December 15, 2025 • 6 mins
Labour’s Trade Spokesman joins us for our final argument of 2025! Plus, we discuss SOPI, an FTA with India and O'Connor's Ag Person of the Year.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to the country. I wonder if our next
guest for the final time in twenty twenty five, Labors
Trade spokesperson likes love. Actually you're a bit of a
romantic at heart, Damien. Do you like this movie?
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Oh? You know, it's one of those ones. It's quite
a cute movie that you know. I don't say good,
you know, I don't get too over excited for it.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Yeah, yeah, Okay, Well, now the fans will be disappointed
if we don't have an argument to finish twenty twenty
five off, because that's what they like. But before we
do that, let's agree on some things. This government is
doing a tremendous job with the primary sector, as witnessed
by those soaping numbers this morning. I'm sure you'll concur
with me.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I've that's the good place to just start that. Actually
they don't look so good moving out. We've had a
good year this year, of course, recordairy in beef prices,
but actually, you know, drops back down to three percent
next year in terms of growth, and that's below what
has been the ten year average of five percent. Six
of those years of course, where we will.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
So you're going to claim glory for those well.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
As we should do. That was through a COVID period
which was a pretty challenging time internationally. We had the
Ukraine War, so yeah, we claimed some of the credit
for that. But they are the numbers look good, although
you know, slight softening of that growth into the next year,
but we understand that dairy prices are softening a little bit,
indications of increased international production and dairy. That beef looks
(01:25):
pretty strong, so you know, overall it's not a bad outlock.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Well, beef and lamb are both pretty strong. And the
other one is horticulture, Damen. I know that beef or
meat and wall went up by seven percent to thirteen
point two billion, but horticulture has been outstanding. It has
gone lifted five percent to nine point two billion, driven
by Kiwi fruit. And it's not that long ago. As
I've already said on the show today that horticulture and
(01:52):
forestry were kind of neck and neck.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Look, we just had a celebration of Court New Zealand
twenty years in existence. I was here and remember celebrating
that add It's inauguration and it was where some real
leadership across the sector came together said we need to
combine so we can talk to government, so we can
work on the long term strategies. In fact, they were
talking with us in government at the time and that
(02:15):
allowed them to advocate for the RC scheme, and so
we bought that in the government. Because the industry was
united and its objectives and they had it. They developed
a strategy and you know, a couple of people there,
I won't get into names, but some of them drove
that strategy and drove the success that we see in horticulture.
But it's kind of softened off a little bit. So,
(02:37):
you know, we have wine growers, the great growers aren't
doing quite so well. We've got a wasted opportunity, and
honey advocados you know, good and bad. We've got to
do a bit more coordination across those horticultural sectors, I think,
to get more value from them.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
You were such a good government. I can't believe we
voted you out.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Well, I have identified some your stupidity, you know, so yeah,
I don't like to get into that, but yes, sometimes
you make mistakes.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Now, the free trade agreement with India, you I'm going
to have a shot at you here. You put that
on the too hard a basket, Todd mcclay's going to
get this across the line.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
We didn't. We said that in our belief we needed
to build the relationships with India, and in fact, there's
some very good ones there and that that continued on
and they are negotiating and we'll see what the agreement is.
I think they'll have to come up with something that
will be signed before next year, and that's great. I'm
applauding any progress, but to get a substantive, comprehensive trade agreement,
(03:38):
you know, it's probably going to take a little longer.
But let's wait and see. I mean I've said to Todd,
good luck and go hard, and you know, but building
those relationships with a country like India, I think mister
Trump has helped us or helped the country that is that.
You know, he dealt a pretty hard blow to India,
and so India is looking a little harder to build
relationships with others and we happen to be knocking on door.
(04:00):
So you know, timing is everything for lots of things,
and I think we're trying to negotiate it at the
right time and no one wants to kind of Trump factor,
which is instability across the trade here is to pervade,
but there has helped us in the short term to.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Really quickly finish on a text has just come on, Jamie,
could you ask Damien what he thought of Professor will
Happer's talks. He's the guy that Groundswell brought over. As
I know, he would have been in the front row.
I suspect that's a facetious comment.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yeah, look, I didn't I had to say, I didn't
study every one of her presentations. I'm not sure I'm
convinced that Groundswell has added much to you agricultural thinking
over the last six or seven years. But you know,
I'm not dismissing what is some of his views might be.
But you know, as it's better to focus on the realities,
(04:53):
which is the soapy report, which is the trends that
are provided to us from people like I am proud
for to go around the and the Newfield scholars who
go around, who come back and pretty cleanly, plainly present
some of those trend lines to us, and if we
ignore them at our peril.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
All Right, We've got a Nuffield scholar up next, Carlos Bagri,
along with this better half Nadier limb power farming couple. Okay,
Damien O'Connor, here's your shot at glory, your last shot
at the title in twenty twenty five. We've hardly argued
it all. I'm going to get sacked from the stove
unless I left the game. Who is your twenty twenty
five agg person of the Year?
Speaker 2 (05:31):
I'll picked two, you know, to be balanced, Jim Ward
and Lucy Brown, and both of them the whole story
is a group of young women who are really trying
to push the sustainability message out near Jim who's been
committed to you know, well more than twenty three years,
twenty four years at Molsbeth alone, but now advocating for
(05:52):
the wider sect and for a whole other people who
have been feel of it beaten up in Parmu. But anyway,
those of Mark two I had short notice, and I
know they're both worthy recipients of some recognition of the
good work that they're doing for agriculture.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Tis the season forgiving and to be kind to all mankind.
So let's just agree to disagree some of the time,
and I might catch you for a beer over the break.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Happy to have you shout me your beer anytime, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
I didn't say that we'll go Dutch, see you later.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
See it right,
Welcome back to the country. I wonder if our next
guest for the final time in twenty twenty five, Labors
Trade spokesperson likes love. Actually you're a bit of a
romantic at heart, Damien. Do you like this movie?
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Oh? You know, it's one of those ones. It's quite
a cute movie that you know. I don't say good,
you know, I don't get too over excited for it.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Yeah, yeah, Okay, Well, now the fans will be disappointed
if we don't have an argument to finish twenty twenty
five off, because that's what they like. But before we
do that, let's agree on some things. This government is
doing a tremendous job with the primary sector, as witnessed
by those soaping numbers this morning. I'm sure you'll concur
with me.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I've that's the good place to just start that. Actually
they don't look so good moving out. We've had a
good year this year, of course, recordairy in beef prices,
but actually, you know, drops back down to three percent
next year in terms of growth, and that's below what
has been the ten year average of five percent. Six
of those years of course, where we will.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
So you're going to claim glory for those well.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
As we should do. That was through a COVID period
which was a pretty challenging time internationally. We had the
Ukraine War, so yeah, we claimed some of the credit
for that. But they are the numbers look good, although
you know, slight softening of that growth into the next year,
but we understand that dairy prices are softening a little bit,
indications of increased international production and dairy. That beef looks
(01:25):
pretty strong, so you know, overall it's not a bad outlock.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Well, beef and lamb are both pretty strong. And the
other one is horticulture, Damen. I know that beef or
meat and wall went up by seven percent to thirteen
point two billion, but horticulture has been outstanding. It has
gone lifted five percent to nine point two billion, driven
by Kiwi fruit. And it's not that long ago. As
I've already said on the show today that horticulture and
(01:52):
forestry were kind of neck and neck.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Look, we just had a celebration of Court New Zealand
twenty years in existence. I was here and remember celebrating
that add It's inauguration and it was where some real
leadership across the sector came together said we need to
combine so we can talk to government, so we can
work on the long term strategies. In fact, they were
talking with us in government at the time and that
(02:15):
allowed them to advocate for the RC scheme, and so
we bought that in the government. Because the industry was
united and its objectives and they had it. They developed
a strategy and you know, a couple of people there,
I won't get into names, but some of them drove
that strategy and drove the success that we see in horticulture.
But it's kind of softened off a little bit. So,
(02:37):
you know, we have wine growers, the great growers aren't
doing quite so well. We've got a wasted opportunity, and
honey advocados you know, good and bad. We've got to
do a bit more coordination across those horticultural sectors, I think,
to get more value from them.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
You were such a good government. I can't believe we
voted you out.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Well, I have identified some your stupidity, you know, so yeah,
I don't like to get into that, but yes, sometimes
you make mistakes.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Now, the free trade agreement with India, you I'm going
to have a shot at you here. You put that
on the too hard a basket, Todd mcclay's going to
get this across the line.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
We didn't. We said that in our belief we needed
to build the relationships with India, and in fact, there's
some very good ones there and that that continued on
and they are negotiating and we'll see what the agreement is.
I think they'll have to come up with something that
will be signed before next year, and that's great. I'm
applauding any progress, but to get a substantive, comprehensive trade agreement,
(03:38):
you know, it's probably going to take a little longer.
But let's wait and see. I mean I've said to Todd,
good luck and go hard, and you know, but building
those relationships with a country like India, I think mister
Trump has helped us or helped the country that is that.
You know, he dealt a pretty hard blow to India,
and so India is looking a little harder to build
relationships with others and we happen to be knocking on door.
(04:00):
So you know, timing is everything for lots of things,
and I think we're trying to negotiate it at the
right time and no one wants to kind of Trump factor,
which is instability across the trade here is to pervade,
but there has helped us in the short term to.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Really quickly finish on a text has just come on, Jamie,
could you ask Damien what he thought of Professor will
Happer's talks. He's the guy that Groundswell brought over. As
I know, he would have been in the front row.
I suspect that's a facetious comment.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yeah, look, I didn't I had to say, I didn't
study every one of her presentations. I'm not sure I'm
convinced that Groundswell has added much to you agricultural thinking
over the last six or seven years. But you know,
I'm not dismissing what is some of his views might be.
But you know, as it's better to focus on the realities,
(04:53):
which is the soapy report, which is the trends that
are provided to us from people like I am proud
for to go around the and the Newfield scholars who
go around, who come back and pretty cleanly, plainly present
some of those trend lines to us, and if we
ignore them at our peril.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
All Right, We've got a Nuffield scholar up next, Carlos Bagri,
along with this better half Nadier limb power farming couple. Okay,
Damien O'Connor, here's your shot at glory, your last shot
at the title in twenty twenty five. We've hardly argued
it all. I'm going to get sacked from the stove
unless I left the game. Who is your twenty twenty
five agg person of the Year?
Speaker 2 (05:31):
I'll picked two, you know, to be balanced, Jim Ward
and Lucy Brown, and both of them the whole story
is a group of young women who are really trying
to push the sustainability message out near Jim who's been
committed to you know, well more than twenty three years,
twenty four years at Molsbeth alone, but now advocating for
(05:52):
the wider sect and for a whole other people who
have been feel of it beaten up in Parmu. But anyway,
those of Mark two I had short notice, and I
know they're both worthy recipients of some recognition of the
good work that they're doing for agriculture.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Tis the season forgiving and to be kind to all mankind.
So let's just agree to disagree some of the time,
and I might catch you for a beer over the break.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Happy to have you shout me your beer anytime, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
I didn't say that we'll go Dutch, see you later.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
See it right,
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