The Country 09/12/25: Jo Luxton talks to Jamie Mackay

Labour’s Agriculture Spokesperson comments on the RMA, an FTA with India, carbon farming, the associated wildfires, and the latest poll.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
For the final time in twenty twenty five. It's Labour's
agg spokesperson Joe Luxton, and Joe, we're getting a new
RIMA today, hopefully a free trade agreement with India early
in the new year. What a great job this government's doing.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Okay, Jamie, it's nice to be on your show for
the final time for the year. And if I don't
see you or hear them here beforehand, I want to
issure Merry Christmas and all your listeners out there the
im Yeah, it look would be really interesting to see
what's in that bill in particular, and you may or
your listeners may have heard Chris Hipkins comments today around

(00:38):
the fact that we would really like to be able
to work in a bipartisan way with the government on
this piece of legislation.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
Is the opportunity to do so, Yes, So, I'm sure
you wouldn't agree with the NATS on an emissions policy.
You're quite happy just to charge farmers for their emissions
and make them une competitive on the world stage.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Joe, No, absolutely, we have not come out and said that.
We also went to the ministers with regard to that,
saying we wanted to work in a partisan way. They've
come out with their targets and we're still yet to
see the information behind that. So we can understand how
they came to that decision and we'll continue that conversation.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Surely you would agree that if Todd, McLay and Winston
and whoever else is involved can get a free trade
agreement over the line with India, that's great for New Zealand.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Ink.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
You would have to pat them on the back, Joe.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
I think free trade agreements for New Zealand are beneficial.
No meta hoomers and government and who gets them across
the line. I think further more, we can get out
and trade our for our primary producers. Has got to
be a good thing for New Zealand.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
I was reading online this morning and this is topical.
I guess with IKEA coming to New Zealand, IKEA's hawkspay
pine tree expansion flames fares, residents will be left to pay. Now.
We're seeing wildfires already in the North Island. It's only
early December. We are setting ourselves up to fail big

(02:04):
time in this country with our carbon farming.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
I have real concerns about the increase in carbon farming Jamie,
and I think people are right to be concerned with
regards to to wildfires and things like that, because you
know who pays for that at the end of the day,
you know, and it puts people, people's lives livelihoods at
risk if we have those outbreaks like what we're seeing
overseas as well. And I think, you know, we need

(02:29):
to rethink the ETS a little bit with regards to
the carbon forestry farming as well. I just think the
way it's been set up it does and centivized that
type of behavior. And yeah, we really we've had conversations
and we've said in the Climate Selectmity piece legislation that

(02:50):
Labour's differing views that we would we think it's important
that we really look at the ETUS in that regard.

Speaker 1 (02:55):
Now, just a couple to quickly finish on the one
used variant pole. Last night, it was good news for
the coalition government was also quite good news for Labor
as a standalone entity. Chris Sipkins is doing well. He's
holding his own there. Labour's are nudging National all the way.
The problem you've got, Joe, is your coalition partners, the
Greens dropped off and here's the real dilemma for you. Guys,

(03:17):
as I see it, to party may are an absolute
cotcase at the moment. Your only pathway, as I see it,
towards government is to get to Party Mari, to win
the Maori seats, get an overhang in Parliament and get
in that way. Otherwise the numbers just aren't going to
work for you. Are you conflicted on that or is
labor going to go fall out on those Maori seats.

Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yeah? The issues that you're seeing play out within the
party are the issues, and that's for them to work out.
We are going to be running hard campaigns to win
back all those Maori seats and we think we've got
good chance of doing that. We'll do everything we can
to do that, but.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
It'll probably block your pathway to government.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Not necessarily, Jamie. I think there's still a long way
to go, a lot of things to play out before
the next election end. You know who knows where the
cards will fall?

Speaker 1 (04:08):
All right, No, you and I agree to disagree on
that one. Good on you, Joe, Merry Christmas. Will see
you next year and enjoy and makais are on me.

Speaker 2 (04:17):
Thank you so much, Jamie, have a good run.