April 16, 2025 • 6 mins
North Otago farmer and award-winning environmentalist says she’s hearing nothing but the “sounds of silence” from the media on some key issues.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
So Jane Smith's a bit of a regular hair on
the country North Otago farmer coming to town for the day.
Also a former winner of the Balanced Farm Environment Awards,
and she's all about the sounds of silence today, Jane Smith,
what are you talking about?
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good afternoon, Jamie. I just think there's a number of
elephants in the room at the moment that the media
seemed to be sort of dodging and it just seemed
to be silent on. And one of those is, for example,
the Knight Tahoo the High Court taking the Crown to
the High Court at the moment, and that's for the
control pursuing the recognition and control over freshwater in the
(00:37):
South Island. I think they call it chiefly authority and
they say they don't want ownership, they only want authority.
So and I guess they've disguised it as wanting to
improve water quality. Isn't that what we are all working
towards and doing and actually really gaining really good ground on.
And it's interesting, Jamie that Chris Finlinson, who's of course
(00:58):
the ex attorney where he was the Minister of the
treaty negotiations, that she did a pretty reasonable job of that.
But of course he is now working for NAH on
this court case taking the Crown to court, and good
on Cederaated fharmacists standing up and doing a stellar job
in that. It'll be a hell of a pressure cooker situation.
But this has set a massive precedent for the country
(01:20):
going forward, so I'd love to see some more media
coverage on that, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Well, I need to get my backside into gear and
go into back with Federated Farmers on that one. In
my mind, the water belongs to us all. What about
the ge bill you reckon? This is going to slip
past the goalie in silence.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Yeah, Well, it's really interesting, Jamie, it really has been,
and it's a very short time frame, and I guess
it's really interesting that other I guess the opposition. I'm
really surprised the opposition haven't asked the more time, more
select Committee discussion around this. And it's not whether we
should or shouldn't. And gene technology is not new. I mean,
we've had gene technology in some shape or form since
(01:56):
the nineteen seventies. But what they're looking at here is
as a pretty open ended process and control that there
will be no process and no control if this goes
through in its in its current form disguised as being
needed for egritech and I guess lux And has his
eye on Silicon Valley money. But if this does go through,
New Zealand will be the least regulated ge country potentially
(02:20):
in the world, far greater than Australia, et cetera. So
rather than just an unfitted sort of opening up. But
surely we should be having a conversation about that, Jamie.
But again silence.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
I thought we were going to go to the same
standards as Australia.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
No, it certainly looks like we're actually going to be
opening up even wider than that, Jamie. And I guess,
as I said, is that because we're looking for some
new new money and new investment. And like I certainly
do agree with some of the technology that we may
may need for peace and possibly weed control, but gosh,
some of it also has been sold as being needed,
like for example, metha mitigation. And you know my thoughts
(02:55):
on that, Jamie, pills and potions for no reason at all,
But that is, you know, that is a great concern,
and that it's just you know, there's no discussion. I
think at at the very least, there should be good discussion,
if not a referendum. Jamie.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
You mentioned Federated Farmers and they have done a sterling job,
especially when it comes to things like the banking inquiry
on behalf of not only farmers but business people in
this country. You reckon that's gone quiet as well.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Well, it seems of Jamie, even though actually behind the
scenes it's really actually get up and I think there
was over fifteen hundred individuals have shed some pretty harrowing
stories in terms of bullying by their banks over the years.
I know there's a couple of very good books that
have been written by a farmer on the West coast,
Gray Equal that are always looking at and I know
he's been involved. But you know that inquiry is really
(03:42):
fundamental to our being really because as any business people
or personal personal bankers, et cetera. And it's now opened
up a course to include the righteousness around banks that
have got into you know that the whole climate change debacle,
and now that it's really good that that's being looked
(04:02):
into because it won't be long and those banks will
also be those that are the part of their agu
zero Ponzi scheme will also be trying to force upon
us again their pills and potions to as solutions to
the problem that doesn't potentially exist, Jamie. So I think
we need a bit more coverage on that as well, Jamie.
Really important for all New Zealanders.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Do we really have to talk about sapazi mari.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Oh, Jamie. I just about yeah, felibate, nauseous. Looking at
some of their new policies. One of them, and I
won't take up too much time, but was to abolish
acc That sounds really clever. A levy on all properties
sold or least in New Zealand, and that's going to
be used to run their married parliament. And remember Raweri
(04:44):
YTC said he wasn't a fan of democracy, so that'll
be interesting. I think they want something like fifty percent
of all teaching in New Zealand to be based on Terreo.
Now that is a considering. We're a country that's only
just restarting to teach reading, writing and arithmetics properly, Jamie.
That is concerning. And of course the old yeah, the
old hardy annual of getting rid of all prisons, Jamie,
(05:07):
how's that going to go down? So? Yeah, very very unpalatable,
and I don't know if we'll call them to party Murray.
I think it's almost sort of like, as I said,
domestic terrorism, lest reading that, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
They're a joke and they're the reason that Chris Sipkins,
as long as his backsides pointing to the ground, won't
be Prime Minister. No one wants them running the country.
Can I just finished really quickly because I'm short on time.
How are things in North Otago? You guys are having
a pretty good season.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
We certainly are, Jamie, and as you and I always
feel a little bit guilty because we usually are getting hammered,
particularly in autumn. But no, we're having a really really
good season, and so that's that's good and that bodes well.
Everything is very positive at the moment generally in farming.
And we just we just need some of these other
things to be aired and discussion had Jamie, and just
you keep the democracy that we all fight for in
(05:54):
New Zealand. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Absolutely. And I did go up your way recently for
the South Island Airy events, and I must say that
North Otago South Kendleby looking an absolute picture. Jane Smith,
thanks for your time, enjoy your day out on the
Big Smoke.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Thanks Jamie,
So Jane Smith's a bit of a regular hair on
the country North Otago farmer coming to town for the day.
Also a former winner of the Balanced Farm Environment Awards,
and she's all about the sounds of silence today, Jane Smith,
what are you talking about?
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good afternoon, Jamie. I just think there's a number of
elephants in the room at the moment that the media
seemed to be sort of dodging and it just seemed
to be silent on. And one of those is, for example,
the Knight Tahoo the High Court taking the Crown to
the High Court at the moment, and that's for the
control pursuing the recognition and control over freshwater in the
(00:37):
South Island. I think they call it chiefly authority and
they say they don't want ownership, they only want authority.
So and I guess they've disguised it as wanting to
improve water quality. Isn't that what we are all working
towards and doing and actually really gaining really good ground on.
And it's interesting, Jamie that Chris Finlinson, who's of course
(00:58):
the ex attorney where he was the Minister of the
treaty negotiations, that she did a pretty reasonable job of that.
But of course he is now working for NAH on
this court case taking the Crown to court, and good
on Cederaated fharmacists standing up and doing a stellar job
in that. It'll be a hell of a pressure cooker situation.
But this has set a massive precedent for the country
(01:20):
going forward, so I'd love to see some more media
coverage on that, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Well, I need to get my backside into gear and
go into back with Federated Farmers on that one. In
my mind, the water belongs to us all. What about
the ge bill you reckon? This is going to slip
past the goalie in silence.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Yeah, Well, it's really interesting, Jamie, it really has been,
and it's a very short time frame, and I guess
it's really interesting that other I guess the opposition. I'm
really surprised the opposition haven't asked the more time, more
select Committee discussion around this. And it's not whether we
should or shouldn't. And gene technology is not new. I mean,
we've had gene technology in some shape or form since
(01:56):
the nineteen seventies. But what they're looking at here is
as a pretty open ended process and control that there
will be no process and no control if this goes
through in its in its current form disguised as being
needed for egritech and I guess lux And has his
eye on Silicon Valley money. But if this does go through,
New Zealand will be the least regulated ge country potentially
(02:20):
in the world, far greater than Australia, et cetera. So
rather than just an unfitted sort of opening up. But
surely we should be having a conversation about that, Jamie.
But again silence.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
I thought we were going to go to the same
standards as Australia.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
No, it certainly looks like we're actually going to be
opening up even wider than that, Jamie. And I guess,
as I said, is that because we're looking for some
new new money and new investment. And like I certainly
do agree with some of the technology that we may
may need for peace and possibly weed control, but gosh,
some of it also has been sold as being needed,
like for example, metha mitigation. And you know my thoughts
(02:55):
on that, Jamie, pills and potions for no reason at all,
But that is, you know, that is a great concern,
and that it's just you know, there's no discussion. I
think at at the very least, there should be good discussion,
if not a referendum. Jamie.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
You mentioned Federated Farmers and they have done a sterling job,
especially when it comes to things like the banking inquiry
on behalf of not only farmers but business people in
this country. You reckon that's gone quiet as well.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Well, it seems of Jamie, even though actually behind the
scenes it's really actually get up and I think there
was over fifteen hundred individuals have shed some pretty harrowing
stories in terms of bullying by their banks over the years.
I know there's a couple of very good books that
have been written by a farmer on the West coast,
Gray Equal that are always looking at and I know
he's been involved. But you know that inquiry is really
(03:42):
fundamental to our being really because as any business people
or personal personal bankers, et cetera. And it's now opened
up a course to include the righteousness around banks that
have got into you know that the whole climate change debacle,
and now that it's really good that that's being looked
(04:02):
into because it won't be long and those banks will
also be those that are the part of their agu
zero Ponzi scheme will also be trying to force upon
us again their pills and potions to as solutions to
the problem that doesn't potentially exist, Jamie. So I think
we need a bit more coverage on that as well, Jamie.
Really important for all New Zealanders.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Do we really have to talk about sapazi mari.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Oh, Jamie. I just about yeah, felibate, nauseous. Looking at
some of their new policies. One of them, and I
won't take up too much time, but was to abolish
acc That sounds really clever. A levy on all properties
sold or least in New Zealand, and that's going to
be used to run their married parliament. And remember Raweri
(04:44):
YTC said he wasn't a fan of democracy, so that'll
be interesting. I think they want something like fifty percent
of all teaching in New Zealand to be based on Terreo.
Now that is a considering. We're a country that's only
just restarting to teach reading, writing and arithmetics properly, Jamie.
That is concerning. And of course the old yeah, the
old hardy annual of getting rid of all prisons, Jamie,
(05:07):
how's that going to go down? So? Yeah, very very unpalatable,
and I don't know if we'll call them to party Murray.
I think it's almost sort of like, as I said,
domestic terrorism, lest reading that, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
They're a joke and they're the reason that Chris Sipkins,
as long as his backsides pointing to the ground, won't
be Prime Minister. No one wants them running the country.
Can I just finished really quickly because I'm short on time.
How are things in North Otago? You guys are having
a pretty good season.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
We certainly are, Jamie, and as you and I always
feel a little bit guilty because we usually are getting hammered,
particularly in autumn. But no, we're having a really really
good season, and so that's that's good and that bodes well.
Everything is very positive at the moment generally in farming.
And we just we just need some of these other
things to be aired and discussion had Jamie, and just
you keep the democracy that we all fight for in
(05:54):
New Zealand. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Absolutely. And I did go up your way recently for
the South Island Airy events, and I must say that
North Otago South Kendleby looking an absolute picture. Jane Smith,
thanks for your time, enjoy your day out on the
Big Smoke.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Thanks Jamie,
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