August 11, 2026 • 9 mins
He’s on the show today in his capacity as the chairman of the Meat Industry Association. However, his past occupation as a National MP and Minister for Primary Industries (2013-17) has him commenting on today’s political shenanigans.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Meat Matters Week on the Country with PGG Writes and
Livestock for Local Knowledge and nation wide livestock Expertise.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Well, a, Nathan Guy, you heard the intro were meant
to be talking about meat. But it would be remiss
of me not to pick your brain before we get
onto that. You're well connected in the National Party. What's
the inside oil, Nathan, Come.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
On afternoon, Jamie, I don't know any more than you
know on this one.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, I'll tell you can I can? I just make
an observation because I was traveling back from Queenstown, YESTERDA.
I had three and a half hours to kill and
that wasn't getting out of the traffic jam in Queenstown.
I've got to stop going on about it. So I
was listening to Heather and Barry, and I was making
a few phone calls to some people in the know.
And it would appear to me that late last night,
(00:51):
when I was networking away that it looked like Chris
Luxon was toast. It looked like Erica Stanford had the numbers.
But the tides seems to have turned this morning, and
I'm hearing commentators say, Nathan Guy, the longer this meeting
lasts the better chance Chris lux and keeping his job.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Who knows. I've been in these situations before, Jamie. It's
not pleasant. These guys should really be focusing on campaigning
and getting out in their electorates and up and down
the country talking to people about the issues that matter,
not focusing in on internal politics and leadership squabbles. It's
most unfortunate. Personally. I hope that Christopher Laxon remains the PM.
(01:35):
I've got an amazing relationship with him. We created it
way way back when we had a bit of RGI
bargie and he was ce of in New Zealand and
I was Minister and wanted to do a few things
on biosecurity, run a video and he didn't like the
video one of his own, so we had a bit
of a squabble about that. And then when he was
ce also thereon ZEDDI stopped the flights out of Carpany
(01:57):
to Auckland, so we had another go round, and then
we smoked the peace pipe over of Pepsi Can and
Wahiki a few summers ago. So since then we've got
on incredibly well. I rate him highly. I've seen him
on the international stage he's an energizer bunny. He's aggressive
(02:17):
there and of course we've got a lot to thank
him for, particularly around the India FDA, and we saw
his relationship play out with Mody recently. So if it's
not him and it's someone else in the red meat
industry or in the primary sector, we'll wrap around and
work closely with whoever the incoming PM is start wait
and see.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
He has been good for farmers and to be fair,
all three parties in the center right coalition are pro farming,
but Christopher Luxen is really pro farming. I don't think
you could ask for a more farmer friendly prime minister. Now,
the other two contenders, we know who they are, Chris
Bishop and Erica Stanford, both what you would describe as
(02:59):
urban liberals. Will they have the same empathy?
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Well, what I'm going to do If they are lucky
enough to get one of them gets the support today,
that's unfortunate for Chris Luxen. If they are successful, I'll
be reaching out to them this afternoon and inviting them
up to the mighty Hotter Ferineur to come out on
the dairy farm, to come into the Alliance plant and
live in see what goes on to visit some food
(03:27):
and beverage companies in Livin that also export, just to
get a feel of the primary sector. We'll need to
do our utmost to get them up to speed. But
whoever the PM is will know, if it's not Chris Luxon,
will know the importance of economic growth, and that comes
from the powerhouse of the primary sector, so it won't
take too long to get their hands dirty and understand
(03:52):
how important the sector is to economic growth.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
How do you get on and you've been these caucus
meetings before, when you've got people actively plotting against you.
Of course they're all denying it. But if you're Christopher
Luxon and you maintain the leadership of the National Party
and stay on as Prime minister, what do you do
with a problem like Erica and Chris? Hello, Nathan? All right,
(04:24):
Nathan's gone. I'm just going to try and get him
back online. Okay, that's enough of Daryl Hall and John
Oh It's biggest selling due musical duo of all time.
A Nathan guy. I don't know whether you hung up
on me, whether you didn't like the question, or whether
it was just bad luck Nathan, But the question was
(04:47):
if you're Christopher Luxon, you remain Prime Minister. A lot
of us will be hoping he does, because I think
he's good for farming. Anyhow, what do you do with
a problem like Erica and Chris and the other Chris pink?
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Well, I thought you had hot news and you just
ditch me to a live across from the sofa to say,
this is what's happening. That's what I thought. I was
talking away to myself and realized you went responding.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Well, no, I look to be fair, I'm trying to
monitor about four screens at once plus dial you up.
I've got Michelle sitting out in the office there. She's
monitoring everything that moves. And Michelle, lovely producer that she is.
She's no, no, she's not a literate. She's very clever,
but she's a left hander and when she writes you
(05:31):
can't read it. So I said to Michelle, if there's
breaking news, pass me a note, because that's the technology
we've got here in Dunedin. But for God's sake, make
it legible. So there you go. There's Michelle's starting orders.
Yours are to answer my question?
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Well, I'm a left handed too, but anyway, we'd digress.
While Eric is a class act and so is Chris Bishop,
so they'll be regardless of what happens, they'll be an
important part of the team getting out of their campaigning
and selling the message.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
See, you just put it behind you.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
We have to. I've been in these situations before. There's
a spill in caucus. Someone get the mop out, clean
it up, move forward. This sort of stuff happens in
political parties. It's most unfortunate the timing. The billboards must
nearly be printed, the mug shots will be there on
the billboard. There might be a change out. Hopefully there isn't.
(06:23):
Just going to get on with it, focus on the people,
focus on economic growth, getting the books back in order,
and talking about the issues that matter. And that's the
cost of living for Kiwis.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yep, the nets might have to get valcrow stick on
heads above kind of generic sort of bodies if there's
going to be a change around anyhow, at least surely
if there is any sort of change, or even if
there's not a change, this will be the last spill
before the election. With what ninety days out, Hey just
talking about meat, which was their original moot. If you
(06:55):
want here on the country. Those numbers that came out
from the Meat Into Association for June up fifty percent
for June alone, for the for the full year. Let
me have a look at these numbers. Total exports for
the red meat sector thirteen point two billion for the
twenty four sorry for the twenty five twenty sixth year.
(07:18):
Now that's up twenty one percent on twenty four to
twenty five.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
It's a record. Yep, yeah, amazing. We're in a great space,
particularly for beef. Lamb may soften. I know you've got
someone coming on later on, might talk up four one
hundred bucks a lamb. Be great to see it. But
there's a little bit of pressure in certain markets. I mean,
at the end of the day, after price goes too high,
(07:42):
consumer's head for white protein that tends to be a
bit cheaper. But he is also hoping that the demand
continues to grow. And we worry about a potential sheep
meat investigation tariff quota that could come out the back
end of that later this year. Hopefully a little bit
of sunlight on that issue will all show that we're
(08:03):
causing no injury to the American domestic farmers over there,
and we can get on and do what we do
well and export and potentially we demand the way it
is in their consumer in the US. There's an opportunity
for us to think collectively, how can we work a
bit better with the Americans. So I think hopefully it's
(08:28):
a bit of disinfection and we don't end up with
any sort of terrify quota on our ship meet to
the US. That would be disastrous.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Yes, well, if you think our politics are a mess
here in this country today, we've got nothing on the US.
So it's a moving feast daily over there. Nathan Guy, Well,
that was sort of a two part interview. I might
have to edit that down. And I'm daid you didn't
hang up on me.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Well, I thought you'd hang up on me. And any
moment you'll do a live cross and we'll get on
with our day.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
So as soon as hey good to chat, Nathan, thank
you very much. And of course as there's Nathan Guy,
chair of the Meat Industry Association,
Meat Matters Week on the Country with PGG Writes and
Livestock for Local Knowledge and nation wide livestock Expertise.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Well, a, Nathan Guy, you heard the intro were meant
to be talking about meat. But it would be remiss
of me not to pick your brain before we get
onto that. You're well connected in the National Party. What's
the inside oil, Nathan, Come.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
On afternoon, Jamie, I don't know any more than you
know on this one.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, I'll tell you can I can? I just make
an observation because I was traveling back from Queenstown, YESTERDA.
I had three and a half hours to kill and
that wasn't getting out of the traffic jam in Queenstown.
I've got to stop going on about it. So I
was listening to Heather and Barry, and I was making
a few phone calls to some people in the know.
And it would appear to me that late last night,
(00:51):
when I was networking away that it looked like Chris
Luxon was toast. It looked like Erica Stanford had the numbers.
But the tides seems to have turned this morning, and
I'm hearing commentators say, Nathan Guy, the longer this meeting
lasts the better chance Chris lux and keeping his job.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Who knows. I've been in these situations before, Jamie. It's
not pleasant. These guys should really be focusing on campaigning
and getting out in their electorates and up and down
the country talking to people about the issues that matter,
not focusing in on internal politics and leadership squabbles. It's
most unfortunate. Personally. I hope that Christopher Laxon remains the PM.
(01:35):
I've got an amazing relationship with him. We created it
way way back when we had a bit of RGI
bargie and he was ce of in New Zealand and
I was Minister and wanted to do a few things
on biosecurity, run a video and he didn't like the
video one of his own, so we had a bit
of a squabble about that. And then when he was
ce also thereon ZEDDI stopped the flights out of Carpany
(01:57):
to Auckland, so we had another go round, and then
we smoked the peace pipe over of Pepsi Can and
Wahiki a few summers ago. So since then we've got
on incredibly well. I rate him highly. I've seen him
on the international stage he's an energizer bunny. He's aggressive
(02:17):
there and of course we've got a lot to thank
him for, particularly around the India FDA, and we saw
his relationship play out with Mody recently. So if it's
not him and it's someone else in the red meat
industry or in the primary sector, we'll wrap around and
work closely with whoever the incoming PM is start wait
and see.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
He has been good for farmers and to be fair,
all three parties in the center right coalition are pro farming,
but Christopher Luxen is really pro farming. I don't think
you could ask for a more farmer friendly prime minister. Now,
the other two contenders, we know who they are, Chris
Bishop and Erica Stanford, both what you would describe as
(02:59):
urban liberals. Will they have the same empathy?
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Well, what I'm going to do If they are lucky
enough to get one of them gets the support today,
that's unfortunate for Chris Luxen. If they are successful, I'll
be reaching out to them this afternoon and inviting them
up to the mighty Hotter Ferineur to come out on
the dairy farm, to come into the Alliance plant and
live in see what goes on to visit some food
(03:27):
and beverage companies in Livin that also export, just to
get a feel of the primary sector. We'll need to
do our utmost to get them up to speed. But
whoever the PM is will know, if it's not Chris Luxon,
will know the importance of economic growth, and that comes
from the powerhouse of the primary sector, so it won't
take too long to get their hands dirty and understand
(03:52):
how important the sector is to economic growth.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
How do you get on and you've been these caucus
meetings before, when you've got people actively plotting against you.
Of course they're all denying it. But if you're Christopher
Luxon and you maintain the leadership of the National Party
and stay on as Prime minister, what do you do
with a problem like Erica and Chris? Hello, Nathan? All right,
(04:24):
Nathan's gone. I'm just going to try and get him
back online. Okay, that's enough of Daryl Hall and John
Oh It's biggest selling due musical duo of all time.
A Nathan guy. I don't know whether you hung up
on me, whether you didn't like the question, or whether
it was just bad luck Nathan, But the question was
(04:47):
if you're Christopher Luxon, you remain Prime Minister. A lot
of us will be hoping he does, because I think
he's good for farming. Anyhow, what do you do with
a problem like Erica and Chris and the other Chris pink?
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Well, I thought you had hot news and you just
ditch me to a live across from the sofa to say,
this is what's happening. That's what I thought. I was
talking away to myself and realized you went responding.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Well, no, I look to be fair, I'm trying to
monitor about four screens at once plus dial you up.
I've got Michelle sitting out in the office there. She's
monitoring everything that moves. And Michelle, lovely producer that she is.
She's no, no, she's not a literate. She's very clever,
but she's a left hander and when she writes you
(05:31):
can't read it. So I said to Michelle, if there's
breaking news, pass me a note, because that's the technology
we've got here in Dunedin. But for God's sake, make
it legible. So there you go. There's Michelle's starting orders.
Yours are to answer my question?
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Well, I'm a left handed too, but anyway, we'd digress.
While Eric is a class act and so is Chris Bishop,
so they'll be regardless of what happens, they'll be an
important part of the team getting out of their campaigning
and selling the message.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
See, you just put it behind you.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
We have to. I've been in these situations before. There's
a spill in caucus. Someone get the mop out, clean
it up, move forward. This sort of stuff happens in
political parties. It's most unfortunate the timing. The billboards must
nearly be printed, the mug shots will be there on
the billboard. There might be a change out. Hopefully there isn't.
(06:23):
Just going to get on with it, focus on the people,
focus on economic growth, getting the books back in order,
and talking about the issues that matter. And that's the
cost of living for Kiwis.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yep, the nets might have to get valcrow stick on
heads above kind of generic sort of bodies if there's
going to be a change around anyhow, at least surely
if there is any sort of change, or even if
there's not a change, this will be the last spill
before the election. With what ninety days out, Hey just
talking about meat, which was their original moot. If you
(06:55):
want here on the country. Those numbers that came out
from the Meat Into Association for June up fifty percent
for June alone, for the for the full year. Let
me have a look at these numbers. Total exports for
the red meat sector thirteen point two billion for the
twenty four sorry for the twenty five twenty sixth year.
(07:18):
Now that's up twenty one percent on twenty four to
twenty five.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
It's a record. Yep, yeah, amazing. We're in a great space,
particularly for beef. Lamb may soften. I know you've got
someone coming on later on, might talk up four one
hundred bucks a lamb. Be great to see it. But
there's a little bit of pressure in certain markets. I mean,
at the end of the day, after price goes too high,
(07:42):
consumer's head for white protein that tends to be a
bit cheaper. But he is also hoping that the demand
continues to grow. And we worry about a potential sheep
meat investigation tariff quota that could come out the back
end of that later this year. Hopefully a little bit
of sunlight on that issue will all show that we're
(08:03):
causing no injury to the American domestic farmers over there,
and we can get on and do what we do
well and export and potentially we demand the way it
is in their consumer in the US. There's an opportunity
for us to think collectively, how can we work a
bit better with the Americans. So I think hopefully it's
(08:28):
a bit of disinfection and we don't end up with
any sort of terrify quota on our ship meet to
the US. That would be disastrous.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Yes, well, if you think our politics are a mess
here in this country today, we've got nothing on the US.
So it's a moving feast daily over there. Nathan Guy, Well,
that was sort of a two part interview. I might
have to edit that down. And I'm daid you didn't
hang up on me.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Well, I thought you'd hang up on me. And any
moment you'll do a live cross and we'll get on
with our day.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
So as soon as hey good to chat, Nathan, thank
you very much. And of course as there's Nathan Guy,
chair of the Meat Industry Association,
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