November 9, 2025 • 8 mins
Today’s farmer/politician panel ponders getting the silage off, Cup and Show week, government support of Rural Support Trusts, whether we will have to buy carbon credits to meet our 2030 Paris commitments, Asian Hornets and the passing of Roger McClay.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Today's Farmer Panel. Let's welcome them on to the show.
MANU or two Calcocky also Minister of Biosecurity. I think
yes he is an associated HAG minister. Yes, thank you
Andrew Hoggard and Grant McCullum. I'm not quite sure how
I describe you Northland MP. What the hell are you
going to be doing later this week down at the
christ Church amp show. That's not in your patch.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
No, it's not in my pets. But this is part
of the deal being part of the team, the rural team,
for the Rural Nets for National is to go along
to the shows and true the fat with the cocky
is and hear what their concerns are.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Hang on, Grant, what value are we the taxpayers getting
out of flying you from Northland or Auckland down to
christ Church for the.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Day because the farmers love my company? Didn't you realize
that that's what it is? Of course, none all seriousness.
It's about representation. We all have our different communities we
align with and being a farm I love to get
out and understand how the farmers are going in the
South Island and just remind them all. Actually that the
oldest day MP show is not the Canterbury it's the
(01:03):
Bay of Islands, which I was had on Saturday. So
you know we're one where one get me ahead of
Canterbury and.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
They tell me it's a cracker of an imp show
as well. Mind you, Andrew Hoggart, if you turned up,
you've got a bit of ministerial gravitas, so we wouldn't
mind that as much.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Unfortunately, this year I've got to be over in Melbourne
for the Food Minister's meeting, so I was booked down
to go to the Crows Church show, but then the
Ozzies had to reorganize everything and decide to have the
Minister's meeting later. So if New Zealand wants a vote,
the only way New Zealand gets the voters if I
show up. So I'm kind of going to go do
my job.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Unfortunately, check on your dairy farmer. Hats the pair of
you and I'll stay with you. Andrew and mana or two.
How's how's the season treating you?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
It looks pretty reasonable at the moment, and we've got
the solid off on the weekend and yeah, so I
think things are taken along all right at the moment. Actually,
so you'll.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Take that as a as a positive Grant. What about
in Northland?
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Oh, you know we're taking you on okay, And we
actually got out solid off on Friday Saturday as well,
and as soon as we finished and cover the stack,
it rains. Don't you love it when that happens. It's
almost like it was meant to be.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Now, both of you have been through weather extremes Grant
in your case obviously a couple of years ago. It's
nearly three years cyclone Gabrielle and Andrew in the Manna
we two region. And I always remember the late Alistair
Poulsen talking about the damage and did on his farm,
a former president of Federated Farmers. You had those horrendous
(02:36):
floods of two thousand and four and the lessons learnt
from those stick with you for life.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Yeah, definitely, And for me it was you just can't
underestimate the value of the having back up power supply
on the farm and also back up solutions for communications.
So you know, one of the things I've got now
is you know, we're wireless Internet provider, so I can
have a small generator that powers up the dish and
(03:09):
I can still have connectivity with the rest of the
world through wireless internet, and you know, we had a
generator back then to run the care shed and that
kept us going. You know. She was pretty stressful times,
but at least been able to milk the cows. That
was one less burden off. So, you know, ever since,
it's sort of something I've always remembered of what could
(03:30):
go wrong and how can I manage if it does
go wrong, and always having a plan on the back
of my mind, you know. And I think for most
of these weather events, the main thing that's going to
happen as we lose power. We're just in such a small,
a long drawn out country where so many things can
go wrong. Our power supply is just uniquely vulnerable here
in New Zealand. So that is, yeah, one of the
(03:53):
things I definitely learned.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
As we've absolutely found out. Grant McCullum, a Northland MP,
National MP, you we've got a generator big enough to
drive your cowshed or your milking shed.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah, absolutely, and William Definely Gabrielle just eything that indoors
having that, Andrews said, it's really important that we've got
to look at our own businesses and build resilience. Given
the increased frequency and intensity of these weather events that
are happening, We've just got to think about it ourselves
because the state can't come running every five minutes and
fix things up. We've got to be look after ourselves
(04:25):
for a while. And yes, we've got a wet to
make sure. We've got our old cow shed. We've got
rewired so we can put the plug and the generator pipe.
We've got a generator goes on the back of the
tractor and we can milk the cows. Most important thing.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Andrew Hoggard, as Associate Agriculture Minister, I note that Todd
McLay and it's very sad to note the passing of
his father, Roger McLay. I want to come back to
that one. But along with your other Associate ad Minister,
Mark Patterson, announced in an additional seventy thousand dollars to Southland,
Otago and North Canterbury Rural Support Trusts on top of
the two hundred and fifty thousand dollars already announced. Is
(05:04):
that enough or is it just buyer beware?
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Well, I think the key thing here is it's money
that's needed for coordination for repairs and all the rest
of it. It's not meant to fund repairs or anything
like that. It's more about getting that coordination that edmin
in place, that's for any of these sort of payments
government make after an event. That's what it's therefore, to
help those everyone in the community get organized, get their
(05:32):
systems in place, and then you know, it just takes
a bit of a bit of the stress and hassle off.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Okay, look, couple have quickly finished on Grant McCullum. The
Asian hornets. They're in your backyard or you're looking for them.
Are we do it? We're taking this seriously enough because
I'll get the both of you opinion on this obviously.
Biosecurity Andrew Scott one, what do you say?
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Yeah, we seem to be and I'm encourage a minister
to keep on top of it with you. Certainly appears
to be able forward to what he've got to say.
But no, no, we've got to keep it up necessary
once again reinforces the whole importance of biosecurity and procedures.
We've got some pretty good people doing some great stuff.
And I mean Andrew comments that you've got the minister
online and mate.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
We'll let them go because if we lose our honeybees
or a portion of the population, there goes pollination out
the back door.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, and I think the numbers have been talked about.
They can intentially decimate up to thirty percent of honeybee population. Well,
at the moment there hive numbers are at such a
point that we've just got enough to do pollination, so
we can't really afford to lose anymore. So, I mean,
the team's got trapping in place, and I mean the
main thing at this moment is trying to identify where
(06:44):
they are. I'll certainly be asking about officials in today,
so asking whether we've got enough traps, do we need
to change plans? We've got advice, got a good technical
advisory team with lots of worldwide experts on that and
also locally experts, So taking good advice from them on
what we need to be doing. And you know, I'll
(07:05):
just be following up and constantly asking questions, which is
sort of my role in it, not to try and
get in the way. I don't want to get in
the way of the team doing the work, but just
I'll be sort of keeping pedal to the meddle and
making sure action's happening on this.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
He Andrew Hagar. Did you know the late Roger McLay
Todd Mclay's father.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
No, No, I didn't. His sort of turn in politics
was I was in primary school back then. I know
the name, but no, I never had anything to do
with him. Condolence was through to Todd's family, though. I
was pretty sad.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Well Grant being a true blue nat since you were
up and out of nappies, basically you would have known him.
You would have hung around some National Party conference and
chatted to Roger.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Yeah we did actually and visible condolences to Todd in
this family. Yeah at aight, far too young to be
leaving this world. But no I knew Roger well respected
a politician and MP for the Taupoia did a great job,
and he did, and he went on to be Children's Commissioner,
rolled he really loved and he did a great job
with that as well. So he'll be missed and he
(08:09):
was certainly an enjoyable company at various conferences over the years.
He begare to say, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
And a great made of Winston's Apparently.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Apparently that's the case.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Yes, Rest in peace, Roger McLay and condolences to our
Trade Minister and Agriculture Minister Todd McLay, Grant McCullum, Andrew Highguard.
Thanks for your time, thanks for being the Farmer Politician
panel today and Grant, when you're down in Christchurch, make
sure you do something and earn your keep. We're paying
for you.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Always always do, always do,
Today's Farmer Panel. Let's welcome them on to the show.
MANU or two Calcocky also Minister of Biosecurity. I think
yes he is an associated HAG minister. Yes, thank you
Andrew Hoggard and Grant McCullum. I'm not quite sure how
I describe you Northland MP. What the hell are you
going to be doing later this week down at the
christ Church amp show. That's not in your patch.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
No, it's not in my pets. But this is part
of the deal being part of the team, the rural team,
for the Rural Nets for National is to go along
to the shows and true the fat with the cocky
is and hear what their concerns are.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Hang on, Grant, what value are we the taxpayers getting
out of flying you from Northland or Auckland down to
christ Church for the.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Day because the farmers love my company? Didn't you realize
that that's what it is? Of course, none all seriousness.
It's about representation. We all have our different communities we
align with and being a farm I love to get
out and understand how the farmers are going in the
South Island and just remind them all. Actually that the
oldest day MP show is not the Canterbury it's the
(01:03):
Bay of Islands, which I was had on Saturday. So
you know we're one where one get me ahead of
Canterbury and.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
They tell me it's a cracker of an imp show
as well. Mind you, Andrew Hoggart, if you turned up,
you've got a bit of ministerial gravitas, so we wouldn't
mind that as much.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Unfortunately, this year I've got to be over in Melbourne
for the Food Minister's meeting, so I was booked down
to go to the Crows Church show, but then the
Ozzies had to reorganize everything and decide to have the
Minister's meeting later. So if New Zealand wants a vote,
the only way New Zealand gets the voters if I
show up. So I'm kind of going to go do
my job.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Unfortunately, check on your dairy farmer. Hats the pair of
you and I'll stay with you. Andrew and mana or two.
How's how's the season treating you?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
It looks pretty reasonable at the moment, and we've got
the solid off on the weekend and yeah, so I
think things are taken along all right at the moment. Actually,
so you'll.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Take that as a as a positive Grant. What about
in Northland?
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Oh, you know we're taking you on okay, And we
actually got out solid off on Friday Saturday as well,
and as soon as we finished and cover the stack,
it rains. Don't you love it when that happens. It's
almost like it was meant to be.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Now, both of you have been through weather extremes Grant
in your case obviously a couple of years ago. It's
nearly three years cyclone Gabrielle and Andrew in the Manna
we two region. And I always remember the late Alistair
Poulsen talking about the damage and did on his farm,
a former president of Federated Farmers. You had those horrendous
(02:36):
floods of two thousand and four and the lessons learnt
from those stick with you for life.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Yeah, definitely, And for me it was you just can't
underestimate the value of the having back up power supply
on the farm and also back up solutions for communications.
So you know, one of the things I've got now
is you know, we're wireless Internet provider, so I can
have a small generator that powers up the dish and
(03:09):
I can still have connectivity with the rest of the
world through wireless internet, and you know, we had a
generator back then to run the care shed and that
kept us going. You know. She was pretty stressful times,
but at least been able to milk the cows. That
was one less burden off. So, you know, ever since,
it's sort of something I've always remembered of what could
(03:30):
go wrong and how can I manage if it does
go wrong, and always having a plan on the back
of my mind, you know. And I think for most
of these weather events, the main thing that's going to
happen as we lose power. We're just in such a small,
a long drawn out country where so many things can
go wrong. Our power supply is just uniquely vulnerable here
in New Zealand. So that is, yeah, one of the
(03:53):
things I definitely learned.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
As we've absolutely found out. Grant McCullum, a Northland MP,
National MP, you we've got a generator big enough to
drive your cowshed or your milking shed.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah, absolutely, and William Definely Gabrielle just eything that indoors
having that, Andrews said, it's really important that we've got
to look at our own businesses and build resilience. Given
the increased frequency and intensity of these weather events that
are happening, We've just got to think about it ourselves
because the state can't come running every five minutes and
fix things up. We've got to be look after ourselves
(04:25):
for a while. And yes, we've got a wet to
make sure. We've got our old cow shed. We've got
rewired so we can put the plug and the generator pipe.
We've got a generator goes on the back of the
tractor and we can milk the cows. Most important thing.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Andrew Hoggard, as Associate Agriculture Minister, I note that Todd
McLay and it's very sad to note the passing of
his father, Roger McLay. I want to come back to
that one. But along with your other Associate ad Minister,
Mark Patterson, announced in an additional seventy thousand dollars to Southland,
Otago and North Canterbury Rural Support Trusts on top of
the two hundred and fifty thousand dollars already announced. Is
(05:04):
that enough or is it just buyer beware?
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Well, I think the key thing here is it's money
that's needed for coordination for repairs and all the rest
of it. It's not meant to fund repairs or anything
like that. It's more about getting that coordination that edmin
in place, that's for any of these sort of payments
government make after an event. That's what it's therefore, to
help those everyone in the community get organized, get their
(05:32):
systems in place, and then you know, it just takes
a bit of a bit of the stress and hassle off.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Okay, look, couple have quickly finished on Grant McCullum. The
Asian hornets. They're in your backyard or you're looking for them.
Are we do it? We're taking this seriously enough because
I'll get the both of you opinion on this obviously.
Biosecurity Andrew Scott one, what do you say?
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Yeah, we seem to be and I'm encourage a minister
to keep on top of it with you. Certainly appears
to be able forward to what he've got to say.
But no, no, we've got to keep it up necessary
once again reinforces the whole importance of biosecurity and procedures.
We've got some pretty good people doing some great stuff.
And I mean Andrew comments that you've got the minister
online and mate.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
We'll let them go because if we lose our honeybees
or a portion of the population, there goes pollination out
the back door.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, and I think the numbers have been talked about.
They can intentially decimate up to thirty percent of honeybee population. Well,
at the moment there hive numbers are at such a
point that we've just got enough to do pollination, so
we can't really afford to lose anymore. So, I mean,
the team's got trapping in place, and I mean the
main thing at this moment is trying to identify where
(06:44):
they are. I'll certainly be asking about officials in today,
so asking whether we've got enough traps, do we need
to change plans? We've got advice, got a good technical
advisory team with lots of worldwide experts on that and
also locally experts, So taking good advice from them on
what we need to be doing. And you know, I'll
(07:05):
just be following up and constantly asking questions, which is
sort of my role in it, not to try and
get in the way. I don't want to get in
the way of the team doing the work, but just
I'll be sort of keeping pedal to the meddle and
making sure action's happening on this.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
He Andrew Hagar. Did you know the late Roger McLay
Todd Mclay's father.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
No, No, I didn't. His sort of turn in politics
was I was in primary school back then. I know
the name, but no, I never had anything to do
with him. Condolence was through to Todd's family, though. I
was pretty sad.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Well Grant being a true blue nat since you were
up and out of nappies, basically you would have known him.
You would have hung around some National Party conference and
chatted to Roger.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Yeah we did actually and visible condolences to Todd in
this family. Yeah at aight, far too young to be
leaving this world. But no I knew Roger well respected
a politician and MP for the Taupoia did a great job,
and he did, and he went on to be Children's Commissioner,
rolled he really loved and he did a great job
with that as well. So he'll be missed and he
(08:09):
was certainly an enjoyable company at various conferences over the years.
He begare to say, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
And a great made of Winston's Apparently.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Apparently that's the case.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Yes, Rest in peace, Roger McLay and condolences to our
Trade Minister and Agriculture Minister Todd McLay, Grant McCullum, Andrew Highguard.
Thanks for your time, thanks for being the Farmer Politician
panel today and Grant, when you're down in Christchurch, make
sure you do something and earn your keep. We're paying
for you.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Always always do, always do,
Popular Podcasts
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.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
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