Jenee Tibshraeny: NZ Herald Wellington business editor on the Prime Minister's business dealings in Japan

Prime Minister Luxon's managed to find himself in hot water after some off-colour comments about previous business delegations.

Ahead of his trip to Japan, the Prime Minister said the calibre was lacking in earlier delegations, labelling prior groups 'C-list'.

NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains why Luxon's comments seemed particularly awkward.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jenative Trainey, Herald Wellington Business editor with us now. But currently,
where are you, Jane? Where in Japan?

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Hey, Heather, I am in Tokyo and we are in
this beautiful sort of office area filing our stories. We
have the New Zealand Business Delegation next door, lots of
people in shaking hands, business deals being done. It's a great,
great vibe here in Tokyo.

Speaker 1 (00:23):
Is the Business delegation just fizzing about the fact that
they're the A listers?

Speaker 2 (00:28):
They must be, I mean, how good would that be
to be the A Listers? But the awkward thing here
is that some of the people on the current business
delegation were on delegations when Labor was in government. So
you know there'll be some people here thinking, oh, well,
why has the Prime Minister effectively called us C listers
and tag alongs as well and people who couldn't convert

(00:51):
talk into business during previous trips? Do you think?

Speaker 1 (00:55):
I mean, I can see what Luxan's trying to do here, right,
He's trying to talk himself up as the big this guy,
as opposed to Jacinda who was just sort of like
it's cool, the kind of like the cool Prime Minister
but in the crossfire of this are people who you know,
he's having a crack at right, not so smart.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Well, yeah, look, that's the thing. It's one thing to
criticize labor, but it's another thing to criticize businesses ahead
of a trip aimed at selling businesses to the world.
I think that the timing of this was really poor.
And you know, even if Chris pH Luxen believed he
had a good point to make, you know, this business
allegation undoubtedly is excellent. We have the CEO's chairs from

(01:33):
some of the largest companies in New Zealand. Even if
he thought he was making a point, it is just,
you know, absolutely the wrong thing to say, and you know,
a real kick in the guts for businesses that went
on previous trips also just just naive. And the thing
with us is that he didn't. It wasn't just a
slip of the tongue to New Stalk lev He made

(01:54):
the point to my colleague Jason Walls, and then he
made similar comments to me during interview I had with
him ahead of the trip. So you know, it's not
a good look. And another point that I had thought
I went on a business trip when Jasinda Radun was
Prime Minister, and there were in fact smaller businesses that went,
like you know New Zealand fashion brands and luxury goods,

(02:16):
these sorts of things, special types of food, handbags, so on.
But those for those smaller businesses, those trips are pretty valuable.
It's harder for them to get into new markets alone
than it is for Sponterra or an A and Z.
You know, these guys already have the connections around the world,
so you know there is still value. I believe in

(02:37):
doing trade trips with smaller companies.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
You know, you make some really excellent points, they enjoy
the rest of the trip and thanks for your time.
That's gnative training. The Herald's Wellington Business edit or over
in Japan.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
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