Two Farmer Js: Possum-gate 'no laughing matter'

Photo / File

A widely shared video of a young man punching a possum and the reaction to it put rural people in a negative light, commentator Jason Uden says.

Uden and Jeremy Rookes spoke to The Country's Jamie Mackay for their Two Farmer Js segment on today's show.

Uden is very critical of "possum-gate," and says making a joke of the video portrays rural people in a negative light, especially among the urban population.

Mackay suggests the young man in the video may not even be a farmer. Uden says this doesn't matter, as people will assume he is a farmer due to the rural setting of the video. Uden also criticises The Country for publishing the video on its Facebook page.

Rookes disagrees completely, saying possums are predators that eat native bird eggs, and "it's about time we actually did laugh."

"Those guys are doing God's work there if they killed that possum ... [because of] the damage those things do to our environment and on our farms ... I don't care what happens to possums ... and for someone to king hit one and hopefully kill it - good on him. You know that's a lot kinder than being poisoned by 1080 I can assure you."

Next the debate turns to the recent footage showing a Northland dairy farmer violently and repeatedly hitting cows.

Both Farmer Js agree this is an example of animal cruelty, however Uden reckons those who report abuse should be prepared to stand up in court or perpetrators will get away with it.

Rookes response is more blunt, "the guy is a dick, whoever employs him needs to get rid of him ... To hell with ... his rights as an employee. If you're going treat animals like that, get the hell out of there. Simple."

Listen below: