The Country 16/02/26: Andrew Hoggard talks to Jamie Mackay

Manawatū farmer and Act MP - how bad is it in the eye of the storm?

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So she's been a rough and wet and windy old weekend,
especially in the North Island. It would appear that the
one or two Rangeticki region has been as badly affected
as any Let's go to a well known farmer and
politician from that region, Andrew Hoggard. Andrew, I sent you
a text this morning and you said, yeah, it's not flash,

(00:20):
but it's not as bad as Gabrielle or two thousand
and four. And I remember the two thousand and four
floods very well in your region because I remember talking
to the late Alistair Paulson about it because his farm
was decimated by those floods.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yes, yes, and Prald Aliston's family had to jump up
on the roof to get to safety on that one.
But yeah, it's I'd say we're probably a meter or
so below where it was two thousand and four gabriel
So it's coming over the paddis and a few spots.

(00:57):
At this stage. I'm kind of hoping it's peaked, but
who knows where they could do anything And.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
Power has obviously been an issue for you guys. I
know you haven't got any as we speak.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yep, yeah, No, it's sort of went out at about
six o'clock this morning, so we got the finished milking
off on the generator and sort of sure looking at
the outages site on power Coo, but they seem absolutely
swamped with outages all over the show, so who knows
when it will come back on. I'm sure they're working

(01:32):
as hard as they can in pretty trying circumstances.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
I noted that one of your parliamentary colleagues, who does
a great job as the Emergency Minister, Mark Mitchell, said
we're just in a we're in a case now and
I've forgotten his exact words, but we are chasing our tail.
It's one weather event then another, and it's recovery, recovery,
recovery from all these.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Ye it seems like that although you know, sort of
look back at the history of men Or two River
and you know, I mean, this is something we do
get every five ten years here where we are. It
all seems to always be on the same bloody day.
The two thousand and four floods. We're also on February
the sixteenth. Gabrielle was February fourteenth. I think it's probably

(02:16):
a day everyone in the man Or too, Sha just
block in their calendar to at home and be prepared.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
Where does act sit? Well, I know where you sit,
but where do you sit? Regarding Labour's attitude to the
Sindian FTA agreements. We're going to be speaking to Damien
hopefully Damien O'Connor hopefully shortly on the show and get
his view of it, because it would appear to me
that he's going to have a bit of a major
role to play.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
Well, I guess the reality is that I don't think
we're in a position to be able to renegotiate the
deal at this late points. I'm not sure what the
games are. I just know that it's this deal would
provide some really good benefits for the horticulture sector, so
obviously parties want to play politics. Just be weary that

(03:03):
they're playing politics with people's lovelihoods.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
Well, not to mention the sheep industry, meat.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
And will yes, yes, sorry yes, and definitely for LAMB
as well. They will have some strong benefits as well
from it and wine and yes, I keep.

Speaker 1 (03:20):
Reminding you Andrew, Yes, it's almost to say you're not
across the.

Speaker 2 (03:25):
Well. Our new horticulture was the main one that they
were getting a hell of a lot of benefits. But yeah,
there's a number of sectors where it's going to have
some big benefits obviously not mine, but count one them. More.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
You are a former president of Federated Farmers who got
into politics. Will history repeat itself later this year?

Speaker 2 (03:45):
Well, you seem to be stirring the kid.

Speaker 1 (03:48):
No, no, I've had to walk that one back away,
But I don't know. Look, it's just interesting. I mean
West Coast Tasman where Wayne Lanford, the current president, is
rumored to maybe having a tilt. We don't know who
for because there's rumors on both sides there. But obviously
Damian O'Connor has gone, Maureen Pugh has retired. Someone like

(04:09):
Wayne with a high profile and great cred and agriculture
I would imagine would whilst home if he put his
name forward in that electorate.

Speaker 2 (04:18):
Well, I guess it just depends on which party four though,
because there'll be some you know, potential ways people might
you know, feel about various parties and that nick of
the woods. Obviously, any party that aligns himself with the
Greens and wants to shut down mining and forestry might
not get a lot of support on the coast. But yeah, who.

Speaker 1 (04:41):
Knows, maybe Shane Jones could stand against Yolo. That would
be an interesting battle, wouldn't it.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
Well, Katie's boord these days, so maybe she want Yeah,
well I know, well, I.

Speaker 1 (04:50):
Know that Katie has been approached by more than one
party and she would be a strong candidate too.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yep, yep, there's no shortage of good explaming sid's leaders
down there. Yep.

Speaker 1 (05:05):
Old Federated Farmer's presidents don't grow old Andrew Hoggard, they
just get into politics. Hey, good luck in the recovery
in the manner or two regions.

Speaker 2 (05:13):
Thanks Jamie,