Yesterday we previewed remarks PM Helen Clark made here in Hawke’s Bay the past couple of days regarding NZ farming and the food sector. Among other activities, Ms. Clark addressed Food Hawke’s Bay, then did a video interview with BayBuzz.
We’ve made Helen Clark our Guest Buzzmaker for the week … you can view her BayBuzz interview using the YouTube links below.
We’ve broken the interview into six segments for readers with slower internet connections! Once on YouTube, you can also move from question to question there.
Here are the questions she addresses:
1. Does farming in NZ really have as rosy a future as Helen Clark (and John Key) portray? Click for response.
2. Is Labour’s “Fast Forward” agricultural research initiative simply a “gimmick” as John Key says? Does NZ have the talent base to achieve the innovation Clark says is vital to NZ’s future farming success? Click for response.
3. What does “clean, green” really mean as it applies to NZ agriculture and food exports? Click for response.
4. Are we pushing dairy farming beyond a sustainable level, at the expense of water quality and other adverse environmental impacts? Click for response.
5. What should farmers ask themselves before voting in this year’s elections? Click for response.
6. Do financially stressed Kiwi consumers need some kind of government relief from rising food prices? Click for response.
Perhaps MPs Craig Foss or Chris Tremain would like to address some of the PM’s responses?
Tom
Regarding: "Perhaps MPs Craig Foss or Chris Tremain would like to address some of the PM’s responses?"
Ring ring [ Note this is a special hollow ring] " Hello John [Key]-it's Chris here, Craig & I were wondering what we should be saying in response to Helens farming & food comments made at Food Hawkes Bay last week!"
"Hello – hello, are you there John?"
"Sorry Chris -look I'll get back to you – I'll have to check with my advisors to find out what I think. In the meantime see what reaction there is in the Bay to what she said – we can probably build on any negative reaction without having to commit to any policy-OK Chris?"
"Yes OK boss- by the way how is the policy development coming along?"
" O it's really hard -I wish I had not been promising things so much and it does not help that the Greens have flogged all the good policies already ! – look once I find out from my advisors what our party stands for I'll let you know! – gee this politics is a lot harder than ripping off the cream from the money markets."
Call ends
Chris turns to Craig " It looks like we've got to keep making it up as we go along"
By now you will realise these 'hollow men' do not rate highly in my estimation. Their type of thinking -which got us into this mess – is not the type of thinking that will get us out of it ! [ I think Albert first said something like that].
Chris & Craig if you want to see what policies look like go the the Greens web site -there you will see stuff on everything you have never imagined, Green up or die!!
aroha
Dave