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February 24, 2025 • 13 mins

Today's farmer/politician panel ponder putting arms on staff, collars on cows, the Big Dry, whether we should ditch the Paris Accord, and whether the banks and the Nats are too woke. 

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, but let's kick it off with the farmer politician panel. Grant.
I'll start with you, not that you're my favorite, but
I do love chatting to you. Now. I know you've
never put your hand in your pocket, but have you
ever put it on a staff for his arm.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Yet, Jamie, No, I have not. No, of course not,
And they'll go no, you're obviously referring to the Andrew
Bailey incident. Look, I think it's really sad. Andrew has
been a very effective minister the hold. This is pretty sad,
and I'm very sorry to see that he's stepped aside.

Speaker 1 (00:33):
If he hadn't done the loser thing at the winery
or the vineyard, this wouldn't be enough. That this offense,
the hand on the arm, wouldn't be enough for him
to lose his ministerial position.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
There's a I wouldn't can't answer that question. He won
the prime minister to work through.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
But well he can't answer it either.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
In this day and age, Jamie, it's been to say
that people are quite rightly expect you'll be able to
go to work and not be abused in any way,
shape or form, if that's what it was. But so
look it's a difficult ara if you're really sorry for
Andrews because he's a good guy. About quirky, but a
really good guy.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
Well, interestingly, I think I was it under Judith Collins' leadership.
He was like finance spokesperson or something. He was right
on the front bench, so he was a marked for
greater things.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
No, you don't, and he's actually wound up in a
space where he's been doing some really good work because
he really understands that financial market here in the commercial
roundies around it, and so he's hoping you can still contribute,
but from the back bench.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
Ok, and you said a quirky character, Andrew Haggart. I
don't know how well you know Andrew Bailey, but this
is a guy who's trecked with his family I think
with one of his sons to the South Pole, been
to the North Pole, ridden a camel for one thousand
miles or something ridiculous like that. So he's got a
bit of energy.

Speaker 3 (01:53):
Yeah, I mean I think I only did about two
k on a camel when I was in the Middle
East and that was enough for me. So obviously got
some person parents. But yeah, I mean it's just this
is the reality, Parliament hasn't had a great track record
of how people deal with their stuff, and politicians especially.
I've had some pretty bad horror stories from some of

(02:14):
my private secretaries and others about how things are operate
in the past. And you know, we need to hold
ourselves to a higher standard and yeah, not not treat
people like how it's how it's sort of been common
in the past. Yeah, we need to with a top
plash in the country in terms of decision making, and
we need to reflect the stuff we talk about.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
Well today, Andrew, you're you're not in the house. I
think you're on your manner or too farm. Correct me
if I'm wrong putting collars on cows. Perhaps what we
should do is what my father used to do when
he was training dogs when he was a dog trialers.
Get an electric collar and put it on you politicians
and give you a smack if you step out of line.

Speaker 3 (02:55):
What do you think, Andrew, Well, I have six spear
and tari that has a hard time finding its way
to the debating chamber.

Speaker 1 (03:08):
What do you reckon? Grant Jamie?

Speaker 2 (03:10):
You're full of wonderful ideas, aren't you. Jeez, you know
what we're worrying me is the number of volunteers you
will be to push the button.

Speaker 1 (03:19):
Now Andrew's putting collars on his cows. Do you want
to tell us what kind they are? Shameless plug time.

Speaker 3 (03:25):
I don't think I'm allowed to, Okay, Okay, I not
just say they're a New Zealand company.

Speaker 1 (03:29):
Well good on you for supporting a New Zealand company.
Well done. Because the bloke who runs a dairy farm
around my duck pond's got the collars on. In fact,
he was on country calendar and I don't mind mentioning
the ones. He's using the whole of technology and it's
amazing the technology and the labor saving you can get
with these collars.

Speaker 3 (03:50):
Yep, certainly is, and it's part of my decision making
on this. But also you know, it's great here for
daring in terms of payout and I don't think I'm
alone and putting some investment back into the farm to
improve server productivity, and I guess it just goes to show,
you know, there will be boost to the regions happening

(04:12):
because of the increased confidence and our real sector and
farmers getting a bit more money in the back pocket
through committed mdity prices and that will help the whole
nation out.

Speaker 1 (04:21):
Both of you farmer politicians. You have to spend a
lot of time off farm and it makes sense to
perhaps invest in this new technology labor saving devices makes
it easier for those who are left at home to
do the hard yards.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, that will be absolutely the case, Absolutely the case, Jamie.
And where our farms on hold and wait to see
if the road's going to go through the middle of
bit before we work out our next level of investment.
When I'll find out a march where the routes for
the new road around the Brindea wants are going.

Speaker 1 (04:49):
So well, hang on, isn't this a bit of a
conflict of interest for you? You're a part of the
governing coalition and you're going to make a fortune selling
your land to the government for a state highway.

Speaker 2 (04:58):
Grant me assure you I'll be stepping well aside from
the proteus first point, good point. I don't think anyone's
ever made a fortune or dealing with the Public Works Act.

Speaker 1 (05:07):
No, no, now, okay, I'll go back to you. Andrew
Hoggart and the manor were two putting collars on your
cows today? How dry, is it I'm looking at I'm
looking at the drought Index map and you're not looking
too flash.

Speaker 3 (05:21):
Yeah, it's pretty dry. I mean it's not the worst
I've ever seen, particularly for this time of year. Usually
Fibbury is our driest months and going into March usually
we get a bit of rain around Central District's field Douse.
But yeah, it's yeah, the grass isn't moving much. It's

(05:41):
still I've still got a greenish hinge over March of
the farm, but it's certainly not done a lot of
growth at the moment.

Speaker 1 (05:48):
Granted you're fearing no better in Northland.

Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yeah, well today I'm actually parked up just norther o
Kai how hiding is quite tire and it's quite green here.
But over on the West Coast, I drove out through
real Wine and Arguable yesterday and it was very dry
over there. But that's you know, this is our dry
time of year. The k Q is kicking off. I
can see where I am now a little bit of rain.
But over on the West coast, yes, it's pretty dry.

Speaker 1 (06:12):
We fare to say, Andrew Hoggard Paris accord, should we
do with Trump get you out of it?

Speaker 3 (06:18):
Well, look if everyone's dropping out of it, and you know,
we're a tiny little country and certainly something we need
to be considering, what what what we hope to get
out of it. Quite frankly, I think multiple governments have
in the past have failed to properly, you know, argue
for agriculture and its difference and how it's treated in

(06:39):
the Paris Accord, because it's just gets lumped in with
everything else that's too producing and you know, no recognition
of split gas.

Speaker 1 (06:48):
You know.

Speaker 3 (06:49):
I think, you know, if we're going to stay, we
need to fight really hard and talk to a bunch
of other countries that are agriculturally based to have a
much different setting for agriculture in it, because how it
is at the moment doesn't make a little of sense.

Speaker 1 (07:03):
Yeah, and hang on, folks, because shortly we've got a
very interesting interview with doctor Vaughan Holder, who's Kentucky based
Global research director for Beef for All Tech. He's got
some really interesting thoughts on this one grant this week
in New Zealand, World Without Cows is going to premiere
I think in Auckland an invited few get to go
along and have a look at the premiere. Have you

(07:24):
been invited.

Speaker 2 (07:25):
No, I haven't, James. I just like to comment on
the Paris Accord stuff, yep. I just remind everybody that
the decision to raise our target ten days or so
ago with a full cabinet decision which involved Act National
New Zealand first, all members of the government, and ultimately, yes,
we have to argue to get the best. Dear, we

(07:46):
can internationally completely agree with that, but ultimately if pulling
out of it would lead would clearly lead to huge
trade implications, and I think people need to remember that
and ask themselves a question, how poor do you want
to be if you go near on your international obligations?
In agreement?

Speaker 1 (08:03):
Andrew Hogg got our farmers and I'm going to address
this with doctor Vaughnholder as well. But our farmers getting
well being dealt a dud hand when it comes to
a measuring emissions and be getting credit for subsequent seaquestration,
because I would I've argued all along, and I'm no
scientists that mostly nearly all of New Zealand farmers are

(08:24):
carbon neutral or positive.

Speaker 3 (08:26):
Oh look, I wouldn't be able to give you the
actual stats on that, but certainly I don't think there's
a lot of there's a lot of things that aren't
being counted in terms of the positive side of the equation,
in terms of that sequestration that needs to be done better.
You know, you think about the amount of pest control
work we do not only on our own farms, but
through the TB free program. Now that's killing possums that

(08:50):
not only spreading TV but also killing a lot of
native trees, so reducing sequestration. So you know, that sort
of benefits don't get counted, and they should be counted.
So yeah, I don't think we really get a fair
deal in this whole thing. It needs a lot more work,
and agriculture just gets sort of viewed as a bit

(09:12):
of an after thought often.

Speaker 2 (09:15):
Yeah, I'd like to concur with what Andrew's saying there.
In the weekend, I was at our Blue Greens conference,
which a coach here in Methan. One hundred and seventy
people there, Jamie biggest ever. People are concerned about getting
the balance right between the environment and the economy, and
it was a really good event, and we announced some
extra money for the Q two Trust to help people

(09:35):
increase the size number of area under Q two two
In one thousand hectare. Second biggest national park in New
Zealand is on the private farms of New Zealanders. We
to celebrate that, and people need to get the rewards
for the biodiversity. Maybe buydiversity credits, maybe something we can
look at it.

Speaker 1 (09:51):
And I applaud you for doing that. Okay, are the
banks too woke? Winston and Shane Wright, Andrew Hoggard.

Speaker 3 (10:00):
Forget my mate Mark Cameron is also being in this
drum as well. Look, banks should on my viewers. You know,
they should fund legal businesses. And I mean an individual
bank can make an individual decisions, but when they come
together and they all decide we're not going to do
this or we're not going to do that in the marketplace,

(10:20):
you know, I've got a question whether or not that's
colluding behavior. And you know, are there antitrust statements securing
at these meetings? You know, I sort of feel like, hey,
if one bank wants to be all woke and morally superior,
good on them. As long as there's some other banks
that are saying no, if you're got a legal business,
we're happy to bank you. So yeah, I just think

(10:40):
it should be each bank's decision what they do and
how they do business with and the old saying go work,
go broke. I teach them a lesson.

Speaker 1 (10:48):
Yeah, okay, Grant McCallum talking about woke, not the banks,
but are the that's too woke these days? Are getting
hang on, hang on, let me finish the question. Are
you getting your lunch? Are you letting getting your lunch?
Cut by the likes of Seymour, Andrew Hoggard's boss and
Winston and Shane.

Speaker 2 (11:08):
Look far be it for me to get into this discussion, Mae.
You're talking about my bosses, all three of them. I've
got to be We're very very diplomatic. But no, that's
the National Party has a very pragmatic approach to this.
We win elections by winning voats in the center. We've
got to win a whole lot of people's support and
that's what we focus on. And that means focusing on

(11:30):
growing the economy and doing the things that and lowering
interestrates so people can make their household budgets work. Ultimately,
that's what people care about.

Speaker 1 (11:38):
Final question for you, should we be worried? Yes or no?
Andrew Hogart about these Chinese battleships and the Tasman.

Speaker 3 (11:45):
Sea, definitely worried about it. This is the first time
since World War Two, I think that foreign naval power
has that's probably has projected their power down our way
in a I guess sort of threatening stance. So it's

(12:05):
certainly something we need to be concerned about, and you know,
we need to be looking at now, are we investing
enough in our defense forces? Are we most importantly, are
we investing enough in the people that are there that've
had a real high attrition rate over the last few
years and national lost a lot of capability that's going
to take a lot of hard work to build back up.

Speaker 1 (12:26):
Well, I can hear you. I'ming and ring and agreeing
in the background. Grant McCallum, final word from you.

Speaker 2 (12:30):
Yeah, I think it just highlights the challenge where the
country have got and working our way through the very
tricky international politics at the moment, with China being our
biggest trading partner, America being our guardian. You might want
to say, and it's really tricky stuff, but this is
really its concerning and we have to look at our
investments in the coffense forces going forward.

Speaker 1 (12:51):
Absolutely, and Grant, I apologize for suggesting at the beginning
of the interview. You'd never put your hand in your pocket.
I've seen it once at the back Ben Shabba when
we were there for the National Lamb Day barbecue. Thank you, Grant.
I enjoyed getting one back on you. Thank you very
much for your time. Andrew Hoggard Grant McCallum Today's farmer
politician panels
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