Fed Farmers
June 16th, 2008 at 8:59 am by David FarrarCongratulations to Conor English on his appointment as CEO of Federated Farmers. Conor is a former CEO of the Property Institute, and has a farming background.
Conor is one of Bill’s many brothers. He is of course his own man, and people should not assume their politics are identical. Conor, if I recall correctly, has none of those left wing tendencies that Bill occasionally gets 
Hat Tip: The Hive
June 16th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Conor, if I recall correctly, has none of those left wing tendencies that Bill occasionally
Vote:Well that’s a relief – on that basis one can only hope Federted Farmers have some success in any lobbying.
June 16th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Ah, so he’s a proper right winger, like Nick Smith then.
s
Vote:June 16th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Well that rules him out of Keys national party then doesn’t it.
Vote:June 16th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Then Federated farmers wont be looking to socialise the losses from farming then. The normal changes in weather conditions, or price swings.
Vote:June 16th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Of more concern to me is his wife, Jo Coughlan, who I voted for as a local councilllor for Wellington City Council last October. Last week I saw her campaigning against public transport. She might hate buses, but I catch them every day. She won’t be getting my vote next time, that is for sure.
What is worse is that we now have two anti-bus councillors in my ward, the other being the arch petrol-head John Morrison. It means only Cr Andy Foster supports public transport, in a suburb with the busiest, best-patronised bus route in New Zealand.
[DPF: In what way was she campaigning against public transport?]
Vote:June 16th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Now now, ghostwhowalks3, you must understand that as a representative of Federated Farmers, he must look for the best deal for farmers, either working within the system, or to change the system. If the best deal is to look to “socialise the losses from farming”, as you say, then he should do that. After all, isn’t another ‘evil’ right wing principle that of rational self-interest?
Poneke, I do query as to whether what his wife does is particularly relevant to what he is doing? As CEO of Federated Farmers, I doubt he will be undertaking campaigns against public transport anytime soon…
You have piqued my curiosity, however. How does one campaign against public transport? What were the reasons underlying the campaign? What was the desired achievement of the campaign?
Vote:June 16th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
conor is a bloody good bloke – his only socialist tendency is to breed a lot. He is a pragmatist, grounded but wont take shit. He understands the long game and that will be a wondeful change of direction for feds which has been dogged by the short term tactical thinking of his predecessor. Agriculture still rules in NZED – and he will give the sector a voice that should resonate even in the leafy burbs of inny and outy Aucks.
Vote:June 16th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Poneke
Everybody bloody hates buses
Vote: