The Country 14/08/26: Barry Soper talks to Jamie Mackay

We look back on a hell of a week in politics with Newstalk ZB’s senior political correspondent.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Barry Soper to wrap the country Bears, looking forward to
having a bear with you tonight at the ZB one
hundredth How many of those hundred years have you been
on the tools?

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Oh? Thank you, Jamie. No, it was thirty years ago
this year that I started with News Talk ZP, so
it was in its seventieth year. But it's incredible when
you think that you and I grew up with ball
ZEDP down South, and you know we've all known ZEDB
all our lives, so it's pretty extraordinary. Really. There's going

(00:32):
to be a very good crowd there tonight of former hosts,
current hosts, even Chris Luxon will be there as private.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
Well, I was going to ask you about that you've
been covering and Frano Sullivan and I talked about this.
She used to work for you in the press gallery
at the Beehive way back in the days. Were you've
been there since Smuldin. This would be one of the
biggest political balls ups in history, wouldn't it.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Well, yeah, I look for a former military man, Chris Pink,
you would think if he was organizing something that would
be done with a bit more precision than what it
was done with. But I think you've got to take
a head off to Chris Luckxon for steering them down twice,
and that will be the end of it. Believe me, Jamie.

(01:22):
The side of the election, and I said on the
eve of the caucus meeting that he will stay. He'll
come out still as Prime Minister. And guess what, I
was right. That's just not the organization. That's one thing,
but there's not the will, I think to replace Chris Luckson.

(01:42):
You know, he's worked hard. It's been a terrible time
in government. You couldn't have had it worse taking over
the books and the shape they were. But I think
now hopefully you'll see the National Party solidifying and maybe
who knows, taking back treasury benches.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
On November the same Barry, I was listening to you
and Heather debating it, and I think she owes you
a couple of bottles of whiskey. She was convinced there
was going to be a change. The good oil was
there was going to be a change on Tuesday evening.
We woke up on Wednesday morning and all the whispers
were no Lux and Scott the numbers. What happened? I've
got like one minute.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
Well a lot of things fell over that people decided
that it wasn't a good idea and they should have
thought about this before. Even trying to hatch the coup
to replace a leader less than ninety days before an
election is patently absurd.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
Okay, Barry Soper, thank you very much for your time.
I know you're flat out. I'm hoping to Oh, I
will catch you and hear the tonight at the z
B one hundred of looking forward to it.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
Look forward to it, Jamie C. Then