Will Damien O'Connor save Fonterra's farmers from themselves?

Will Damien O'Connor save Fonterra's farmers from themselves?
Agriculture minister Damien O'Connor said he doesn't support the plan. (Photo: Getty)
Jenny Ruth
Fonterra chair Peter McBride framed the dilemma facing his farmer shareholders starkly at last Thursday's meeting: "Either we're a corporate or we're a co-operative". "The current model, where we're trying to have a foot in each camp, is not sustainable," he said."At heart, it's about protecting the co-operative," he said of the capital restructure his board has proposed.Fonterra is not only a corporate; it's New Zealand's largest corporate, accounting for about 20% of the nation...

More Opinion

The reasonable terms of the methane debate
Opinion

Adrian Macey and Dave Frame: The reasonable terms of the methane debate

Promoting methane reduction policies that would make the world warmer make no sense.

Hopium is not a strategy
Opinion

Dileepa Fonseka: Hopium is not a strategy

Unjustified optimism is everywhere, and it’s not helping.

Your mid-year investment health check
Markets

Simon Robertson: Your mid-year investment health check

What should you really be looking for from your fundie? 

Simon Robertson 05 Jul 2025
Cleantech: Burst bubble or our biggest opportunity?
Opinion

Peter Griffin: Cleantech: Burst bubble or our biggest opportunity?

A thriving cleantech sector could be NZ’s ticket to a sustainable, high-value economy.

Peter Griffin 02 Jul 2025