July 4, 2026 • 11 mins
The National Party has just announced it's trade policy, should the party be re-elected in November.
They've said that the aim is to secure markets with seven new economies across Europe, Africa and South America, with more to be chased further down the line.
Trade Minister Todd McClay told Tim Beveridge that it's important to expand trade, as the target countries in Europe especially are 'particularly wealthy nations'.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks dB.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Earlier today, National announced its election trade policy, saying that
they're committed to pursuing New Zealand's next billion customers. They're
looking at pursuing new trade deals with seven priority markets,
which exporters will be happy to hear and to tell
us more about it. Trade Minister Todd McLay joins me, Now, good.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Afternoon, Hey, good afternoon.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Pursuing I always assume that it's given that you're pursuing
these trade deals, or is there something that's changed.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
No, you're right, we do. But we're always pursuing more trade.
You know, successive governments, particularly the last three years, with
helping exports in the world's stage, more trade missions, visits,
getting the barriers down and so on. But we're just
setting out our program, the strategy of the next one
billion customers from New Zealand and the areas of the
(00:59):
world we think are sort of starting to be very
important for us now or will be in the near
future in areas that we don't do as much trade
as we should, largely because we don't have agreements to
give export a certainly to get up to those markets.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
So what does the next billion customers mean? Can you
put it in context for people who are listening. So
how does that compare to where we're at with their
trade currently?
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Well, China is one billion customers, one billion consumers there,
and since we did our free trade agreement with them
about twenty years ago, we've gone from a couple of
billion dollars worth of trade to selling them twenty three
billion dollars worth of exports this year. So what that
means is more jobs for New Zealanders and export companies
pay their work is better as well, so better quality
(01:42):
by paying jobs. Take the European Union a lot less
than a billion people there. We did a free trade
agreement with them that the forced just two years ago
an extra three billion dollars worth of exports up to
the EU as a result of that. So that's predominantly
from the primary sector. It's really straightforward. Think about kiwi
fruit and India one point four billion people. We now
(02:03):
have the FDA have a terror free quota four times
larger than anything we've ever sold India in a year.
That means no terrif rate on ki refruit. It's about
thirty percent or something. It will disappear. So you think
about if everybody in New Zealand eats one ki refruit
this year, will get to go and tell five million kiwifruit.
If they decide to ten ki refruit this year, that's
(02:25):
fifteen million. Well, last year we sold China one billion kiwifruit,
and if everybody in India decided to eat ten kiwifruit,
one point four billion times ten. So all that means
is our companies in New Zealand don't have to rely
just upon five million New Zealanders. They have a world market.
They can produce the highest quality, safest food and fiber
(02:46):
and our services and they got to their economies employ
more people. So we're saying we've done very well. Let's
look at the next billion customers rather than just the
country to what it means for us.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Actually just on that kiwi fruit, that example in your
wildest streams, So can we make that demand of got
what you've been talking.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Describing, well, we across the board in the primary sector,
we are now getting closer to probably having more demand,
more more market access and what we produce. You'll remember
three years ago I campaigned on a strategy of doubling
the value of exports over ten years. So we just
don't want to do twice as much. We want the
value to go up for the work that we are doing.
(03:28):
As the Agriculture Minister at the field dates a few
weeks ago, I announced a new policy called land use
flexibility and it helps Kiwi farmers and goers to feed
the world. Now, what it says is we can use
science and innovation to meet an environmental obligation to make
sure about clean water, but to find ways to produce more.
Because we need to find a way to produce more
(03:49):
to govern the shell to the world. New Zealand becomes
wealth hea, but it can't be for the detriment of
the environment. So the two pop potos go. We do
produce enough at the moment, and we know that markets
around the world want what we produced are paying more
for it across the board. Even bizarrely, the US were
most terrif rate. We sold them all last year by
(04:10):
value about four percent more than before. So people want
what we produce. We've just got to be able to
produce more and then also have better access so keep
the exports. Have a choice. If you want to go
to South America, you can at the moment. It's hard,
but we'll do a deal if you can, just as
you might want to choose China or European Union or
maybe even America.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Or so you've got Brazil, Switzerland, Argentina, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Uruguay
and the European Free Trade Association. Have you had signals
from any of those countries.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
So with almost all of them might have had just
general discussions and all sorts of discussions about how we
can approve trade, get barriers down and so on. Some
of them are looking towards joining agreements. We're in Argentina
and Uruguay as an example, looking to join the cp TPP.
Switzerland is a part of our grouping that New Zealand
created along with Switzerland, UAE and Singapore last year, called
(05:04):
the Future Investment in Trade Partnership. It is now sixteen
countries strong, smaller medium sized countries. Actually next week, two
weeks from now, I'm hosting the Ministry of American Media
of all those countries here. So there are all countries
we get on with similar they like to aspect the rules.
We have been talking with many of them about how
we should boost trade. It won't be a surprise to
(05:25):
them as they doing deals with the rest of the world,
that we'd want to do one as well.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I guess they'll be wanting to sell us their goods
as well. I mean, so, what's the big one? Is
it Argentina or Switzerland and Brazil? Is there one that
sort of would be the first cab off the rank
for you?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Well? Well, I think I think if you think about
South America as an example, right, four und million people
up there, we have some deals with smaller countries through
that CPPPP. Brazil is a huge market for us, and
they are part of a group in trade group in
called Murky sor they've just done a deal with the
European Union, which is the requid for both sides. I
think that the reason that we're saying South America should
(06:02):
be on our agenda and we should get in there.
Last year we changed our trendsit visa policy. It says
that Chinese nationals can transit through Auckland Airport without meaning
a visa now and as a result, Chinese airlianes are
using Auckland as a stopping point, the staging point to
go on to South America because it's the easiest way
to go to South America from Southeast Asia is via Auckland.
(06:23):
I was up in China for an APEX tradem this
is meeting a month ago, and one of their airlines
said that by the end of the year, probably next
early next year, they're going to announce they're flying to
Limo via Auckland. So we're going to have a lot
more access to flights. That means it's easy to get
up and sell you tourists well, and so that'll be
a big opportunity Brazil it As far as those countries
(06:45):
around the EU that are not European members, there are
four of them, Switzerland as the standout. Their minister will
be here in two weeks time, and I'm talking to
her about how we can allow our companies to trade more,
get the cost down and make it easier. These are
very very wealthy nations, very wealthy people that will pay
a lot for what we produce. And then the other
(07:07):
one I tell you that I think is interesting is
down in Africa. A decade from now, Africa is going
to be opening up and trading with the world. So
we can either wait until then or do what ki
we businesses do well as a government get in They're
early start doing some deal so that we have that
first move or advantage. And ultimately Nigeria for me as
a standout, they are a big economy. They have a
(07:28):
lot of oil. We produce some of that. Sometimes they
import from the European Union things we produce. And I
met the Nigerian finance minister who used to be a
trade minister at a dinner I was hosted at in
Saudi Arabia last year when I was concluding the trade
deal with Saudi Arabia, and she said they would be
(07:51):
very interested in looking to a little country like New
Yalm to start doing a trade deal with that. They
haven't got many, so lots of opportunities for us. We
just got to get up on the world stage and
make them stage and make the most of it.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Are you looking at are you hoping that these are
just going to be trade deals, so goods for goods
and access to markets as opposed to you. Obviously we've
seen the fuss that's been kicked up by a coalition
partner about the immigration aspect of the Indus trade deal.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Yeah, so the trade deals are not immigration. But in
all trade deals, you know you want business to be
able to come back with and forward. So take in
there as an example, these oven companies now have the
right to go and establish you know, an office there
and then the certain circumstances have workers go in there,
you know, to run the office for them as well
as employing local people. That's pretty standard in trade agreement.
(08:37):
It's in all of ours. With India, we did agree
some stuff around students and you know one thousand and
six and seventy skilled workers we need in our economy
because we don't have those skills here can come for
three years, they have to go home. That's that's in
other agreements, but it's not usual. So largely the approach
is always that actually we have the greatest spty for
our exports and goods and services. You do some stuff
(09:00):
on investment. There's all sorts of other chapters in other
countries will raise the issues that are import to them,
and we negotiate and will rich agreement based on the
mandate Cabinet gives me. And then secondly what is in
the best interests of New Zealand. But I want to
be really really clear and every situation of the trade
as we've done this term, are the ones we're proposing.
We go out to get the best deal for key
we so they can do well. Others have to find
(09:22):
for themselves.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Are you anticipating that, I mean there's a lot of
rhetoric and campaign season around things, but are you anticipating
it's going to be difficult to get these lines crossed
with your coalition partners?
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Well, Ultimately, this is a national party's policy. Just as
before the last election we campaigned I'm doing a deal
with them during our first term and double the value
of exports and ten years. We also said we want
to do more trade missions than anybody's done before. Each
party in Parliament will have a view of what their
trade policy might or should be. Some parties, including coalition partners,
(09:56):
don't do trade policies. Ultimately, though trade is in the
best interes of New Zealand. We produce more than we
can consume. If we're not selling it overseas, goes Kivy
through and then we could only really produce the numbers
we'll consume ourselves. So we will go and negotiate, make
the cases a good deal and look where the support is.
Every trade agreement that we have in New Zealand has
(10:17):
had a super majority in parliament. The India Free Trade
Agreement here was ninety two votes to twenty six. That's
his parliament thinks it's a good deal and we'll get
on with that. So we're just going to do the
business and then you know, let kew export US and
others who depend on jobs decide to themselves.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Okay, assuming you guys won the election are in government
in three years time, how many of these deals do
you think we'll have got Are you confident we can
get these across the line or is it sort of
a statement of intent?
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Well, I know, I am I will. I am confident.
You know, we'll put thought into being realistic and this
is no point in overpromising and under delivering. We would
hope that. So we set over a five year period,
we said we'll get the more started. I think three
or four, maybe five of them could be done during
the next three year period. But ultimately, you know, we're
(11:06):
putting a mark in the sand saying this is where
we're going. It's actually there's thirteen countries over ten years.
We're saying it sets out the strategy of what we
want to do, how and why, and then I'll be
doing exactly the same as with India, jumping on the plane,
getting out there and starting to persuade and talk to
people and build those relationships from day one.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Hey Todd, thanks so much for your time. I really
appreciate it. And that is a Trade Minister Tod McLay.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
For more from the Weekend Collective, listen live to News
Talk Z'B weekends from three pm, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks dB.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Earlier today, National announced its election trade policy, saying that
they're committed to pursuing New Zealand's next billion customers. They're
looking at pursuing new trade deals with seven priority markets,
which exporters will be happy to hear and to tell
us more about it. Trade Minister Todd McLay joins me, Now, good.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Afternoon, Hey, good afternoon.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Pursuing I always assume that it's given that you're pursuing
these trade deals, or is there something that's changed.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
No, you're right, we do. But we're always pursuing more trade.
You know, successive governments, particularly the last three years, with
helping exports in the world's stage, more trade missions, visits,
getting the barriers down and so on. But we're just
setting out our program, the strategy of the next one
billion customers from New Zealand and the areas of the
(00:59):
world we think are sort of starting to be very
important for us now or will be in the near
future in areas that we don't do as much trade
as we should, largely because we don't have agreements to
give export a certainly to get up to those markets.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
So what does the next billion customers mean? Can you
put it in context for people who are listening. So
how does that compare to where we're at with their
trade currently?
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Well, China is one billion customers, one billion consumers there,
and since we did our free trade agreement with them
about twenty years ago, we've gone from a couple of
billion dollars worth of trade to selling them twenty three
billion dollars worth of exports this year. So what that
means is more jobs for New Zealanders and export companies
pay their work is better as well, so better quality
(01:42):
by paying jobs. Take the European Union a lot less
than a billion people there. We did a free trade
agreement with them that the forced just two years ago
an extra three billion dollars worth of exports up to
the EU as a result of that. So that's predominantly
from the primary sector. It's really straightforward. Think about kiwi
fruit and India one point four billion people. We now
(02:03):
have the FDA have a terror free quota four times
larger than anything we've ever sold India in a year.
That means no terrif rate on ki refruit. It's about
thirty percent or something. It will disappear. So you think
about if everybody in New Zealand eats one ki refruit
this year, will get to go and tell five million kiwifruit.
If they decide to ten ki refruit this year, that's
(02:25):
fifteen million. Well, last year we sold China one billion kiwifruit,
and if everybody in India decided to eat ten kiwifruit,
one point four billion times ten. So all that means
is our companies in New Zealand don't have to rely
just upon five million New Zealanders. They have a world market.
They can produce the highest quality, safest food and fiber
(02:46):
and our services and they got to their economies employ
more people. So we're saying we've done very well. Let's
look at the next billion customers rather than just the
country to what it means for us.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Actually just on that kiwi fruit, that example in your
wildest streams, So can we make that demand of got
what you've been talking.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Describing, well, we across the board in the primary sector,
we are now getting closer to probably having more demand,
more more market access and what we produce. You'll remember
three years ago I campaigned on a strategy of doubling
the value of exports over ten years. So we just
don't want to do twice as much. We want the
value to go up for the work that we are doing.
(03:28):
As the Agriculture Minister at the field dates a few
weeks ago, I announced a new policy called land use
flexibility and it helps Kiwi farmers and goers to feed
the world. Now, what it says is we can use
science and innovation to meet an environmental obligation to make
sure about clean water, but to find ways to produce more.
Because we need to find a way to produce more
(03:49):
to govern the shell to the world. New Zealand becomes
wealth hea, but it can't be for the detriment of
the environment. So the two pop potos go. We do
produce enough at the moment, and we know that markets
around the world want what we produced are paying more
for it across the board. Even bizarrely, the US were
most terrif rate. We sold them all last year by
(04:10):
value about four percent more than before. So people want
what we produce. We've just got to be able to
produce more and then also have better access so keep
the exports. Have a choice. If you want to go
to South America, you can at the moment. It's hard,
but we'll do a deal if you can, just as
you might want to choose China or European Union or
maybe even America.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Or so you've got Brazil, Switzerland, Argentina, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Uruguay
and the European Free Trade Association. Have you had signals
from any of those countries.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
So with almost all of them might have had just
general discussions and all sorts of discussions about how we
can approve trade, get barriers down and so on. Some
of them are looking towards joining agreements. We're in Argentina
and Uruguay as an example, looking to join the cp TPP.
Switzerland is a part of our grouping that New Zealand
created along with Switzerland, UAE and Singapore last year, called
(05:04):
the Future Investment in Trade Partnership. It is now sixteen
countries strong, smaller medium sized countries. Actually next week, two
weeks from now, I'm hosting the Ministry of American Media
of all those countries here. So there are all countries
we get on with similar they like to aspect the rules.
We have been talking with many of them about how
we should boost trade. It won't be a surprise to
(05:25):
them as they doing deals with the rest of the world,
that we'd want to do one as well.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I guess they'll be wanting to sell us their goods
as well. I mean, so, what's the big one? Is
it Argentina or Switzerland and Brazil? Is there one that
sort of would be the first cab off the rank
for you?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Well? Well, I think I think if you think about
South America as an example, right, four und million people
up there, we have some deals with smaller countries through
that CPPPP. Brazil is a huge market for us, and
they are part of a group in trade group in
called Murky sor they've just done a deal with the
European Union, which is the requid for both sides. I
think that the reason that we're saying South America should
(06:02):
be on our agenda and we should get in there.
Last year we changed our trendsit visa policy. It says
that Chinese nationals can transit through Auckland Airport without meaning
a visa now and as a result, Chinese airlianes are
using Auckland as a stopping point, the staging point to
go on to South America because it's the easiest way
to go to South America from Southeast Asia is via Auckland.
(06:23):
I was up in China for an APEX tradem this
is meeting a month ago, and one of their airlines
said that by the end of the year, probably next
early next year, they're going to announce they're flying to
Limo via Auckland. So we're going to have a lot
more access to flights. That means it's easy to get
up and sell you tourists well, and so that'll be
a big opportunity Brazil it As far as those countries
(06:45):
around the EU that are not European members, there are
four of them, Switzerland as the standout. Their minister will
be here in two weeks time, and I'm talking to
her about how we can allow our companies to trade more,
get the cost down and make it easier. These are
very very wealthy nations, very wealthy people that will pay
a lot for what we produce. And then the other
(07:07):
one I tell you that I think is interesting is
down in Africa. A decade from now, Africa is going
to be opening up and trading with the world. So
we can either wait until then or do what ki
we businesses do well as a government get in They're
early start doing some deal so that we have that
first move or advantage. And ultimately Nigeria for me as
a standout, they are a big economy. They have a
(07:28):
lot of oil. We produce some of that. Sometimes they
import from the European Union things we produce. And I
met the Nigerian finance minister who used to be a
trade minister at a dinner I was hosted at in
Saudi Arabia last year when I was concluding the trade
deal with Saudi Arabia, and she said they would be
(07:51):
very interested in looking to a little country like New
Yalm to start doing a trade deal with that. They
haven't got many, so lots of opportunities for us. We
just got to get up on the world stage and
make them stage and make the most of it.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Are you looking at are you hoping that these are
just going to be trade deals, so goods for goods
and access to markets as opposed to you. Obviously we've
seen the fuss that's been kicked up by a coalition
partner about the immigration aspect of the Indus trade deal.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Yeah, so the trade deals are not immigration. But in
all trade deals, you know you want business to be
able to come back with and forward. So take in
there as an example, these oven companies now have the
right to go and establish you know, an office there
and then the certain circumstances have workers go in there,
you know, to run the office for them as well
as employing local people. That's pretty standard in trade agreement.
(08:37):
It's in all of ours. With India, we did agree
some stuff around students and you know one thousand and
six and seventy skilled workers we need in our economy
because we don't have those skills here can come for
three years, they have to go home. That's that's in
other agreements, but it's not usual. So largely the approach
is always that actually we have the greatest spty for
our exports and goods and services. You do some stuff
(09:00):
on investment. There's all sorts of other chapters in other
countries will raise the issues that are import to them,
and we negotiate and will rich agreement based on the
mandate Cabinet gives me. And then secondly what is in
the best interests of New Zealand. But I want to
be really really clear and every situation of the trade
as we've done this term, are the ones we're proposing.
We go out to get the best deal for key
we so they can do well. Others have to find
(09:22):
for themselves.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Are you anticipating that, I mean there's a lot of
rhetoric and campaign season around things, but are you anticipating
it's going to be difficult to get these lines crossed
with your coalition partners?
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Well, Ultimately, this is a national party's policy. Just as
before the last election we campaigned I'm doing a deal
with them during our first term and double the value
of exports and ten years. We also said we want
to do more trade missions than anybody's done before. Each
party in Parliament will have a view of what their
trade policy might or should be. Some parties, including coalition partners,
(09:56):
don't do trade policies. Ultimately, though trade is in the
best interes of New Zealand. We produce more than we
can consume. If we're not selling it overseas, goes Kivy
through and then we could only really produce the numbers
we'll consume ourselves. So we will go and negotiate, make
the cases a good deal and look where the support is.
Every trade agreement that we have in New Zealand has
(10:17):
had a super majority in parliament. The India Free Trade
Agreement here was ninety two votes to twenty six. That's
his parliament thinks it's a good deal and we'll get
on with that. So we're just going to do the
business and then you know, let kew export US and
others who depend on jobs decide to themselves.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Okay, assuming you guys won the election are in government
in three years time, how many of these deals do
you think we'll have got Are you confident we can
get these across the line or is it sort of
a statement of intent?
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Well, I know, I am I will. I am confident.
You know, we'll put thought into being realistic and this
is no point in overpromising and under delivering. We would
hope that. So we set over a five year period,
we said we'll get the more started. I think three
or four, maybe five of them could be done during
the next three year period. But ultimately, you know, we're
(11:06):
putting a mark in the sand saying this is where
we're going. It's actually there's thirteen countries over ten years.
We're saying it sets out the strategy of what we
want to do, how and why, and then I'll be
doing exactly the same as with India, jumping on the plane,
getting out there and starting to persuade and talk to
people and build those relationships from day one.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Hey Todd, thanks so much for your time. I really
appreciate it. And that is a Trade Minister Tod McLay.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
For more from the Weekend Collective, listen live to News
Talk Z'B weekends from three pm, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
Popular Podcasts
Betrayal Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com