September 17, 2024 • 6 mins
The Prime Minister ponders his media choices, his best performing Ministers, 125 years of Federated Farmers, why the primary sector will get us out of our economic mire, David Seymour and Winston Peters, and he ducks for cover when it comes to Chris Hipkins’ longevity as Opposition leader.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wednesdays. Here on the country. We're lucky enough to have
a weekly interview with the Prime Minister of New Zealand,
Christopher Luxan. Not every media outlet, it would seem, can claim.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
That, well, you are the king of rural New Zealand, Jamie,
so it's always good to be with you.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
But good morning, well, good morning to you. You've let
the cat out of the bag that this is a
pre record. But do you pick and choose media outlets?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
No, No, I try and make myself available to as
much media as I can each and every day, and
in a freemented media environment. Obviously there's the press gallery
that follows me around here within Parliament, there's other journalists,
but there's also commercial radio, there's regional media, there's ethnic media.
There's often chanted to jump on. We talk back as
I did last I think Thursday or Friday with Kirie
(00:46):
Woodham and others. So no, and then it's obviously you know,
social media has a big part of it as well.
So no, I think I've got good access to media
of all types, of all persuasions, and I think that's important.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Today is federated Farmer. It's one hundred and twenty fifth birthday.
Now you have a bit of a cozy relationship with
feeds these days.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Well, I think you know, we actually they do some
fantastic work and it's one hundred and twenty five years
of advocacy for the rural communities of New Zealand. Absolutely
remarkable achievements had of a lot of hard work that
goes on in our farming communities. And you know, we
believe that if you work hard, you should be able
to get ahead. And it's been challenging times for agriculture
sector over the last six years. So you know, I
think bad Farmers do a fantastic job, amazing voice for
(01:29):
farmers through the boom and also through the bus parts
of economics cy like all so are as relevant to
day frankly as they were over a century ago. And
I think May Lengthened and his team and the new
directors I met with recently, you know, they're all doing
a fantastic job. So I think it's been a powerful
organization to make sure that we don't forget that agriculture
of the backbone of New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Well, I was going to say that another good global
dairy trade auction results overnight. It is Snape sounded is
the primary sector, the only way out of the economic
maya we find ours in.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
It is the same that we have to get right first,
and it's the biggest opportunity we have to get out
of the hole that we're in. We have had a
situation with the high spanning hih inflation, high interest rates,
recession and then rising unemployment where we have to actually
grow the country. And there's no better growth opportunity than
agriculture and the farming sector. So you know, that's why
Pot McLay and I've been out and about in the
(02:22):
world trying to make sure that we can get five
different types of dairy products into Korea, which we were
able to do on my visit to Korea, and we
can get blueberry sold up there, And likewise we're trying
to sort out halal and red meat and Malaysia so
that we can actually make sure that we are hustling
and that we get the opportunities for our farmers to
sell the best product in the world to rapidly rising
(02:42):
middle classes all around the Interpacific region. So I think
it's outstanding future ahead of it as a sector. But
it's without doubt our biggest sector, our most important sector
and will drive growth.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
I want to give a couple of your ministers a
pat on the back. This is from the outside looking and.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
I'm sure they will. Erica Stanford on education, it looks
like we make she's a smart operator. But Mark Mitchell,
we but kick us with the gangs and that's long
over dune.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Yeah, we are here to make life for gangs incredibly
difficult and I make no apologies for it. I know
this week they've given us some grief about them of
our legislation, but I do not care. And the reason's
pretty simple. They are one quarter of one percent of
the population, yet they are eighteen percent, almost one fifth
of all serious violent crime in New Zealand. So we're
serious about wanting to lower the amount of violent crime
(03:33):
in this country by about twenty thousand events per year.
If you have it is a violent crime by twenty
thirty And if that to happen, we have to go
after gangs big time, and that's what we're doing. So
wasn't it awesome to see the police taking out the
common chios? Absolutely brilliant, absolutely fantastic stuff. So I want
the police to have maxim fools to make sure that
(03:53):
we can take the fight to the gangs because you know,
the people say, are Chris, you're being too tough for
the gangs. Well, I do not care, because essentially New
Zealand is about rights and responsibilities. You have rights and
freedoms as a kiwi, but you also have responsibilities and
duties to each other. And that doesn't include you know,
using violence against your fellow in New Zealander, peddling mess,
(04:14):
causing misery up and down the country. We're not tolerating that.
So and we got and the ballance was way too
you know, was way off being with the previous administration.
So yeah, I'm really proud of Mark Mature because he's
saying a kick us job, Arnie. He absolutely knows what
police needs, having come from being a frontline police officer.
I'm really proud of Eric Stantley. We're getting on top
of numerous literacy and attendance. I'm really proud of Nikola
(04:37):
Willis the role she's doing on fine. You know, I
can go Tom and Brown on local government and transport
and roads, you know, all my ministers. My job is
to put the right in the right places.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
And Okay, well, here's a minister you mightn't be so
pleased with Minister Seymour and a Treaty Principles Bill. Do
you just wish this would go away? I suggest maybe
you need to make them Deputy PM sooner rather than later,
because Winstance towed the line while he's had the job.
Maybe that will solve your problem.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Well, I do agree with you. Winston's done a brilliant
job foreign affairs. He's been outstanding, and he's been really
really and he's great cluit with and so is David.
It's just that we have a difference on the True
Principles Bill with a different view about at issue, and
we are post not position, and we've made our position
really clear. We don't it's not something we see. We
don't see going to referend him as the way you
(05:27):
know our True Principles will make any sense whatsoever. So
we have a difference of opinion which I've canvas many times,
and I said we support the Bill of first reading,
but not beyond that.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Okay, final question for you, do you think Chris Hipkins
is toast as labor leader? And if he was, who
would be his likely successor? But who scares you? On
the opposition benches.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Well, I don't give it a lot of thought. If
I'm really honest with you, I am here to fix
the show and to get it sorted, and so there
is a lot to fix and a lot to sort.
So I don't have a lot of capacity or time
to worry about what the opposition are or aren't doing, frankly,
and we are here to get the job done on
the economy, law and order, health and education. So that's
ultimately's decision for him in the Labor Party, to be honest, So.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
You're channeling the aforementioned Winston Peters. I'm just happy to
be the MP fotarronger.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Well I am. I mean my job was just like
I'm up earlier, I finished late, and I've got a
lot of work to do and I've got to get
those ministers, you know, humming and firing and dealing with
their portfolios and getting things sorted for folk. So as
to what set me on the other side, you best
to talk to.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Them, all right, Christopher Luxe. And we do appreciate you
making yourself available on this particular channel of the media. Appreciated,
and so do the farmers of New Zealand. Thanks for
your time.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Thanks Gage, you have a great day. Yeah.
Wednesdays. Here on the country. We're lucky enough to have
a weekly interview with the Prime Minister of New Zealand,
Christopher Luxan. Not every media outlet, it would seem, can claim.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
That, well, you are the king of rural New Zealand, Jamie,
so it's always good to be with you.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
But good morning, well, good morning to you. You've let
the cat out of the bag that this is a
pre record. But do you pick and choose media outlets?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
No, No, I try and make myself available to as
much media as I can each and every day, and
in a freemented media environment. Obviously there's the press gallery
that follows me around here within Parliament, there's other journalists,
but there's also commercial radio, there's regional media, there's ethnic media.
There's often chanted to jump on. We talk back as
I did last I think Thursday or Friday with Kirie
(00:46):
Woodham and others. So no, and then it's obviously you know,
social media has a big part of it as well.
So no, I think I've got good access to media
of all types, of all persuasions, and I think that's important.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Today is federated Farmer. It's one hundred and twenty fifth birthday.
Now you have a bit of a cozy relationship with
feeds these days.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Well, I think you know, we actually they do some
fantastic work and it's one hundred and twenty five years
of advocacy for the rural communities of New Zealand. Absolutely
remarkable achievements had of a lot of hard work that
goes on in our farming communities. And you know, we
believe that if you work hard, you should be able
to get ahead. And it's been challenging times for agriculture
sector over the last six years. So you know, I
think bad Farmers do a fantastic job, amazing voice for
(01:29):
farmers through the boom and also through the bus parts
of economics cy like all so are as relevant to
day frankly as they were over a century ago. And
I think May Lengthened and his team and the new
directors I met with recently, you know, they're all doing
a fantastic job. So I think it's been a powerful
organization to make sure that we don't forget that agriculture
of the backbone of New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Well, I was going to say that another good global
dairy trade auction results overnight. It is Snape sounded is
the primary sector, the only way out of the economic
maya we find ours in.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
It is the same that we have to get right first,
and it's the biggest opportunity we have to get out
of the hole that we're in. We have had a
situation with the high spanning hih inflation, high interest rates,
recession and then rising unemployment where we have to actually
grow the country. And there's no better growth opportunity than
agriculture and the farming sector. So you know, that's why
Pot McLay and I've been out and about in the
(02:22):
world trying to make sure that we can get five
different types of dairy products into Korea, which we were
able to do on my visit to Korea, and we
can get blueberry sold up there, And likewise we're trying
to sort out halal and red meat and Malaysia so
that we can actually make sure that we are hustling
and that we get the opportunities for our farmers to
sell the best product in the world to rapidly rising
(02:42):
middle classes all around the Interpacific region. So I think
it's outstanding future ahead of it as a sector. But
it's without doubt our biggest sector, our most important sector
and will drive growth.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
I want to give a couple of your ministers a
pat on the back. This is from the outside looking and.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
I'm sure they will. Erica Stanford on education, it looks
like we make she's a smart operator. But Mark Mitchell,
we but kick us with the gangs and that's long
over dune.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Yeah, we are here to make life for gangs incredibly
difficult and I make no apologies for it. I know
this week they've given us some grief about them of
our legislation, but I do not care. And the reason's
pretty simple. They are one quarter of one percent of
the population, yet they are eighteen percent, almost one fifth
of all serious violent crime in New Zealand. So we're
serious about wanting to lower the amount of violent crime
(03:33):
in this country by about twenty thousand events per year.
If you have it is a violent crime by twenty
thirty And if that to happen, we have to go
after gangs big time, and that's what we're doing. So
wasn't it awesome to see the police taking out the
common chios? Absolutely brilliant, absolutely fantastic stuff. So I want
the police to have maxim fools to make sure that
(03:53):
we can take the fight to the gangs because you know,
the people say, are Chris, you're being too tough for
the gangs. Well, I do not care, because essentially New
Zealand is about rights and responsibilities. You have rights and
freedoms as a kiwi, but you also have responsibilities and
duties to each other. And that doesn't include you know,
using violence against your fellow in New Zealander, peddling mess,
(04:14):
causing misery up and down the country. We're not tolerating that.
So and we got and the ballance was way too
you know, was way off being with the previous administration.
So yeah, I'm really proud of Mark Mature because he's
saying a kick us job, Arnie. He absolutely knows what
police needs, having come from being a frontline police officer.
I'm really proud of Eric Stantley. We're getting on top
of numerous literacy and attendance. I'm really proud of Nikola
(04:37):
Willis the role she's doing on fine. You know, I
can go Tom and Brown on local government and transport
and roads, you know, all my ministers. My job is
to put the right in the right places.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
And Okay, well, here's a minister you mightn't be so
pleased with Minister Seymour and a Treaty Principles Bill. Do
you just wish this would go away? I suggest maybe
you need to make them Deputy PM sooner rather than later,
because Winstance towed the line while he's had the job.
Maybe that will solve your problem.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Well, I do agree with you. Winston's done a brilliant
job foreign affairs. He's been outstanding, and he's been really
really and he's great cluit with and so is David.
It's just that we have a difference on the True
Principles Bill with a different view about at issue, and
we are post not position, and we've made our position
really clear. We don't it's not something we see. We
don't see going to referend him as the way you
(05:27):
know our True Principles will make any sense whatsoever. So
we have a difference of opinion which I've canvas many times,
and I said we support the Bill of first reading,
but not beyond that.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Okay, final question for you, do you think Chris Hipkins
is toast as labor leader? And if he was, who
would be his likely successor? But who scares you? On
the opposition benches.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Well, I don't give it a lot of thought. If
I'm really honest with you, I am here to fix
the show and to get it sorted, and so there
is a lot to fix and a lot to sort.
So I don't have a lot of capacity or time
to worry about what the opposition are or aren't doing, frankly,
and we are here to get the job done on
the economy, law and order, health and education. So that's
ultimately's decision for him in the Labor Party, to be honest, So.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
You're channeling the aforementioned Winston Peters. I'm just happy to
be the MP fotarronger.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Well I am. I mean my job was just like
I'm up earlier, I finished late, and I've got a
lot of work to do and I've got to get
those ministers, you know, humming and firing and dealing with
their portfolios and getting things sorted for folk. So as
to what set me on the other side, you best
to talk to.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Them, all right, Christopher Luxe. And we do appreciate you
making yourself available on this particular channel of the media. Appreciated,
and so do the farmers of New Zealand. Thanks for
your time.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Thanks Gage, you have a great day. Yeah.
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