Labour and National offered farmers tempting proposals during Fieldays week.
Opposition leader Christopher Luxon outlined National’s strategy, which delays agricultural carbon pricing to 2030 and excludes the industry from the carbon Trading Scheme.
Todd McClay, the party’s agricultural spokesperson, said it was about offering farmers methane-cutting tools.
“National is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 but we believe New Zealand’s path to agriculture emission reductions is through technology, not less production,” he said.
According to RNZ, the party promises “fair and sustainable” pricing by 2030.
According to a pact with sector-led organization He Waka Eke Noa, the government is still working to a 2025 timetable.
National left and did its own thing.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins claimed National was disrespecting climate change.
“They seem to be saying they’re committed to net zero by 2050 but they seem to have absolutely no idea how they’re going to deliver on that,” he added.
“In fact they have opposed every single thing the government has been doing to help us achieve that goal.”
A greenhouse gas testing facility cost $17.7 million while soil and grass studies cost $4.3 million.
The testing lab may quantify methane emissions in individual cows.
Hipkins ruled out a fertiliser tax, which was controversial.
Alongside Hipkins, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said primary farmers earned more than $53 billion in exports for the first time last year and were expected to achieve new heights this year.
If Luxon hadn’t had foot-in-mouth, National’s farm strategy would have been apparent.
Hipkins offered farmers excellent news.
On Monday, television cameras captured him telling a group of farmers in Helensville, “We have become a very negative, wet, whiney, inward looking country and we have lost the plot and we have got to get our mojo back.”
He spent the next two days explaining what he meant and proving he was a patriot and New Zealand was amazing.
He stated he was referring about Labour-led New Zealand, not New Zealanders.
New Zealand and New Zealanders are fine. The finest country on Earth has limitless possibilities. I’m a Kiwi.”
He posted on Facebook again that New Zealand was the finest country in the world “but under Labour we’ve been heading in the wrong direction and lost our mojo”.
Hipkins had the chance to criticize Luxon at Fieldays: “I haven’t met anyone who’s wet, I haven’t met anyone who’s whiney, I haven’t met anyone who’s inward-looking, I haven’t met anyone who’s really negative – admittedly I haven’t run into Christopher Luxon yet.”
Government minister Willie Jackson said Luxon owed every New Zealander an apology for his “disgraceful comment” against the country, Newshub reported.
“He is talking down our country while proposing policy that is harsh, mean and stupid,” Jackson added.
“He is nothing more than a negative hater fixated on helping the few and not the many.”
Luxon’s “wet and whiney” comment—true? Stuff conducted a survey.
It prompted website visitors to click “Yeah, that’s about right” or “Nah, that ain’t us”.
By Thursday, 31,224 clicks and 62% believed he was right. Others didn’t. Luxon may have kept to his initial statement.
Luxon’s worst week was Hipkins’ last.
Luxon was criticizing the government’s feebate policy for subsidizing “wealthy Tesla drivers” while ordering a taxpayer-funded Tesla, according to the Herald.
Parliamentary Services bought Luxon a self-drive automobile as opposition leader.
“The Herald understands Luxon was talked out of ordering the car by horrified staff and at least one senior MP, who believed the purchase would be a massive political risk,” the story stated.
A Luxon representative said Parliamentary Services regularly told Luxon he was entitled to a self-drive automobile.
“After initially indicating he would take up the offer, Mr Luxon quickly concluded he did not need it and cancelled the order,” the spokeswoman added.
Luxon told Newshub he saved taxpayers money by not driving.
Auckland houses his Tesla.
The Herald said that Luxon’s political judgment was called into question and “raised eyebrows in the National Party” at his failure to anticipate political peril.
Former prime minister Jacinda Ardern limited the prime minister and ministers’ self-drive automobile options to non-Teslas.
The Greens’ pledge to provide $385 a week after taxes was their big moment this week.
RNZ said more taxes on top earnings, trusts, and enterprises would fund it.
The “income guarantee” would guarantee a couple at least $770 and a single parent at least $735, according to co-leader Marama Davidson.
A $10,000 tax-free level would apply to anybody earning under $125,000.
Co-leader James Shaw said he was “sick of the politics of excuses” to help poor families.
“Everything we need to make life better for Aotearoa’s people exists, what’s missing is the political willpower to use it,” he added.
