Opinion

The Government has failed Southland’s meat industry with its unrealistic immigration settings, which have created labour shortages, and are now affecting our exporting ability. The Meat Industry Association says meat exports are down a massive 11 percent this quarter, from the same time last year, a

South’s health crisis could be lost to Govt health reforms – Sapere report likely to fall on deaf ears – Simmonds Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds fears critically needed action to improve the South’s ailing health services will not be addressed with sufficient urgency as the Government’s health refor

As a local independent news media outlet whatsoninvers.nz chose not to sign up the the Govt media slush fund. Due to the strings attached. The Platform looks closer at the Public Interest Journalism Fund and exactly what mainstream media have agreed to. Read more:  How Government funding is used to

The current media landscape is concerning. On Thursday night the GroundswellNZ and the Taxpayers Union Stop Three Waters roadshow rolled into town.  It was a full house at the Working Mans Club of over 600+ people attend. Not a peep or mention from ODT, Southland Times / Stuff’d, Southland Express,

International student numbers at the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) have decreased since Covid 19. Across the country, the pandemic has seen numbers fall from 50,920 in 2020 to 39,005 in 2021 – a decrease of 23%. International students were once New Zealand’s fifth biggest export earner, bri

On Budget Day, 19 May, we’ll hear what Labour plans to do with around $6 billion a year in new operating spending, plus a few billion more in capital. This is when we will hear how the Government plans to use our hard-earned taxes to ensure our country gets back to prosperity. Inflation is the […]

Labour’s Invercargill MP Liz Craig needs to reflect on who she’s representing in Parliament as she blocks a briefing into Government mental health funding, in her role as chair of the Health Select Committee, Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds says. “As Health Select Committee chair this was Dr Craig’s

There’s no doubt that the past couple of years have been tough for Southlanders. From postponed weddings, to funerals where the numbers were limited, cancelled school and community events and business owners under financial pressure. Local people have done the right thing for a long time – but I now