The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Isaac Davison
Senior Reporter

Isaac Davison is a senior reporter for the New Zealand Herald writing about Auckland Issues. 

Isaac started at the Herald in 2008 on the night shift, before moving to Tauranga to report on the Bay of Plenty. He was later the science and environment reporter, a role in which he covered the Rena oil spill disaster and the Christchurch earthquakes. He spent six years at the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Wellington, where he closely covered two general elections in 2014 and 2017. In that time, Isaac also covered the legalisation of same-sex marriage in New Zealand and reported from trips abroad to Antarctica, Japan, Indonesia, Australia and the Marshall Islands. In 2020, he was awarded runner-up for Feature Writer of the Year (Social Issues) for his reporting on historic sexual abuse at Dilworth School. Before journalism, Isaac studied English and History at the University of Auckland and wrote his Masters thesis on the great New Zealand poet Allen Curnow. You can contact Isaac at isaac.davison@nzme.co.nz.

Check out Isaac’s latest content
Premium
86yo Kiwi man attacked, hospitalised in Italy while on dream tour
The Country

86yo Kiwi man attacked, hospitalised in Italy while on dream tour

07 May 05:00 PM
The places in New Zealand where patients are 100km from a doctor
The Country

The places in New Zealand where patients are 100km from a doctor

28 Sep 05:30 PM

Shortage is especially acute on South Island's West Coast.

‘Out of the blue’: Farmer’s surprise cancer diagnosis after no symptoms
The Country

‘Out of the blue’: Farmer’s surprise cancer diagnosis after no symptoms

18 Aug 05:00 PM

A growing chorus of voices now says the screening age should be lowered across the board.

Polar blast: Freezing conditions, heavy snowfall in South Island
The Country

Polar blast: Freezing conditions, heavy snowfall in South Island

01 Jul 11:08 PM

An estimated 20cm to 40cm has fallen in some areas

NZ brand Allbirds to cover costs of US staff seeking abortions
The Country

NZ brand Allbirds to cover costs of US staff seeking abortions

26 Jun 06:25 PM

The company said the Roe v Wade ruling would directly affect the rights of its staff.

Premium
Public servant's $300k payout after bullying investigation
The Country

Public servant's $300k payout after bullying investigation

16 Dec 04:00 PM

The findings or even the existence of a bullying report have never been made public.

Premium
Former CEO was investigated for bullying, report kept secret
The Country

Former CEO was investigated for bullying, report kept secret

28 Nov 09:39 PM

High-powered lawyer Maria Dew QC was brought in by the board to investigate.

Nelson firefight costing $1 million a day
The Country

Nelson firefight costing $1 million a day

13 Feb 04:00 PM

The cost of the wildfires in Nelson could yet exceed the Port Hills fires in 2017.

Night sweats? 20C overnight, could surpass 35C today
The Country

Night sweats? 20C overnight, could surpass 35C today

29 Jan 04:00 PM

Further temperature records could tumble in the South Island this week, say forecasters.

Where is the most remote spot in NZ?
The Country

Where is the most remote spot in NZ?

17 Jul 12:33 AM

The furthest point from civilisation in NZ is 30km from the nearest building.

Country of origin rules for food watered down
The Country

Country of origin rules for food watered down

15 Jul 10:40 PM

Country of origin labelling in NZ is back on track, but with a few changes.

Gluckman: Time to restart GE debate in NZ
The Country

Gluckman: Time to restart GE debate in NZ

01 Jul 04:03 AM

Sir Peter Gluckman says "the science is as settled as it will be" on genetic modification.

AUT and start-up want to make local, cheaper weed
The Country

AUT and start-up want to make local, cheaper weed

28 Jun 03:30 AM

AUT has signed a deal with a medical cannabis start-up ahead of a law change.

M. Bovis costs likely to rise beyond $85m
The Country

M. Bovis costs likely to rise beyond $85m

21 May 06:24 AM

Government won't reveal how much of the M. bovis costs farmers will cover.

Govt sticks with M. Bovis eradication, for now
The Country

Govt sticks with M. Bovis eradication, for now

21 May 02:02 AM

The Govt has not yet given up hope of eradicating M. Bovis from farms.

Govt considers fund for biosecurity threats
The Country

Govt considers fund for biosecurity threats

20 May 12:13 AM

Farmers could be asked to contribute to a new fund for biosecurity threats.

Govt has 'pulled anchor' on economy - National
The Country

Govt has 'pulled anchor' on economy - National

17 May 05:00 PM

The Govt spent, taxed and borrowed more in the Budget for little gain, National says.

Greens happy with smaller share of cash
The Country

Greens happy with smaller share of cash

17 May 05:55 AM

Greens counted around $610m in Budget wins, compared to $2.8b for NZ First.

Budget 2018: Govt plans to build 6400 state houses
The Country

Budget 2018: Govt plans to build 6400 state houses

17 May 02:18 AM

The Government says it will build 6400 new state houses by 2022.

Black market helps spread cattle disease
The Country

Black market helps spread cattle disease

10 May 12:05 AM

Number of farms under control for Mycoplasma bovis jumps from 130 to 290.

Farmers doing a 'great job' - Shaw
The Country

Farmers doing a 'great job' - Shaw

08 May 04:48 AM

James Shaw says this Govt's approach to climate change is not just about farming.

Farm limits an 'assault on the regions': Bridges
The Country

Farm limits an 'assault on the regions': Bridges

06 May 09:33 PM

The Government wants to limit farming run-off and intensification.

National will scrap regional fuel tax - Bridges
The Country

National will scrap regional fuel tax - Bridges

29 Apr 08:26 PM

National leader Simon Bridges gave his first speech on the economy this morning.

Farmers in sights of new climate committee
The Country

Farmers in sights of new climate committee

17 Apr 05:33 AM

The Government has announced the leadership of a powerful new committee on climate change.

National will reverse oil ban - Bridges
The Country

National will reverse oil ban - Bridges

12 Apr 01:36 AM

Govt's ban on new oil exploration is a "wrecking ball" for regional NZ, National says.

PM defends oil exploration ban, despite critics' outcry
The Country

PM defends oil exploration ban, despite critics' outcry

11 Apr 08:22 PM

Labour's immediate ban on new oil exploration has been met with a strong reaction.

Ardern rejects urban-rural divide claims
The Country

Ardern rejects urban-rural divide claims

18 Sep 02:07 AM

Jacinda Ardern says just 3 per cent of farms in NZ will be affected by water tax.

PM sees fear of Government change in rural NZ
The Country

PM sees fear of Government change in rural NZ

12 Sep 06:44 AM

National leader Bill English sees fear during visit to rural mid-Canterbury.

Farmers' water tax challenge to English
The Country

Farmers' water tax challenge to English

12 Sep 03:27 AM

Bill English faced questions over how he was going to stop Labour's proposed water tax.

English offers $13m green farming boost
The Country

English offers $13m green farming boost

11 Sep 01:46 AM

National offers farmers another $13m a year to boost environmentally friendly farming.

Labour's plan to tackle climate change
The Country

Labour's plan to tackle climate change

07 Sep 08:57 PM

The public sector can only buy electric cars unless there's "exceptional reasons" not to.

National's $70m pest control plan announced
The Country

National's $70m pest control plan announced

01 Sep 10:30 PM

PM says it would allow the Govt to upgrade its efforts to make NZ predator-free by 2050.

Heartbeat: Te Horo's hopes and fears
The Country

Heartbeat: Te Horo's hopes and fears

31 Aug 05:00 PM

Te Horo residents talk about their hopes and fears in election year.

Heartbeat: Eketahuna shakes off its joke tag
The Country

Heartbeat: Eketahuna shakes off its joke tag

28 Aug 05:00 PM

Eketahuna - a joke town to much of New Zealand - is making an unlikely recovery.

Majority of Kiwis back Labour's water tax
The Country

Majority of Kiwis back Labour's water tax

28 Aug 04:00 AM

Labour's royalty on freshwater is backed by 70 per cent of Kiwis in a new poll.

Fact or Fiction: Labour's water tax
The Country

Fact or Fiction: Labour's water tax

14 Aug 05:00 PM

How much will farmers really pay if Labour brings in a water tax?

Ardern reassures farmers on water pricing
The Country

Ardern reassures farmers on water pricing

08 Aug 10:31 PM

Claims that water levies will cost farmers billions are ludicrous, Jacinda Ardern says.

Ardern to PM - 'Don't be complacent'
The Country

Ardern to PM - 'Don't be complacent'

01 Aug 01:42 AM

Jacinda Ardern is promising that Labour will run the "campaign of our lives".

PM signals law change on land swaps
The Country

PM signals law change on land swaps

05 Jul 11:55 PM

Conservationists have won a major victory in the Supreme Court. But Govt isn't happy.

NZ's native birds 'in trouble'
The Country

NZ's native birds 'in trouble'

31 May 02:26 AM

A third of NZ's native birds could soon go the way of the moa, a damning report reveals.

Water quality worse in cities than farms - Smith
The Country

Water quality worse in cities than farms - Smith

29 May 04:43 AM

Water quality in cities was twice as bad as on farmland, Nick Smith said today.

Folic acid could be added to bread
The Country

Folic acid could be added to bread

08 May 05:00 PM

A return to the mandatory addition of folic acid to bread could be on the cards.

Palm oil labelling vote long way off
The Country

Palm oil labelling vote long way off

26 Apr 05:00 PM

Palm oil labelling is on the agenda at a high-level ministerial meeting tomorrow.

Just 466 failed drug tests since 2013
The Country

Just 466 failed drug tests since 2013

28 Feb 05:20 AM

How do Prime Minister Bill English's comments about drug tests stack up with official data?

DOC rangers coming up against violent gangs
The Country

DOC rangers coming up against violent gangs

28 Feb 02:14 AM

Conservation officials working in remote parts of New Zealand are increasingly reporting dangerous encounters with gangs involved in poaching, illegal fishing or timber theft, a new report says.

English defends net migration levels
The Country

English defends net migration levels

27 Feb 04:28 AM

Prime Minister Bill English is defending the latest increase in net migration and says he is not looking at curbing demand.

Swimmers risk sickness in 'excellent' quality rivers - Greens
The Country

Swimmers risk sickness in 'excellent' quality rivers - Greens

23 Feb 04:29 AM

Environment groups are upset that rivers deemed to be "excellent for swimming" under new water quality standards could still make

Govt sets 2040 'swimmable' rivers target
The Country

Govt sets 2040 'swimmable' rivers target

23 Feb 12:32 AM

New target would require cleaning up 10,000km of waterways at a cost of $2 billion.

Who is next in line for faster internet?
The Country

Who is next in line for faster internet?

25 Jan 09:24 PM

More communities will get fibre faster as the government speeds up its rollout programme.

John Key cites family reasons for leaving
The Country

John Key cites family reasons for leaving

04 Dec 11:50 PM

John Key is resigning as PM saying it's time to "take a step back in my career and spend more time at home".

Big delays ahead on South Island roads
The Country

Big delays ahead on South Island roads

21 Nov 01:00 AM

Landslips will increase travel between Picton and Christchurch by two hours this summer.

Govt to announce relief for Kaikoura
The Country

Govt to announce relief for Kaikoura

16 Nov 05:23 PM

As Govt announces its relief package, Kaikoura businesses spell out what they need to survive.

Govt weighs option of GE pest control
The Country

Govt weighs option of GE pest control

02 Oct 04:00 PM

Killing off all rats, stoats and possums in New Zealand will require novel methods including genetic engineering, Govt has been told.

Govt wants iwi fishing ban set in stone
The Country

Govt wants iwi fishing ban set in stone

15 Sep 05:37 AM

The Government says it is open to a deal with iwi on the proposed Kermadec Islands marine sanctuary.

Key hopes to resolve export dispute
The Country

Key hopes to resolve export dispute

18 Jul 05:22 PM

NZ and Indonesia have taken an important step forward, the PM says, after the two countries agreed to put a multi-million-dollar export dispute behind them.

Key dismisses talk of 'trade war'
The Country

Key dismisses talk of 'trade war'

17 Jul 05:40 PM

John Key says China has given no sign that it has concerns with New Zealand, let alone threatened to retaliate against Kiwi exporters.

Govt won't relieve pressure on farmers
Dairy

Govt won't relieve pressure on farmers

16 Feb 02:54 AM

Finance Minister Bill English says dairy prices will never reach $8 a kilogram again, but he is confident farmers will get through a drop in payouts and rising debt levels.

Emissions tax touted for farmers
The Country

Emissions tax touted for farmers

27 Oct 04:30 PM

Farmers might have to pay for their emissions like everyone else under a revision of the Government's main climate change policy.

Spotlight on how dairy farming fell off risk-list
Dairy

Spotlight on how dairy farming fell off risk-list

13 Oct 04:00 PM

Dairy farming was initially rated as one of the highest-risk industries during health and safety reforms before the Labour Minister, Michael Woodhouse, intervened and changed the criteria, documents show.

TPP: Key lobbying for dairy concessions
Dairy

TPP: Key lobbying for dairy concessions

29 Jul 06:00 AM

As the 12-nation trade deal negotiations enter the final stretch, Mr Key said New Zealand was gaining some support on its demands for the dairy industry.

New term for undiplomatic behaviour
Dairy

New term for undiplomatic behaviour

20 May 04:26 AM

Trade Minister Tim Groser said he was not aware his last name had been turned into a verb: "Grossing".

Impact of dairy farming a key election issue
The Country

Impact of dairy farming a key election issue

07 Sep 05:30 PM

New Zealanders are evenly divided about whether farmers are moving quickly enough to reduce their impact on the environment, a Herald DigiPoll survey shows.

Crafar buyers' new $70m farm deal
The Country

Crafar buyers' new $70m farm deal

01 Aug 02:07 AM

Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin confirmed it is aiming to buy a $70 million North Island farm, which would be second-largest foreign purchase of New Zealand land.

American chemical giant out of NZ court case
The Country

American chemical giant out of NZ court case

09 Oct 04:30 PM
Auckland Council at odds with Govt on stricter GM rules
The Country

Auckland Council at odds with Govt on stricter GM rules

23 Sep 07:50 AM
'Unacceptable' number of injuries on Kiwi farms
The Country

'Unacceptable' number of injuries on Kiwi farms

23 Apr 06:11 AM
Brewers give French the bird
The Country

Brewers give French the bird

29 Jul 05:30 PM
NZ could be 'Silicon Valley of agricultural knowledge'
The Country

NZ could be 'Silicon Valley of agricultural knowledge'

06 Jul 05:30 PM
Pay us rent for ugly power pylons - farmers
The Country

Pay us rent for ugly power pylons - farmers

30 Nov 03:00 PM
Greenpeace moves palm kernel protest to port
The Country

Greenpeace moves palm kernel protest to port

16 Sep 10:13 PM

Greenpeace is trying to keep up pressure on Fonterra to limit its use of palm kernel feed with a public rally outside the Ports of Tauranga.

Fonterra says 'no' to ship protest plea
The Country

Fonterra says 'no' to ship protest plea

16 Sep 04:00 PM
Pork 'would rise $2 a kg' if intensive farming stopped
The Country

Pork 'would rise $2 a kg' if intensive farming stopped

18 May 04:00 PM
Piggy Sue free to frolic
The Country

Piggy Sue free to frolic

18 May 04:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP