Author Archives: Guest

by Tony Orman Dave Richardson of Marlborough has just written a mammoth book – 450 pages in all – about his hunting life that features accounts of his years hunting deer in Fiordland. It’s a great read about a man, … Continue reading →

The Marlborough Recreational Fishers Association has written to government expressing deep concern about heavy depletion of kahawai along Marlborough’s coastline. In a letter to the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries David Parker, the association has called for kahawai to be … Continue reading →

Opinion by Tony Orman The controversial Quota Management System (QMS) will not be abandoned according to an informed source, despite the Labour Party in its 2017 election campaign saying it would conduct an independent review of it. New Minister of … Continue reading →

The current government needs to instigate far stricter controls on foreigners buying up New Zealand’s countryside says the Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations as well as keeping the New Zealand public informed of the extent of outsiders buying up the … Continue reading →

by Ben Hope Former Environment Minister and National MP Nick Smith has been caned for hypocrisy after he wrote a newspaper column bemoaning the erosion of democracy. In the column he said that the “values of democracy and freedom are … Continue reading →

“The Treaty – Basic Facts” by Mike Butler, published by Tross Publishing, Wellington. Price $25. Available in most book shops or through the website <www.trosspublishing.co.nz> reviewed by Tony Orman The Treaty of Waitangi is currently the subject of much discussion … Continue reading →

Public rights of passage Public access to public land These are the things we’re concerned about Where we make our stand For when our early settlers Founded our country free They did it with clear intention Some things would surely … Continue reading →

Source:- Daily Mail (Australia) Nearly a third of the farmland around the world is at high risk of pesticide pollution, according to a new report. Scientists in Australia examined how nearly 100 agricultural chemicals were used across 168 countries, to … Continue reading →

An Opinion by Stewart Hydes Recently, the Secretary of SSANZ (Sporting Shooters Association of New Zealand) sent out an email to members as follows:   Dear SSANZ members, On the second anniversary of the Christchurch terrorist attack New Zealand is … Continue reading →

Press Release The New Zealand Deerstalkers Association says the backlog in Police’s processing of new and renewing firearms licences will mean that many New Zealanders will, again, miss out on hunting during the deer roar this March and April. NZDA … Continue reading →

Special report Victoria’s National Parks are being closed off to allow fallow deer to be bombarded with 1080 poison. The proposal has drawn strong criticism from the Australian hunting public and also New Zealand’s Sporting Hunters Outdoor Trust. Laurie Collins, … Continue reading →

Opinion by Ben Hope There’s a disease far worse than Covid19 that can afflict anyone, anytime, anywhere. It is called apathy. My Heinemann’s New Zealand dictionary defines it as “a lack of interest or energy.” The Collins English dictionary describes … Continue reading →

How did two weed control operations on public conservation land go so wrong? David Williams of Newsroom reports The effects of the herbicide spraying becomes obvious just past the old, corrugated-iron musterers’ hut, with its tack shed and veranda. Scattered among … Continue reading →

Opinion by Tony Orman Nineteenth century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli once said “There are three types of lies – lies, damn lies, and statistics.”  Studies are meant to foster informed decision-making, sound judgments and actions based on evidence, not … Continue reading →

Opinion by Rupert Pye           In 2017 former prime minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer wrote a startling blog post expressing concern about the state of democracy in New Zealand. It surely should have been headline news but it … Continue reading →

Opinion by Tony Orman The Quota Management System for managing sea fisheries was introduced in 1986. The principle behind the QMS is commercial fishers own (or lease) the right to catch a certain proportion (quota) of the Total Allowable Catch … Continue reading →

by Tony Orman Back in 1917, the Auckland Acclimatisation Society in it’s annual report  discussed possums saying “We shall be doing a great service to the country in stocking these large areas with this valuable and harmless animal.” How things changed … Continue reading →

by Dr Peter Trolove President NZ Federation Freshwater Anglers Introduction The following comments are the distillation of NZ media articles, relevant books and peer reviewed publications from New Zealand and North America, meeting attendances, attendance at Ecan water allocation hearings, … Continue reading →

by Stephen Fox  1981  Perhaps the most legendary woodsman in American history, John Muir (1838 – 1914) was a Scottish-born naturalist, an eccentric nature lover who would set out for the wilderness for days on end with only tea, oatmeal, and … Continue reading →

Opinion by Tony Orman Currently  Fisheries NZ has a discussion document open for public submissions, in which it is proposed to list perch as a “pest fish” –  contrary to the current legal status of perch as a “sporting fish.” Over … Continue reading →