September 14, 2026 • 9 mins
We caught up with Matua Shane, the Prince of the Provinces, on his spring fitness campaign as he walked to Parliament this morning, ahead of the arrival of the horseback hīkoi protest. We also discussed how farmers should vote and who should pay for the Aucklanders riding the CRL.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is 8.30 in the morning as we record this interview.
Matua Shane Jones, the Prince of the Provinces, a man
who's got a spring in his step because he's walking
to Parliament. Shane, are you walking to Parliament to get
there in time to greet the horseback Hikoi?
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Yes, there is a certain problem of the Matua sporting
a winter belly that has to be worn off. But look,
I reckon if I were to come to Parliament today,
I'd have driven a Mustang rather than ride a couple
of nags down from the Hawke's Bay.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
What sort of reception are they going to get from you?
Because by the time this goes to air, we'll probably know.
Let's see how good you are at predicting the future.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Well, I don't think they're allowed to bring the horses
onto the parliamentary lawn. It'll be riddled with horse too
tight and there's probably enough crap in and around Parliament
on a bad day anyhow. Oh, well, I'm going to
go down there and engage with them and say that,
The bill that we're passing to excise and remove excessive
(01:01):
references to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi from
various statutes where it serves no purpose. It'll be at
a select committee and people can exercise their democratic rights
and pop along to the select committee. And that bill
will still have life after November the 7th when we're
all back.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
I see Woke Old Chris Finlayson's having a crack at
you guys.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yes, well, we don't take too much notice of Chris,
the political eunuch, formerly a member of the National Tribe,
largely reviled by them now. It's all quite sad, really.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Well, he's finished the career of a potential New Zealand
First MP, Stu Nash.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Well, I don't think he finished it.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Stu may have done it himself.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Yeah, Stu was a bit like a wicker, put his
head in that noose. And look, Chris has got his views, he's...
very anti the government. He's got a sharp level of language,
but he also needs to bear in mind that great
line from Shakespeare, you talk a great deal of nothing.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Hey, just before I forget, you were mentioning your winter
belly and how to get rid of it. I've got
a very good cure for you, Shane, because it's done
wonders for me. It's called influenza A. There's a way
to knock a bit of condition off you.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Yeah, no, no. Unfortunately, I haven't had the flu, a
genuine bout of the flu, since the late 90s.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Well, you keep it that way. Influenza A is a
bit brutal. Hey, have you caught up on the, as
you stroll towards Parliament at 8.30 in the morning, have
you caught up on the post? I don't know why
the freshwater bits in there, but the latest poll, some
people take no notice of it all. But Labour's down
seven points to 28. National's down two points to 27.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Chloe....
Speaker 1 (02:48):
And the Greens are up four points to 14. But
the good news for you is New Zealand First is
up one point to 13%. You'd take that, wouldn't you?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah, well, we're growing slowly, steadily. We're not like a
coat of shiny paint that after one bout of kind
of inclement weather, it just fades. And I suspect that
when we get closer to the election, mate, Winston will
lead us to a much higher position and the Greens,
as they always do, they will fade because their linguistic
(03:21):
sorcery doesn't work on the younger voters who, by and large,
don't turn out to vote.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Something that is working on the younger voters, those that
can be bothered voting, is the Opportunity Party or Opportunities Party,
whatever they call themselves. You can't even call them top anymore,
I don't think. Look, in this poll, for what it's worth,
they're at 6%. They get past the threshold. That brings
a change of government right into play.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Well, they're hoping to purr their way into power. I mean,
they are the cat party. And the reality is once
150,000 Kiwis are required to go beyond the veil curtain
and vote for them, I don't think they will. I
think the media is continually coronating them. Look, I know
that a lot of people have got, as you say
(04:08):
in Kaitai, hoha, or sort of tired. of the political
palaver that's defined our political trajectory over the last six months.
But hey, in the next six weeks, you'll see who's
got the recipe for the future. And if you are
a property owner or you aspire to be a property owner,
then top's going to knock you out because they're going
(04:28):
to tax you to oblivion.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, they're certainly going to knock the farmers out with
a land tax. Look, a centre-left coalition government, in my
humble opinion, and I've been an observer for a number
of years, Shane, would be disastrous for farming, despite, to
be fair to Chippy, his protestations of being more farmer-friendly,
and at least they've shown a farmer-friendly face with their
chow and or not pricing agricultural emissions. But farming is
(04:54):
not a big enough constituency to swing this electorate, election,
should I say. What will swing it will be disgruntled
voters in Auckland and Wellington.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Well, Auckland, sorry, Wellington is already spoken for. It's basically
a bureaucratic town full of consultants and lanyard-wearing lefties. We
already know that. There's a small percentage who know that
it's the private sector that expands the pie. It's the
Crown that carves the pie up. Now, in relation to Auckland...
(05:24):
I think things are improving in Auckland. When we see
the numbers, I'm confident there'll be positive numbers from Treasury
when we get to the fiscal update. And after that,
we'll distill the entirety of our economic manifesto. But farmers,
stop believing that just supporting national is going to guarantee
(05:45):
your future. Buy some insurance. You've got two options. And
my option, I say to you, is a far more
reliable outcome, New Zealand first.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
So are you suggesting party vote New Zealand first and
maybe vote for your local national candidate?
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Now, Winston's always said that our party exists on the
strength of the party vote. Now, we've got candidates in
every single electorate where it's relevant to our mission. And obviously,
they're going to put up their signs and they're going
to promote them. the retention of the government. And we
all know it's the party vote at the end of
the day that will make the difference. You and I
(06:22):
just spoke about the six or seven percent, whatever it
was you said, for the top party. They are a startup.
They are a branch. off the labour green tree. And
they mean to tax the bejesus out of the productive
sector because they seem to believe by paying the nefs
to sit on the couch and do jack that we're
all going to grow rich. It's farcical.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Hey, just a final comment from me. A lot of farmers,
they're all out there at the moment, lambing, calving, getting
crops into the ground, working 24-7 or certainly seven days
a week at this time of the year. Why should
rural New Zealand, provincial New Zealand, subsidise Aucklanders to joyride
on the CRL under Labour, not much better under your
(07:08):
lot either, for $ 20 a week?
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Well, let's not overlook the fact it was John Key,
your pin-up boy, who actually signed the crown up to
that deal with Mayor Len Brown.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah, but I haven't got an issue with the CRL.
I think it's fine. But why are we capping weekly
fares to $ 20? This is what Labour's going to do.
It's totally too subsidised.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
In reality, it's not our policy. It's something that they're
trying to use as a lolly. I come from Kaitaia.
It's totally useless. It's as relevant as tits on the
proverbial in relation to delivering transport outcomes in Kerikeri, Kaikohe
or Kaitaia. So I thoroughly agree with you. But we
are dealing... with a spend-a-thon party. They've conveniently overlooked the
(07:54):
mess that they left you and I in, and now
they hope to tax the bejesus out of the productive
sector rather than grow the sector in order to pay
our way out of the fiscal bloody rut that they've
got us into. And Kiwi should never, ever allow them
to get away with that scot-free by keeping them, hopefully,
in opposition for the foreseeable future.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Final question for you, Shane Jones. When you do become
New Zealand first leader, when Winston passes over the baton.
Will you see common sense around the age of eligibility
for National Super?
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Oh no, it's a treacherous ground to stand upon to
talk about the longevity of our party leader. He is
going to last like a great cowry tree from the
farm wall.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
That wasn't the question. What are you going to do
about the age of eligibility for National Super? We can't
afford it. As long as Winston's drawing breath, it stays
where it is. I get that. What are you going
to do about it?
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Well, I'm focused at the moment, mate, on winning the campaign,
getting back into power, and we are not campaigning in
any manner or form to change the age of eligibility
or any major criteria pertaining to the pension.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
That's because most of your voters are on the pension.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Well, no, no, don't be ageist. You just told me
you survived near straight with death. Don't take your mortality
for granted, good man.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Hey, well, I'm on the government payroll as well. See
you later. Good luck with your weight loss campaign. Bye.
It is 8.30 in the morning as we record this interview.
Matua Shane Jones, the Prince of the Provinces, a man
who's got a spring in his step because he's walking
to Parliament. Shane, are you walking to Parliament to get
there in time to greet the horseback Hikoi?
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Yes, there is a certain problem of the Matua sporting
a winter belly that has to be worn off. But look,
I reckon if I were to come to Parliament today,
I'd have driven a Mustang rather than ride a couple
of nags down from the Hawke's Bay.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
What sort of reception are they going to get from you?
Because by the time this goes to air, we'll probably know.
Let's see how good you are at predicting the future.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Well, I don't think they're allowed to bring the horses
onto the parliamentary lawn. It'll be riddled with horse too
tight and there's probably enough crap in and around Parliament
on a bad day anyhow. Oh, well, I'm going to
go down there and engage with them and say that,
The bill that we're passing to excise and remove excessive
(01:01):
references to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi from
various statutes where it serves no purpose. It'll be at
a select committee and people can exercise their democratic rights
and pop along to the select committee. And that bill
will still have life after November the 7th when we're
all back.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
I see Woke Old Chris Finlayson's having a crack at
you guys.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yes, well, we don't take too much notice of Chris,
the political eunuch, formerly a member of the National Tribe,
largely reviled by them now. It's all quite sad, really.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Well, he's finished the career of a potential New Zealand
First MP, Stu Nash.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Well, I don't think he finished it.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Stu may have done it himself.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Yeah, Stu was a bit like a wicker, put his
head in that noose. And look, Chris has got his views, he's...
very anti the government. He's got a sharp level of language,
but he also needs to bear in mind that great
line from Shakespeare, you talk a great deal of nothing.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Hey, just before I forget, you were mentioning your winter
belly and how to get rid of it. I've got
a very good cure for you, Shane, because it's done
wonders for me. It's called influenza A. There's a way
to knock a bit of condition off you.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Yeah, no, no. Unfortunately, I haven't had the flu, a
genuine bout of the flu, since the late 90s.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Well, you keep it that way. Influenza A is a
bit brutal. Hey, have you caught up on the, as
you stroll towards Parliament at 8.30 in the morning, have
you caught up on the post? I don't know why
the freshwater bits in there, but the latest poll, some
people take no notice of it all. But Labour's down
seven points to 28. National's down two points to 27.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Chloe....
Speaker 1 (02:48):
And the Greens are up four points to 14. But
the good news for you is New Zealand First is
up one point to 13%. You'd take that, wouldn't you?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah, well, we're growing slowly, steadily. We're not like a
coat of shiny paint that after one bout of kind
of inclement weather, it just fades. And I suspect that
when we get closer to the election, mate, Winston will
lead us to a much higher position and the Greens,
as they always do, they will fade because their linguistic
(03:21):
sorcery doesn't work on the younger voters who, by and large,
don't turn out to vote.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Something that is working on the younger voters, those that
can be bothered voting, is the Opportunity Party or Opportunities Party,
whatever they call themselves. You can't even call them top anymore,
I don't think. Look, in this poll, for what it's worth,
they're at 6%. They get past the threshold. That brings
a change of government right into play.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Well, they're hoping to purr their way into power. I mean,
they are the cat party. And the reality is once
150,000 Kiwis are required to go beyond the veil curtain
and vote for them, I don't think they will. I
think the media is continually coronating them. Look, I know
that a lot of people have got, as you say
(04:08):
in Kaitai, hoha, or sort of tired. of the political
palaver that's defined our political trajectory over the last six months.
But hey, in the next six weeks, you'll see who's
got the recipe for the future. And if you are
a property owner or you aspire to be a property owner,
then top's going to knock you out because they're going
(04:28):
to tax you to oblivion.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, they're certainly going to knock the farmers out with
a land tax. Look, a centre-left coalition government, in my
humble opinion, and I've been an observer for a number
of years, Shane, would be disastrous for farming, despite, to
be fair to Chippy, his protestations of being more farmer-friendly,
and at least they've shown a farmer-friendly face with their
chow and or not pricing agricultural emissions. But farming is
(04:54):
not a big enough constituency to swing this electorate, election,
should I say. What will swing it will be disgruntled
voters in Auckland and Wellington.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Well, Auckland, sorry, Wellington is already spoken for. It's basically
a bureaucratic town full of consultants and lanyard-wearing lefties. We
already know that. There's a small percentage who know that
it's the private sector that expands the pie. It's the
Crown that carves the pie up. Now, in relation to Auckland...
(05:24):
I think things are improving in Auckland. When we see
the numbers, I'm confident there'll be positive numbers from Treasury
when we get to the fiscal update. And after that,
we'll distill the entirety of our economic manifesto. But farmers,
stop believing that just supporting national is going to guarantee
(05:45):
your future. Buy some insurance. You've got two options. And
my option, I say to you, is a far more
reliable outcome, New Zealand first.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
So are you suggesting party vote New Zealand first and
maybe vote for your local national candidate?
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Now, Winston's always said that our party exists on the
strength of the party vote. Now, we've got candidates in
every single electorate where it's relevant to our mission. And obviously,
they're going to put up their signs and they're going
to promote them. the retention of the government. And we
all know it's the party vote at the end of
the day that will make the difference. You and I
(06:22):
just spoke about the six or seven percent, whatever it
was you said, for the top party. They are a startup.
They are a branch. off the labour green tree. And
they mean to tax the bejesus out of the productive
sector because they seem to believe by paying the nefs
to sit on the couch and do jack that we're
all going to grow rich. It's farcical.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Hey, just a final comment from me. A lot of farmers,
they're all out there at the moment, lambing, calving, getting
crops into the ground, working 24-7 or certainly seven days
a week at this time of the year. Why should
rural New Zealand, provincial New Zealand, subsidise Aucklanders to joyride
on the CRL under Labour, not much better under your
(07:08):
lot either, for $ 20 a week?
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Well, let's not overlook the fact it was John Key,
your pin-up boy, who actually signed the crown up to
that deal with Mayor Len Brown.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah, but I haven't got an issue with the CRL.
I think it's fine. But why are we capping weekly
fares to $ 20? This is what Labour's going to do.
It's totally too subsidised.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
In reality, it's not our policy. It's something that they're
trying to use as a lolly. I come from Kaitaia.
It's totally useless. It's as relevant as tits on the
proverbial in relation to delivering transport outcomes in Kerikeri, Kaikohe
or Kaitaia. So I thoroughly agree with you. But we
are dealing... with a spend-a-thon party. They've conveniently overlooked the
(07:54):
mess that they left you and I in, and now
they hope to tax the bejesus out of the productive
sector rather than grow the sector in order to pay
our way out of the fiscal bloody rut that they've
got us into. And Kiwi should never, ever allow them
to get away with that scot-free by keeping them, hopefully,
in opposition for the foreseeable future.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Final question for you, Shane Jones. When you do become
New Zealand first leader, when Winston passes over the baton.
Will you see common sense around the age of eligibility
for National Super?
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Oh no, it's a treacherous ground to stand upon to
talk about the longevity of our party leader. He is
going to last like a great cowry tree from the
farm wall.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
That wasn't the question. What are you going to do
about the age of eligibility for National Super? We can't
afford it. As long as Winston's drawing breath, it stays
where it is. I get that. What are you going
to do about it?
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Well, I'm focused at the moment, mate, on winning the campaign,
getting back into power, and we are not campaigning in
any manner or form to change the age of eligibility
or any major criteria pertaining to the pension.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
That's because most of your voters are on the pension.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Well, no, no, don't be ageist. You just told me
you survived near straight with death. Don't take your mortality
for granted, good man.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Hey, well, I'm on the government payroll as well. See
you later. Good luck with your weight loss campaign. Bye.
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