The Country 15/08/25: Barry Soper talks to Jamie Mackay

The Country’s political correspondent wraps up another busy week in the Beehive. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Harrysopa joins us out of Auckland. Do you do you
like country music, Barrier, especially this new American stuff.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
I do quite like it, Jamie. I like country music,
of course, being.

Speaker 1 (00:11):
From Gore, Yeah, exactly. You'd be more Charlie Pride and
Glenn Campbell, didn't.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
You, Oh? Of course? And John Hoare and you know, a.

Speaker 1 (00:20):
Dusty spittle, dusty geez. Okay, hey, listen. When I was
walking down to work this morning, a bloke came across
the road and said good and shook my hand, and
I half blind in my old age, I said, oh,
goody Karen. And it was Karen MacNulty and Kieren and
I go back quite a long way. He used to
be on this show regularly as the tab bookie and

(00:41):
when we used to do a sports yeah yeah so,
And I've always liked him. Don't agree with his politics
all the time, but he's a likable sort of blow
to see a potential labor leader is Chippy cutting the mustard?

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Well? You know, the word has been mentioned that if
Tippy goes, maybe Karen MacNulty. I don't think so. I
don't think he's leadership material, but that's personal duty.

Speaker 1 (01:03):
So who would it be Would it be someone like
Barbara Edmonds?

Speaker 2 (01:06):
Yeah? More likely, but you know I think Chippy we
will and truly in there until the next election. At
least have given the opinion polls because he, in fact,
as far as the public goes it would seem, has
done quite well. Although this failing to front the COVID
Royal Commission is to me nothing short of a disgrace

(01:29):
and it should impact on both certainly Chris Hapkins and
Aisha Peryl the other two sitting politicians. And of course
you've got Grant Robertson living in your city of Dunedin
as the vice chancellor of Attager University, and Dame Jasinda
Dern swarming around internationally telling us all a wonderful.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
Yes, she's run for the hills. Did you hear Keith
filling in on Hosking this morning talking about what Jacinda
gets paid for a speech compared to him, I know
who I'd sooner listen to.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Well, I know who I'm going to listen to as well.
I didn't hear him say that we must go back
and have a listen.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Well, he didn't throw some numbers out there, but he
said she gets paid a whole lot more because she's
a more chat GBT said, she's a more empathetic leader.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Well, that's what you would all have us believe. And
what I'd like to have heard was for her to
front up to the Royal Commission like she did daily
on the pulpit of truth and just tell us why
certain decisions were made and how that was showing much

(02:35):
empathy for people that wanted to be with dying loved
ones but were prevented from doing so, fathers prevented from
being at the birth of their children. I mean, the
list goes on and on and on. Hardly empathy.

Speaker 1 (02:51):
Okay, Berry, just perhaps finally, is Chloe now the most
insufferable politician in the house?

Speaker 2 (02:58):
Well, you know, here she was stood and made what
was a reasonable speech. I mean, earlier in the week
she had draped her seat with a flowel and the
same day, actually earlier in the days, she had draped
her seat with a Palestinian flag but wrapped around her
shoulders when she was told off by the speaker, And
she made her quite a good, impatient speech right until

(03:20):
the end when she ruined it and made herself the
centerpiece of the story. She could have simply stood with
drawn and apologized for saying that the opposite or the
the government was spineless. It would have been all done
and dusted. But no, she had to cranstand and become
the center of the story. The suffering in Gaza should

(03:43):
be the center of this story, and certainly not Chloe Swarbrick.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
No, well, we're suffering, Chloe, and I agree with you.
It is a bit of a well, it's a human
rights atrocity, mind you. The Big Din he might if
he can get peace in Ukraine Russia, surely he can
cut a deal in Gaza.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Well, I wouldn't put money on it to either.

Speaker 1 (04:04):
Actually, Jamie, okay, best, thanks for your time, Enjoy your weekend.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
Nice to talk to you, Jamie.