June 4, 2025 • 4 mins
There's belief state-owned enterprises need to go back to basics in order to up their game.
New Treasury documents show the Government's told New Zealand Post and Landcorp it's not impressed with their recent performance.
Simeon Brown - the Minister responsible for State-Owned Enterprises - has told them to deliver bold turnaround plans.
Northland MP Grant McCallum says Lancorp's lost its purpose.
He says previous leadership and ministers haven't helped - but rather, encouraged a move away from the basics of New Zealand farming.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from news Talk set be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on
iHeartRadio Now.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
The government has written to our underperforming state owned enterprises
telling them to buck up their ideas. The letters have
gone to Land Corp, New Zealand, Post Cordia and a
bunch of other so is telling them to perform at
a similar level to their competitors in the private sector.
Grant McCallum is the National MP for Northland, also a
farmer and with us now Hay.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Grunt, Yeah, good afternoon here that so I want to.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Talk to you about land corpor because you understand this business.
Why can't these guys turn a profit? What's going on?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
They've lost their way, They've lost the focused on just
being the absolute basics of farming, which is to grow
grass efficiently, feed their animals efficiently, and focus in on that.
They've got lost in a whole lot of other ideas
like we I think haven helped well. I think that
they'll be able to trying to melk deer and things
like that, which really I think most farming communities raise
(01:07):
their eyebrows, that sort of thing, that the opportunities are there,
but if we look at the prices at the moment
we're getting for dairy products, for beef products, for land,
the kiwi fruit and so forth, they should be doing
a lot better than they are.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
How have they got themselves so wildly distracted?
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Well, I think the previous leadership from previous from previous
boards haven't helped, and the encouragement from previous ministers to
get to go off on away from the basics of
New Zealand farming isn't instag Is this.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Not fundamentally Is the problem not fundamentally rooted in the
fact that they do not have to turn a profit?
Right if you do not turn a profit, you potentially
lose your farm. If they don't turn a profit, it's
a okay.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I suspect that's been part of the issue because clearly
with the results haven't been up to spect. But now
then that's why I applaud the minister. What he's saying
is they've got a focus on running this as a business.
The taxpayer deserves nothing less. They should be turning well
and excess fent of the get close to two billion
dollars worth of as sets. They should be returning in
(02:13):
excess of one hundred million minimum and getting up up
towards a couple of hundred million dollars over time from
some of those assets, which would be really help the
governments and help pay for other services like our health
and our social welfare and that sort of thing.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
So should we sell a stake in Land Corps?
Speaker 3 (02:33):
The current governments policy is that no, not this term
of governments, and that's that It'll be for a decision
to be made by the Prime Minister going forward.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Basically, what I'm hearing from you is you have some
thoughts on the matter, but because you're part of the
National Party, you cannot share them with me right now.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Fair fair to say that what we have to do
now is get the performance out of this stat of
enterprise and any decisions about sales will be for another day.
But we committed this term and no asset sales.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Hey, listen, what is it that you've been telling the
producers You've got a problem with my views on rugby?
Speaker 1 (03:07):
What's going on?
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Well, actually, I finally quite intriguing either. I bumped into
you a couple of times at Eden Park. You've been
you've been on the radio having a crack at the
game of rugby, one game I love and I tink
sap and the super competition is he has been outstanding
saying that you don't watch it anymore? Need you turn up?
Then you turn up at Eden Park And why are
you there?
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Because I'm there to talk to you, Grant. I want
to be inside the corporate box talking to you, and
you're talking to me. So you're not watching the game.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Either, are Oh yes, I'm watching the rugby and so
are you either. And I just think it's important that
you're that your listeners know that you are really a
rugby fan and you're just having a bit of fun.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
No that, No, I will say. You've got me in
trouble now, haven't you, Grant. I'll see you at the
corporate box, mate, Bie Grant McCallum, Northland Farmer. Hey listen
and MP No, no, no, no, no, no, let's just get
this straight. Okay. I love rugby, which is why I
winge about it because I can see it going down
the toilet and I'm not watching it. I'm standing there.
I literally am standing there talking to Grant. And it's
(04:09):
because of my love of rugby that I complain about it.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
You know what I Mean.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
For more from News Talk sed B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from news Talk set be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on
iHeartRadio Now.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
The government has written to our underperforming state owned enterprises
telling them to buck up their ideas. The letters have
gone to Land Corp, New Zealand, Post Cordia and a
bunch of other so is telling them to perform at
a similar level to their competitors in the private sector.
Grant McCallum is the National MP for Northland, also a
farmer and with us now Hay.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Grunt, Yeah, good afternoon here that so I want to.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Talk to you about land corpor because you understand this business.
Why can't these guys turn a profit? What's going on?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
They've lost their way, They've lost the focused on just
being the absolute basics of farming, which is to grow
grass efficiently, feed their animals efficiently, and focus in on that.
They've got lost in a whole lot of other ideas
like we I think haven helped well. I think that
they'll be able to trying to melk deer and things
like that, which really I think most farming communities raise
(01:07):
their eyebrows, that sort of thing, that the opportunities are there,
but if we look at the prices at the moment
we're getting for dairy products, for beef products, for land,
the kiwi fruit and so forth, they should be doing
a lot better than they are.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
How have they got themselves so wildly distracted?
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Well, I think the previous leadership from previous from previous
boards haven't helped, and the encouragement from previous ministers to
get to go off on away from the basics of
New Zealand farming isn't instag Is this.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Not fundamentally Is the problem not fundamentally rooted in the
fact that they do not have to turn a profit?
Right if you do not turn a profit, you potentially
lose your farm. If they don't turn a profit, it's
a okay.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I suspect that's been part of the issue because clearly
with the results haven't been up to spect. But now
then that's why I applaud the minister. What he's saying
is they've got a focus on running this as a business.
The taxpayer deserves nothing less. They should be turning well
and excess fent of the get close to two billion
dollars worth of as sets. They should be returning in
(02:13):
excess of one hundred million minimum and getting up up
towards a couple of hundred million dollars over time from
some of those assets, which would be really help the
governments and help pay for other services like our health
and our social welfare and that sort of thing.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
So should we sell a stake in Land Corps?
Speaker 3 (02:33):
The current governments policy is that no, not this term
of governments, and that's that It'll be for a decision
to be made by the Prime Minister going forward.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Basically, what I'm hearing from you is you have some
thoughts on the matter, but because you're part of the
National Party, you cannot share them with me right now.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Fair fair to say that what we have to do
now is get the performance out of this stat of
enterprise and any decisions about sales will be for another day.
But we committed this term and no asset sales.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Hey, listen, what is it that you've been telling the
producers You've got a problem with my views on rugby?
Speaker 1 (03:07):
What's going on?
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Well, actually, I finally quite intriguing either. I bumped into
you a couple of times at Eden Park. You've been
you've been on the radio having a crack at the
game of rugby, one game I love and I tink
sap and the super competition is he has been outstanding
saying that you don't watch it anymore? Need you turn up?
Then you turn up at Eden Park And why are
you there?
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Because I'm there to talk to you, Grant. I want
to be inside the corporate box talking to you, and
you're talking to me. So you're not watching the game.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Either, are Oh yes, I'm watching the rugby and so
are you either. And I just think it's important that
you're that your listeners know that you are really a
rugby fan and you're just having a bit of fun.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
No that, No, I will say. You've got me in
trouble now, haven't you, Grant. I'll see you at the
corporate box, mate, Bie Grant McCallum, Northland Farmer. Hey listen
and MP No, no, no, no, no, no, let's just get
this straight. Okay. I love rugby, which is why I
winge about it because I can see it going down
the toilet and I'm not watching it. I'm standing there.
I literally am standing there talking to Grant. And it's
(04:09):
because of my love of rugby that I complain about it.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
You know what I Mean.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
For more from News Talk sed B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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