The Country 16/02/26: Damien O'Connor talks to Jamie Mackay

Labour’s trade spokesman comments on the Indian FTA, whether Labour will support it, and ponders who the candidates for the West Coast Tasman electorate could be.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Just when you thought he was yesterday's man. No he's not.
He's a man in demand at the moment Labor's trade spokesperson.
How's that for an intro, Damien O'Connor. Everyone wants a
piece of you at the moment.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
You're not much younger than I am. Jamie should just
be really careful about agism.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Yes, I don't mean it like that, but I mean
your opposition. You're kind of on the back bench. All
of a sudden, people are wooing you, courting you because
they want your support and to be fair to you,
you've got a lot of experience in the trade portfolio.
Now is Labor yes or no? Going to support National
and Act to get this Indian free trade agreement across

(00:38):
the line.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
There's a couple of things. Seriously, as should be said,
we haven't had a formal request to endorse it, and
I've had discussions with Tom McClay the van kind of informal.
I went to his office the other day. But I've
always said this is a caucus decision and ultimately it
will be between leaders to negotiate anything. What we've done
is center letter clearly outlining having studied as much as

(01:04):
we can of the agreement outlining areas where we think
improvements need to be made, not in the agreement. We
can't renegotiate the proposed agreement, but we can ensure that
some of the things we're concerned about can be protected,
like making sure we have credible educational institutions, that we
don't bring people in so called students into the country

(01:27):
the shonky courses and they just go and work. That's crazy.
It happened in the past, shouldn't happen into the future.
And then making sure that we've got people running around
where we do know workers are being abused, and some
of them are migrant workers, that we've got labor inspectors
to keep a proper eye on that process, our international
reputations at stay here. And then questions around, of course,

(01:50):
the thirty three billion dollars, which is it's aspirational, it's
not absolute in the agreement, but it's still something we
should question. And so that's gone in a formal letter
to the Prime Minister, and I guess we'll await the response.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
But you said it's aspirational, but it's a hell of
a lot of money in New Zealand dollars thirty three
billion over fifteen years. I heard or I watched and
listened to Todd McLay with Jack Tame on Q and A,
and he said, look, we don't actually have to commit
to any of this until fifteen years.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Hence it is over a fifteen year period. And look,
it was at early discussions that I had with him.
You know, I parified, is this an absolute that we
must know it is? We must attempt to do this,
And so there's a slight out there. And I guess
if we haven't met it in fifteen years, the Indians

(02:42):
can shut down all these preferential access arrangements under the
trade agreement. I guess that the aspiration would be to
have partnerships between New Zealand and India that had built
up and are valuable enough for both party to say
in fifteen years time that while we can continue on
and we don't have to make any changes. There has

(03:03):
been some investment. You know, it may not have reached
a target, but it's certainly a vision. Look, that's a challenge.
And the question we want to ask of the government
how big a challenge and how do they see that
being addressed in the future.

Speaker 1 (03:17):
Well, I know you want to extract your pound of flesh.
But I put it to you that you and Chippy
are between a rock and a hard place. A weebit
on this because traditionally, and it's been under your watch
as well, trade has been a bipartisan sort of thing.
If you don't support this, if this falls over due
to lack of support for labor, that would not go
well for you in an election year.

Speaker 2 (03:39):
We're trading nation and you know we negotiated to China
ft I think it's a bit it's a bit rich
for Todd to compare the China FDA with this one.
It's not even in the same league. But it's still
a valuable step forward if we get things right and
if we don't undermine, you know, any of the conditions

(04:00):
and for with the New Zealand. So we in opposition
are just making sure that this trade agreement is a positive,
not a negative any in any way for New Zealand.
And look, if it was that good, then Winston should
have supported it. We're not politicing, we are supporting trade.
We just want to make sure that some of the
issues raised can in fact be signed off and we

(04:23):
can have some assurance as we move into the future.
Ideally the government would have negotiated with Winston and had approved.

Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, he hates anything with migration on it. Just finally,
what are you hearing? What are the whispers around West
Coast Tasman.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
I don't know. I see, I see you started a
remember the other day chaming up there.

Speaker 1 (04:42):
I've walked that one back. I've walked that.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
You started that you did saying that Wayne Langthy was
going to be labor. Look, I haven't heard any that
Wayne hasn't hasn't come to me saying he'd like to
be a labor candidate. I think that's a bit unfair.
It's a bit like you. I that Jamie mcray was
saying about going for the Greens and in the cargo.
Would that would be a wonderful thing for you to do? Will?

Speaker 1 (05:08):
My sisters are both Green voters, so you never know.
It might run in the family. Wayne Langford those rumors, Yeah, Wayne.
Wayne Langford of course has got really good agg creed
and I think someone like him, regardless of which party
he goes for, because I'm certainly still hearing he's interested,
would be a valuable catch for any party.

Speaker 2 (05:28):
Well, that's true, but I mean i'd like to think
that actually people and labor have labor values and they
are of cooperation. They are standing up for all New Zealand.
There's not just a few at the top. And what
we've seen from national and that is that supporting people
who have lots of money and lots of luck and
doing okay and are trampling on those people who are

(05:49):
unlucky or losing their jobs, or who for some unfortunate
set of circumstances aren't as well off as you and I,
and labor stands to ensure that every New Zealander has
a chance, not just a wealthy and the lucky.

Speaker 1 (06:05):
Yeah, maybe one needs to be a socialist to get
the tech future.

Speaker 2 (06:08):
The dairy industry. The dairy industry is actually based on
share the risks and share the rewards through cooperation. Actually,
those are the principles that labour's value that built on
as well. So if we all did that then took responsibility,
would all be better off.

Speaker 1 (06:23):
Only you and a labor government can save the s
Damian thanks for your time.

Speaker 2 (06:26):
As always, I agree with you there, Jamie. Good on
you mate,