February 10, 2025 • 36 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Nathan Guy, Alan Thomson, Christopher Luxon, Todd McClay, Jon Pemberton, Todd Charteris, Emma Crutchley, and Jo Luxton.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's The Country
Podcast with Jamie McGue thanks to Brent, you're specialist in
John Deere machinery.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Now this canon the Sun by myself.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Goody in New Zealand and welcome to the Country. Coming
to you live from a very windy Wellington where we're
broadcasting today from the Speaker's Lawn on Parliament. Kicking off
the show today as long as a gazebo doesn't blow away.
As a man who knows Parliament well, former Minister of
Agriculture these days, of course, the the I was going
(00:44):
to say, the chief executive of being, not the chief
executive the Independent cheer Janie, it's a bad start, okay,
the Independent chair of the Industry. I'm just storried we're
going to get blown off the face of the earth
here that we're on the Speaker's lawn. Nathan, just to
start with before we talk meat and why we're doing this,
celebrating one hundred and forty three years on Saturdays since
(01:07):
Dunedin left Port Charmers loaded with those five thousand carcasses.
Of course National Lamb Day. Are you missing this place?
Speaker 4 (01:15):
No, not really, Jamie, and this job I come into
Parliament a fair bit into the beehive and say hi
and lobby hard for farmers and for the red meat sector.
But now I've got a t shirt at home that says,
never go back only Ford.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
You obviously do tread the corridors of power. Are we
bit in your job? But you're effectively a lobbyist in
some ways. Oh.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Some may say that my job is really to run
the council, which is like a board. Nine chief executives
come together a couple of months. My job is to
get every discussion into a decision. And I must say
that across the meat industry there's quite a bit of
collaboration going.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
On right now and I'm really enjoying my job. The
meat industry, let's be honest about it, especially for lamb,
and in the past few years have been tough times.
Beef's been ticking along quite nicely. In fact, that record
prices at the moment. But you've got to be boyed
with what's happening out there, because if it had carried
on much longer the way we were going and the
(02:12):
way forestry and carbon farming were looking, the sheep industry
could have been in some bother That's right.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
It's been very, very tough for particularly hill country sheep farmers.
The green shoots appearing now and a lot of those
farmers have some beef, and beef's very strong lambs looking up.
I looked at the numbers yesterday. Sheep meat returns are
up twenty two percent in this time last year, so
that's a real positive.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
The outlooks strong.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
We've had reasonable rain across the country, so that kill
was being pushed out a bit. That means that companies
will have to pay a bit more for longer, so
that is a positive for our red meat farmers.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
And yeah, it's been bloody tough out there. Jamien still
got a wee way to go, and our biggest red
meat market is now the United States. Of course, there
are trouble at mill there with Trump and his tariffs.
We just don't know at this stage what we're up against.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
No, we don't know what we don't know, and there's
a lot of work going on behind the scenes there
with government to government and business to business, a lot
of contacts through the Republicans. We hope that we're going
to be okay, but we just don't know. I guess
what we need to focus on is the things that
we can control, and that's growing grass and actually making
(03:31):
a fantastic product that has exported to one hundred and
twenty countries around the world, and we should celebrate that.
And today on the Speaker's lawn here at Parliament, it
is a day of celebration one hundred and forty three
years till those since those five thousand odd carcasses made
their way up to the UK. And the great yarn
that I researched this week was Captain Whitson. They were
(03:53):
up in the tropics there and the freight started getting
a bit hot, so he went down into the luggage
cargo sort of hold where the cactus were and started
sowing some holes in the ship and then almost got
hypothermia and passed out and had to be dragged out
by his feet. So that guy is an amazing.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
True pioneer, pioneer of our export red meat industry. It
is a great story, and I always rattle off the numbers,
and I won't do it again because I get told
off for repeating myself. But the fact that they were
ninety eight days at sea, they had all that trouble
in the tropics, they got stuck in the doldrums or whatever,
and when they got there, only one carcass was unfit
for sale. It's an amazing story. It is a great yarn.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
And when we think about where our red met sector
has come from those days, it's fantastic. And we know
that there's going to be a little bit of rationalization
still in the red meat sector as those lamb numbers
drop away, but we should reflect on the innovation that's
occurred and the evolution of the red met sector because
there's a lot of kit in these plants and I'm
a frequent visitor to processing plants up and down the country.
(05:00):
I'm amazed at what our companies do. And also, twenty
four thousand jobs are created the largest manufacturing sector in
New Zealand, and ninety thousand jobs when you tally up
the indirect ones as well. So fantastic industry. A few
headwinds ahead, and we've talked about the Trump factor, we've
talked about the lamb crop dropping away, but let's celebrate
(05:22):
today and continue to talk up our red meat sector.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Okay, final one for you. You're a colcocky by training,
You'll be prone and no doubt partial to a wee
bit of beef. But I put it to you, is
there a finer meat than say, a Lamb wreck.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
I love a lambreck, I had plenty over summer. I
don't think there actually is. I'd agree with you.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
So let's have a couple tonight or shortly this afternoon.
Nathan guy, thank you very much for coming along and
to us today. Nathan, I better get it right the
Independent Share of Meat Industry Association. It was just that
when we kicked off the show, Nathan, there was a
gusta one. We've got our nice branded country gazebo here
(06:03):
and I'm thinking it's going to end up in Courtney
Place or something where we might end up later on tonight.
Get blown in there. You can't take your car down
there there, so you have to walk exactly. Okay, we'll
take a break here on the country. It's thirteen after
twelve up next. I think Alan Thompson, the new chief
executive of Beef and Lamb New Zealand, did.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
You just fall away?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Welcome back to the country. Coming to you, as I
said live from the Speaker's lawn in Parliament, this is
very exciting. We're I've got a bit of time to
kill this afternoon. So we're going to wander in and
have a look at question time and have a bit
of a tour of Parliament with Grant mcnational, longtime correspondent
on the country, but one of the blokes behind this.
(06:58):
It's his organization that's putting it on and that's Beef
and Land New Zealand. Is the new or relatively new
chief Executive, Alan Thompson. You've been in the job since
early November, Allen. But we're celebrating what happened in eighteen
eighty two on Saturday February fifteenth. But you and I
go back one hundred years on from that to nineteen
(07:20):
eighty two, and we were in the magnificent dip AD
class of nineteen eighty two together. I will have to
say you've done a lot better than me.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
That's really kind of you, Jamie, and great to catch
up in person. So thanks, thanks for the opportunity to
talk to that.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Do you remember those days we were When I think
about it, we were awful in some ways because we
used to do child If my kids did it, I'd
be really annoyed, you know, make a dart and light
it and throw it down, and it was I just
think some of those lecturers must have hated us, but
I always remember remember Dennis Alvage. I'm not sure whether
(07:55):
Dennis is still with us. Great guy played rugby for
Canterbury and he was their animal science lecturer and there
was never any messing around in Dennis's lectures.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
You're absolutely right, and I was reflecting. I caught up
with Professor Keith Cameron who was our soil sector and
Keith is still doing great job as a Professorromeiratis taking
us forward from an environmental tools point of view. So
you know, for the years on, these guys are still going,
some of them.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
So today is all about celebrating farmers and their product,
namely lamb. Obviously National Lamb Days Saturday February the fifteenth,
one hundred and forty three years on Australia, and you
and I were having a chat just before we came
to it. Australia do a great job on Australia Day
of promoting the consumption of lamb. Are we doing enough
(08:47):
in this country? Look, we could always do more.
Speaker 5 (08:51):
And it is an interesting dichotomy between Australia New Zealand.
I think I think the Australian public really backed their
farmers and part of today, I guess, is having the
New Zealand public understand just how important farmers are to
the New Zealand economy. They really are the powerhouse of
the New Zealand economy. Combined, eight out of ten, every
(09:15):
of ten export dollars comes from the sector. So every
time we use our phone for our car with petrol
get in the car, out of ten dollars of that
has come from our farmers. So I think we do
need to learn from the Australians. There is not a
lot that we've learned from them, but this is probably
one of them.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Is it possible? Does beef and lamb put the hard
word on the likes of the supermarkets because I'm having
a bit of a crack at them. I think they
should come to the party for something of national significance
like this, because to be and to be fair to
the supermarkets, especially not last Christmas. The Christmas before when
farmers were getting paid bugger all for their lamb, they
(09:51):
did a good thing. They special at nine or ten
dollars a kilo for legs of lamb heading into Christmas,
and they encouraged kiwis who may not otherwise be able
to afford our national delicacy if you want.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
It's a good question, Jamie. We have through beaten lamb ink,
an entity that leads tastes pure nature, which has the processes,
has us as representers of the producers and the supermarket
chains on it. And I've been really impressed at the
seriousness which the supermarket industry takes their role in promoting
(10:27):
New Zealand lambs. So yes, we we could all always
do more, but I think they are giving it their
best shot and we continue to work with him.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
The prospects for red meat farmers beasts going well and
lambs had a much better season, but it needed to
and we talked a wee bit to Nathan Guy about this.
It was under real threat from changing land use. Look,
yes it was.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
And there's certain the green shoots is optimism within the sector.
Sheep farmers are really grateful to the government for making
their their environment in the broader sense of the word,
more clear. We're looking forward to fewer, fairer, clearer regulations
(11:17):
and so that helps create the confidence and the environment
in which they work in. So that's really important. There's
a real strong view of the industry, particularly with doubling
agricultural exports to get behind farmers as an industry and
really help them succeed and grow lamb again as a sector.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
All right, Allen Thompson, great to catch you again. I
don't think we've seen each other since nineteen eighty two.
Go back another hundred years and we're celebrating the the
need and leaving port Charmers. Congratulations to Beef and Lamb
for putting this on. It's a real who's who here today.
Because I know the Prime Minister's wandered up. We might
have a quick yarn to him. And we've got Todd
(12:03):
McLay who was also the host as the Minister of
Agriculture and Trade. It is twenty two after twelve. We'll
be back after the break.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
For the first time.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Twenty four after twelve. The country Life from the Speaker's
Lawn playing about of country music. I think, is this
Morgan Wallands? I don't know. Oh, you can't hear the music.
Well I can hear it. It's good country. Zach Bryan
nine ball post Malone.
Speaker 6 (12:41):
Yeah, we'll post my album of the year trillion, But
I mean Zach Bryan nine ball would be the song
of the start of the Year reckon.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Okay, well, it's got very good of the Prime Minister
to come along and support the National Lamb Day Barbecue.
Of course it's all happening on Saturday. You'll be eating
Lamb Shops and the Luxom Household on Saturday.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
Today for lunch, which is awesome. It's great that you're
here in Parliament, but I mean there is actually quite
a Parliament inc and I need to talk to you
about because you did actually spill red wine.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Over a white wine? Was it red or white.
Speaker 6 (13:12):
White wine on the airplane over one of our MP's
here in Parliament and it was a Green MP.
Speaker 7 (13:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (13:18):
But the worrying thing is you were reading the Woman's
Weekly and who's who's who's your All of that that
coming together just says I think we've got an incident.
I think we've got an incident, a breakdown between the
media Parliament.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Is this going to be bigger than a Seamore drama?
Speaker 6 (13:33):
Well, there's there's just a lot of drama in this place.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
At time to time. So can I make another confession?
Prom and what else have you done? Well? Beef and
Lamb have done an excellent organizing this whole day it's
a real who's who. But they forgot one thing, not
the lamb or the beef. No, No, they forgot where
the public access to the toilets? Oh yeah, So just
before I went to air because I didn't want to
get caught.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
Sure you went in.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Ah, I had an I legal pea in parliament.
Speaker 6 (13:58):
G Jerry Brownie will be all over you. He'll be
all over you. You can't go off doing that. You can't
put you can't put jeeps up the stairs.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Security do we.
Speaker 6 (14:08):
Only we only see in you there once and then
you've got to come back and apologize.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
I just thought i'd face up so I got caught on.
Speaker 6 (14:14):
I appreciate the honesty. We know what we're dealing with
upfront and get all the facts out on the table early.
So but how have you been? You've been okay?
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Yeah, yeah, and I have been really good. Were you
peeved off for Seymour yesterday? Was that a bit of
a stunt? Because I did. That's a great story behind
the bloke driving the land river the length of the country.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
Some great story. Yeah, Like I mean he's actually raising
money for some you know, like a heartbelve piece and
that's really fantastic. So look, it is that. I mean,
it's it's you know, of looton politics. There's when you're
leader of a minor party, you've got to convey, you know,
buy for media attention, and that's all part of the politics. Frankly,
what we really need to be focused on is making
sure we're delivering from the news you own people, and
(14:50):
that's really about the economic growth. And hopefully you got
to see yesterday we Announcesair Investor Summit, which is awesome.
We announced their investor active investor. Visa's over Sunday and
there's a lot going on. So we've got a lot
to do to get to.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Show you and Seymour were good mates pre politics.
Speaker 6 (15:05):
I think, well, we're neighbors. We're neighbors from we know
each other as neighbors actually, but is he annoying slightly?
Speaker 8 (15:11):
Now?
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Look at instance has been on his best behavior and
we'll remain on his best behavior. I'm getting the wind
up from.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
Look, no, no, no, I mean, look, we're in a
three party coalition government. As I said from day one,
people will express things differently and do things differently. But
what's important is New Zealand's going through a lot of
economic pain. And our job is to get the Zealanders
on the other side of it, and a big part
of that is powering up agriculture. And I think you've
seen over the last twelve months that is the government
that actually is backing our farmers and we're going to continue.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
To do so because we've got a great future ahead
of us.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
We can grow this country much much faster than we
are and that's what we're fixated on.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Well, I heard you this morning saying we're talking to
Hosking saying getting the barnacles off the boat, and that's
not a bad We've.
Speaker 6 (15:50):
Got to go faster, right because the economic growth means
I've got to go faster too. From You've got the
man that does matter actually, like Minister of Trade and
Agriculture Tod McLay with you.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
So that's pretty cool now, Hi, Prime Minister, thank you
very much.
Speaker 6 (16:03):
Good to see and we'll let you back in next year.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Okay, let's just forget about that. Okay, Todd McLay, you're
you're the Minister of Agriculture and Trade obviously, and you
are you are also the official host today. Great turnout
we've got.
Speaker 9 (16:19):
It's a great, great day and Jamie to see people
from across Parliament. I'm looking around every single party in
Parliament coming to celebrate and thank our lamb farmers for
not only the work they've done over the last few years,
but the great heritage that we have in New Zealand.
As a result of that, and the PM's coming along,
he and I are going to have a lamb chop
(16:39):
eating competition, and because he's a Prime Minister, I'm going
to let him win.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
How many do you reckon? You could scoff for thirst of
those if we lamreck lollipops?
Speaker 9 (16:50):
Well that's that's one of the pre workers have been
a cabinet minister or trade minister. I think so this
is the second year, Jamie, we have done that. Last
year we were our approaches say would we do something
in a restaurant in Parliament and I said, well, why
would we do that when we're going to be outside celebrating,
having a barbecue, doing what kiwis do. And there was
a meeting somewhere in the buildings of Parliament. They turned
up and decided we would have these little small Spanish
(17:13):
type sausages because it's hard for people who eat well,
I've overalled them.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
I didn't realize.
Speaker 9 (17:18):
As the Agminister, I have a say, and now people
are eating lamb chops with their hands and I've never
seen so many smiles in Parliament before.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
They are absolutely delicious. Now the best thing you could do,
and you know this yourself, for the sheep farmers in
New Zealand has advanced that free trade or some sort
of trade agreement with India because they like a bit
of lamb.
Speaker 9 (17:37):
They do, and we've spoken about this on your show
a few times. Last year Australia got that trade deal
sort of through COVID and we've seen their lamb ex
sports increase quite significantly during that period of time. Look
that the most important thing we had to do. The
primes said, we want to make our relationship with India
a strategic priority, and last year we demonstrated that. I
(18:00):
had six or seven meetings with my counterpart. I was
up there four times. Winston went up there to peer
meant with Prime Minister Modi from India, who personally invited
him to visit India and that will take place very
very soon. So the relationship is much stronger and a
much better footing. I mean, incidentally, I've had officials up
there in India sort of off and on through the
(18:22):
summer period, talking about ways we can sell more and
trade more and get barriers down, and of course we
want a trade agreement with them, but we're going to
keep strengthening that relationship before we probably get to the
stage and being able to talk about when we were launched.
But single focus this year and trade is selling more
products to India and buying more from India and for
(18:42):
our lamb farmers making sure they have great access to
these markets around the world.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Well, Tom maclay, thank you very much for some excess
time with you today. I know you've got to go
on open proceedings here very very shortly with your official speech.
We might hear some of that in the background, but
we'll take a break on the other side of it.
Here the country coming to you live from the Speaker's
lawn in Parliament. We'll have rural news and sports news.
Hopefully we've got the people from ag Proud. We'll sort ourselves. Well, yeah,
(19:11):
we've got John. We've got John Pemberton here, I see
have we got We're going to take a break. We're
just going to organize ourselves during the break. They're all
lining up oh, good old Grant mcnational, there's Todd Charters
from Rabobank, Sue's Redmain, the Nats are swarming everywhere. Haven't
seen Damian O'Connor or Joe Luxton yet. And my new
(19:32):
friend from the Green Party or I spilled wine on
on the plane last night, Scott Willis. I'm hoping he
might turn up as well. Okay, halfway through our broadcast
here on the Speaker's lawn at Parliament and our gazebo,
a nice country branded gazebo, hasn't blown away, although I
(19:55):
have had a few worrying moments. Windy old Wellington, John Pemberton,
good Southland farmer, good Edendale farmer, dairy farmer. What's your
connection with this event and what's ag Proud's connection with
this event? Because I know you were one of the
founders of ag Proud.
Speaker 8 (20:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (20:12):
Look, egg Proud was always about having a barbecue and
having a good, honest conversation over sin Tucker and I
guess this was a bit of a day of how
do we celebrate New Zealand egg and have that connection
to the royal communities and you know, bring everyone together
and drop all the barriers and leave all the politics
at home and give out Parliament having a barbecue, which
(20:33):
is hilarious. But you know, we just teamed up with
Beef and lamb and threw an idea at them if
they could shift the day to the when the ship
Dunedin left portch Armers, would be a far more social
time of the year, being the summer rather than to May.
So it literally just kicked off from there and we
just sucked in a few people like Mark Petterson who
thought it'd be great. I did have a barbecue at
(20:53):
Parliament last year and Minister McLay saw it and thought
he I'll be involved in that.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
And it's just Madison of course. He's Associate Agriculture Minister
and good good Southern Farmer as well. And he's from
a little place called Lawrence and South Otago there and
here he is and he's what did you call him,
the Lambasad.
Speaker 11 (21:13):
Yeah, he's a Wellington l Ambassador.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yeah, Lambassador. Yeah, what a fantastic title. You must be
very proud that you've got so many people here turning up.
Speaker 8 (21:24):
Yeah is the wall front.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
I haven't seen Damien yet, Yes O'Connor, Yes.
Speaker 11 (21:29):
I made sure missus in this morning. I used to
do to make sure he's coming along.
Speaker 8 (21:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (21:33):
Look, it's quite a humbling experience, that's just seeing everybody
get him behind.
Speaker 11 (21:38):
Such an amazing day that you know, it celebrates the
history of New.
Speaker 10 (21:42):
Zealand, the channels New Zealand and it's you know, if
it could be that hell that everyone comes in New
Zealand joins on for the one day, you know, if
we can build this up so it runs in its
own oxygen. So every key he's looking forward to celebrating
Lamb Day their way. You know, not everyone's going to
have excess to lamb. So it's really about food and
for being as.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
We've got a good example, haven't we across the Tasman
Australia do it? Yeah, are something like a four hundred
percent increase in the consumption of lamb for that week.
Speaker 11 (22:10):
Yeah, yeah, and that's that.
Speaker 10 (22:12):
As part of the challenge this he has been a
bit of a bit of an eggle try and get
a hold of procurement of product because it has been
shifting so well over seas. But you know, we'll unashamably
copy that the Australians is not what they haven't done
it to us.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
So how are things on the Southland Dairy farm even
though we're talking about lamb today.
Speaker 10 (22:29):
Yeah, Look, it's been a funny growing season. We had
a very tough spring, to the point that I think
if we saw another one like it, there'll be some
people scratching the heads where the Southam's the place to be.
But you've been there for a long time, you know
that there was probably the only one we see in
our in our generation, I'm hoping, and growth turned up
and then they're all week to seeds, so you know,
(22:50):
topping a pout of Yes, I think it's a third
time of minu Yeah. Yeah, so it's been a challenge,
but look, farm gate prices are lifting and it's amazing
what pain they'll and I just hope there's not too
much kneedic reaction going on around how the springs being
because like I said, surely be another twenty five thirty
years we'll see one like that.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
Well, well, we certainly hope so. But I guess the
silver lining and the cloud is obviously going to be
the payout for you guys. Yes, getting off script here
a wee bit for National LAMB Day, but you know,
just talking to the dairy farmers as well, well, it's.
Speaker 10 (23:21):
All circular, right, We all farm in the same region
and we are all interconnected in our farming systems. Will
it be store stock or off window grazing or you
know there are a lot of.
Speaker 11 (23:33):
Connections between all the farm systems in South Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Well, JOHNO Pemberton from Egg proud to you and Emma
Crutchley he's here as well today. I think you should
be very, very proud of your efforts as caster. I
was going to say thousands, hundreds in front of us
here enjoying LAMB and promoting LAMB at Parliament amongst the
movers and shakers.
Speaker 10 (23:51):
So well done Jews, mate, and I hope everyone gets
in amongst it on Seido the fifteenth and chucks it
up on social so we can see how everyone does
your LAMB day.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Okay, I think John O Pemberden there, Hey, what we're
going to do, Andy Duff listening and paneling doing an
excellent job in Auckland. We're going to have to go
to a break now. I think we're not quite ready
for rural news and sports news, so we'll go to
a break and then we'll come back with Todd Charters.
We'll get rural news and sports news, and I'm hoping,
(24:22):
hoping to catch up with someone from the Labor Party,
either Joe Luxton or Damien. I think Damien's here. He
was on the plane with me last night before the
end of the hours.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
It down on.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Shong eighteen away from one coming to you from the
Speaker's lawn at Parliament, Local Wellington tech guys doing and
promotional guys doing a wonderful job holding the gazebo down
just in case it blows away very shortly. Todd Charters
from a rabobank. Maybe Emma Crutchley, we've got her as well,
(25:00):
and we're going to try and catch up with Joe
Luxton or Damian O'Connor before the end of the abb
But there's no show without punch. She would turn up
to the opening of an envelope. Rowena Duncan, you're here
with rural news. Make it a good read all.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
The country's rural news. With Lawnmaster helping you musty your
lawns for over seventy five years. Visit Steelfort dot co
dot NZID for your local star guest.
Speaker 7 (25:22):
Yeah, I'm not.
Speaker 12 (25:22):
Too sure about the opening of an envelope, Jamie, but
definitely a lamb chop on the barbie absolutely gets me along.
Look in Rural News, a Chinese counterfeiter of Zesbury Keywifruit
labels has been young for more than three years for
their part and a brand fraud scheme. The Global Marketer
says nine people have been sentenced in China for their
involvement in the manufacture and distribution of more than nine
(25:44):
million counterfeit Zespri labels in China.
Speaker 7 (25:47):
One of the.
Speaker 12 (25:48):
Defendants had been sentenced to three years and three months
in jail and ordered to pay a fine of just
under twenty thousand New Zealand dollars.
Speaker 7 (25:55):
And so they should.
Speaker 12 (25:56):
That's something that really really annoys me is people trying
to get in on our Keiwi fruit over there so
that as.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
You're a news okay, let's head to Auckland Sports News
with Andy Duff.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Sports were the half Go Kiwi to the bone since
nineteen oh four.
Speaker 13 (26:12):
Where there is no wind where I'm sitting, he's on
A Rugby has launched legal action against Anyos, believing the
petrochemical company has breached its sponsorship deal. London's telegraphers reporting
Enios failed to pay the first installment of the twenty
twenty five seasons and he's on a Rugby at the
halfway point of its six year deal to sponsor the
teams in Black, including the All Blacks. A rarely used
(26:33):
captaincy model has been adopted by the Hurricanes for Super Rugby.
The franchise has named four skippers for the season, Bradshields,
Duplessy Carefe, Billy Proctor, a suffer A Miller, with two
co captains to be appointed for each game. And Crystal
Palace is safely through to the fourth round of Football's
FA Cup after a two nil win over Doncaster Rovers,
who sit three divisions below them on the table.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
That is your sports news. Thanks Andy doing a wonderful
job paneling the show out of Auckland. Told charteris, didn't
you play you played chief executive of Rabobank. Didn't you
play rugby for the East Coast or Poverty Bay West Coast?
Oh West Coast? I knew you played for somebody. Well
well done and your day. Did they have four rugby captains?
Speaker 14 (27:15):
Not Nowaday, No, And we certainly didn't have more than
two coaches I think in one manager and.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
That was all we needed. Those were the days how
you along with FMG two great rural companies in New Zealand,
Rabobank and FMG. You guys have been the umph behind
Beef and Lamb to make this thing go.
Speaker 8 (27:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 14 (27:34):
Look, we're delighted to be involved. And yeah, two great companies.
I agree, And it's a great fit for us and
so yeah, we're just really pleased to promote what is
a great day in a great way of celebrating a
great product. And you know, and that's challenged for all
of us is how do we make this more available
to more people in New Zealand.
Speaker 8 (27:55):
It's great?
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Well, I know'd as she went backward and coming forward,
I saw you filling your face there before with the
old l lollipops. They're pretty good.
Speaker 8 (28:02):
Ah, they're outstanding.
Speaker 14 (28:03):
And I've got to say those people on the barbecue
have done a good job here, Jamie.
Speaker 8 (28:08):
So you want to be quick because you might miss out.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
Yeah, well exactly, I said to Nathan guy who's a
cow kocky and you know he's obviously grown up eating
a lot of beef as well. But when and you're
from a good rural background, is there anything better than
a lamb wreck?
Speaker 14 (28:22):
Doesn't get any better, Actually, doesn't get any better? And
to be honest, yeah, and you know you could do
a whole carcas and chops.
Speaker 8 (28:29):
Really I'd be happy with that.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
But I was reading this morning online when we were
waiting to line up outside Parliament about New Zealand first
getting stuck into woke banks, which thankfully we can eliminate
you from because you told me off last week for
even suggesting that you were a woke bank. But this
banking inquiry, what's going to come out of it?
Speaker 8 (28:49):
I'm not sure.
Speaker 14 (28:49):
I mean, it sounds like I think it's politicking. I
couldn't comment with Parliament, so I'm not going to comment
on politics.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
So I take that as a yes.
Speaker 14 (28:59):
Well does then, But look, I think from our point
of view, as we've always said, there's lots of competition
in the marketplace, and yep, we're playing our part and
we want to continue to ground this market. And we're
one hundred percent behind food and negro in this country.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
So the equation is going to work better this year
for farmers, all farmers across the board. They're going to
get increased returns and lower costs, certainly their interrastrate costs. Anyhow,
all that adds to a much better bottom line and
we needed it.
Speaker 14 (29:29):
Oh absolutely. It's been incredibly tough, There's no doubt about that.
And I think, you know, we've got to acknowledge the
strength of balance sheets to get through to this point,
you know, because as you say, it didn't get any
tougher them We're commodity prices were certainly for sheep meat,
but also really high interst rates and so we're through
the worst of that now and we're on the downward cycle,
so that's good. There will be some other headwinds I
(29:49):
think coming with a lower dollar for some input costs,
but you.
Speaker 8 (29:53):
Know, I think there'll be more than offset it with
the exports.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Good on Todd charteris Rabobank along with the FMG two
great rural companies supporting New Zealand farmers. Thanks for getting
in behind this event. We are going to take a
break on the other side of it, hopefully. Damian O'Connor
and Joe Luxton.
Speaker 4 (30:10):
Yes, there's a party downtown you futually everybody.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
Had barge welcome back to welcome back to the country.
The final break here before we get a lamb shop.
Thanks to Ed and Morgan from Enz and me here
in Wellington. I've done an excellent job keeping the gazebo
(30:38):
planted to the ground. Well done, Lad's great work. And
they couldn't wait till the end of the broadcast. They're
into the Lamb shops already. Okay, we've got a couple
of wonderful guests to finish off with Emma Crutchley along
with John Pemberden from Agg Proud. You've come all the
way from the Manetoto. You were on the Red Eye
this morning out of Dunedin. You must have been early
(30:59):
out of bed for you this morning.
Speaker 15 (31:01):
Yeah, sure was. I managed to find a bit in
Dunedin last night though, so it wasn't as early as
it could have been. But with the distance that Danniedan
airports from actual duned and it's still a bit of
a hike.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
So how did you get involved with egg Proud?
Speaker 15 (31:16):
So I think friends with John and Pete and last
year they were putting their campaign together and it was
quite interesting to see a dairy farmer fronting national lamp
and I thought how cool. So I rang them up
and I was like, how are you going with it?
And he was little, we're sort of we're we're taken
(31:37):
along good, but we need to sort of make it fly,
and I was like, how can I help because it's
such a cool initiative, right, just trying to celebrate our sector,
and at that time things were pretty tough, so yeah,
and it just sort of rolled from there.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Things are looking up for the sheep farmers though, which
is good news about time.
Speaker 15 (31:54):
Yeah, they are, they are. But I also think, and
what now, because we have been through some tough times.
I think we've got to sort of turn around and
maybe take a look at ourselves and go, okay, so
how do we see ourselves up so we're not back
there as sheep farmers and possession ourselves to for long
term success.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Are you looking out at the crowd now? I think
Todd McLay or is it the Prime Minister speaking to
everyone out there for the official opening? Which is fantastic.
You and John o must be very proud of Egg Proud.
Speaker 15 (32:26):
Super proud of egg Proud and really cool to watch
this come together in such a positive light.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
Well good on you, Emma Crutchley. To you and John o'pember,
then well done. We're going to wrap it with one
of my favorite labor and peace. Can I say that
about you? Joe Luxton? Agriculture spokesperson greater you to turn
up here today, and we've dropped Amian O'Connor just so
we can chat to you.
Speaker 7 (32:48):
It's good to be here, Jamien. Of course you can
say that about me.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Well, of course I can do. You know my new
Green MP friends, Scott.
Speaker 7 (32:54):
Willis, I have heard a bit of a story, a
bit of a rumor.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
So, well, what a gentlemanly many built wine on the plane.
It was a complete accident rodeo, so was Chippy. Is
Chippy here today?
Speaker 7 (33:05):
But I haven't seen Chippy out here today.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Okay, So you and Damien are here, which is the
two people, which is fantastic. Now, once we finish the
barbecue here because we've got a bit of time to
kill this afternoon, I want to go in and see
question time and they tell me that you're asking a question.
Speaker 7 (33:20):
Yeah, I am. I have a question to the Chair
of the House Select Committee and I won't go into
detail about it. You have to come and watch that
question time, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
So it's not one of those dreadful Patsy questions you
have to ask us it.
Speaker 7 (33:31):
No, a Petsy question is asked by a government member.
So remember I'm oppositions, so it won't be a petsy.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
I thought you could ask a patsy question to your
leader only if you're in government. Okay, well there you go,
so no patsy questions from from you. This is great.
This has been supported by MPs across the board and
you know AGG Proud Beef and Lamb, New Zealand FMG
Rabobank all behind this. There's a great prow, a great crowd.
(33:58):
This is a great promotion for not only the rural
sector but more particularly red meat and lamb.
Speaker 7 (34:03):
Yeah, it's an awesome event to come to and I
have to say the chops are out standing.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
Joe, I wouldn't know.
Speaker 7 (34:11):
Maybe I've had your share, Jamie, you might have missed out.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
The guys me and Wellington have been digging in. They've
done a great job keeping at Gauzebo in place. Okay,
So what are you aiming to do for the rest
of the year, Joe, Oh, there is to the year.
Speaker 7 (34:23):
We're just going to carry on with a bit of
the listening that we've been doing, getting out and about
amongst the farmers around the community, and then we'll start
to look to develop our policy, which we've got a
process that we go through for that, but I promise
you it'll be in time for the next selection. Jamiers.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
Well, I'm pleased to hear that, because initially I might
have said to you, well, you're those show for six years.
Normally we don't boot governments out after one term, and
I'm not saying we'll boot this one out after one term.
But Labour must be buoyed by the polls at the moment. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (34:52):
Look, I mean normally a government would go at least
the full term, or We'll have to wait and see
with this one and whether they last beyond therefore, that's
up for debate, I guess. But you know, what we're
seeing is the general public out there saying that they're
not happy with what this government is doing. It's not
delivering some of the things that they thought it might deliver.
And we're looking as a pretty strong, stable opposition and
(35:16):
we're united and we're really keen to get.
Speaker 3 (35:18):
I think it's all about the economy, stupid. I if
and when the economy improves, and I think it will
in twenty twenty five, the lot of the government or
the governing coalition will improve.
Speaker 14 (35:28):
No.
Speaker 7 (35:29):
Look, I think that people are seeing us as a
genuine alternative. Now they can see that we're out there
listening and we're taking it seriously and we're getting ourselves
prepared to be the next government.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Can we really take to party Maori seriously?
Speaker 7 (35:39):
I can't speak for TA Party Marti.
Speaker 3 (35:41):
We're going to have to be in coalition with them.
Speaker 7 (35:43):
Yeah, but there's all sorts of conversations that have to
happen before that, or during a process when that might happen.
And just because let's say we become the government, doesn't
mean that we will necessarily roll over for minor parties
like you see this government has done.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Okay, Joe Luxton, thank you very much. Emma Crutchley, thank
you very much. It's been a great day here. Looking
forward to question time this afternoon and your question, now
that I know it's not a Patsy question, maybe Grant
McCullum's asking all about Somber of the National Party. That
wraps our broadcast from the Speaker's lawm We've had a
great day. I'm about to dig in to some lamb shops.
(36:17):
See you in Dunedin tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
Catch you all the latest from the land. It's the
Country Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to friend, you're specialist
in John Dere construction equipment
Catch all the latest from the land. It's The Country
Podcast with Jamie McGue thanks to Brent, you're specialist in
John Deere machinery.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Now this canon the Sun by myself.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Goody in New Zealand and welcome to the Country. Coming
to you live from a very windy Wellington where we're
broadcasting today from the Speaker's Lawn on Parliament. Kicking off
the show today as long as a gazebo doesn't blow away.
As a man who knows Parliament well, former Minister of
Agriculture these days, of course, the the I was going
(00:44):
to say, the chief executive of being, not the chief
executive the Independent cheer Janie, it's a bad start, okay,
the Independent chair of the Industry. I'm just storried we're
going to get blown off the face of the earth
here that we're on the Speaker's lawn. Nathan, just to
start with before we talk meat and why we're doing this,
celebrating one hundred and forty three years on Saturdays since
(01:07):
Dunedin left Port Charmers loaded with those five thousand carcasses.
Of course National Lamb Day. Are you missing this place?
Speaker 4 (01:15):
No, not really, Jamie, and this job I come into
Parliament a fair bit into the beehive and say hi
and lobby hard for farmers and for the red meat sector.
But now I've got a t shirt at home that says,
never go back only Ford.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
You obviously do tread the corridors of power. Are we
bit in your job? But you're effectively a lobbyist in
some ways. Oh.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Some may say that my job is really to run
the council, which is like a board. Nine chief executives
come together a couple of months. My job is to
get every discussion into a decision. And I must say
that across the meat industry there's quite a bit of
collaboration going.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
On right now and I'm really enjoying my job. The
meat industry, let's be honest about it, especially for lamb,
and in the past few years have been tough times.
Beef's been ticking along quite nicely. In fact, that record
prices at the moment. But you've got to be boyed
with what's happening out there, because if it had carried
on much longer the way we were going and the
(02:12):
way forestry and carbon farming were looking, the sheep industry
could have been in some bother That's right.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
It's been very, very tough for particularly hill country sheep farmers.
The green shoots appearing now and a lot of those
farmers have some beef, and beef's very strong lambs looking up.
I looked at the numbers yesterday. Sheep meat returns are
up twenty two percent in this time last year, so
that's a real positive.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
The outlooks strong.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
We've had reasonable rain across the country, so that kill
was being pushed out a bit. That means that companies
will have to pay a bit more for longer, so
that is a positive for our red meat farmers.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
And yeah, it's been bloody tough out there. Jamien still
got a wee way to go, and our biggest red
meat market is now the United States. Of course, there
are trouble at mill there with Trump and his tariffs.
We just don't know at this stage what we're up against.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
No, we don't know what we don't know, and there's
a lot of work going on behind the scenes there
with government to government and business to business, a lot
of contacts through the Republicans. We hope that we're going
to be okay, but we just don't know. I guess
what we need to focus on is the things that
we can control, and that's growing grass and actually making
(03:31):
a fantastic product that has exported to one hundred and
twenty countries around the world, and we should celebrate that.
And today on the Speaker's lawn here at Parliament, it
is a day of celebration one hundred and forty three
years till those since those five thousand odd carcasses made
their way up to the UK. And the great yarn
that I researched this week was Captain Whitson. They were
(03:53):
up in the tropics there and the freight started getting
a bit hot, so he went down into the luggage
cargo sort of hold where the cactus were and started
sowing some holes in the ship and then almost got
hypothermia and passed out and had to be dragged out
by his feet. So that guy is an amazing.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
True pioneer, pioneer of our export red meat industry. It
is a great story, and I always rattle off the numbers,
and I won't do it again because I get told
off for repeating myself. But the fact that they were
ninety eight days at sea, they had all that trouble
in the tropics, they got stuck in the doldrums or whatever,
and when they got there, only one carcass was unfit
for sale. It's an amazing story. It is a great yarn.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
And when we think about where our red met sector
has come from those days, it's fantastic. And we know
that there's going to be a little bit of rationalization
still in the red meat sector as those lamb numbers
drop away, but we should reflect on the innovation that's
occurred and the evolution of the red met sector because
there's a lot of kit in these plants and I'm
a frequent visitor to processing plants up and down the country.
(05:00):
I'm amazed at what our companies do. And also, twenty
four thousand jobs are created the largest manufacturing sector in
New Zealand, and ninety thousand jobs when you tally up
the indirect ones as well. So fantastic industry. A few
headwinds ahead, and we've talked about the Trump factor, we've
talked about the lamb crop dropping away, but let's celebrate
(05:22):
today and continue to talk up our red meat sector.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Okay, final one for you. You're a colcocky by training,
You'll be prone and no doubt partial to a wee
bit of beef. But I put it to you, is
there a finer meat than say, a Lamb wreck.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
I love a lambreck, I had plenty over summer. I
don't think there actually is. I'd agree with you.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
So let's have a couple tonight or shortly this afternoon.
Nathan guy, thank you very much for coming along and
to us today. Nathan, I better get it right the
Independent Share of Meat Industry Association. It was just that
when we kicked off the show, Nathan, there was a
gusta one. We've got our nice branded country gazebo here
(06:03):
and I'm thinking it's going to end up in Courtney
Place or something where we might end up later on tonight.
Get blown in there. You can't take your car down
there there, so you have to walk exactly. Okay, we'll
take a break here on the country. It's thirteen after
twelve up next. I think Alan Thompson, the new chief
executive of Beef and Lamb New Zealand, did.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
You just fall away?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Welcome back to the country. Coming to you, as I
said live from the Speaker's lawn in Parliament, this is
very exciting. We're I've got a bit of time to
kill this afternoon. So we're going to wander in and
have a look at question time and have a bit
of a tour of Parliament with Grant mcnational, longtime correspondent
on the country, but one of the blokes behind this.
(06:58):
It's his organization that's putting it on and that's Beef
and Land New Zealand. Is the new or relatively new
chief Executive, Alan Thompson. You've been in the job since
early November, Allen. But we're celebrating what happened in eighteen
eighty two on Saturday February fifteenth. But you and I
go back one hundred years on from that to nineteen
(07:20):
eighty two, and we were in the magnificent dip AD
class of nineteen eighty two together. I will have to
say you've done a lot better than me.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
That's really kind of you, Jamie, and great to catch
up in person. So thanks, thanks for the opportunity to
talk to that.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Do you remember those days we were When I think
about it, we were awful in some ways because we
used to do child If my kids did it, I'd
be really annoyed, you know, make a dart and light
it and throw it down, and it was I just
think some of those lecturers must have hated us, but
I always remember remember Dennis Alvage. I'm not sure whether
(07:55):
Dennis is still with us. Great guy played rugby for
Canterbury and he was their animal science lecturer and there
was never any messing around in Dennis's lectures.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
You're absolutely right, and I was reflecting. I caught up
with Professor Keith Cameron who was our soil sector and
Keith is still doing great job as a Professorromeiratis taking
us forward from an environmental tools point of view. So
you know, for the years on, these guys are still going,
some of them.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
So today is all about celebrating farmers and their product,
namely lamb. Obviously National Lamb Days Saturday February the fifteenth,
one hundred and forty three years on Australia, and you
and I were having a chat just before we came
to it. Australia do a great job on Australia Day
of promoting the consumption of lamb. Are we doing enough
(08:47):
in this country? Look, we could always do more.
Speaker 5 (08:51):
And it is an interesting dichotomy between Australia New Zealand.
I think I think the Australian public really backed their
farmers and part of today, I guess, is having the
New Zealand public understand just how important farmers are to
the New Zealand economy. They really are the powerhouse of
the New Zealand economy. Combined, eight out of ten, every
(09:15):
of ten export dollars comes from the sector. So every
time we use our phone for our car with petrol
get in the car, out of ten dollars of that
has come from our farmers. So I think we do
need to learn from the Australians. There is not a
lot that we've learned from them, but this is probably
one of them.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Is it possible? Does beef and lamb put the hard
word on the likes of the supermarkets because I'm having
a bit of a crack at them. I think they
should come to the party for something of national significance
like this, because to be and to be fair to
the supermarkets, especially not last Christmas. The Christmas before when
farmers were getting paid bugger all for their lamb, they
(09:51):
did a good thing. They special at nine or ten
dollars a kilo for legs of lamb heading into Christmas,
and they encouraged kiwis who may not otherwise be able
to afford our national delicacy if you want.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
It's a good question, Jamie. We have through beaten lamb ink,
an entity that leads tastes pure nature, which has the processes,
has us as representers of the producers and the supermarket
chains on it. And I've been really impressed at the
seriousness which the supermarket industry takes their role in promoting
(10:27):
New Zealand lambs. So yes, we we could all always
do more, but I think they are giving it their
best shot and we continue to work with him.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
The prospects for red meat farmers beasts going well and
lambs had a much better season, but it needed to
and we talked a wee bit to Nathan Guy about this.
It was under real threat from changing land use. Look,
yes it was.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
And there's certain the green shoots is optimism within the sector.
Sheep farmers are really grateful to the government for making
their their environment in the broader sense of the word,
more clear. We're looking forward to fewer, fairer, clearer regulations
(11:17):
and so that helps create the confidence and the environment
in which they work in. So that's really important. There's
a real strong view of the industry, particularly with doubling
agricultural exports to get behind farmers as an industry and
really help them succeed and grow lamb again as a sector.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
All right, Allen Thompson, great to catch you again. I
don't think we've seen each other since nineteen eighty two.
Go back another hundred years and we're celebrating the the
need and leaving port Charmers. Congratulations to Beef and Lamb
for putting this on. It's a real who's who here today.
Because I know the Prime Minister's wandered up. We might
have a quick yarn to him. And we've got Todd
(12:03):
McLay who was also the host as the Minister of
Agriculture and Trade. It is twenty two after twelve. We'll
be back after the break.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
For the first time.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Twenty four after twelve. The country Life from the Speaker's
Lawn playing about of country music. I think, is this
Morgan Wallands? I don't know. Oh, you can't hear the music.
Well I can hear it. It's good country. Zach Bryan
nine ball post Malone.
Speaker 6 (12:41):
Yeah, we'll post my album of the year trillion, But
I mean Zach Bryan nine ball would be the song
of the start of the Year reckon.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Okay, well, it's got very good of the Prime Minister
to come along and support the National Lamb Day Barbecue.
Of course it's all happening on Saturday. You'll be eating
Lamb Shops and the Luxom Household on Saturday.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
Today for lunch, which is awesome. It's great that you're
here in Parliament, but I mean there is actually quite
a Parliament inc and I need to talk to you
about because you did actually spill red wine.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Over a white wine? Was it red or white.
Speaker 6 (13:12):
White wine on the airplane over one of our MP's
here in Parliament and it was a Green MP.
Speaker 7 (13:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (13:18):
But the worrying thing is you were reading the Woman's
Weekly and who's who's who's your All of that that
coming together just says I think we've got an incident.
I think we've got an incident, a breakdown between the
media Parliament.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Is this going to be bigger than a Seamore drama?
Speaker 6 (13:33):
Well, there's there's just a lot of drama in this place.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
At time to time. So can I make another confession?
Prom and what else have you done? Well? Beef and
Lamb have done an excellent organizing this whole day it's
a real who's who. But they forgot one thing, not
the lamb or the beef. No, No, they forgot where
the public access to the toilets? Oh yeah, So just
before I went to air because I didn't want to
get caught.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
Sure you went in.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Ah, I had an I legal pea in parliament.
Speaker 6 (13:58):
G Jerry Brownie will be all over you. He'll be
all over you. You can't go off doing that. You can't
put you can't put jeeps up the stairs.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Security do we.
Speaker 6 (14:08):
Only we only see in you there once and then
you've got to come back and apologize.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
I just thought i'd face up so I got caught on.
Speaker 6 (14:14):
I appreciate the honesty. We know what we're dealing with
upfront and get all the facts out on the table early.
So but how have you been? You've been okay?
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Yeah, yeah, and I have been really good. Were you
peeved off for Seymour yesterday? Was that a bit of
a stunt? Because I did. That's a great story behind
the bloke driving the land river the length of the country.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
Some great story. Yeah, Like I mean he's actually raising
money for some you know, like a heartbelve piece and
that's really fantastic. So look, it is that. I mean,
it's it's you know, of looton politics. There's when you're
leader of a minor party, you've got to convey, you know,
buy for media attention, and that's all part of the politics. Frankly,
what we really need to be focused on is making
sure we're delivering from the news you own people, and
(14:50):
that's really about the economic growth. And hopefully you got
to see yesterday we Announcesair Investor Summit, which is awesome.
We announced their investor active investor. Visa's over Sunday and
there's a lot going on. So we've got a lot
to do to get to.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Show you and Seymour were good mates pre politics.
Speaker 6 (15:05):
I think, well, we're neighbors. We're neighbors from we know
each other as neighbors actually, but is he annoying slightly?
Speaker 8 (15:11):
Now?
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Look at instance has been on his best behavior and
we'll remain on his best behavior. I'm getting the wind
up from.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
Look, no, no, no, I mean, look, we're in a
three party coalition government. As I said from day one,
people will express things differently and do things differently. But
what's important is New Zealand's going through a lot of
economic pain. And our job is to get the Zealanders
on the other side of it, and a big part
of that is powering up agriculture. And I think you've
seen over the last twelve months that is the government
that actually is backing our farmers and we're going to continue.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
To do so because we've got a great future ahead
of us.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
We can grow this country much much faster than we
are and that's what we're fixated on.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Well, I heard you this morning saying we're talking to
Hosking saying getting the barnacles off the boat, and that's
not a bad We've.
Speaker 6 (15:50):
Got to go faster, right because the economic growth means
I've got to go faster too. From You've got the
man that does matter actually, like Minister of Trade and
Agriculture Tod McLay with you.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
So that's pretty cool now, Hi, Prime Minister, thank you
very much.
Speaker 6 (16:03):
Good to see and we'll let you back in next year.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Okay, let's just forget about that. Okay, Todd McLay, you're
you're the Minister of Agriculture and Trade obviously, and you
are you are also the official host today. Great turnout
we've got.
Speaker 9 (16:19):
It's a great, great day and Jamie to see people
from across Parliament. I'm looking around every single party in
Parliament coming to celebrate and thank our lamb farmers for
not only the work they've done over the last few years,
but the great heritage that we have in New Zealand.
As a result of that, and the PM's coming along,
he and I are going to have a lamb chop
(16:39):
eating competition, and because he's a Prime Minister, I'm going
to let him win.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
How many do you reckon? You could scoff for thirst of
those if we lamreck lollipops?
Speaker 9 (16:50):
Well that's that's one of the pre workers have been
a cabinet minister or trade minister. I think so this
is the second year, Jamie, we have done that. Last
year we were our approaches say would we do something
in a restaurant in Parliament and I said, well, why
would we do that when we're going to be outside celebrating,
having a barbecue, doing what kiwis do. And there was
a meeting somewhere in the buildings of Parliament. They turned
up and decided we would have these little small Spanish
(17:13):
type sausages because it's hard for people who eat well,
I've overalled them.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
I didn't realize.
Speaker 9 (17:18):
As the Agminister, I have a say, and now people
are eating lamb chops with their hands and I've never
seen so many smiles in Parliament before.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
They are absolutely delicious. Now the best thing you could do,
and you know this yourself, for the sheep farmers in
New Zealand has advanced that free trade or some sort
of trade agreement with India because they like a bit
of lamb.
Speaker 9 (17:37):
They do, and we've spoken about this on your show
a few times. Last year Australia got that trade deal
sort of through COVID and we've seen their lamb ex
sports increase quite significantly during that period of time. Look
that the most important thing we had to do. The
primes said, we want to make our relationship with India
a strategic priority, and last year we demonstrated that. I
(18:00):
had six or seven meetings with my counterpart. I was
up there four times. Winston went up there to peer
meant with Prime Minister Modi from India, who personally invited
him to visit India and that will take place very
very soon. So the relationship is much stronger and a
much better footing. I mean, incidentally, I've had officials up
there in India sort of off and on through the
(18:22):
summer period, talking about ways we can sell more and
trade more and get barriers down, and of course we
want a trade agreement with them, but we're going to
keep strengthening that relationship before we probably get to the
stage and being able to talk about when we were launched.
But single focus this year and trade is selling more
products to India and buying more from India and for
(18:42):
our lamb farmers making sure they have great access to
these markets around the world.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Well, Tom maclay, thank you very much for some excess
time with you today. I know you've got to go
on open proceedings here very very shortly with your official speech.
We might hear some of that in the background, but
we'll take a break on the other side of it.
Here the country coming to you live from the Speaker's
lawn in Parliament. We'll have rural news and sports news.
Hopefully we've got the people from ag Proud. We'll sort ourselves. Well, yeah,
(19:11):
we've got John. We've got John Pemberton here, I see
have we got We're going to take a break. We're
just going to organize ourselves during the break. They're all
lining up oh, good old Grant mcnational, there's Todd Charters
from Rabobank, Sue's Redmain, the Nats are swarming everywhere. Haven't
seen Damian O'Connor or Joe Luxton yet. And my new
(19:32):
friend from the Green Party or I spilled wine on
on the plane last night, Scott Willis. I'm hoping he
might turn up as well. Okay, halfway through our broadcast
here on the Speaker's lawn at Parliament and our gazebo,
a nice country branded gazebo, hasn't blown away, although I
(19:55):
have had a few worrying moments. Windy old Wellington, John Pemberton,
good Southland farmer, good Edendale farmer, dairy farmer. What's your
connection with this event and what's ag Proud's connection with
this event? Because I know you were one of the
founders of ag Proud.
Speaker 8 (20:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (20:12):
Look, egg Proud was always about having a barbecue and
having a good, honest conversation over sin Tucker and I
guess this was a bit of a day of how
do we celebrate New Zealand egg and have that connection
to the royal communities and you know, bring everyone together
and drop all the barriers and leave all the politics
at home and give out Parliament having a barbecue, which
(20:33):
is hilarious. But you know, we just teamed up with
Beef and lamb and threw an idea at them if
they could shift the day to the when the ship
Dunedin left portch Armers, would be a far more social
time of the year, being the summer rather than to May.
So it literally just kicked off from there and we
just sucked in a few people like Mark Petterson who
thought it'd be great. I did have a barbecue at
(20:53):
Parliament last year and Minister McLay saw it and thought
he I'll be involved in that.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
And it's just Madison of course. He's Associate Agriculture Minister
and good good Southern Farmer as well. And he's from
a little place called Lawrence and South Otago there and
here he is and he's what did you call him,
the Lambasad.
Speaker 11 (21:13):
Yeah, he's a Wellington l Ambassador.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yeah, Lambassador. Yeah, what a fantastic title. You must be
very proud that you've got so many people here turning up.
Speaker 8 (21:24):
Yeah is the wall front.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
I haven't seen Damien yet, Yes O'Connor, Yes.
Speaker 11 (21:29):
I made sure missus in this morning. I used to
do to make sure he's coming along.
Speaker 8 (21:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (21:33):
Look, it's quite a humbling experience, that's just seeing everybody
get him behind.
Speaker 11 (21:38):
Such an amazing day that you know, it celebrates the
history of New.
Speaker 10 (21:42):
Zealand, the channels New Zealand and it's you know, if
it could be that hell that everyone comes in New
Zealand joins on for the one day, you know, if
we can build this up so it runs in its
own oxygen. So every key he's looking forward to celebrating
Lamb Day their way. You know, not everyone's going to
have excess to lamb. So it's really about food and
for being as.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
We've got a good example, haven't we across the Tasman
Australia do it? Yeah, are something like a four hundred
percent increase in the consumption of lamb for that week.
Speaker 11 (22:10):
Yeah, yeah, and that's that.
Speaker 10 (22:12):
As part of the challenge this he has been a
bit of a bit of an eggle try and get
a hold of procurement of product because it has been
shifting so well over seas. But you know, we'll unashamably
copy that the Australians is not what they haven't done
it to us.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
So how are things on the Southland Dairy farm even
though we're talking about lamb today.
Speaker 10 (22:29):
Yeah, Look, it's been a funny growing season. We had
a very tough spring, to the point that I think
if we saw another one like it, there'll be some
people scratching the heads where the Southam's the place to be.
But you've been there for a long time, you know
that there was probably the only one we see in
our in our generation, I'm hoping, and growth turned up
and then they're all week to seeds, so you know,
(22:50):
topping a pout of Yes, I think it's a third
time of minu Yeah. Yeah, so it's been a challenge,
but look, farm gate prices are lifting and it's amazing
what pain they'll and I just hope there's not too
much kneedic reaction going on around how the springs being
because like I said, surely be another twenty five thirty
years we'll see one like that.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
Well, well, we certainly hope so. But I guess the
silver lining and the cloud is obviously going to be
the payout for you guys. Yes, getting off script here
a wee bit for National LAMB Day, but you know,
just talking to the dairy farmers as well, well, it's.
Speaker 10 (23:21):
All circular, right, We all farm in the same region
and we are all interconnected in our farming systems. Will
it be store stock or off window grazing or you
know there are a lot of.
Speaker 11 (23:33):
Connections between all the farm systems in South Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Well, JOHNO Pemberton from Egg proud to you and Emma
Crutchley he's here as well today. I think you should
be very, very proud of your efforts as caster. I
was going to say thousands, hundreds in front of us
here enjoying LAMB and promoting LAMB at Parliament amongst the
movers and shakers.
Speaker 10 (23:51):
So well done Jews, mate, and I hope everyone gets
in amongst it on Seido the fifteenth and chucks it
up on social so we can see how everyone does
your LAMB day.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Okay, I think John O Pemberden there, Hey, what we're
going to do, Andy Duff listening and paneling doing an
excellent job in Auckland. We're going to have to go
to a break now. I think we're not quite ready
for rural news and sports news, so we'll go to
a break and then we'll come back with Todd Charters.
We'll get rural news and sports news, and I'm hoping,
(24:22):
hoping to catch up with someone from the Labor Party,
either Joe Luxton or Damien. I think Damien's here. He
was on the plane with me last night before the
end of the hours.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
It down on.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Shong eighteen away from one coming to you from the
Speaker's lawn at Parliament, Local Wellington tech guys doing and
promotional guys doing a wonderful job holding the gazebo down
just in case it blows away very shortly. Todd Charters
from a rabobank. Maybe Emma Crutchley, we've got her as well,
(25:00):
and we're going to try and catch up with Joe
Luxton or Damian O'Connor before the end of the abb
But there's no show without punch. She would turn up
to the opening of an envelope. Rowena Duncan, you're here
with rural news. Make it a good read all.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
The country's rural news. With Lawnmaster helping you musty your
lawns for over seventy five years. Visit Steelfort dot co
dot NZID for your local star guest.
Speaker 7 (25:22):
Yeah, I'm not.
Speaker 12 (25:22):
Too sure about the opening of an envelope, Jamie, but
definitely a lamb chop on the barbie absolutely gets me along.
Look in Rural News, a Chinese counterfeiter of Zesbury Keywifruit
labels has been young for more than three years for
their part and a brand fraud scheme. The Global Marketer
says nine people have been sentenced in China for their
involvement in the manufacture and distribution of more than nine
(25:44):
million counterfeit Zespri labels in China.
Speaker 7 (25:47):
One of the.
Speaker 12 (25:48):
Defendants had been sentenced to three years and three months
in jail and ordered to pay a fine of just
under twenty thousand New Zealand dollars.
Speaker 7 (25:55):
And so they should.
Speaker 12 (25:56):
That's something that really really annoys me is people trying
to get in on our Keiwi fruit over there so
that as.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
You're a news okay, let's head to Auckland Sports News
with Andy Duff.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Sports were the half Go Kiwi to the bone since
nineteen oh four.
Speaker 13 (26:12):
Where there is no wind where I'm sitting, he's on
A Rugby has launched legal action against Anyos, believing the
petrochemical company has breached its sponsorship deal. London's telegraphers reporting
Enios failed to pay the first installment of the twenty
twenty five seasons and he's on a Rugby at the
halfway point of its six year deal to sponsor the
teams in Black, including the All Blacks. A rarely used
(26:33):
captaincy model has been adopted by the Hurricanes for Super Rugby.
The franchise has named four skippers for the season, Bradshields,
Duplessy Carefe, Billy Proctor, a suffer A Miller, with two
co captains to be appointed for each game. And Crystal
Palace is safely through to the fourth round of Football's
FA Cup after a two nil win over Doncaster Rovers,
who sit three divisions below them on the table.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
That is your sports news. Thanks Andy doing a wonderful
job paneling the show out of Auckland. Told charteris, didn't
you play you played chief executive of Rabobank. Didn't you
play rugby for the East Coast or Poverty Bay West Coast?
Oh West Coast? I knew you played for somebody. Well
well done and your day. Did they have four rugby captains?
Speaker 14 (27:15):
Not Nowaday, No, And we certainly didn't have more than
two coaches I think in one manager and.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
That was all we needed. Those were the days how
you along with FMG two great rural companies in New Zealand,
Rabobank and FMG. You guys have been the umph behind
Beef and Lamb to make this thing go.
Speaker 8 (27:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 14 (27:34):
Look, we're delighted to be involved. And yeah, two great companies.
I agree, And it's a great fit for us and
so yeah, we're just really pleased to promote what is
a great day in a great way of celebrating a
great product. And you know, and that's challenged for all
of us is how do we make this more available
to more people in New Zealand.
Speaker 8 (27:55):
It's great?
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Well, I know'd as she went backward and coming forward,
I saw you filling your face there before with the
old l lollipops. They're pretty good.
Speaker 8 (28:02):
Ah, they're outstanding.
Speaker 14 (28:03):
And I've got to say those people on the barbecue
have done a good job here, Jamie.
Speaker 8 (28:08):
So you want to be quick because you might miss out.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
Yeah, well exactly, I said to Nathan guy who's a
cow kocky and you know he's obviously grown up eating
a lot of beef as well. But when and you're
from a good rural background, is there anything better than
a lamb wreck?
Speaker 14 (28:22):
Doesn't get any better, Actually, doesn't get any better? And
to be honest, yeah, and you know you could do
a whole carcas and chops.
Speaker 8 (28:29):
Really I'd be happy with that.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
But I was reading this morning online when we were
waiting to line up outside Parliament about New Zealand first
getting stuck into woke banks, which thankfully we can eliminate
you from because you told me off last week for
even suggesting that you were a woke bank. But this
banking inquiry, what's going to come out of it?
Speaker 8 (28:49):
I'm not sure.
Speaker 14 (28:49):
I mean, it sounds like I think it's politicking. I
couldn't comment with Parliament, so I'm not going to comment
on politics.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
So I take that as a yes.
Speaker 14 (28:59):
Well does then, But look, I think from our point
of view, as we've always said, there's lots of competition
in the marketplace, and yep, we're playing our part and
we want to continue to ground this market. And we're
one hundred percent behind food and negro in this country.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
So the equation is going to work better this year
for farmers, all farmers across the board. They're going to
get increased returns and lower costs, certainly their interrastrate costs. Anyhow,
all that adds to a much better bottom line and
we needed it.
Speaker 14 (29:29):
Oh absolutely. It's been incredibly tough, There's no doubt about that.
And I think, you know, we've got to acknowledge the
strength of balance sheets to get through to this point,
you know, because as you say, it didn't get any
tougher them We're commodity prices were certainly for sheep meat,
but also really high interst rates and so we're through
the worst of that now and we're on the downward cycle,
so that's good. There will be some other headwinds I
(29:49):
think coming with a lower dollar for some input costs,
but you.
Speaker 8 (29:53):
Know, I think there'll be more than offset it with
the exports.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Good on Todd charteris Rabobank along with the FMG two
great rural companies supporting New Zealand farmers. Thanks for getting
in behind this event. We are going to take a
break on the other side of it, hopefully. Damian O'Connor
and Joe Luxton.
Speaker 4 (30:10):
Yes, there's a party downtown you futually everybody.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
Had barge welcome back to welcome back to the country.
The final break here before we get a lamb shop.
Thanks to Ed and Morgan from Enz and me here
in Wellington. I've done an excellent job keeping the gazebo
(30:38):
planted to the ground. Well done, Lad's great work. And
they couldn't wait till the end of the broadcast. They're
into the Lamb shops already. Okay, we've got a couple
of wonderful guests to finish off with Emma Crutchley along
with John Pemberden from Agg Proud. You've come all the
way from the Manetoto. You were on the Red Eye
this morning out of Dunedin. You must have been early
(30:59):
out of bed for you this morning.
Speaker 15 (31:01):
Yeah, sure was. I managed to find a bit in
Dunedin last night though, so it wasn't as early as
it could have been. But with the distance that Danniedan
airports from actual duned and it's still a bit of
a hike.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
So how did you get involved with egg Proud?
Speaker 15 (31:16):
So I think friends with John and Pete and last
year they were putting their campaign together and it was
quite interesting to see a dairy farmer fronting national lamp
and I thought how cool. So I rang them up
and I was like, how are you going with it?
And he was little, we're sort of we're we're taken
(31:37):
along good, but we need to sort of make it fly,
and I was like, how can I help because it's
such a cool initiative, right, just trying to celebrate our sector,
and at that time things were pretty tough, so yeah,
and it just sort of rolled from there.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Things are looking up for the sheep farmers though, which
is good news about time.
Speaker 15 (31:54):
Yeah, they are, they are. But I also think, and
what now, because we have been through some tough times.
I think we've got to sort of turn around and
maybe take a look at ourselves and go, okay, so
how do we see ourselves up so we're not back
there as sheep farmers and possession ourselves to for long
term success.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Are you looking out at the crowd now? I think
Todd McLay or is it the Prime Minister speaking to
everyone out there for the official opening? Which is fantastic.
You and John o must be very proud of Egg Proud.
Speaker 15 (32:26):
Super proud of egg Proud and really cool to watch
this come together in such a positive light.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
Well good on you, Emma Crutchley. To you and John o'pember,
then well done. We're going to wrap it with one
of my favorite labor and peace. Can I say that
about you? Joe Luxton? Agriculture spokesperson greater you to turn
up here today, and we've dropped Amian O'Connor just so
we can chat to you.
Speaker 7 (32:48):
It's good to be here, Jamien. Of course you can
say that about me.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Well, of course I can do. You know my new
Green MP friends, Scott.
Speaker 7 (32:54):
Willis, I have heard a bit of a story, a
bit of a rumor.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
So, well, what a gentlemanly many built wine on the plane.
It was a complete accident rodeo, so was Chippy. Is
Chippy here today?
Speaker 7 (33:05):
But I haven't seen Chippy out here today.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Okay, So you and Damien are here, which is the
two people, which is fantastic. Now, once we finish the
barbecue here because we've got a bit of time to
kill this afternoon, I want to go in and see
question time and they tell me that you're asking a question.
Speaker 7 (33:20):
Yeah, I am. I have a question to the Chair
of the House Select Committee and I won't go into
detail about it. You have to come and watch that
question time, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
So it's not one of those dreadful Patsy questions you
have to ask us it.
Speaker 7 (33:31):
No, a Petsy question is asked by a government member.
So remember I'm oppositions, so it won't be a petsy.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
I thought you could ask a patsy question to your
leader only if you're in government. Okay, well there you go,
so no patsy questions from from you. This is great.
This has been supported by MPs across the board and
you know AGG Proud Beef and Lamb, New Zealand FMG
Rabobank all behind this. There's a great prow, a great crowd.
(33:58):
This is a great promotion for not only the rural
sector but more particularly red meat and lamb.
Speaker 7 (34:03):
Yeah, it's an awesome event to come to and I
have to say the chops are out standing.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
Joe, I wouldn't know.
Speaker 7 (34:11):
Maybe I've had your share, Jamie, you might have missed out.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
The guys me and Wellington have been digging in. They've
done a great job keeping at Gauzebo in place. Okay,
So what are you aiming to do for the rest
of the year, Joe, Oh, there is to the year.
Speaker 7 (34:23):
We're just going to carry on with a bit of
the listening that we've been doing, getting out and about
amongst the farmers around the community, and then we'll start
to look to develop our policy, which we've got a
process that we go through for that, but I promise
you it'll be in time for the next selection. Jamiers.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
Well, I'm pleased to hear that, because initially I might
have said to you, well, you're those show for six years.
Normally we don't boot governments out after one term, and
I'm not saying we'll boot this one out after one term.
But Labour must be buoyed by the polls at the moment. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (34:52):
Look, I mean normally a government would go at least
the full term, or We'll have to wait and see
with this one and whether they last beyond therefore, that's
up for debate, I guess. But you know, what we're
seeing is the general public out there saying that they're
not happy with what this government is doing. It's not
delivering some of the things that they thought it might deliver.
And we're looking as a pretty strong, stable opposition and
(35:16):
we're united and we're really keen to get.
Speaker 3 (35:18):
I think it's all about the economy, stupid. I if
and when the economy improves, and I think it will
in twenty twenty five, the lot of the government or
the governing coalition will improve.
Speaker 14 (35:28):
No.
Speaker 7 (35:29):
Look, I think that people are seeing us as a
genuine alternative. Now they can see that we're out there
listening and we're taking it seriously and we're getting ourselves
prepared to be the next government.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Can we really take to party Maori seriously?
Speaker 7 (35:39):
I can't speak for TA Party Marti.
Speaker 3 (35:41):
We're going to have to be in coalition with them.
Speaker 7 (35:43):
Yeah, but there's all sorts of conversations that have to
happen before that, or during a process when that might happen.
And just because let's say we become the government, doesn't
mean that we will necessarily roll over for minor parties
like you see this government has done.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Okay, Joe Luxton, thank you very much. Emma Crutchley, thank
you very much. It's been a great day here. Looking
forward to question time this afternoon and your question, now
that I know it's not a Patsy question, maybe Grant
McCullum's asking all about Somber of the National Party. That
wraps our broadcast from the Speaker's lawm We've had a
great day. I'm about to dig in to some lamb shops.
(36:17):
See you in Dunedin tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
Catch you all the latest from the land. It's the
Country Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to friend, you're specialist
in John Dere construction equipment
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Intentionally Disturbing
Join me on this podcast as I navigate the murky waters of human behavior, current events, and personal anecdotes through in-depth interviews with incredible people—all served with a generous helping of sarcasm and satire. After years as a forensic and clinical psychologist, I offer a unique interview style and a low tolerance for bullshit, quickly steering conversations toward depth and darkness. I honor the seriousness while also appreciating wit. I’m your guide through the twisted labyrinth of the human psyche, armed with dark humor and biting wit.