January 28, 2025 • 6 mins
The Prime Minister ponders the opening of Parliament, state asset sales, how Winston’s getting on with Washington, swallowing dead rats and speeding up our economy.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wednesdays on the Country, the Prime Minister kicks off the show. Well,
that kicked off in Parliament yesterday was the first sitting
for twenty twenty five, the opening of hostilities, Christopher Lux
and you came up with a reasonably good one liner
calling the opposition of the Noalition. You were, of course
the Coalition, and Chippy accused you of running the economy
(00:20):
into the ground. Is that the pot calling the kettle blacks?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yeah, I mean the total economic illiterates on the other side.
And the reason we've been going through so much pain,
I mean spent more, borrowed more, tax more. That doesn't work.
It puts real pressure on walking news islenders, which is
exactly what's happened. But look, the good news is that
we did break the back of inflation last year, which
is good. We've got interest rates coming down. We accept
them to come down a lot more over the course
(00:45):
of this year. But now our focus is all about growth,
So I think we've got off to a great start.
We went off and did a UAE free trade deal,
which you and I'd spoken about before. We've got one
stop shop for a foreign investment to get money into
the country, to get them to bid, get the roads built,
get everything built that we need to get done. And
also we're reforming the science sector so that they're actually
scientists can actually commercialize what they're doing rather they have
(01:05):
come But.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Prime Minister, I mean, farmers in the business community might
be happy enough with the coalition, But what about Joe,
average punter out there. Why is labor polling above you?
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Well, I just say to yeah, there'd be arranged poles,
but and I don't comment on those. But what I'd
say is that we are the party that supports working
in New Zealanders. Just think about it. We gave them
tax relief for the first time in fourteen years. Labor
didn't support that. We've given them three. We've had inflation
come down to two point two percent versus being a
higher to seven percent with no end in sight. It
was twelve interest rate rise. We've had three interest rate cuts.
(01:38):
So we've given tax relief, in inflation relief, interest rate relief,
things like family boost and working for family credits, all
that good stuff to support you. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
But yeah, but twenty twenty four was the worst financial
year that a lot of people can remember. People have
got short memories.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
We're blaming you and only one. Well, we're doing everything.
I mean, we're working incredibly hard to make sure we
fix the mess we inherited. In the last twelve months,
I think we did a lot of good stuff to
actually get spending under control, to get inflation down, to
get interest rates coming down. We've got confidence rising and
now we need to translate that to growth. And that's
why I say this year is all about going for growth. Yep.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
And you need some more money now, Well, it's going
to say there's two ways to get it, but there
might be three ways. You can tax more, you can
produce more, or you could sell something, sell some of
the family silverware, state owned assets. Sales are back on
your political radar, and this was one we talked about
on yesterday's show. Should PAMU be first on the chopping block?
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Well, what we said is, look, our focus is term
is to get the books in audit. You know that's
really important. We've actually got a lot of work to
do clean up the spending, to actually make sure we
get the inflation, interest rates moving in the right direction.
We've got a lot of work to do around growth.
That means actually powering up some of our sectors like
tourism and international students, and obviously we've been removing a
huge amount of obstacles for farmers across the country as well,
(02:55):
and read tape that's been getting in the pay. That's
got to be a focus. We're open to a conversation
along about asset recycling, but we're not selling any soees term.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Is that a trending new way of calling asset sales
asset recycling?
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Oh? Sorry, no, that's just what it's called around town.
When you're a local council and in my own port or
an airport or something, he's tied to sell it so
that you can actually use those funds for investment in
other capital projects that actually have more advantage or better
benefit for people.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
We had a guy on the show yesterday crunching the
numbers on PAMU and according to him, it's worth about
net about one point six billion. Interestingly, one hundred and
fifty million less than it was a year ago off
the back of that asset base it ran a twenty
six million dollar loss, so you'd have to say it
ain't a good business.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
I think there's a lot of state assets that we
expect to be better managed than they are. And that's
why stain Browse now a State Own Enterprises minister. I
want him to make sure that the assets the government has,
which are taxpayers money that's tied up in those assets,
that they actually are getting a return because we've got
all you know, you've got a set amount of money
and capital, and you've actually got to make choices what
(04:05):
you're going to do with that capital. Whether you're invested
in roads or hospitals, or schools or owned state assets,
they need to be highly performing and delivering a return.
And so I do want better performance out of the
statement enterprise assets. It's not something we've committed not to
do at this term, but it's something that we're open
to exploring down the road.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Hell's Winston getting on with Washington.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Oh, it's really good. He had a great conversation with
Marco Rubio. Of course, he's the new Secretary of State
just a few days ago. I think on Sunday, and
I think, you know, follow my conversation with President Trump
and his conversation with Secretary of Rubio, I think, you know,
well positioned. I mean, we want to build a great
relationship with the American government, regardless of who's in power,
and so I think we can do that. And I
(04:47):
think you've seen good growth in our trade with the
US over the last year. We've got a pretty balanced
you know, you know, trading balance between the two countries
over the last ten years, which has been good. And
there's a lot more for us to do together.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Okay, a couple of funders, Sean, what are you looking
forward to most Whitungui day politics or the Treaty Principles
bill debate or are they both dead rats you'd rather
not swallow?
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Well, look, I'm not going to Waiteitunguy, as I've said
this year, but I am going to go celebrate Whitanngue
with another across the country, and I think it will
be a really fantastic day to celebrate this great country
of ours and what we've achieved in one hundred and
eighty five years. But yeah, that's the big focus. I mean, yeah,
and that'll be you know, I'll look forward to that.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Hey seven thirty, as we record this, Prime Minister at
nine point thirty are going to make an announcement about
reversals to Labour's blanket speed reductions that have been slowing
the country down. Can you let the cat out of
the bag. I promise not to leak it till midday
when this broadcast.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Trust you, here's the deal. What we're doing is we're
reversing those labor blanket speed limits. They're impacted up think
thirty eight sections of the state highway network. The first
one that we're closing down is in State Highway two
between Featherston and Marterton, and that starts tonight and then
the deal is over the next five months as normal
roadside maintenance and project works are undertaken. Those speed links
(06:09):
have to be reversed before the end of June, which
is important. So we've got a laser focus. Why are
we doing it. We want to speed up the economy.
We know, getting people and freight from A to B
quickly and efficiently as possible all drives into that mantra
for this year, which is going for growth and economic growth.
So we campaigned on it most importantly with delivery not can.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
You introduce a new by law to make it illegal
for camper vans to drive at sixty five to seventy
k's an hour with twelve cars behind them? Is that possible?
Could you enact that?
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Sounds like a very Peaview. You've got there, Jamie. They've
just been a bit of time behind some camp events.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
I spent far too much time behind Camp Evans. Look
I'm a very very angry man behind the wheel. We've
all got our weakness as Prime Minister. Thank you for
some of your time today and good luck speeding the
country up.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Thanks Jadie, appreciate you to Bye.
Wednesdays on the Country, the Prime Minister kicks off the show. Well,
that kicked off in Parliament yesterday was the first sitting
for twenty twenty five, the opening of hostilities, Christopher Lux
and you came up with a reasonably good one liner
calling the opposition of the Noalition. You were, of course
the Coalition, and Chippy accused you of running the economy
(00:20):
into the ground. Is that the pot calling the kettle blacks?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yeah, I mean the total economic illiterates on the other side.
And the reason we've been going through so much pain,
I mean spent more, borrowed more, tax more. That doesn't work.
It puts real pressure on walking news islenders, which is
exactly what's happened. But look, the good news is that
we did break the back of inflation last year, which
is good. We've got interest rates coming down. We accept
them to come down a lot more over the course
(00:45):
of this year. But now our focus is all about growth,
So I think we've got off to a great start.
We went off and did a UAE free trade deal,
which you and I'd spoken about before. We've got one
stop shop for a foreign investment to get money into
the country, to get them to bid, get the roads built,
get everything built that we need to get done. And
also we're reforming the science sector so that they're actually
scientists can actually commercialize what they're doing rather they have
(01:05):
come But.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Prime Minister, I mean, farmers in the business community might
be happy enough with the coalition, But what about Joe,
average punter out there. Why is labor polling above you?
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Well, I just say to yeah, there'd be arranged poles,
but and I don't comment on those. But what I'd
say is that we are the party that supports working
in New Zealanders. Just think about it. We gave them
tax relief for the first time in fourteen years. Labor
didn't support that. We've given them three. We've had inflation
come down to two point two percent versus being a
higher to seven percent with no end in sight. It
was twelve interest rate rise. We've had three interest rate cuts.
(01:38):
So we've given tax relief, in inflation relief, interest rate relief,
things like family boost and working for family credits, all
that good stuff to support you. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
But yeah, but twenty twenty four was the worst financial
year that a lot of people can remember. People have
got short memories.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
We're blaming you and only one. Well, we're doing everything.
I mean, we're working incredibly hard to make sure we
fix the mess we inherited. In the last twelve months,
I think we did a lot of good stuff to
actually get spending under control, to get inflation down, to
get interest rates coming down. We've got confidence rising and
now we need to translate that to growth. And that's
why I say this year is all about going for growth. Yep.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
And you need some more money now, Well, it's going
to say there's two ways to get it, but there
might be three ways. You can tax more, you can
produce more, or you could sell something, sell some of
the family silverware, state owned assets. Sales are back on
your political radar, and this was one we talked about
on yesterday's show. Should PAMU be first on the chopping block?
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Well, what we said is, look, our focus is term
is to get the books in audit. You know that's
really important. We've actually got a lot of work to
do clean up the spending, to actually make sure we
get the inflation, interest rates moving in the right direction.
We've got a lot of work to do around growth.
That means actually powering up some of our sectors like
tourism and international students, and obviously we've been removing a
huge amount of obstacles for farmers across the country as well,
(02:55):
and read tape that's been getting in the pay. That's
got to be a focus. We're open to a conversation
along about asset recycling, but we're not selling any soees term.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Is that a trending new way of calling asset sales
asset recycling?
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Oh? Sorry, no, that's just what it's called around town.
When you're a local council and in my own port or
an airport or something, he's tied to sell it so
that you can actually use those funds for investment in
other capital projects that actually have more advantage or better
benefit for people.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
We had a guy on the show yesterday crunching the
numbers on PAMU and according to him, it's worth about
net about one point six billion. Interestingly, one hundred and
fifty million less than it was a year ago off
the back of that asset base it ran a twenty
six million dollar loss, so you'd have to say it
ain't a good business.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
I think there's a lot of state assets that we
expect to be better managed than they are. And that's
why stain Browse now a State Own Enterprises minister. I
want him to make sure that the assets the government has,
which are taxpayers money that's tied up in those assets,
that they actually are getting a return because we've got
all you know, you've got a set amount of money
and capital, and you've actually got to make choices what
(04:05):
you're going to do with that capital. Whether you're invested
in roads or hospitals, or schools or owned state assets,
they need to be highly performing and delivering a return.
And so I do want better performance out of the
statement enterprise assets. It's not something we've committed not to
do at this term, but it's something that we're open
to exploring down the road.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Hell's Winston getting on with Washington.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Oh, it's really good. He had a great conversation with
Marco Rubio. Of course, he's the new Secretary of State
just a few days ago. I think on Sunday, and
I think, you know, follow my conversation with President Trump
and his conversation with Secretary of Rubio, I think, you know,
well positioned. I mean, we want to build a great
relationship with the American government, regardless of who's in power,
and so I think we can do that. And I
(04:47):
think you've seen good growth in our trade with the
US over the last year. We've got a pretty balanced
you know, you know, trading balance between the two countries
over the last ten years, which has been good. And
there's a lot more for us to do together.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Okay, a couple of funders, Sean, what are you looking
forward to most Whitungui day politics or the Treaty Principles
bill debate or are they both dead rats you'd rather
not swallow?
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Well, look, I'm not going to Waiteitunguy, as I've said
this year, but I am going to go celebrate Whitanngue
with another across the country, and I think it will
be a really fantastic day to celebrate this great country
of ours and what we've achieved in one hundred and
eighty five years. But yeah, that's the big focus. I mean, yeah,
and that'll be you know, I'll look forward to that.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Hey seven thirty, as we record this, Prime Minister at
nine point thirty are going to make an announcement about
reversals to Labour's blanket speed reductions that have been slowing
the country down. Can you let the cat out of
the bag. I promise not to leak it till midday
when this broadcast.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Trust you, here's the deal. What we're doing is we're
reversing those labor blanket speed limits. They're impacted up think
thirty eight sections of the state highway network. The first
one that we're closing down is in State Highway two
between Featherston and Marterton, and that starts tonight and then
the deal is over the next five months as normal
roadside maintenance and project works are undertaken. Those speed links
(06:09):
have to be reversed before the end of June, which
is important. So we've got a laser focus. Why are
we doing it. We want to speed up the economy.
We know, getting people and freight from A to B
quickly and efficiently as possible all drives into that mantra
for this year, which is going for growth and economic growth.
So we campaigned on it most importantly with delivery not can.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
You introduce a new by law to make it illegal
for camper vans to drive at sixty five to seventy
k's an hour with twelve cars behind them? Is that possible?
Could you enact that?
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Sounds like a very Peaview. You've got there, Jamie. They've
just been a bit of time behind some camp events.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
I spent far too much time behind Camp Evans. Look
I'm a very very angry man behind the wheel. We've
all got our weakness as Prime Minister. Thank you for
some of your time today and good luck speeding the
country up.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Thanks Jadie, appreciate you to Bye.
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