Year in Review: NZ should declare an 'Emergency of Political Stupidity'

Jane Smith. Photo / Supplied

Year in Review: This interview with North Otago farmer Jane Smith struck a chord with The Country's listeners. It was one of the most popular articles of 2019.

Although Jane Smith is not a climate change denier, she says there is no denying things have got "out of control" when it comes to cities declaring a climate emergency.

In fact, this North Otago farmer wants to declare an "Emergency of Political Stupidity".

"All of these headlines are politically driven propaganda, rather than evidence-based" Smith told The Country's Jamie Mackay.

As a former Ballance Farm Environment Award winner, Smith knows her stuff when it comes to keeping New Zealand clean and green, but a climate emergency is a step too far in her book.

Listen to the full interview below:

"I just think now is the time to be working together in a calm and rational way - and I'm not a climate change denier at all. It's just that this is a long game, and we actually need to be thinking about it together and building that plane while we're flying it I guess".

Another issue bugging Smith at the moment is millennials being diagnosed with climate change anxiety over the "looming anticipated threats about what might be happening in the future".

"That is not conducive to really cool, calm and rational thinking. Opinion seems to be taking over fact ... and I just think that's ridiculous".

Smith said New Zealanders should consider other issues an emergency, such as healthcare and child poverty.

"We just seem to have a lot of one dimensional thinking" said Smith.

Also in today's interview: Smith talks about what she thinks the Government should be spending its money on rather than legalising cannabis and gun buy backs.