October 1, 2025 • 36 mins
Hamish McKay talks to Harriet Bremner-Pinckney, Mark Ferguson, Chris Hipkins, Deanne Parkes, and Chris Russell.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's The Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Brent You're specialist in
John Deare construction equipment.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Welcome into the Country, brought to you by Brad Hamish
McKay in for Jamie McKay today, coming to you from
the Mike T Munawatu and Indonede in the central nervous
System keeping the machine ticking over. Michelle Watt coming up
in today's show, Farm Strong Champion Dan Parks empowering rural
women through her own experiences. Stand by for that leader
(00:47):
of the Opposition, Chris Hipkins. I'm going to invite him
to Fielding, where my day jobs, and for a cup
of tea. We'll head across from the Tremain's office to
the Fielding sale yards. Maybe how would that go down?
I'll put that to him and we lord an exciting
new podcast series with Beef and Lamb eight minutes after
midday on your Thursday, The Country On Your Thursday. October
(01:18):
is application month for the wonderful prestigious Xander McDonald Award
and to look at this fabulous trans Tasman Award. We're
joined by current judge Mark Ferguson and you Judge. Twenty
twenty three winner recipient Harriet Bremner Pickney, welcome team. How
are you both?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (01:39):
God, thank you Homus.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Great to have you here. Mark. Let's just for those
who are the uninformed about the Xender McDonald Award. Just
how prestigious is this award?
Speaker 5 (01:53):
Well, we think it's yeah, the top of top of
the game. I guess it's it's been an award was
established over a decade ago now and the winners, I
guess speak to themselves. It's been some amazing people will
come together and as part of the awards, So it's yeah,
I think it's Australasia's biggest award in agg.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Yep, I'd agree with that. Harriet, What did it mean
and do for you? Because it's far greater and more
encompassing than just winning the award itself. I mean it's ongoing,
isn't it?
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (02:25):
Absolutely?
Speaker 4 (02:26):
And look it's one of those things that even a
couple of years forward from winning the award now you
still pinch yourself and thank my goodness, how lucky am
I to be part of this incredible alumni and network
of people and it just continues to open doors create
the largest network of incredible people that you can lean on,
(02:46):
bounce ideas off, pick up the phone ring any time
you please, and everybody's just there for everyone. And it's
not something that money could buy. It really just is
an extremely priceless network to be a part of.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Yeah, absolutely, when you say alumni and network and just
being able to pick up the phone the here stands
up on the back of my nick. Mark, Look, you
know something obviously very special to be part of. What
is the application process and when we're in this that
this is happening over this month, how and when and
how do people get involved?
Speaker 5 (03:18):
So yeah, I guess the best way is go straight
to this Animy Donald website and the application process is
pretty clear from there. But yeah, submitting a written application
and short video is a combination. So people have already
expressed their interest, but now it's time to send in
the written application as well as that short video. And
I can't sort of stress enough how important that that
(03:38):
video is. As a judge, that's the little snapshot you
get to see of that person. So it's really important
to get both that written bit and in that short
video pretty clear about what you're about.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah, Mark, So how competitive and what sort of numbers
of people apply?
Speaker 5 (03:56):
We get sort of yes, thirty to fifty, I guess
each side of the ditch, but I guess yes. Super competitive.
Now it's when I sort of look at the applications
coming through, I'm very glad I'm judging and not trying
to not trying to win. But it's an amazing level
of people that we've got associate with the award and
that want to be associated with the award.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Yeah. Sure as the cream don a cream. So Harriet,
why would somebody apply? I mean, what's the real magic here?
Speaker 7 (04:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (04:25):
So applying for the award itself and the initial process
that Mark just mentioned with the written application in the
video is an incredibly good reflection on where you're at
within both your personal and business life. And I think
that you've obviously got absolutely nothing to lose by applying,
you've got everything to gain, which is really really exciting.
(04:46):
What I found with that is that you can really
open up your mind to what you want to achieve
moving forward, and I think the judges are really looking
for people that are already doing so, they're giving things
a crack, having a go. Really forward thinking, open minded
people who want to achieve great things, not just for
themselves as a person, but for the industry as a whole.
(05:09):
And I think that really comes across with the applicants
that they have there, maybe their day to day business
that they're part of that they're doing these other things
that are over and above what you regular person might
be doing within their job, and I think that's what
their award is looking for as somebody that's got to
that point where they've been trying new things and are
starting something amazing, but they've got to that point where
(05:31):
they really need some support around them to help take
it to the next level.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Yeah, the next level. I like that. We're talking to
the prestigious Zanda McDonald Ward trans tasmin Agg Award that
has been going now ten years markets it is more
than an award. It's obviously a really growing family of
like minded, diverse people just you know, just out there
striving for the good of ad.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And family is the exact word
we use a lot in their ord and thinking about
it because that's where it is. When you get to
when we do meet up once a year, which is
just the best cup of days you can imagine, it
is like a family reunion, and I guess that family
gets kind of younger and cooler every year because we've
got the alumni coming in. So it sort of start
obviously as a group of a group of established people
(06:18):
in the industry that we're awarding it to young people.
But now all those alumni are there and that network
and watching those people and being part of that network
is just phenomenal. You've got the yeah, the top of
the game across a whole heap of sort of generations.
Speaker 6 (06:32):
Now.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Yeah, and I'm mister mcmanaway. Shane. He's obviously greatly influenced
because he gets younger and cooler by the year, and
certainly this is one of his one of his great
highlights on Harret. You won in twenty twenty three, and
you've actually just completed some of your professional development as
part of the award, Yes, I have.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
So I chose to complete the Rabobank Executive Development Program
over in Sydney, which has run in two blocks.
Speaker 6 (07:00):
Over a two year period, so you go over to.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Sydney for a week each year, and again it is
just something that you know, it's not an opportunity I
would have been able to take part in had I
not had the connections from the award and met all
the people that I met, But the EDP course in itself,
you know, is an extremely deep dive into business and
(07:22):
personal and you are in a room with forty other
farmers from across Australia and New Zealand who are all
at different stages within their careers, whether they're at the
stage where they're working through succession challenges, whether they are
just taking over their property and starting out at the beginning,
and so it's incredibly powerful to be in a room
with that. And they do like in the EDP course
(07:43):
to being a mini MBA and it's the only thing
that is attached to agriculture in that sense. So it's
an intense course. It really challenges your thinking and challenges
where you're at in business and where you're going to
go forward from there. My husband joined me for the
last part this year for the Partner program, so we
(08:05):
were able to sit down together and you look at
everything from your personality testing and how each of your
personalities can fit into your business and where you should
be best placed within your business and how you can
make that work in the best way, which is very
interesting for a husband and wife team to figure that
out about themselves, especially when you're living and working in
close context as farmers tend to.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
But yeah, again, just.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
So much learning from that and a lot to take
away that you can actually practically apply to your everyday life.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Fabulous stuff. Thank you very much, Mark Ferguson and Harriet Bremner.
Pick me there, our judges and a former winner of
the prestigious Xander McDonald Award here on the Country Ward
(08:56):
Xander McDonald Award dot Com. Entries open until October first.
Next up the Leader of the Opposition, Chris Hipkins on
the country. This is the Country. Hamish McKay in for
(09:22):
Jamie McKay on your Thursday and for the next couple
of weeks. Actually the boss man is he likes to
think of himself and rightly so, although you know he
you know, he does get a little bit of help
along the way. He's away over there in Perth for
the rugby this weekend. We're joined now by the Leader
of the Opposition, Chris Hipkins. Chris, good afternoon.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Gooda good to talk to you.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Yeah, Chris, you're not heading to Perth or anything at
the last minute to go and watch the all Blacks
or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
No, I did get that. I did catch the All
Blacks game on Saturday though, up a at Eden Park,
and I've got to say that it was a much
much better game than the one at the Cakes in
a few weeks earlier.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
But we're back on forms, Yep.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
We've got to see that. We've got to see that, right, Okay.
So look, you guys have made it as a party,
You've made it pretty clear, and no policy of you
want to go in an election year with that. But
and there's quite a bit of pushback on the government
in terms of your rhetoric at the moment. But what's
the plan for rural Chris, what are you looking at
for farmers, for the backbone of the country and a
(10:23):
group who voted very strongly for you a couple of
elections ago.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Yeah, we want New Zealand to be one of the
most innovative sustainable food producers in the world, and we
already are and we want to double down on that.
It is a massive natural advantage that New Zealand has
in terms of our clean green reputation, but just the
natural environment that we've got here in New Zealand provides
us with huge opportunities, and our farming community know that already.
(10:49):
I've been out and about visiting farmers around the country.
I know the premium that they place on our environment
and the work that they're doing to protect that. So
we want to make sure that we are seen around
the world as the best place in the world, not
just to buy produce, but also to come for inspiration
about how you do sustainable food production. We've got to
be at the cutting edge of that.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
How difficult is it for you pending the likelihood of
coalition with the Greens and balancing that with the Greens
given what they will desire in terms of what is
a great agricultural horticultural outlook.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Well, when I go out and speak to farmers and
growers around the country, they're already balancing these issues every day.
They are very mindful of our environment. Yes, there is
always going to be a minority who will do and
say things that make everybody else look bad, but actually
the vast bulk that I speak to are very conscious
of the environment and they're always focused on balancing their
(11:47):
productivity with environmental protection. So we want to work alongside
them to make it easier to protect the environment because
that's what they want to do. I've seen, you know
a lot of farmers doing repair, implanting, fencing, boarder ways,
even using new technologies to protect the environment. We want
to get alongside them and say, okay, this is really
(12:08):
good work. How can we make that better, easier and
more profitable for you? So rather than using a big stick,
we want to work alongside you and say yep, we
acknowledge that you're willing to do the hard yards and
we want to help you to do that.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Yeah, I mentioned a few years ago. I mean clearly
farmers gone behind the Labor Party with the hope of
eliminating the Greens. I guess that's something you know, obviously
you'd be in favor of. Again, if you can get
those kind of numbers, if you are in fact out
that you're talking to farmers and getting a good reception.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Well, of course under EMP, you know, majority is a
lovely thing. But that was a relatively rare set of
circumstances that we managed to achieve a majority. Under EMP,
you have to work with other parties. But where I
different from Christopher Luxan in the National Party at the
moment is I don't think that means that smaller parties
should be calling all the shots. I do think the
parties that attract the lion's share of support to form
(12:59):
government should still have the significant amount of sway, and
that's certainly going to be my pitch to voters at
the next election. Yet we will have to work with
other parties. That's just the nature of the electoral system
that New Zealanders have chosen. But that doesn't mean that
the tail should wag the dog.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
What about the situation with the bipartisan around the gas
exploration are you are you standing firm on that that
you're not going to give some ground around a ten
year agreement?
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Well, yess it is. We You know, we've spent about
one point eight billion dollars in the last five years
despite the oil and gas ban, the offshore ban on
new permits, about one point eight billion was spent on
exploring the existing permits, and our guest supplies continue to diminish.
Christopher Luxen selling I think New Zealand is a hoax
when he's saying that it'll all be all right once
the oil and gas ban is removed. The reality here
(13:47):
is that you know, they've been out there looking for it,
and they haven't found that gas. So what we've been
trying to say to them for some months now is
we've got to work out what we do about supporting
a transition for those who rely on gas, and that
means supporting the businesses who rely on the gas the most.
They're making sure that those who don't really need it,
like schools and hospitals who could use electricity instead, are
(14:10):
supported to make that transition.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
But it's the investment, been the opportunity for investment to
come in and find that gas being at the sort
of at the level it should be. Is that not
being restricted.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Well, one of the issues is that those companies weren't
finding anything and they were handing back their permits. They're
basically saying they don't think it's in their economic interests
to keep looking for it. The government have offered them
two hundred million dollars in subsidies. Leg see what happens
with that in the next few months, But I suspect
it's not very much because those exploration companies have already
looked at New Zealand and decided that there's not much
(14:44):
here to find.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Okay, well, let's look at farming in general in a
relationship to the Labor Party. If I was to you
know that beautiful road we've got up between Wellington and
the Manor or two now, Chris, if I said to you,
would you come up to the Fielding sal yards and
on a Friday to the one of the biggest stock
sales in the Southern Hemisphere is not the world? Would
you be comfortable with that that that you would get
a good reception.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
I'm aware whether I get a good reception or not.
I've showed up to a lot of those events and
I done South Island field Days, High Country field Days,
field Days at Mystery Creek, and a lot of individual
farm visits as well, and generally speaking, I think people
have appreciated the fact that I've showed up and been
willing to listen. And yeah, we're not going to agree
on everything, but at the end of the day, that's democracy,
(15:27):
isn't it. What's important is that you keep talking to
each other and you keep listening to each other.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
The Penny Simmons issue we've got going on sort of
in the rank of ticket that was on the news
last night. I've had quite a bit of feedback on
that and it felt like, yeah, look, the example of
the national mp the local mp SU's redmain happens to
be a farmer from that area and those farmers are
one in the council the the authority involved to lift
(15:54):
their game. Is that not unreasonable?
Speaker 3 (15:57):
The issue is that the farmers have raised is not unreasonable.
That's perfectly legitimate for them to do so. I think
Penny Simmons using her position as a minister to go
into bat for those farmers when there is a clear
conflict of interest there there's a problem she could have.
You know, she needed to step back from that. It
looks like a minister exerting influence on behalf of a
(16:18):
small group of people where there's a conflict of interest,
and that is the problem. Perception is the problem here.
The farmers have done nothing wrong, but Penny Simmons has
overstepped the mark.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Okay, well, we appreciate you taking your time today and
we'll let you get back to the rest of the week.
Leader of the Opposition, Chris Hiptons, thank you very much
for joining us.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Good to talk to you.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
How long is that you see? Good to have Chippy
on the blower here on the country on your Thursday
with harmus McKay and for Jamie McKay coming up here
It is twenty six minutes after mid day Coming up
News and Sport.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
The Country's world news with Cove Cadets, New Zealand's leading
right on lawnlower bread. Visit steel Ford dot co dot
NZB for your local stockist.
Speaker 8 (17:07):
And it might help her for actually remember to turn
my mic on Terremy dial's going on for me here
today Hamish and a Rural News Today. Welfare requirements for
pig farming are going to be strengthened to some of
the highest levels in the world. The Animal Welfare Minister
has said. The change is set in your requirement for
the use of furrowing crates and mating stools, as well
as requirements for space to grow pigs, but they will
(17:28):
not come into force until the end of twenty thirty five.
You can find more about that story at the Country
dot co dot n Z. And now his Hamish was Sport.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Sport with a FCO. Visit them online at FCO dot
co dot nz.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Welcome back, Ozie Legend. James Slipper to retire after Saturday's
Test match in Perth against the All Black Sea Moti's
debut in the same city in twenty ten. Zoe Hobbs,
our superstar sprinter in the Blue ribbon one hundred meters.
She is a world star by the way answers her
engagement heart broke. Hearts are broken everywhere. Zoey Martin Nanu,
the oldest try scorer and the French top fourteen competition
(18:08):
making a cameo performance for too long and forty three
years of age, he's still scoring tries. The black Caps
losing to the Aussies and that twenty over opener of
Mount Montganeri last night, the White Ferns losing their World
Cup opened despite tons from Tim Robinson for the black
Caps and the White Ferns. Sophie divine you go, that
is our sport. Great to have your company on the country,
(18:33):
right across the country on your Thursday heartless McKay and
for Jamie McKay. Just bowed Duke in for Luke Duke,
you know Dukes of Hazard County McKay boys. Slightly different spelling,
but I'm sure the gene Paul is the same. Somewhere
way back up in those Scottish are highlands, righty, hope
is I've been really looking forward to this interview and
many of you will be familiar with the an parks
(18:55):
from social media to the farm strong champion, a coach
for ilitator who uses our own story to empower others.
H And let's face it, it's in the mental health space, sets,
in the wellbeing space, looking after ourselves. Ded Welcome on
to the show. How are you?
Speaker 7 (19:13):
I'm great? Thank you for having me today. This is yeah, fibulous, really,
it's fabulous talk to you.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
No, no, this is so important. And you know, look,
look you've got a social media post out today which
to mums in the trenches, and that's pretty much with
you know, I guess a good point to start our conversation.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (19:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (19:33):
And the reason why I just share that is because
I know, you know, so many mums are in those.
Speaker 7 (19:39):
Trenches and it's tough, and you feel like it's a.
Speaker 9 (19:44):
Confusing time because it's like, you know, you're meant to
be so excited, like you know, you're a mum with
these kids and living your best life, and he's just
something that is going, oh why aren't I excited about this? Like,
and it's just you know, there's so many changes and
so many things going on, and you kind of wanting
to feel, you know, like you're living your best life
(20:04):
and you just don't. And I just wanted women to
know that A you know, I see you, I hear you,
I've seen there. I had three kids under three and
a half and it was it was tough. But we,
you know, put on this mask and we pretend that
everything's incredible and everything's amazing, and inside it is just
such a confusing place.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Yeah, look on the farm, I reckon it's ninety eight
percent of the time in our rural communities where the wife,
the woman, the partner is expected not only are they
you know, are expected to be the rock, but you know,
where's the fairness in that? And your story, as you're saying,
is different to that, oh one hundred percent.
Speaker 9 (20:45):
I think we feel like we need to be, you know,
the mum, the partner, the calf rearer, the administration, you know,
doing all the things like looking at you know, changing
your insurance or updating your insurance, all the administration, and
there's so many things that pile up on the mum's plate.
And then there's also the aspect of I call it
(21:06):
like DC, like the four children and the farm. You know,
we had our own careers and we had all these
things and suddenly it's like in a flash, life just changes,
and you know, we don't want to say we can't
do it all, but gosh, I remember so clearly, having
you know, one kid crime, one on my backpack, trying
to feed, carves and just going this is not you know,
(21:29):
the picture the picture I imagined, but pull it together
because you know, husband's having you know, bugger or sleep
during carving time, and you know there's you know, there's
all those things in trying to just make you know,
keep the peace for everybody else.
Speaker 7 (21:43):
But inside it yeah, not tough, yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Because sometimes you think they're all there are people worse
off than me, but often there actually aren't. You can
be rock bottom and you need to be aware of it,
don't you. You need to you need to sort of
point your finger at yourself and ask a few questions.
Speaker 7 (21:59):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 9 (22:01):
And when I was going through my really dark time,
I had you know, extremely sick family members, and.
Speaker 7 (22:10):
So you know, I was kind of being like, oh,
my thing, you know, isn't so bad.
Speaker 9 (22:13):
It isn't so bad, And often would compare myself to
other people and these situations, and you know, we lost
a few springs through illnesses and you know, they passed away,
and so I'm kind of like, look, I'm here, like
why you you know, like you get to see your
kids and you get to do this and be alive.
But yeah, it wasn't It wasn't helping me at all.
(22:34):
It just kind of, you know, further cush you down. Yeah,
that mental health continuum down the bottom, down the bottom.
Speaker 7 (22:41):
And I wish i'd know. I did reach out for help, but.
Speaker 9 (22:45):
I didn't quite know how to be really clear and
say how much I was struggling, because it's fearful you
think oshus people really knew what was going on and said,
my head, you know, you just have that judgment on yourself.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
But oh there, that's yeah, yeah, thank you for sharing that,
because I just want to share something now that from
a men's males perspective here, right, And my view on
my own situation is I just totally one hundred percent
depend on my wife for anything and everything, and if
she passed, I'd die a minute later. I so would.
(23:20):
But what I realized at the times when I piled
on the pressure that actually recognizing the stress that that's
putting her under and she's got her own world going on,
like you, three children under four and those things. Is
that that's actually for them. For me as a male,
was quite empowering for me to go, you know, like,
for one of a better description, get your shit together
(23:40):
or get some of it together and move forward together,
you know, talk about it, have some you know, have
some real connection over this.
Speaker 7 (23:49):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 9 (23:50):
And it is, you know, sitting down and I think
you know, she had a post a while back around
for the husbands or the partners, you know, don't wait
to be asked and you know, offer and sometimes it
just you know, the offer of help, knowing that you
know that.
Speaker 7 (24:05):
In with the trenches with you it can be huge.
But I know how hard it is to ask for
that help. And so that's why I think it's really
important if the you know.
Speaker 9 (24:17):
The partner can say you know and you just you know,
this conversations an example, you can say, hey, I heard
Hay India and talking today and you know, is there
anything I could do?
Speaker 7 (24:28):
And you know, just ask a few times and see fecretly.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Yeah, absolutely, okay, So just to I don't know, I
suppose you're it's organic in a way, isn't it, But
there are are. There are a few tips sort of
to you know, starting with a bit of connection, a
few ways to sort of put in motion or plan. Yeah.
Speaker 9 (24:47):
I think of the biggest thing and I talked about
this on my posts this morning, is you know, one
of the five ways to.
Speaker 7 (24:54):
Well being is take take notice.
Speaker 9 (24:56):
And I think when you're a mum in the trenches,
you're kind of like you because coaching and counseling and
so call it like they're really good, but you're kind
of like, I don't have time for that. So take
notice is a really great place to start. And it's
just looking at gratitude. So when we start looking at
everything that is going wrong, like I'm not getting enough
sleep in my house with the terms, oh gosh, and
(25:18):
I've got to get the kids here, then there the
GSPS drew all of those things.
Speaker 7 (25:22):
That's where our attention is.
Speaker 9 (25:24):
But if we can flip it and take notice, and
you know, my challenge would be, it's just three things,
you know, what what has gone great or what's going
well and then dive a little bit deeper into the why.
Speaker 7 (25:36):
And so then if our attention is.
Speaker 9 (25:38):
Focusing on what's going well, that's what we start to notice.
And then you know, put all those good happy hormones,
you know, and that's like exercise as well, like it
keeps all those dolphins and feel good things going. So
there is like, you know, a lot of science to
the background of you know, why these five ways of
well being are good as well as they're proven and
(25:58):
every day to day.
Speaker 7 (25:58):
So that's where I start.
Speaker 9 (26:00):
If there's a you know, a mum out there at
the moment that's just going mate, I'm keeping my head
above water.
Speaker 7 (26:06):
Three things to you know, what's gone well for the day.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Fabulous advice born from experience them parks of love. This
chat could go on for hours now. Social media wise,
how if people want to who haven't seen your post today,
where do they sort of get a hold of you?
Speaker 9 (26:26):
So they can find me on DM parks and I
have just tagged and a whole lot of people.
Speaker 7 (26:31):
I've shared it on the FAMI Mum's good site.
Speaker 9 (26:34):
And yeah, but Instagram is where you'll find me hanging
out and yeah, so they can find me on there,
and but yes, likes your message. If you know, people
are they just have you know, feeling they know something
that's not right and they don't know where to start.
You know. Also heavily involved with will Support trust as well.
(26:55):
So yeah, if people kind of like, I don't know
what's wrong, just let me message and say that and
I can, yeah, point in the right direction as to
who can help.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
Your bloody marvelsty And thank you so much for your
time today, and I'm sure we'll chat again in the
not too distant future. Much appreciate it, awesome.
Speaker 7 (27:12):
Thank you much, have a beautiful Thursday.
Speaker 5 (27:14):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Twelve forty two here on the country. After the break,
we're going to go trans Tasman to our Ossie correspondent
Chris Russell on the country. It is that time where
we head across the ditch, across the Tasman and catch
up with our wonderful Australian corresponded Chris Russell. But of
(27:41):
a roady down to waggle Woggle. We might talk about
that at the end, but right now, Chris, wool prices
enjoy a meteoric rise over the last ten weeks. What's
behind that?
Speaker 6 (27:50):
Well, Homi sisters snuck up on us a bit for
a long time. You know, we used to talk every
week about wool price and report and we sort of
got bored with it. Always sat around the eleven hundred
cents of kilo and nothing much hattening everyone's deerman gloom.
But in the last ten weeks we've seen the longest
run of price rises in war on the Least Eastern
(28:11):
Market Indicator, which is what we use as a guideline,
since nineteen eighty seven. That's a long time ago. And
in the last it's gone up four dollars a kilo,
and it's gone up a dollar akilo just in the
last week. So I thought, well, I better have a
bit of a look at you know what's driving this
all of a sudden, and it's the old Chinese story.
(28:31):
Of course, as usual, that's where seventy percent of our
wall goes, and in particular, the Chinese government is looking
to replace uniforms. Now, it's interesting that if you look
back to the nineteen fifties when wool was selling for
a pound a pound, which in today's money works out
for I think it round about the thirty two dollars
a kilo. That was also driven by a renewal of
(28:53):
all the uniforms for the new uniforms for the Chinese
army in those days. So they're looking to replace see uniforms,
which is that's creating demand. There's also a dramatic shortage
of wall. Of course, a lot of people gone out
of wool producing sheet more into the lambs because that's
where the money's been, and so they're having to compete
for the wall. So the haggling that used to occur
(29:16):
at the ockins, that's not happening at the moment, and
we're seeing them more or less paying whatever they need
to pay to get hold of this wool. And so
everyone is pretty excited about where that might go. And
I went to a talk by the head of a
WY the other day, and he's always been optimistic that
wool was going to make a comeback because we want
to get rid of all the microplastics and all the
(29:37):
other the sort of nasties out of our out of
our clothing. And it looks like he's been proven right
because there's serning some money in into the moment and
there's no sign of looking like that price rose is
going to stop.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Homies, yep. And if it's driven by that demand on
that scale from China, I think you're one hundred percent
onto it. Chris ok beef to keep rising over there
for two years prediction of w fifty five percent.
Speaker 6 (30:02):
Yes, well, you know, in a case of at the
moment we're a bit short of beef in the south,
and there's lots of beef in the in the north.
But it's been interesting to see where that market's lightly
to go. And I was reading some forecasts by some
of the ex so called experts here and they're saying
that we could see up to thirty to thirty five
(30:24):
percent height in prices over the next couple of years,
you know, due to the expansion in demand, particularly for
our style of meat, and particularly from America. We've got
a new free trade agreement now with the United Arab
Emirates which they're buying a lot of lamb as well.
That's going to factor off into high red meat prices generally.
(30:44):
But what they're saying that by twenty twenty eight it
will probably come back a little bit and it's going
to settle in at about five hundred and fifty to
five hundred and seventy cents of kilo between twenty twenty
eight and twenty thirty three. Well, that's still bloody good
money I missed, you know. I think most would say
I can make good money, and that particularly you know
way up north where they're mainly having these brahmins or
(31:06):
yaxes they're impolitely called by our Southerners, where you know,
they were lucky to get two dollars fifty akilo and
they're getting three seventy four dollars, you know, good money
for those animals up there on that out that country.
So really I think the optimism is there for beef,
particularly in Queensland. The question is are we going to
be able to produce enough to actually fully take advantage
(31:29):
of all those prices.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Incredible but good to have some sort of future proofing
in there. As you say, it's still at reasonable amounts.
Even if it does back off a little bit, you've
covered off a little bit there. The UAE Free Trade
Agreement will be very good for Australians. Now Unisith this
is interesting finds for the first time that more obese
children globally are malnourished more than thin ones.
Speaker 6 (31:55):
Yeah, well this is an interesting story. You know, way
back in the seventies there was a big they talked
about the Green Revolution. They were going to solve famine
in the world by these new varieties of rice that
came out. Ira eight was the real hero of all that,
but in fact, while it solved the shortage of carbohydrate,
they did not solve the shortage of protein and therefore
(32:17):
the malnourishment of kids, so we didn't have any more
famines in terms of total food. We certainly have always
had some problem with malnutrition. Now in Africa, a lot
of the problem is education of the mothers in knowing
what they need to feed. But in Australia and in
the sophisticated countries, we're now seeing malnourishment and these are
(32:38):
amongst the beast kids because there's much too much relying
on ultra refined foods as they call them, or junk
food I think we preferred to call it, and people
it's a convenience food. Both parents are working, just get
them something to fill them up, and they're saying that
a v city now in Australia, and UNISEF is saying
globally is now over fifty percent of those children are
(33:01):
actually obese rather than ultra thin, but they're still undernourished
and suffering from malnutrition. So this is a massive change
and there's a lot of calls now, of course for
taxes to be brought in on junk food, on over fatty,
over salted foods, and over sugar foods to try and
solve this problem, a very different problem than the one
(33:24):
we had way back when we saw those Coleegal wrecks
of Ethiopian children back in the fifties and sixties.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Homish Yeah, yeah, yeah, remarkable stuff, remarkable stuff.
Speaker 6 (33:34):
Right.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
I'm not going to talk the rug because you're just
going to give us our best coach back at some point,
thank you. But I do want to talk about with
some Australia pushing for sharing to be on the Olympics
in Brisbane twenty thirty two. Get the hand piece out,
grind the comb.
Speaker 6 (33:46):
I'm there well in the fed inc Of Department. I
think it's going to happen Hamish, but there is a
West Australian teenager who's calling them for to be included. Interestingly,
she comes from Catanning, which is right next door to
Darken where earlier this year a New Zealand girl from
I think she came from ocell Week here is that?
(34:08):
How you say that? In New Zealand And Alexa Phillip
broke Phillips broke the female world record for the most
marino shoes hues Sean in eight hours, three hundred and
sixty seven. So right next door to her, it's a
big shearing area. And as we've now had a call
from catanning this Kay Kyley Sander is watching the Paris Olympics.
(34:30):
She thought one sport was missing shearing, so she's put
in the submission to Brisbane. They're allowed to choose one
sport and she's going to push pretty hard with and support.
I'm sure of the West Australian government. They have it.
Put in how many countries we'd have competing, might be Australia,
New Zealand and maybe South Africa. That might be the
end of that.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
Oh, the Welshire pretty good. The Scot's go right too.
Maybe they'll be the odd Frenchman in there as well,
but yeah, I think it'd be Goodlet's see how the
World Championships go with the goal. And she is here
mastered in her march. Hey, Chris, leave you to it
to go and enjoy Woggle Wogger. Thank you very much
as always.
Speaker 6 (35:04):
No worries. Home's great to talk here.
Speaker 10 (35:07):
Cheers Boston. More than a feeling.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
It's been four weeks at number one back in nineteen
seventy six, here at now. No matter how long you've
been working on the farm, how long in the tooth
you are, you can always learn to work smart to
save money a time on the farm. In episode three
of the podcast series brought to you by Beef and
lamb en'z ed Empowered by the Country, join me Hamish
(35:43):
Mackay to find out about the topic of feed budgeting
along with two guests. Now we have a farmer Matthew
Taylor and head of science at durien z Ed Nico Lyons.
Good combination. It took a bit of a look at
why feed budgeting is an important tool, practical steps for
how to start, and how walking the paddock and just
watching the grass grow could help your farm profits grow.
(36:05):
Nothing wrong with that a The main message has been
throughout the series you can't manage what you don't measure.
You know. It's like when you get on the scales,
see how porky you've got fine? Episode three Feed Budgeting
brought to you by Beef and Land, New Zealand on
the Country podcast on iHeart or wherever you get your
good podcast. Give yourself a bit of a you know,
a body conditioned score. Check it out. This has been
(36:31):
The Country your Thursday. Thank you too. Michelle Watt out
of Dunedin, producer extraordinary. We'll do it all again, I
think out of the Auckland studio tomorrow moving around the country.
We'll go to those cities sick of ay. Have a
great day.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's The Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Brent, You're specialist in
John Dere machinery.
Catch all the latest from the land. It's The Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Brent You're specialist in
John Deare construction equipment.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Welcome into the Country, brought to you by Brad Hamish
McKay in for Jamie McKay today, coming to you from
the Mike T Munawatu and Indonede in the central nervous
System keeping the machine ticking over. Michelle Watt coming up
in today's show, Farm Strong Champion Dan Parks empowering rural
women through her own experiences. Stand by for that leader
(00:47):
of the Opposition, Chris Hipkins. I'm going to invite him
to Fielding, where my day jobs, and for a cup
of tea. We'll head across from the Tremain's office to
the Fielding sale yards. Maybe how would that go down?
I'll put that to him and we lord an exciting
new podcast series with Beef and Lamb eight minutes after
midday on your Thursday, The Country On Your Thursday. October
(01:18):
is application month for the wonderful prestigious Xander McDonald Award
and to look at this fabulous trans Tasman Award. We're
joined by current judge Mark Ferguson and you Judge. Twenty
twenty three winner recipient Harriet Bremner Pickney, welcome team. How
are you both?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (01:39):
God, thank you Homus.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Great to have you here. Mark. Let's just for those
who are the uninformed about the Xender McDonald Award. Just
how prestigious is this award?
Speaker 5 (01:53):
Well, we think it's yeah, the top of top of
the game. I guess it's it's been an award was
established over a decade ago now and the winners, I
guess speak to themselves. It's been some amazing people will
come together and as part of the awards, So it's yeah,
I think it's Australasia's biggest award in agg.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Yep, I'd agree with that. Harriet, What did it mean
and do for you? Because it's far greater and more
encompassing than just winning the award itself. I mean it's ongoing,
isn't it?
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (02:25):
Absolutely?
Speaker 4 (02:26):
And look it's one of those things that even a
couple of years forward from winning the award now you
still pinch yourself and thank my goodness, how lucky am
I to be part of this incredible alumni and network
of people and it just continues to open doors create
the largest network of incredible people that you can lean on,
(02:46):
bounce ideas off, pick up the phone ring any time
you please, and everybody's just there for everyone. And it's
not something that money could buy. It really just is
an extremely priceless network to be a part of.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Yeah, absolutely, when you say alumni and network and just
being able to pick up the phone the here stands
up on the back of my nick. Mark, Look, you
know something obviously very special to be part of. What
is the application process and when we're in this that
this is happening over this month, how and when and
how do people get involved?
Speaker 5 (03:18):
So yeah, I guess the best way is go straight
to this Animy Donald website and the application process is
pretty clear from there. But yeah, submitting a written application
and short video is a combination. So people have already
expressed their interest, but now it's time to send in
the written application as well as that short video. And
I can't sort of stress enough how important that that
(03:38):
video is. As a judge, that's the little snapshot you
get to see of that person. So it's really important
to get both that written bit and in that short
video pretty clear about what you're about.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah, Mark, So how competitive and what sort of numbers
of people apply?
Speaker 5 (03:56):
We get sort of yes, thirty to fifty, I guess
each side of the ditch, but I guess yes. Super competitive.
Now it's when I sort of look at the applications
coming through, I'm very glad I'm judging and not trying
to not trying to win. But it's an amazing level
of people that we've got associate with the award and
that want to be associated with the award.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Yeah. Sure as the cream don a cream. So Harriet,
why would somebody apply? I mean, what's the real magic here?
Speaker 7 (04:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (04:25):
So applying for the award itself and the initial process
that Mark just mentioned with the written application in the
video is an incredibly good reflection on where you're at
within both your personal and business life. And I think
that you've obviously got absolutely nothing to lose by applying,
you've got everything to gain, which is really really exciting.
(04:46):
What I found with that is that you can really
open up your mind to what you want to achieve
moving forward, and I think the judges are really looking
for people that are already doing so, they're giving things
a crack, having a go. Really forward thinking, open minded
people who want to achieve great things, not just for
themselves as a person, but for the industry as a whole.
(05:09):
And I think that really comes across with the applicants
that they have there, maybe their day to day business
that they're part of that they're doing these other things
that are over and above what you regular person might
be doing within their job, and I think that's what
their award is looking for as somebody that's got to
that point where they've been trying new things and are
starting something amazing, but they've got to that point where
(05:31):
they really need some support around them to help take
it to the next level.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Yeah, the next level. I like that. We're talking to
the prestigious Zanda McDonald Ward trans tasmin Agg Award that
has been going now ten years markets it is more
than an award. It's obviously a really growing family of
like minded, diverse people just you know, just out there
striving for the good of ad.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And family is the exact word
we use a lot in their ord and thinking about
it because that's where it is. When you get to
when we do meet up once a year, which is
just the best cup of days you can imagine, it
is like a family reunion, and I guess that family
gets kind of younger and cooler every year because we've
got the alumni coming in. So it sort of start
obviously as a group of a group of established people
(06:18):
in the industry that we're awarding it to young people.
But now all those alumni are there and that network
and watching those people and being part of that network
is just phenomenal. You've got the yeah, the top of
the game across a whole heap of sort of generations.
Speaker 6 (06:32):
Now.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Yeah, and I'm mister mcmanaway. Shane. He's obviously greatly influenced
because he gets younger and cooler by the year, and
certainly this is one of his one of his great
highlights on Harret. You won in twenty twenty three, and
you've actually just completed some of your professional development as
part of the award, Yes, I have.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
So I chose to complete the Rabobank Executive Development Program
over in Sydney, which has run in two blocks.
Speaker 6 (07:00):
Over a two year period, so you go over to.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Sydney for a week each year, and again it is
just something that you know, it's not an opportunity I
would have been able to take part in had I
not had the connections from the award and met all
the people that I met, But the EDP course in itself,
you know, is an extremely deep dive into business and
(07:22):
personal and you are in a room with forty other
farmers from across Australia and New Zealand who are all
at different stages within their careers, whether they're at the
stage where they're working through succession challenges, whether they are
just taking over their property and starting out at the beginning,
and so it's incredibly powerful to be in a room
with that. And they do like in the EDP course
(07:43):
to being a mini MBA and it's the only thing
that is attached to agriculture in that sense. So it's
an intense course. It really challenges your thinking and challenges
where you're at in business and where you're going to
go forward from there. My husband joined me for the
last part this year for the Partner program, so we
(08:05):
were able to sit down together and you look at
everything from your personality testing and how each of your
personalities can fit into your business and where you should
be best placed within your business and how you can
make that work in the best way, which is very
interesting for a husband and wife team to figure that
out about themselves, especially when you're living and working in
close context as farmers tend to.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
But yeah, again, just.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
So much learning from that and a lot to take
away that you can actually practically apply to your everyday life.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Fabulous stuff. Thank you very much, Mark Ferguson and Harriet Bremner.
Pick me there, our judges and a former winner of
the prestigious Xander McDonald Award here on the Country Ward
(08:56):
Xander McDonald Award dot Com. Entries open until October first.
Next up the Leader of the Opposition, Chris Hipkins on
the country. This is the Country. Hamish McKay in for
(09:22):
Jamie McKay on your Thursday and for the next couple
of weeks. Actually the boss man is he likes to
think of himself and rightly so, although you know he
you know, he does get a little bit of help
along the way. He's away over there in Perth for
the rugby this weekend. We're joined now by the Leader
of the Opposition, Chris Hipkins. Chris, good afternoon.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Gooda good to talk to you.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Yeah, Chris, you're not heading to Perth or anything at
the last minute to go and watch the all Blacks
or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
No, I did get that. I did catch the All
Blacks game on Saturday though, up a at Eden Park,
and I've got to say that it was a much
much better game than the one at the Cakes in
a few weeks earlier.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
But we're back on forms, Yep.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
We've got to see that. We've got to see that, right, Okay.
So look, you guys have made it as a party,
You've made it pretty clear, and no policy of you
want to go in an election year with that. But
and there's quite a bit of pushback on the government
in terms of your rhetoric at the moment. But what's
the plan for rural Chris, what are you looking at
for farmers, for the backbone of the country and a
(10:23):
group who voted very strongly for you a couple of
elections ago.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Yeah, we want New Zealand to be one of the
most innovative sustainable food producers in the world, and we
already are and we want to double down on that.
It is a massive natural advantage that New Zealand has
in terms of our clean green reputation, but just the
natural environment that we've got here in New Zealand provides
us with huge opportunities, and our farming community know that already.
(10:49):
I've been out and about visiting farmers around the country.
I know the premium that they place on our environment
and the work that they're doing to protect that. So
we want to make sure that we are seen around
the world as the best place in the world, not
just to buy produce, but also to come for inspiration
about how you do sustainable food production. We've got to
be at the cutting edge of that.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
How difficult is it for you pending the likelihood of
coalition with the Greens and balancing that with the Greens
given what they will desire in terms of what is
a great agricultural horticultural outlook.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Well, when I go out and speak to farmers and
growers around the country, they're already balancing these issues every day.
They are very mindful of our environment. Yes, there is
always going to be a minority who will do and
say things that make everybody else look bad, but actually
the vast bulk that I speak to are very conscious
of the environment and they're always focused on balancing their
(11:47):
productivity with environmental protection. So we want to work alongside
them to make it easier to protect the environment because
that's what they want to do. I've seen, you know
a lot of farmers doing repair, implanting, fencing, boarder ways,
even using new technologies to protect the environment. We want
to get alongside them and say, okay, this is really
(12:08):
good work. How can we make that better, easier and
more profitable for you? So rather than using a big stick,
we want to work alongside you and say yep, we
acknowledge that you're willing to do the hard yards and
we want to help you to do that.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Yeah, I mentioned a few years ago. I mean clearly
farmers gone behind the Labor Party with the hope of
eliminating the Greens. I guess that's something you know, obviously
you'd be in favor of. Again, if you can get
those kind of numbers, if you are in fact out
that you're talking to farmers and getting a good reception.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Well, of course under EMP, you know, majority is a
lovely thing. But that was a relatively rare set of
circumstances that we managed to achieve a majority. Under EMP,
you have to work with other parties. But where I
different from Christopher Luxan in the National Party at the
moment is I don't think that means that smaller parties
should be calling all the shots. I do think the
parties that attract the lion's share of support to form
(12:59):
government should still have the significant amount of sway, and
that's certainly going to be my pitch to voters at
the next election. Yet we will have to work with
other parties. That's just the nature of the electoral system
that New Zealanders have chosen. But that doesn't mean that
the tail should wag the dog.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
What about the situation with the bipartisan around the gas
exploration are you are you standing firm on that that
you're not going to give some ground around a ten
year agreement?
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Well, yess it is. We You know, we've spent about
one point eight billion dollars in the last five years
despite the oil and gas ban, the offshore ban on
new permits, about one point eight billion was spent on
exploring the existing permits, and our guest supplies continue to diminish.
Christopher Luxen selling I think New Zealand is a hoax
when he's saying that it'll all be all right once
the oil and gas ban is removed. The reality here
(13:47):
is that you know, they've been out there looking for it,
and they haven't found that gas. So what we've been
trying to say to them for some months now is
we've got to work out what we do about supporting
a transition for those who rely on gas, and that
means supporting the businesses who rely on the gas the most.
They're making sure that those who don't really need it,
like schools and hospitals who could use electricity instead, are
(14:10):
supported to make that transition.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
But it's the investment, been the opportunity for investment to
come in and find that gas being at the sort
of at the level it should be. Is that not
being restricted.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Well, one of the issues is that those companies weren't
finding anything and they were handing back their permits. They're
basically saying they don't think it's in their economic interests
to keep looking for it. The government have offered them
two hundred million dollars in subsidies. Leg see what happens
with that in the next few months, But I suspect
it's not very much because those exploration companies have already
looked at New Zealand and decided that there's not much
(14:44):
here to find.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Okay, well, let's look at farming in general in a
relationship to the Labor Party. If I was to you
know that beautiful road we've got up between Wellington and
the Manor or two now, Chris, if I said to you,
would you come up to the Fielding sal yards and
on a Friday to the one of the biggest stock
sales in the Southern Hemisphere is not the world? Would
you be comfortable with that that that you would get
a good reception.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
I'm aware whether I get a good reception or not.
I've showed up to a lot of those events and
I done South Island field Days, High Country field Days,
field Days at Mystery Creek, and a lot of individual
farm visits as well, and generally speaking, I think people
have appreciated the fact that I've showed up and been
willing to listen. And yeah, we're not going to agree
on everything, but at the end of the day, that's democracy,
(15:27):
isn't it. What's important is that you keep talking to
each other and you keep listening to each other.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
The Penny Simmons issue we've got going on sort of
in the rank of ticket that was on the news
last night. I've had quite a bit of feedback on
that and it felt like, yeah, look, the example of
the national mp the local mp SU's redmain happens to
be a farmer from that area and those farmers are
one in the council the the authority involved to lift
(15:54):
their game. Is that not unreasonable?
Speaker 3 (15:57):
The issue is that the farmers have raised is not unreasonable.
That's perfectly legitimate for them to do so. I think
Penny Simmons using her position as a minister to go
into bat for those farmers when there is a clear
conflict of interest there there's a problem she could have.
You know, she needed to step back from that. It
looks like a minister exerting influence on behalf of a
(16:18):
small group of people where there's a conflict of interest,
and that is the problem. Perception is the problem here.
The farmers have done nothing wrong, but Penny Simmons has
overstepped the mark.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Okay, well, we appreciate you taking your time today and
we'll let you get back to the rest of the week.
Leader of the Opposition, Chris Hiptons, thank you very much
for joining us.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Good to talk to you.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
How long is that you see? Good to have Chippy
on the blower here on the country on your Thursday
with harmus McKay and for Jamie McKay coming up here
It is twenty six minutes after mid day Coming up
News and Sport.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
The Country's world news with Cove Cadets, New Zealand's leading
right on lawnlower bread. Visit steel Ford dot co dot
NZB for your local stockist.
Speaker 8 (17:07):
And it might help her for actually remember to turn
my mic on Terremy dial's going on for me here
today Hamish and a Rural News Today. Welfare requirements for
pig farming are going to be strengthened to some of
the highest levels in the world. The Animal Welfare Minister
has said. The change is set in your requirement for
the use of furrowing crates and mating stools, as well
as requirements for space to grow pigs, but they will
(17:28):
not come into force until the end of twenty thirty five.
You can find more about that story at the Country
dot co dot n Z. And now his Hamish was Sport.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Sport with a FCO. Visit them online at FCO dot
co dot nz.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Welcome back, Ozie Legend. James Slipper to retire after Saturday's
Test match in Perth against the All Black Sea Moti's
debut in the same city in twenty ten. Zoe Hobbs,
our superstar sprinter in the Blue ribbon one hundred meters.
She is a world star by the way answers her
engagement heart broke. Hearts are broken everywhere. Zoey Martin Nanu,
the oldest try scorer and the French top fourteen competition
(18:08):
making a cameo performance for too long and forty three
years of age, he's still scoring tries. The black Caps
losing to the Aussies and that twenty over opener of
Mount Montganeri last night, the White Ferns losing their World
Cup opened despite tons from Tim Robinson for the black
Caps and the White Ferns. Sophie divine you go, that
is our sport. Great to have your company on the country,
(18:33):
right across the country on your Thursday heartless McKay and
for Jamie McKay. Just bowed Duke in for Luke Duke,
you know Dukes of Hazard County McKay boys. Slightly different spelling,
but I'm sure the gene Paul is the same. Somewhere
way back up in those Scottish are highlands, righty, hope
is I've been really looking forward to this interview and
many of you will be familiar with the an parks
(18:55):
from social media to the farm strong champion, a coach
for ilitator who uses our own story to empower others.
H And let's face it, it's in the mental health space, sets,
in the wellbeing space, looking after ourselves. Ded Welcome on
to the show. How are you?
Speaker 7 (19:13):
I'm great? Thank you for having me today. This is yeah, fibulous, really,
it's fabulous talk to you.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
No, no, this is so important. And you know, look,
look you've got a social media post out today which
to mums in the trenches, and that's pretty much with
you know, I guess a good point to start our conversation.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (19:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (19:33):
And the reason why I just share that is because
I know, you know, so many mums are in those.
Speaker 7 (19:39):
Trenches and it's tough, and you feel like it's a.
Speaker 9 (19:44):
Confusing time because it's like, you know, you're meant to
be so excited, like you know, you're a mum with
these kids and living your best life, and he's just
something that is going, oh why aren't I excited about this? Like,
and it's just you know, there's so many changes and
so many things going on, and you kind of wanting
to feel, you know, like you're living your best life
(20:04):
and you just don't. And I just wanted women to
know that A you know, I see you, I hear you,
I've seen there. I had three kids under three and
a half and it was it was tough. But we,
you know, put on this mask and we pretend that
everything's incredible and everything's amazing, and inside it is just
such a confusing place.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Yeah, look on the farm, I reckon it's ninety eight
percent of the time in our rural communities where the wife,
the woman, the partner is expected not only are they
you know, are expected to be the rock, but you know,
where's the fairness in that? And your story, as you're saying,
is different to that, oh one hundred percent.
Speaker 9 (20:45):
I think we feel like we need to be, you know,
the mum, the partner, the calf rearer, the administration, you know,
doing all the things like looking at you know, changing
your insurance or updating your insurance, all the administration, and
there's so many things that pile up on the mum's plate.
And then there's also the aspect of I call it
(21:06):
like DC, like the four children and the farm. You know,
we had our own careers and we had all these
things and suddenly it's like in a flash, life just changes,
and you know, we don't want to say we can't
do it all, but gosh, I remember so clearly, having
you know, one kid crime, one on my backpack, trying
to feed, carves and just going this is not you know,
(21:29):
the picture the picture I imagined, but pull it together
because you know, husband's having you know, bugger or sleep
during carving time, and you know there's you know, there's
all those things in trying to just make you know,
keep the peace for everybody else.
Speaker 7 (21:43):
But inside it yeah, not tough, yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Because sometimes you think they're all there are people worse
off than me, but often there actually aren't. You can
be rock bottom and you need to be aware of it,
don't you. You need to you need to sort of
point your finger at yourself and ask a few questions.
Speaker 7 (21:59):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 9 (22:01):
And when I was going through my really dark time,
I had you know, extremely sick family members, and.
Speaker 7 (22:10):
So you know, I was kind of being like, oh,
my thing, you know, isn't so bad.
Speaker 9 (22:13):
It isn't so bad, And often would compare myself to
other people and these situations, and you know, we lost
a few springs through illnesses and you know, they passed away,
and so I'm kind of like, look, I'm here, like
why you you know, like you get to see your
kids and you get to do this and be alive.
But yeah, it wasn't It wasn't helping me at all.
(22:34):
It just kind of, you know, further cush you down. Yeah,
that mental health continuum down the bottom, down the bottom.
Speaker 7 (22:41):
And I wish i'd know. I did reach out for help, but.
Speaker 9 (22:45):
I didn't quite know how to be really clear and
say how much I was struggling, because it's fearful you
think oshus people really knew what was going on and said,
my head, you know, you just have that judgment on yourself.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
But oh there, that's yeah, yeah, thank you for sharing that,
because I just want to share something now that from
a men's males perspective here, right, And my view on
my own situation is I just totally one hundred percent
depend on my wife for anything and everything, and if
she passed, I'd die a minute later. I so would.
(23:20):
But what I realized at the times when I piled
on the pressure that actually recognizing the stress that that's
putting her under and she's got her own world going on,
like you, three children under four and those things. Is
that that's actually for them. For me as a male,
was quite empowering for me to go, you know, like,
for one of a better description, get your shit together
(23:40):
or get some of it together and move forward together,
you know, talk about it, have some you know, have
some real connection over this.
Speaker 7 (23:49):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 9 (23:50):
And it is, you know, sitting down and I think
you know, she had a post a while back around
for the husbands or the partners, you know, don't wait
to be asked and you know, offer and sometimes it
just you know, the offer of help, knowing that you
know that.
Speaker 7 (24:05):
In with the trenches with you it can be huge.
But I know how hard it is to ask for
that help. And so that's why I think it's really
important if the you know.
Speaker 9 (24:17):
The partner can say you know and you just you know,
this conversations an example, you can say, hey, I heard
Hay India and talking today and you know, is there
anything I could do?
Speaker 7 (24:28):
And you know, just ask a few times and see fecretly.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Yeah, absolutely, okay, So just to I don't know, I
suppose you're it's organic in a way, isn't it, But
there are are. There are a few tips sort of
to you know, starting with a bit of connection, a
few ways to sort of put in motion or plan. Yeah.
Speaker 9 (24:47):
I think of the biggest thing and I talked about
this on my posts this morning, is you know, one
of the five ways to.
Speaker 7 (24:54):
Well being is take take notice.
Speaker 9 (24:56):
And I think when you're a mum in the trenches,
you're kind of like you because coaching and counseling and
so call it like they're really good, but you're kind
of like, I don't have time for that. So take
notice is a really great place to start. And it's
just looking at gratitude. So when we start looking at
everything that is going wrong, like I'm not getting enough
sleep in my house with the terms, oh gosh, and
(25:18):
I've got to get the kids here, then there the
GSPS drew all of those things.
Speaker 7 (25:22):
That's where our attention is.
Speaker 9 (25:24):
But if we can flip it and take notice, and
you know, my challenge would be, it's just three things,
you know, what what has gone great or what's going
well and then dive a little bit deeper into the why.
Speaker 7 (25:36):
And so then if our attention is.
Speaker 9 (25:38):
Focusing on what's going well, that's what we start to notice.
And then you know, put all those good happy hormones,
you know, and that's like exercise as well, like it
keeps all those dolphins and feel good things going. So
there is like, you know, a lot of science to
the background of you know, why these five ways of
well being are good as well as they're proven and
(25:58):
every day to day.
Speaker 7 (25:58):
So that's where I start.
Speaker 9 (26:00):
If there's a you know, a mum out there at
the moment that's just going mate, I'm keeping my head
above water.
Speaker 7 (26:06):
Three things to you know, what's gone well for the day.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Fabulous advice born from experience them parks of love. This
chat could go on for hours now. Social media wise,
how if people want to who haven't seen your post today,
where do they sort of get a hold of you?
Speaker 9 (26:26):
So they can find me on DM parks and I
have just tagged and a whole lot of people.
Speaker 7 (26:31):
I've shared it on the FAMI Mum's good site.
Speaker 9 (26:34):
And yeah, but Instagram is where you'll find me hanging
out and yeah, so they can find me on there,
and but yes, likes your message. If you know, people
are they just have you know, feeling they know something
that's not right and they don't know where to start.
You know. Also heavily involved with will Support trust as well.
(26:55):
So yeah, if people kind of like, I don't know
what's wrong, just let me message and say that and
I can, yeah, point in the right direction as to
who can help.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
Your bloody marvelsty And thank you so much for your
time today, and I'm sure we'll chat again in the
not too distant future. Much appreciate it, awesome.
Speaker 7 (27:12):
Thank you much, have a beautiful Thursday.
Speaker 5 (27:14):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Twelve forty two here on the country. After the break,
we're going to go trans Tasman to our Ossie correspondent
Chris Russell on the country. It is that time where
we head across the ditch, across the Tasman and catch
up with our wonderful Australian corresponded Chris Russell. But of
(27:41):
a roady down to waggle Woggle. We might talk about
that at the end, but right now, Chris, wool prices
enjoy a meteoric rise over the last ten weeks. What's
behind that?
Speaker 6 (27:50):
Well, Homi sisters snuck up on us a bit for
a long time. You know, we used to talk every
week about wool price and report and we sort of
got bored with it. Always sat around the eleven hundred
cents of kilo and nothing much hattening everyone's deerman gloom.
But in the last ten weeks we've seen the longest
run of price rises in war on the Least Eastern
(28:11):
Market Indicator, which is what we use as a guideline,
since nineteen eighty seven. That's a long time ago. And
in the last it's gone up four dollars a kilo,
and it's gone up a dollar akilo just in the
last week. So I thought, well, I better have a
bit of a look at you know what's driving this
all of a sudden, and it's the old Chinese story.
(28:31):
Of course, as usual, that's where seventy percent of our
wall goes, and in particular, the Chinese government is looking
to replace uniforms. Now, it's interesting that if you look
back to the nineteen fifties when wool was selling for
a pound a pound, which in today's money works out
for I think it round about the thirty two dollars
a kilo. That was also driven by a renewal of
(28:53):
all the uniforms for the new uniforms for the Chinese
army in those days. So they're looking to replace see uniforms,
which is that's creating demand. There's also a dramatic shortage
of wall. Of course, a lot of people gone out
of wool producing sheet more into the lambs because that's
where the money's been, and so they're having to compete
for the wall. So the haggling that used to occur
(29:16):
at the ockins, that's not happening at the moment, and
we're seeing them more or less paying whatever they need
to pay to get hold of this wool. And so
everyone is pretty excited about where that might go. And
I went to a talk by the head of a
WY the other day, and he's always been optimistic that
wool was going to make a comeback because we want
to get rid of all the microplastics and all the
(29:37):
other the sort of nasties out of our out of
our clothing. And it looks like he's been proven right
because there's serning some money in into the moment and
there's no sign of looking like that price rose is
going to stop.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Homies, yep. And if it's driven by that demand on
that scale from China, I think you're one hundred percent
onto it. Chris ok beef to keep rising over there
for two years prediction of w fifty five percent.
Speaker 6 (30:02):
Yes, well, you know, in a case of at the
moment we're a bit short of beef in the south,
and there's lots of beef in the in the north.
But it's been interesting to see where that market's lightly
to go. And I was reading some forecasts by some
of the ex so called experts here and they're saying
that we could see up to thirty to thirty five
(30:24):
percent height in prices over the next couple of years,
you know, due to the expansion in demand, particularly for
our style of meat, and particularly from America. We've got
a new free trade agreement now with the United Arab
Emirates which they're buying a lot of lamb as well.
That's going to factor off into high red meat prices generally.
(30:44):
But what they're saying that by twenty twenty eight it
will probably come back a little bit and it's going
to settle in at about five hundred and fifty to
five hundred and seventy cents of kilo between twenty twenty
eight and twenty thirty three. Well, that's still bloody good
money I missed, you know. I think most would say
I can make good money, and that particularly you know
way up north where they're mainly having these brahmins or
(31:06):
yaxes they're impolitely called by our Southerners, where you know,
they were lucky to get two dollars fifty akilo and
they're getting three seventy four dollars, you know, good money
for those animals up there on that out that country.
So really I think the optimism is there for beef,
particularly in Queensland. The question is are we going to
be able to produce enough to actually fully take advantage
(31:29):
of all those prices.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Incredible but good to have some sort of future proofing
in there. As you say, it's still at reasonable amounts.
Even if it does back off a little bit, you've
covered off a little bit there. The UAE Free Trade
Agreement will be very good for Australians. Now Unisith this
is interesting finds for the first time that more obese
children globally are malnourished more than thin ones.
Speaker 6 (31:55):
Yeah, well this is an interesting story. You know, way
back in the seventies there was a big they talked
about the Green Revolution. They were going to solve famine
in the world by these new varieties of rice that
came out. Ira eight was the real hero of all that,
but in fact, while it solved the shortage of carbohydrate,
they did not solve the shortage of protein and therefore
(32:17):
the malnourishment of kids, so we didn't have any more
famines in terms of total food. We certainly have always
had some problem with malnutrition. Now in Africa, a lot
of the problem is education of the mothers in knowing
what they need to feed. But in Australia and in
the sophisticated countries, we're now seeing malnourishment and these are
(32:38):
amongst the beast kids because there's much too much relying
on ultra refined foods as they call them, or junk
food I think we preferred to call it, and people
it's a convenience food. Both parents are working, just get
them something to fill them up, and they're saying that
a v city now in Australia, and UNISEF is saying
globally is now over fifty percent of those children are
(33:01):
actually obese rather than ultra thin, but they're still undernourished
and suffering from malnutrition. So this is a massive change
and there's a lot of calls now, of course for
taxes to be brought in on junk food, on over fatty,
over salted foods, and over sugar foods to try and
solve this problem, a very different problem than the one
(33:24):
we had way back when we saw those Coleegal wrecks
of Ethiopian children back in the fifties and sixties.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Homish Yeah, yeah, yeah, remarkable stuff, remarkable stuff.
Speaker 6 (33:34):
Right.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
I'm not going to talk the rug because you're just
going to give us our best coach back at some point,
thank you. But I do want to talk about with
some Australia pushing for sharing to be on the Olympics
in Brisbane twenty thirty two. Get the hand piece out,
grind the comb.
Speaker 6 (33:46):
I'm there well in the fed inc Of Department. I
think it's going to happen Hamish, but there is a
West Australian teenager who's calling them for to be included. Interestingly,
she comes from Catanning, which is right next door to
Darken where earlier this year a New Zealand girl from
I think she came from ocell Week here is that?
(34:08):
How you say that? In New Zealand And Alexa Phillip
broke Phillips broke the female world record for the most
marino shoes hues Sean in eight hours, three hundred and
sixty seven. So right next door to her, it's a
big shearing area. And as we've now had a call
from catanning this Kay Kyley Sander is watching the Paris Olympics.
(34:30):
She thought one sport was missing shearing, so she's put
in the submission to Brisbane. They're allowed to choose one
sport and she's going to push pretty hard with and support.
I'm sure of the West Australian government. They have it.
Put in how many countries we'd have competing, might be Australia,
New Zealand and maybe South Africa. That might be the
end of that.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
Oh, the Welshire pretty good. The Scot's go right too.
Maybe they'll be the odd Frenchman in there as well,
but yeah, I think it'd be Goodlet's see how the
World Championships go with the goal. And she is here
mastered in her march. Hey, Chris, leave you to it
to go and enjoy Woggle Wogger. Thank you very much
as always.
Speaker 6 (35:04):
No worries. Home's great to talk here.
Speaker 10 (35:07):
Cheers Boston. More than a feeling.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
It's been four weeks at number one back in nineteen
seventy six, here at now. No matter how long you've
been working on the farm, how long in the tooth
you are, you can always learn to work smart to
save money a time on the farm. In episode three
of the podcast series brought to you by Beef and
lamb en'z ed Empowered by the Country, join me Hamish
(35:43):
Mackay to find out about the topic of feed budgeting
along with two guests. Now we have a farmer Matthew
Taylor and head of science at durien z Ed Nico Lyons.
Good combination. It took a bit of a look at
why feed budgeting is an important tool, practical steps for
how to start, and how walking the paddock and just
watching the grass grow could help your farm profits grow.
(36:05):
Nothing wrong with that a The main message has been
throughout the series you can't manage what you don't measure.
You know. It's like when you get on the scales,
see how porky you've got fine? Episode three Feed Budgeting
brought to you by Beef and Land, New Zealand on
the Country podcast on iHeart or wherever you get your
good podcast. Give yourself a bit of a you know,
a body conditioned score. Check it out. This has been
(36:31):
The Country your Thursday. Thank you too. Michelle Watt out
of Dunedin, producer extraordinary. We'll do it all again, I
think out of the Auckland studio tomorrow moving around the country.
We'll go to those cities sick of ay. Have a
great day.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's The Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Brent, You're specialist in
John Dere machinery.
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