party for misleading them about the hidden dangers of coal mining to the climate?

    Let's start prosecuting those policy makers in positions of responsibility who helped enable the current climate disaster impacting the people of Westport by keeping them in the dark about what would happen to them if the world kept mining for coal.

    “The title of this little piece is 'Sexy Coal'. And I think that is about right. The future for coal looks reasonably rosey under this particular proposal”
    Gerry Brownlee, September 2007



    • Incognito 15.1
      22 July 2021 at 6:41 pm

      Wonderful! You want to prosecute a politician now? For a Newsletter from 2007? That will be good for the democracy that you claim to love and support so much. I guess ecocide trumps democracy, doesn’t it? I sense some vibes again sad

      In any case, you wouldn’t get far with a prosecution case against Jerry, as you can’t even spell his name correctly, FFS.

    • Jenny how to get there 15.2
      22 July 2021 at 11:32 pm

      Why is this still happening?

      Looking for more coal is indefensible

      No Right Turn, Thursday, July 22, 2021

      ….Southland District mayor Gary Tong seemed to recognise how indefensible his position was: he didn't want to say why the council had approved it, and certainly didn't want to say whether he had personally supported it (in the end, he admitted he did, with some mumbling about "jobs" and that they'd just get "Crown Minerals" – actually the Minister – to approve it instead. Well, then the Minister can be the climate criminal and face the lawsuit rather than him).

      http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2021/07/looking-for-more-coal-is-indefensible.html

      Is it time to start charging these climate criminals yet?

  16. WeTheBleeple 16
    22 July 2021 at 9:31 am

    Bang on. Drag them all before the courts and take everything they have for mitigating climate change. What goes up must come down.

  17. Paul Axford 17
    22 July 2021 at 12:59 pm

    Note misspelled word "challeneged".

    Good commentary!

  18. Jenny how to get there 18
    23 July 2021 at 1:10 pm

    "Some Farmers" presumably associated with Groundswell, try to pressure rural suppliers who didn't want their brand associated with them.

    "These companies need to wake up. Without us they are nothing….."
    Clarks Junction farmer Jim Macdonald

    https://www.odt.co.nz/rural-life/rural-events/backlash-over-protest-advice-staff

  19. Paul Taylor 19
    23 July 2021 at 11:02 pm

    I am a poltical agnostic, searching for my place in the world. Reading this article and the comments proves that there is a "them and us" mentality on the left. That politcal bastion of blind reason and ignorance. By compulsion every comment should be prefaced with the urban liberal place of residence and the last time they travelled outside an urban centre (most likely in an SUV or 4WD). Asking the last time to visit a farm would be pointless…as the answer would be zero. The ignorance of farming is staggering. So much so I assume everyone grows their own food and bet those who don't complain about the prices. Ungrateful sods. Quickly losing my agnostic tag…

    Oh by the way: South Dunedin, farm visit last week, don't own an SUV or 4WD – just a Toyota Echo. Drink a flat white, now and then, so can be called an urbanite.

  20. Hunter Thompson II 20
    29 July 2021 at 4:29 pm

    A new doco "Milk and Money" is airing in 6 parts on TV. I haven't seen it yet, but the maker is from Southland and not pleased at the effect the dairy industry has had on rivers.

    He seems to be objective though, and his basic message is that there is a better way to farm …

    A good counter to the greenwash pumped out by DairyNZ and Fonterra.