Damien O'connor
Big questions after Gabrielle, says Agriculture Minister
The Agriculture Minister says the size and cost of the sector's long-term recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle remains unclear, but paying for it will take everyone involved.
He says 1200 of the 2000… Audio
Cyclone Gabrielle: $25m in grants available for farmers
Millions of dollars in new support will be available from today for farmers and growers walloped by the cyclone.
The $25 million worth of grants is for urgent work, including fencing, and clearing… Audio
Cyclone Gabrielle : Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor
The under investment in infrastructure laid bare by the ravages of Cyclone Gabrielle is top of mind for Cabinet today. The Government is refocusing and reprioritising in light of the devastation… Audio
Cyclone Gabrielle: Efforts underway to support farmers, growers
Coordinated efforts to get support to farmers and growers affected by Cyclone Gabrielle have begun - with truck loads of stock feed bound for the affected regions.
Crops were destroyed, orchards were… Audio
Government providing $4m to support farmers and growers
The Government is providing an initial four million dollars in funding support for farmers and growers affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.
It would be used to help support rural communities in regions… Audio
Primary industry exports set to reach new record high
Despite a global downturn, primary industry exports are set to reach a new record high of $55 billion in 2023.
The government this morning released its export revenue projections, which show a 4… Audio
New Zealand reaches first place in Sustainable Trade Index
The government is lauding the country achieving first place in a Sustainable Trade Index.
The Index was launched overnight in Singapore and ranks this country first out of 30 economies that trade… Audio
Farms to forests: Minister for Agriculture on farmers
Minister for Agriculture Damien O'Connor talks with Kathryn Ryan about the tough choices farmers are facing, including looming emissions pricing, and the temptation to sell into carbon farm forestry.
…Farmers to pay for methane and CO2 emissions from 2025
The government wants farmers to pay for agricultural emissions for carbon dioxide and methane from 2025.
It will be a farm-level split gas approach, but the industry is not happy with the proposal.
… Audio
Trade Minister on long awaited FTA
After Four years of negotiations New Zealand's trade delegation to Europe is walking away from Brussels with smiles today, after securing a long-awaited free-trade agreement with the EU.
Prime… Audio
Trade Minister on European Union deal talks
A trade agreement with the European Union is years in the making - since 2018 to be exact - and the Prime Minister says negotiations are in their closing stages.
She's cautioning against saying it's… Audio
Minister frustrated by no firm decision from WTO talks
The Minister of Trade is frustrated after talks at the twelfth meeting at the World Trade Organisation have just wrapped up but no firm decisions appear to be made.
The issues at stake have included… Audio
O'Connor admits little chance of US in CPTPP any time soon
The Trade Minister has acknowledged the United States is unlikely to return to the trans-Pacific trade pact in the near future, but says New Zealand won't give up on it.
Damien O'Connor is travelling… Audio
Midday Rural News for 16 May 2022
News from the rural and farming sector, including Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor on the just-released Emissions Reduction Plan. Audio
Future-proofing supply chains with Singapore
The New Zealand government has joined forces with Singapore to try and tackle global supply chain issues. A New Zealand-Singapore Supply Chain Working Group" will be established yo help future proof… Audio
Prime Minister arrives in Singapore for trade trip
The Prime Minister has touched down in Singapore - after clearing a pre-departure test - kicking off her first overseas trip in more than two years.
Jacinda Ardern arrived on the Boeing 757 at Changi… Audio
Border exemptions let 1500 primary sector workers in
The government has announced it's making exceptions to immigration rules to allow more than 1500 experienced primary sector workers to come to New Zealand.
The jobs will be in the dairy industry… Audio
NZ's largest medicinal cannabis grower wins govt funding boost
The government's given a cash injection to the country's largest medicinal cannabis grower - saying it could become as successful as the wine industry.
Puro is a specialist cannabis grower near… Video, Audio
More support on way for drought-hit southern farmers
The Agriculture Minister says more support is on its way for drought-hit southern farmers. Damien O'Connor has visited Southland today, where he spoke to farmers and community leaders, and revealed… Audio
NZ announces fresh sanctions on Russia
Fresh sanctions against Russia have been announced overnight, a day after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky made an impassioned speech to the UN Security Council.
The US is sanctioning top… Audio