September 16, 2025 • 6 mins
The Prime Minister ponders the about-turn on agriculture in schools, farmer confidence, an FTA with India, the polls and the chances of governing with Chlöe Swarbrick, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wednesdays on the Country, The PM kicks off the show
Christopher luxon Good to see common sense prevail. Agricultural and
Horticultural science will remain a standalone ministry led subject for
years twelve and thirteen. But should it have ever been
on the chopping block?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well?
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Look, I mean what we're doing with NCAA is we're
replacing it, obviously with we think a much stronger education
program which we actually set our kids up for a
better future with more skills. Yep, the Ministry got that wrong.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
But I think what's.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Really impressive is within a forty eight hour period our
own rural nats as we call them, our national MPs,
and made it pretty clear as they thought that was
a mistake we had it also from feedback from the sector.
The Minister then directed the Ministry to revisit it and
they reversed that decision. And I think that's what you
want to see. You want to see a government that
listens to the sector, responds and actually does something and
(00:54):
takes action rather than just sort of dribbles along and
lets it carry on.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
So old mate Grant mcnational actually does something in there
that he chew your ear.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
No, but it's a way we want to work, which
is that we have. You know, you got to remember
we've got a big team of ministers. We've got four
ministers in agriculture in this government, which underscores the importance
of the sector to us. We've also organized our own
national MPs into a group so that actually we can
get the voice of the sector into our policy making.
And I think that's what's been working well, is that
(01:23):
you're seeing in government and a sector partnering incredibly well.
I was at the Media Industry Association evening last night
in Wellington here this morning. I've just come from the
Dairy NZ parliamentary function this morning.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
I spoke at both. I think you've got a good partnership.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Government gets the rules and the operating system set up,
creates the conditions for growth, and the sectors go out
and smack it and actually deliver that growth. That's exactly
what's happening across the bording.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
How are we getting on with our STA with India
really good.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I mean we're in our third round of negotiations that's
actually happening in Queenstown this week, which is fantastic. So
that will continue to work. You know, we'll push hard
for that. It's you know, it's a challenging negotiation. The
Indians are notoriously you know, good negotiators and it will
be difficult and tough, but you know we're going to
do the very best that we can by by New Zealand.
(02:13):
And it's important that we secure something given you know,
Australia and other countries have something and we don't. And
we actually have been out of action and out of
circulation with India and now we're in really good shape.
So so I'm really pleased that progress is happening. I
was really pleased the UAE agreements come into force. That's
a five hundred billion dollar economy with ninety percent of
(02:33):
its food important into it and you know it's tower
free from day one. So it's a great thing that
Tom mcclay's been doing. And he's been up in Saudi Arabia,
he's there right now and you know, talking about more
trade and removing trade impediments.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
There as well.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
So and it's actually overnight done a good thing which
has formed a Future of Investment and Trade Group, which
is another trade group to.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Advocate for free trade, which.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Is formed with New Zealand. The UAE Singapore and Switzerland
and the whole bunch of other small and medium sized
countries that want to support more trade.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Farmers are the most confident they've been since twenty seventeen.
I hope history doesn't repeat itself, Christoph Luxe. And you
know what happened at the end of twenty seventeen.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
No, look, I think it's fantastic. I mean it's awesome.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
And farmers were afflicted, they were treated as villains, and
I want them to know they're deeply value, deep love
by this government. And so it's awesome to see farmer
confidence up than people feeling confident, and despite choppy international
trading conditions, still doing well. I mean, dairries up seventeen percent,
meets up nine I think horticultures up thirty five. So yeah,
that's a really challenging year. So we're well on track
(03:38):
to double our value of our exports, which is what
we want to talk about. Great to have confidence higher
farmers and interest rates coming down helps. I think the
government that removes a lot of red tape and madness
from the system so they can crack on with it
is kind of important.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
One.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Yeah, and you and Okay, the coalition is going to
get in most nearly all the votes from the farming sector,
but that's a small percentage of the New Zealand population.
Election won't be one and lost off the back of
farmer votes. So it will be one and lost in Auckland.
You've got a year. Are you running out a runway?
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Oh? Look, I wouldn't worry about it.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I was elected in twenty twenty three to get on,
crack on and do a job, which was to turn
the joint around after the mismanagement of the last lot
in twenty twenty six. The public will make their decision.
It's called an election, freedom of democracy, all that good stuff.
But I'm very confident. Yes, we've got a two speed
recovery on, but we're coming off the back of the
biggest recession we've had in thirty five years, the longest
COVID hangover any Western economy, and some difficult international training conditions.
(04:34):
And despite all of that, you're seeing the South Island
rural communities, primary industries, Hawks Bay, everyone do well. Yes,
it's two speed, Yes it's coming. In Auckland, it's a
bit slower. It's going to follow as it always does
out of recession. But even in Auckland. You know, we've
got a huge amount of infrastructure across the country. We've
got our major events fun that we announced this this week.
(04:55):
A lot of that will go into Auckland as well.
We're seeing construction starting to pick up, manifact turing starting
to pick up with our investment boost policy.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
So you know, there's a lot.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Of positives going on in Auckland and it's just wait
you see the full transmission of those lower interest rates
coming through. Just remember, you know you've got forty percent
of New Zealand mortgage holders still to refix their mortgages
within the next six months. Every month there's more and
more people getting the benefit of those lower interest rates.
Puts real money in their back pockets that may get
spent in the economy.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
It's the economy, stupid. Look After the Tammocky mccarr or
by election, do you think Chippy, even though he's talking
tough against to Party Murray at the moment, do you
think he might put up Patsy candidates in the Maori
seats to guarantee to Party Murray to get in there.
If I were well, I would do a Neil like that.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Well, what was what was interesting I thought they would,
you know, I thought they'd win that election big time.
They put their whole apparatus together, they put massive effort
into it with their full Labor Party machine, and they
got they got actually uploaded two to one. Mighty Party
beat them two to one. They had a huge much
more resources, much more organization in there, and they only
(06:03):
got three thousand votes out of an electorate of seventy
five thousand. So I don't know what went wrong, but
clearly something did go wrong. But at the end of
the day, they've all got the same policies, right, I mean,
they all want to run up the debt. They want
to spend more, they want to borrow more, they want
to text you more. They're going to have wealth tax,
inheritance tax, capital gains tax.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
You watch it, it's coming. Yeah, that's I get all
that matter.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
So he's got to make a decision with it in
or out. I can tell you that I'm not going
to be in Coulation government with Tapati MARRII for sure.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Praise the Lord Prime Minister. Thank you very much for
your time today on the country.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
All right, jav you take care of a great week.
Gay
Wednesdays on the Country, The PM kicks off the show
Christopher luxon Good to see common sense prevail. Agricultural and
Horticultural science will remain a standalone ministry led subject for
years twelve and thirteen. But should it have ever been
on the chopping block?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well?
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Look, I mean what we're doing with NCAA is we're
replacing it, obviously with we think a much stronger education
program which we actually set our kids up for a
better future with more skills. Yep, the Ministry got that wrong.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
But I think what's.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Really impressive is within a forty eight hour period our
own rural nats as we call them, our national MPs,
and made it pretty clear as they thought that was
a mistake we had it also from feedback from the sector.
The Minister then directed the Ministry to revisit it and
they reversed that decision. And I think that's what you
want to see. You want to see a government that
listens to the sector, responds and actually does something and
(00:54):
takes action rather than just sort of dribbles along and
lets it carry on.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
So old mate Grant mcnational actually does something in there
that he chew your ear.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
No, but it's a way we want to work, which
is that we have. You know, you got to remember
we've got a big team of ministers. We've got four
ministers in agriculture in this government, which underscores the importance
of the sector to us. We've also organized our own
national MPs into a group so that actually we can
get the voice of the sector into our policy making.
And I think that's what's been working well, is that
(01:23):
you're seeing in government and a sector partnering incredibly well.
I was at the Media Industry Association evening last night
in Wellington here this morning. I've just come from the
Dairy NZ parliamentary function this morning.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
I spoke at both. I think you've got a good partnership.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Government gets the rules and the operating system set up,
creates the conditions for growth, and the sectors go out
and smack it and actually deliver that growth. That's exactly
what's happening across the bording.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
How are we getting on with our STA with India
really good.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I mean we're in our third round of negotiations that's
actually happening in Queenstown this week, which is fantastic. So
that will continue to work. You know, we'll push hard
for that. It's you know, it's a challenging negotiation. The
Indians are notoriously you know, good negotiators and it will
be difficult and tough, but you know we're going to
do the very best that we can by by New Zealand.
(02:13):
And it's important that we secure something given you know,
Australia and other countries have something and we don't. And
we actually have been out of action and out of
circulation with India and now we're in really good shape.
So so I'm really pleased that progress is happening. I
was really pleased the UAE agreements come into force. That's
a five hundred billion dollar economy with ninety percent of
(02:33):
its food important into it and you know it's tower
free from day one. So it's a great thing that
Tom mcclay's been doing. And he's been up in Saudi Arabia,
he's there right now and you know, talking about more
trade and removing trade impediments.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
There as well.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
So and it's actually overnight done a good thing which
has formed a Future of Investment and Trade Group, which
is another trade group to.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Advocate for free trade, which.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Is formed with New Zealand. The UAE Singapore and Switzerland
and the whole bunch of other small and medium sized
countries that want to support more trade.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Farmers are the most confident they've been since twenty seventeen.
I hope history doesn't repeat itself, Christoph Luxe. And you
know what happened at the end of twenty seventeen.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
No, look, I think it's fantastic. I mean it's awesome.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
And farmers were afflicted, they were treated as villains, and
I want them to know they're deeply value, deep love
by this government. And so it's awesome to see farmer
confidence up than people feeling confident, and despite choppy international
trading conditions, still doing well. I mean, dairries up seventeen percent,
meets up nine I think horticultures up thirty five. So yeah,
that's a really challenging year. So we're well on track
(03:38):
to double our value of our exports, which is what
we want to talk about. Great to have confidence higher
farmers and interest rates coming down helps. I think the
government that removes a lot of red tape and madness
from the system so they can crack on with it
is kind of important.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
One.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Yeah, and you and Okay, the coalition is going to
get in most nearly all the votes from the farming sector,
but that's a small percentage of the New Zealand population.
Election won't be one and lost off the back of
farmer votes. So it will be one and lost in Auckland.
You've got a year. Are you running out a runway?
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Oh? Look, I wouldn't worry about it.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I was elected in twenty twenty three to get on,
crack on and do a job, which was to turn
the joint around after the mismanagement of the last lot
in twenty twenty six. The public will make their decision.
It's called an election, freedom of democracy, all that good stuff.
But I'm very confident. Yes, we've got a two speed
recovery on, but we're coming off the back of the
biggest recession we've had in thirty five years, the longest
COVID hangover any Western economy, and some difficult international training conditions.
(04:34):
And despite all of that, you're seeing the South Island
rural communities, primary industries, Hawks Bay, everyone do well. Yes,
it's two speed, Yes it's coming. In Auckland, it's a
bit slower. It's going to follow as it always does
out of recession. But even in Auckland. You know, we've
got a huge amount of infrastructure across the country. We've
got our major events fun that we announced this this week.
(04:55):
A lot of that will go into Auckland as well.
We're seeing construction starting to pick up, manifact turing starting
to pick up with our investment boost policy.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
So you know, there's a lot.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Of positives going on in Auckland and it's just wait
you see the full transmission of those lower interest rates
coming through. Just remember, you know you've got forty percent
of New Zealand mortgage holders still to refix their mortgages
within the next six months. Every month there's more and
more people getting the benefit of those lower interest rates.
Puts real money in their back pockets that may get
spent in the economy.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
It's the economy, stupid. Look After the Tammocky mccarr or
by election, do you think Chippy, even though he's talking
tough against to Party Murray at the moment, do you
think he might put up Patsy candidates in the Maori
seats to guarantee to Party Murray to get in there.
If I were well, I would do a Neil like that.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Well, what was what was interesting I thought they would,
you know, I thought they'd win that election big time.
They put their whole apparatus together, they put massive effort
into it with their full Labor Party machine, and they
got they got actually uploaded two to one. Mighty Party
beat them two to one. They had a huge much
more resources, much more organization in there, and they only
(06:03):
got three thousand votes out of an electorate of seventy
five thousand. So I don't know what went wrong, but
clearly something did go wrong. But at the end of
the day, they've all got the same policies, right, I mean,
they all want to run up the debt. They want
to spend more, they want to borrow more, they want
to text you more. They're going to have wealth tax,
inheritance tax, capital gains tax.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
You watch it, it's coming. Yeah, that's I get all
that matter.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
So he's got to make a decision with it in
or out. I can tell you that I'm not going
to be in Coulation government with Tapati MARRII for sure.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Praise the Lord Prime Minister. Thank you very much for
your time today on the country.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
All right, jav you take care of a great week.
Gay
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