July 7, 2026 • 8 mins
Labour Leader Chris Hipkins is open to working with the Government on a bill banning social media for under-16s.
Speaking to Canterbury Mornings, Hipkins said any social media ban should go through the select committee process, and New Zealand should take lessons from Australia's recently introduced restrictions.
"We've got to do more to keep our kids safe online, but the Aussie experience has shown that it's not easy".
Hipkins also shared his views on recent policy announcements from NZ First, National and the Greens, as well as China's missile tests in the South Pacific.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from Newstalk ZB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good morning, John.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
So it seems the National Party is not having much
luck getting act and who's going first to support its
social media ban? Has the government asked Labor to support it?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yeah, there have been some discussions between us. We've certainly
indicated that we're willing to sit down and talk to
them and see if we can find a way forward
to at least get a bill off to Select committee
so that what we're off election campaigning people can be
putting their submissions and then the next Parliament will be
able to consider it.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Why aren't we waiting a little bit more given the
news from Australia in the last twenty four hours that
the social media companies aren't even bothering checking people's ages.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Well, that's one of the reasons why we think we
should make sure we have a proper process around this.
So we're happy to work with the government to get
a bill introduced into the House, but we do want
it to go through a proper select committee process. I
don't want this to be something that's rushed through like
most of the laws this government passes that seem to
have been You know, there is some real fishocks. There's
still real questions about their scope. You know, what should
(01:10):
it apply to and what shouldn't it apply to? And
how would it actually work and would it be effective?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
How confident are you here and now that it would work.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Oh, there's a lot of questions. You know, it's a
really legitimate issue. As a parent myself, I look at
this and I think, you know, we've got to do
more to keep our kids safe online. But the au
the experience has shown that it's not easy.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
So China is saying that we're overreacting to its missile test.
What are you reading into it? This and don't read
too much into it? What are you reading into it?
Speaker 2 (01:40):
I support the New Zealand government's position. I think it's
a it's a concerning development. I think New Zealand's quite
right to be opposing what what China has been doing here.
You know, the Pacific is an ocean of peace. It's
got a strong history of peace and we don't want
to see it become militarized. We don't want to see
more of this sort of thing happening.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
So should Pacific countries not do anything to brass China off,
given that some of them have been courting them at
the same time.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
I've never agreed with appeasement is a defense strategy. I think,
you know, dipomacy is a good defense strategy, but not appeasement.
Where China does things that are provocative and where you
know we disagree with their actions, we should say so.
And the Pacific nations are absolutely other Pacific nations are
absolutely entitled to do the same.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
What was illegal about what they.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Did, I haven't said it's illegal. I'm not an international
law expert. I think it's certainly provocative, it's concerning, it's
an escalation, and it's something that you know New Zealand
should be should be opposed to.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah, because China signed up to the Treaty of Raratonga,
but one of the clauses that didn't agree to was
no testing. So therefore it hasn't done anything wrong. It's well,
it could be seen as having done nothing wrong in
international waters. It gave us the heads up. Where did
it go astray.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Bittainly in violation of the spirit of the Treaty of Barratoga.
As I said, I'm not an international lawyer, I'm not
going to form a view on whether they've breached the
letter of that law. But certainly it's not keeping the spirit,
which is around keeping the Pacific and nuclear free zone,
and you know, testing a bilistic missile capability that's nuclear capable,
(03:17):
even if it doesn't have a nuclear war here, it
does seem to be counter to that intention.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
New Zealand first wants to restrict voting rights in this
country to once limited to New Zealand citizens. Who do
you think should be allowed to vote here?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Well, I think you know New Zealand first, the law
change would be very detrimental to a lot of permanent
residents have been here a long time, recognizing that New
Zealand is a little unique in this regard, and that
a lot of the people who have lived here in
some cases for most of their lives are still only
permanent residents, not citizens, because in order to become a citizen,
they have to give up the citizenship in their home
(03:52):
and their country in which they were born. Because you know,
India and China, for example, where we've got a lot
of you knows, over half a million New Zealanders who
have traced roots back there, they don't allow dual citizenship,
Whereas if you're coming from the UK, for example, you
can keep you a UK citizenship and become a New
Zealand citizen. You can't if you're in that category. So
(04:15):
it would be very very unfair, I think to those
who have lived here a long time, made a life here,
paid taxes here, contribute here, part of society here, to
say sorry that you can't vote.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
You might be very pleased to hear you get no
argument from me on that one. One other thing, National
has announced that it's ambitious, ambitious on the trade front,
wants seven new deals within the next five years. Where's
Labour's big ambition?
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Well, I think you know, seven new deals are a
wonderful thing. But the real question is what are we training?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
You know, No, no, no, no, no, I'm saying that
that's you can't argue that that's ambitious. Where's where's your
big ambitious thinking?
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, the big ambitious thinking in for labor is how
do we expand what we're trading in? Because there's only
no not matter how many countries you trade with, there's
only so much milk, powder and lamb and you know
and some on that we can produce. We actually need
to produce more things that the world wants in other areas.
If we're going to be richer as a country, you
want to what you're training, But there's still a finite
(05:14):
limit to the amount of primary produce that we could produce.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
What are some examples in of what we caught or
should be training more of.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Well, yesterday I went to a video game company out
in the Heart Valley. Video gaming now is a billion
dollar industry for New Zealand, in part because we've doubled
it in size in the last three or four years
because of a text credit that was introduced during the
time that I was Prime Minister. Digital video gaming is
a very lucrative industry around the world. You look at
(05:42):
a country like Finland, for example, who were world leaders here,
We could overtake them if we do this well, creates good,
really well paid jobs, brings a lot of money into
the country. It's a weightless part of our economy, and
you know, those are the sorts of things that we
need to do more of. When what even weightless witless,
it doesn't weigh anything. You know, you're not you're not
having to export a physical product. You can beam it
(06:03):
out through the wires and people can download it all
around the world and a lot of money comes back
into New Zealand instantly as a result of there. So
these are the sorts of things that we could do
a lot more of financial technology fintech. There's another area
where New Zealand's got a natural strength. You look at
big companies like Zero doing amazing things around the world
and emerging companies like Henry you know now name sponsor
(06:25):
for the Wellington Stadium. You know, those are the sorts
of companies and the sorts of sectors which can create
really lucrative, well paid jobs for New Zealand. And you
know that's we've got to do more of that sort
of thing. We can't just be a primary producing country.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
We've got to diversify, right, so just to finish off
and you say, producing more milk powder isn't the answer.
Where do you stand on the Green's position that farmers
need to downsize so we can reduce night trate levels.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Well, I didn't say we shouldn't produce milk powder. It's
absolutely a very important part of that.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I'm not saying that, but I'm not Yeah, but where
do you stand on what the Greens are saying in
regards to downsizing to reduce night tracks.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Well, we want our rivers and lakes to be swimmable,
we want our drinking water to be drinkable, you know,
we want an environment to be protected. I don't think
that that necessarily means that you have to downsize the herd.
And there's a whole lot of technology that A R
and D that the farming community is highly engage with
at the moment that has the potential to produce more
(07:24):
efficient cows, more efficient farming, produce more bean through our buck.
And I know the farming community are right into that
and the government should continue to support that because that
innovation is the way forward for our farming sector.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
It sounds to me like you're not in favor of
the table thumping the greens are doing.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Look, I mean I've spent a lot of time, as
you know, John, I think we've talked about this before,
engaging with farmers over the last couple of years, and
I don't think they get the credit for the extent
of innovation that we're seeing in farming, you know, the
extent to which we're seeing farmers adopting new technologies so
that they're getting so that they are more environmentally friendly
so that they are getting better productivity. I don't think
(08:02):
they get the credit that they deserve for that.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Okay, But aside from supporting the objectives of having clean
the water, which the Greens are obviously won't get much
argument with, you're not necessarily in favor of the clamp
down that they're talking about.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Look, I ever said I want efficient farming, I want
environmentally friendly farming. I don't think that necessarily needs to
mean less farming.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Right, So that means the Greens are going to put
the Greens in the corner if you end up having
coalition talks with them, is that right?
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Well, look, post election, it should we be in conversations
with the Greens. I'm sure they're going to be very
lots of very interesting conversations. But every political party under
MP faces that, so you know, that's the nature of
what we have in our democracy.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
All Right, we'll resume our conversation at fortnite.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Thanks Chris, It's.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
John no worries For more from Category Mornings with John McDonald.
Listen live to news Talks It'd be christ Church from
nine am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from Newstalk ZB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good morning, John.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
So it seems the National Party is not having much
luck getting act and who's going first to support its
social media ban? Has the government asked Labor to support it?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yeah, there have been some discussions between us. We've certainly
indicated that we're willing to sit down and talk to
them and see if we can find a way forward
to at least get a bill off to Select committee
so that what we're off election campaigning people can be
putting their submissions and then the next Parliament will be
able to consider it.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Why aren't we waiting a little bit more given the
news from Australia in the last twenty four hours that
the social media companies aren't even bothering checking people's ages.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Well, that's one of the reasons why we think we
should make sure we have a proper process around this.
So we're happy to work with the government to get
a bill introduced into the House, but we do want
it to go through a proper select committee process. I
don't want this to be something that's rushed through like
most of the laws this government passes that seem to
have been You know, there is some real fishocks. There's
still real questions about their scope. You know, what should
(01:10):
it apply to and what shouldn't it apply to? And
how would it actually work and would it be effective?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
How confident are you here and now that it would work.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Oh, there's a lot of questions. You know, it's a
really legitimate issue. As a parent myself, I look at
this and I think, you know, we've got to do
more to keep our kids safe online. But the au
the experience has shown that it's not easy.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
So China is saying that we're overreacting to its missile test.
What are you reading into it? This and don't read
too much into it? What are you reading into it?
Speaker 2 (01:40):
I support the New Zealand government's position. I think it's
a it's a concerning development. I think New Zealand's quite
right to be opposing what what China has been doing here.
You know, the Pacific is an ocean of peace. It's
got a strong history of peace and we don't want
to see it become militarized. We don't want to see
more of this sort of thing happening.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
So should Pacific countries not do anything to brass China off,
given that some of them have been courting them at
the same time.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
I've never agreed with appeasement is a defense strategy. I think,
you know, dipomacy is a good defense strategy, but not appeasement.
Where China does things that are provocative and where you
know we disagree with their actions, we should say so.
And the Pacific nations are absolutely other Pacific nations are
absolutely entitled to do the same.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
What was illegal about what they.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Did, I haven't said it's illegal. I'm not an international
law expert. I think it's certainly provocative, it's concerning, it's
an escalation, and it's something that you know New Zealand
should be should be opposed to.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah, because China signed up to the Treaty of Raratonga,
but one of the clauses that didn't agree to was
no testing. So therefore it hasn't done anything wrong. It's well,
it could be seen as having done nothing wrong in
international waters. It gave us the heads up. Where did
it go astray.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Bittainly in violation of the spirit of the Treaty of Barratoga.
As I said, I'm not an international lawyer, I'm not
going to form a view on whether they've breached the
letter of that law. But certainly it's not keeping the spirit,
which is around keeping the Pacific and nuclear free zone,
and you know, testing a bilistic missile capability that's nuclear capable,
(03:17):
even if it doesn't have a nuclear war here, it
does seem to be counter to that intention.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
New Zealand first wants to restrict voting rights in this
country to once limited to New Zealand citizens. Who do
you think should be allowed to vote here?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Well, I think you know New Zealand first, the law
change would be very detrimental to a lot of permanent
residents have been here a long time, recognizing that New
Zealand is a little unique in this regard, and that
a lot of the people who have lived here in
some cases for most of their lives are still only
permanent residents, not citizens, because in order to become a citizen,
they have to give up the citizenship in their home
(03:52):
and their country in which they were born. Because you know,
India and China, for example, where we've got a lot
of you knows, over half a million New Zealanders who
have traced roots back there, they don't allow dual citizenship,
Whereas if you're coming from the UK, for example, you
can keep you a UK citizenship and become a New
Zealand citizen. You can't if you're in that category. So
(04:15):
it would be very very unfair, I think to those
who have lived here a long time, made a life here,
paid taxes here, contribute here, part of society here, to
say sorry that you can't vote.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
You might be very pleased to hear you get no
argument from me on that one. One other thing, National
has announced that it's ambitious, ambitious on the trade front,
wants seven new deals within the next five years. Where's
Labour's big ambition?
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Well, I think you know, seven new deals are a
wonderful thing. But the real question is what are we training?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
You know, No, no, no, no, no, I'm saying that
that's you can't argue that that's ambitious. Where's where's your
big ambitious thinking?
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, the big ambitious thinking in for labor is how
do we expand what we're trading in? Because there's only
no not matter how many countries you trade with, there's
only so much milk, powder and lamb and you know
and some on that we can produce. We actually need
to produce more things that the world wants in other areas.
If we're going to be richer as a country, you
want to what you're training, But there's still a finite
(05:14):
limit to the amount of primary produce that we could produce.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
What are some examples in of what we caught or
should be training more of.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Well, yesterday I went to a video game company out
in the Heart Valley. Video gaming now is a billion
dollar industry for New Zealand, in part because we've doubled
it in size in the last three or four years
because of a text credit that was introduced during the
time that I was Prime Minister. Digital video gaming is
a very lucrative industry around the world. You look at
(05:42):
a country like Finland, for example, who were world leaders here,
We could overtake them if we do this well, creates good,
really well paid jobs, brings a lot of money into
the country. It's a weightless part of our economy, and
you know, those are the sorts of things that we
need to do more of. When what even weightless witless,
it doesn't weigh anything. You know, you're not you're not
having to export a physical product. You can beam it
(06:03):
out through the wires and people can download it all
around the world and a lot of money comes back
into New Zealand instantly as a result of there. So
these are the sorts of things that we could do
a lot more of financial technology fintech. There's another area
where New Zealand's got a natural strength. You look at
big companies like Zero doing amazing things around the world
and emerging companies like Henry you know now name sponsor
(06:25):
for the Wellington Stadium. You know, those are the sorts
of companies and the sorts of sectors which can create
really lucrative, well paid jobs for New Zealand. And you
know that's we've got to do more of that sort
of thing. We can't just be a primary producing country.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
We've got to diversify, right, so just to finish off
and you say, producing more milk powder isn't the answer.
Where do you stand on the Green's position that farmers
need to downsize so we can reduce night trate levels.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Well, I didn't say we shouldn't produce milk powder. It's
absolutely a very important part of that.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I'm not saying that, but I'm not Yeah, but where
do you stand on what the Greens are saying in
regards to downsizing to reduce night tracks.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Well, we want our rivers and lakes to be swimmable,
we want our drinking water to be drinkable, you know,
we want an environment to be protected. I don't think
that that necessarily means that you have to downsize the herd.
And there's a whole lot of technology that A R
and D that the farming community is highly engage with
at the moment that has the potential to produce more
(07:24):
efficient cows, more efficient farming, produce more bean through our buck.
And I know the farming community are right into that
and the government should continue to support that because that
innovation is the way forward for our farming sector.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
It sounds to me like you're not in favor of
the table thumping the greens are doing.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Look, I mean I've spent a lot of time, as
you know, John, I think we've talked about this before,
engaging with farmers over the last couple of years, and
I don't think they get the credit for the extent
of innovation that we're seeing in farming, you know, the
extent to which we're seeing farmers adopting new technologies so
that they're getting so that they are more environmentally friendly
so that they are getting better productivity. I don't think
(08:02):
they get the credit that they deserve for that.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Okay, But aside from supporting the objectives of having clean
the water, which the Greens are obviously won't get much
argument with, you're not necessarily in favor of the clamp
down that they're talking about.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Look, I ever said I want efficient farming, I want
environmentally friendly farming. I don't think that necessarily needs to
mean less farming.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Right, So that means the Greens are going to put
the Greens in the corner if you end up having
coalition talks with them, is that right?
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Well, look, post election, it should we be in conversations
with the Greens. I'm sure they're going to be very
lots of very interesting conversations. But every political party under
MP faces that, so you know, that's the nature of
what we have in our democracy.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
All Right, we'll resume our conversation at fortnite.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Thanks Chris, It's.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
John no worries For more from Category Mornings with John McDonald.
Listen live to news Talks It'd be christ Church from
nine am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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