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Labour leader Jacinda Ardern (left) and National's Judith Collins on Tuesday's debate. Photo:...
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern (left) and National's Judith Collins on Tuesday's debate. Photo: Getty Images
National Taieri candidate Liam Kernaghan and Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean are among several National party figures to have posted material online which is claimed to quote Labour leader Jacinda Ardern out of context.

During Tuesday night’s debate between Ms Ardern and National leader Judith Collins, in an exchange about farming practice, Ms Collins referred to claims farmer’s undertook "dirty dairying".

Ms Ardern replied “If I may, that feels to me like a view of the world that has passed," a quote which seems to refer to negative perceptions of farming.

However, National politicians have posted a range of comments online criticising Ms Ardern for insulting farmers.

"The Labour leader saying the views that our farmers have are based on a ‘world that has passed’ is incredibly offensive and remarkably unaware," Mr Kernaghan posted on Facebook.

"And an insult to the people who got up at 5am every morning over Level 4 lockdown to milk the cows and keep our economy ticking."

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean reposted a National party Facebook post which said "Judith Collins backs our farmers. Jacinda Ardern thinks that’s the view of a ‘world that has passed’.”

"I hope the Prime Minister travels down to the Waitaki electorate soon to meet with some of our hard-working farmers," Mrs Dean posted.

Senior MPs Matt King (Northland) and Chris Bishop (Hutt South) also posted regarding Ms Ardern’s comments.

Mr Kernaghan could not be contacted, but Mrs Dean stood by her comments.

"I watched the debate, and the Prime Minister in my view made a dismissive reference to farming and particularly to dairy farming.

Yesterday, Ms Ardern said "farming was a world of the past" was "absolutely not what I said".

mike.houlahan@odt.co.nz

Comments

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Didn't say it, a blue, Blues.

Sure this is what Labour thinks. It was just loose lips from Jacinda to let it out. To say she didn't mean up was up and down was down, or white is white, that's just weird. Or is it more nefarious, this constant move towards wrong think, rewriting history, feelings over facts, rather than facts are true. Jacinda doesn't like farmers in the same way (literally from a logical point of view) that Stalin didn't like the Kulaks (Google it). And by the way, the headline should be more factual (but I do love the ODT), maybe it should be something like "Labour thinks farming is dirty and its time has past" its what she said. Rather than Labour spin doctor damage control.

Speculation, unless you actually know what was said. A view of Labour as an urban monolith. Ms Ardern is from Morrisville.

Out of context maybe but she is still out of touch and in denial. I took her comment to be dismissive of farmers feeling picked on and marginalized by this government - that this was a view of a world past. This is at odds with a survey that found 62% of farmers were suffering poorer mental health outcomes as a result if this government's polices. The combative approach of minister Parker in particular has undermined any trust farmers had in this government.

You 'took it', according to your political allegiance?

The debate is online - go have another listen, it's pretty clear what she meant once you've listened to it a couple of times, regardless of one's presumed political allegiances.

Taking comments out of context is becoming a National pastime.

So much for Crusher saying the Nats would run a clean campaign. All we hear from them is misinformation twisting the dialogue to suit their sneaky agenda

There is absolutely no question in my mind: Farmers are NOT the backbone of our economy. The claim that they are is a fantasy that farmers have lived for generations and is patently false.
Any backbone is made up of vertebrae, no one vertebrae is more important than any other. They each need to be doing their job if the body they support is not to be paralysed.
Farmers are a single vertebrae in the backbone of the economy. That is all.
Without truck drivers they would be out of business, without agricultural contractors they would be out of business, without technicians, eg engineers, electricians, mechanics, they would be out of business, without process workers at diary factories and freezing works they would be out of business, without wharfies and seamen they would be out of business. There are others who contribute who are equally as important. To claim that farmers are the backbone, The Prime minster is right, that world has long since passed, if indeed it ever existed at all.

While Simon Bridges didn't have the public appeal of Collins, he did seem disciplined and to do a good job of leading his MPs. (Jami-Lee Ross being an obvious exception). Collins and Brownlee specialize in dirt of this kind and the risk to junior and potential MPs is that they will model their behaviour on their leaders. Liam Kernaghan is a clever guy, hopefully he'll learn from this and give some thought to what kind of MP he wants to be if elected.

Personally I think Simon was far better than Collins as far as appeal goes. Collins is a revolting person, completely implausible at all times and obviously only chasing the dumb-people-vote.

Ardern's failure to answer questions directly lends itself to her responses to questions being "taken out of context". If she wants to have her policy and thoughts portrayed as she would like, she should start being direct about these and stop spinning words to distract from answering questions.

Are you forgetting that both Ardern and Collins are politicians and they are not going to ever give a direct answer? The same applies for every other politician.

If you think those two are bad, have a look at Peters. He has decades of experience not answering questions and he makes both Ardern and Collins look like open books.

taken completely out of context - ms adhern was referring to collins old fashioned and speculative view as she tried to debate adhern with stupid sound bites and no policy - she was a complete luddite

This isn't about comments being used out of context, this is about dishonesty and lying. These National Party Politicians are lying, and that does not surprise me at all.
Farmers have a problem, their push for increased profit has badly damaged New Zealand's once pristine waterways, and everyone can see that. Sure, it's not all farmers, but you don't see any of the good farmers coming out and identifying the bad farmers, they stick together and then whinge about getting tarred with the same brush? Farmers have to stop regarding themselves as a protected species, they are not irreplaceable and the sooner the bad ones are kicked off the land the better.
The damage to the rivers could be stopped within a year, but because farmers have consistently refused to do this themselves, they need to be forced to behave responsibly. If a farm damages a waterway, that farm should be seized, and sold, with the money used for remediation work. Throw the offenders out on the street where they can live a life of luxury on the dole, without all of the stress and trauma of being a farmer. Win win really. After all, they always talk about how good the bludgers on the dole get it.

What do you mean, "unless you actually know what she said".... I'm laughing my head off, how do I know what she said you ask? Because I heard her say it with my own ears. Oh no, someone thinks Jacinda said something bad. She thinks Farming has had its day and that it is dirty. Good to know.

Whatever you do don't ever insult the dairy farming industry it's priceless....

I'll challenge anybody to drive through Asburton heading toward's Timaru and yes wearing a face mask is compulsory!

The National Party are really pushing this piece of rubbish, It's also coming from the totally unknown and slim majority national MP for Whanganui, someone Hipango, she is doubling down on it. I guess they are trying to stem the flood of farmer voters to the ACT party. Not working folks.

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