February 25, 2025 • 38 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Nicola Willis, Jane Smith, Farmer Tom Martin, and Jim Hopkins.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie mckue thanks to Brent the starkest of
the leading agriculture.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Brands Knew Zealand. Welcome to the Country. I'm Jamie MacKaye.
(00:32):
The show is brought to you by Brandt Music. Today
Curtis of our first guest, Finance Minister Nikola Willis. This
is on the Spotify account, apparently filling in for the
Prime Minister. She's weighed in on woke banks. But does
the cozy pillow fight continue? We're going to ask her
in just a tick. Also Jane Smith, outspoken North Otago farmer,
(00:54):
following up from doctor Vaughan Holders comments yesterday about greenhouse
gas emissions. Farmer Tom Martin. Look, if you think we've
got it tough in this country, or farmers have got
it tough in this country and they haven't really compared
to their British counterparts, they're talking about introducing an inheritance
(01:15):
tax which will break literally just about break every British
farming family. We're going to talk to farmer Tom Martin
about that one. In fact, I caught up with him
about a couple of hours ago in London they've just
finished that annual National Farmers' Union conference and are all
kicked off. Jim Hopkins also, before the end of the hour,
(01:36):
we'll have the latest and rural news and sports news
for you as well. We're going to kick it off
with the Deputy Prime Minister. No, she's not, or that
might have been a Freudian slip with the Finance Minister.
(02:04):
Normally on a Wednesday, the PM kicks off the country,
but he's out of the country. He's in Vietnam, no
doubt the looming specter of China and the Pacific will
be on the agenda, but filling in is Finance Minister
Nichola Willis. And Nicola, you've got stuck into the banks.
You said it was a cozy pillow fight. I take
it you agree with the New Zealand first stance on
(02:26):
woke banks.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Well, I want to see our agricultural sector, our important industries,
our businesses getting access to lending so that they can
be more productive than they can grow. And I'm really
concerned by anything that suggests that some firms are finding
it difficult to get the finance they need. So I
(02:50):
share the concerns that are behind New Zealand First's Bill.
That's why I've suggested that Palmatary Select Committee look very
carefully at these issues. Now that the bill has been
drawn from the ballot, National Party MPs will discuss it,
look at the detail of it, does it achieve what
it sets out to achieve, and then we'll decide whether
or not to support it.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Well, you've had strong rhetoric on this, but as a
finance minister, what can you do? What pressure can you
apply to the banks?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Well, the first thing I've done is set out new
expectations for the Reserve Bank and our Financial Policy rematch.
I've made it clear that I want them to be
removing regulatory barriers which have prevented banks from expanding, which
had stopped new banks entering New Zealand, because those are
the things that will lead to more competition in the
(03:37):
medium terms. I've already done that and that work is underway.
The next thing that I can do is ensure that
when we're looking at these issues such as lending banks
stopped to particular institutions, we get to the bottom of
it and we fix up anything in law or the
regulations that are enabling that to happen. You know, I
went and visited WYTOMO groups recently. They're the petrol station
(04:00):
that the little train that could have challenged the big
petrol ferns, and they were clear with me they has
a situation where their access to borrowing in the future
is being limited because of the climate goals of banks.
I don't think that's good for New Zealand, and I
am pretty determined that we ensure that that is not
(04:21):
in fact the case. So these are issues that where
the detail matters. We're going to get into the detail,
but our goal is clear. We want productive lending going
to the productive sector. Yea.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
And why TIMA is doing a great job of keeping
the big players honest. Okay, the Paris Climate Agreement and
whether we should stay in it. Are you not NATS
to woke on climate change? I know you're getting into
woke banks. Your coalition partners, for instance, are taking a
stronger line. Winston wants us out. Seymour says the cost
of staying in will be greater eventually than the punishment
(04:53):
for leaving.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Well, hang on, hang on. First of all, I'm a
big believer that you do what you say and you
say what you do. So let's be clear Cabinet and
comprises three parties, the Zealand First Act and National All
three parties signed up to the decision to remain in
the Paris Agreement and set a target accordingly, that was
(05:17):
a decision that all of those three parties made. So
I would invite anyone listening to your show to interrogate
that before they suggest that there is very different positions
being taken by the three parties. Second thing is I
am really clear on this. New Zealand has to do
what's in our economic interests, what's best for our people,
our economy, our farmers, our exporters, and every decision we
(05:40):
take in relation to climate change the Paris Agreement should
be judged by that. And so the bottom line is
our government will not shut down the world's best farmers
or send billions of dollars overseas to meet our climate targets.
That not be in New Zealand's interest and instead, what
we're doing is keeping the doors open to markets. Do
care about whether or not we're part of international agreements?
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Do you think of the UK?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
If you think of that au it's actually part of
our trade agreements with those countries that we will be
making contributions on climate change. So the risk we would
run by making a dramatic with all is that that
could actually limit exporter's ability to access those very important markets.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Now you've got to put together a budget and may
increased defense spending is on the agenda. We've got Chinese
firing shots and anger in the Tasman. Can we afford it?
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yes, we can afford it because we have to afford it.
There can be no economic security without defense security. And
New Zealand across successive governments has allowed our defense capability
to be eroded and it's up to our government to
rebuild it and we will. We've been working on a
defense Capability Plan which takes a strategic view of what
(06:53):
are the assets we need to order and build over
the medium term, what order should we do that in?
How do we build up our capability? And I'm committed
as Finance Minister that every budget I deliver will include
increased funding for our defense forces.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
And now here's a final question for you, not on
the script, but I know you can think on your feet.
You're a very smart woman. Nikola Willis school lunches eleven
days straight of buttered chicken. I mean I went to
boarding school. I would have killed for eleven straight days
of buttered chicken. But are we putting the horse before
the cart here? Should we be more targeted in how
we feed hungry kids at school? Is it the state's
(07:29):
job to give holess bolus kids school lunches, especially in
I know it's targeting the lower decile schools, but a
lot of parents are just abdicating their responsibility.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Well, I'm going to say something controversial, Jamie, as there
are mums and dads out there who are very unhappy
with the butter chicken. I'd suggest to them that a
marmite sandwidgeon of banana would be just fine in the
lunch box. And actually, in New Zealand, we do have
a social welfare system that is there to ensure that
all families have the material means they need to provide
(08:02):
for their children. Now, we accept that it's not good
to have a kid at school who isn't eating and
is unable to focus, and that was the original intentions
for school lunch program to provide for those children. But
it's my view that in doing that we must not
lose sight of parental responsibility. I think every parent has
(08:23):
a responsibility to ensure that their child is well fed,
and we shouldn't just think that it's up to David
Seymour and the contracts he forms to make sure that
kids are wealthed.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Well spoken. Nichola Willis. Thanks for your time and thanks
for filling in for the PM.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
My absolute pleasure love being on your show.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Thank you, Nichola. Some of you are texting it and
saying wise and see more on he's the Deputy Prime Minister. Well,
he is a regular gig anyhow so when the PM's
out of the country, that's who they put up on
a Wednesday. Nichola Willis, She's bang on in my humble
opinion about the school lunches. What do you guys think?
I know it's not necessarily a farming question, but it's
(09:04):
a society question, you know, like the headlines in the
Herald this morning eleven straight days of butter chicken. Well,
if the alternative is nothing, you know, what are you
moaning about? And what did happen to parental responsibility? Are
we giving kids school lunches so Dad can go to
(09:25):
the pub later on and have a pint. I know
that sounds cynical, but unfortunately in some cases it is
the case up next. Jane Smith, following on from doctor
Vaughan Holder's comment yesterday before the end of the hour
old farmer Tom Martin. I did catch up with him
a wee bit earlier this morning out of the UK.
(09:46):
They're up in arms over there. If you think our
lass labor government wasn't flashed for farming, you want to
hear what he's got to say about the care starmer's lot.
Jim Hopkins before the end of the hour as well,
we'll get his take on life, and also Michelle with
rural news, and we'll have sports news for you as well,
and we'll tell you, in fact I should tell you
(10:06):
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(10:30):
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(10:52):
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range only on the Country. Jane Smith up next.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
New York's Now.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
She got that day side. She's an North Otago farmer
taking time out of a very busy daity yarn to us.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
Jane.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
I don't know whether you caught up with doctor Vaughan
Holder on yesterday's show, but this is what he had
to say about the split gas approach to greenhouse scarce emissions,
i e. Methane versus CO two And.
Speaker 5 (11:52):
These two gases behave very very differently in the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide accumulates. In fact, when you drive your car
to work today, you put out a certain amount of
CO two. When you drive tomorrow you double that, right,
if your call was putting out methane. If you drive
the same distance every day and you excrete the same
(12:13):
amount of methane every day, the amount of warming stay the.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
Same over time.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
What that means is if we have stable herds of
capital and sheep, we actually end up not having an
increase in warming over time.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
So there you go. That's what he had to say
yesterday as the poster girl for the Methane Science Accord.
Is that the name of it, Jane? What do you
have to say?
Speaker 6 (12:36):
Music to my ears, Jamie. Enlightening and great to hear
some sense and sensibility from doctor Holder. And whether you
look at it as a livestock seat as a whole
or xcrapolate it down to farm level. The two questions
that are all of our egg leaders and our politicians
have consistently failed to ask. These are our New Zealand
(12:57):
livestock methane emissions increasing? The answer is no. And then
the second one is with these many sane emissions, are
they stable and therefore or decreasing? And therefore are they
adding to warming? Answer also no, and so both of
these meats the definition of net zero.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Jamie.
Speaker 6 (13:16):
Job done. And that's again why it was really really
great to hear that, and you know, a great analogy
there by doctor Holders.
Speaker 7 (13:22):
I think, yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Well, and the interesting thing is, or perhaps the obvious
thing is perhaps agriculture ruminants are adding to a cooling effect.
Speaker 6 (13:33):
Absolutely, Jamie. And I've said that at a couple of
speeches that I've done, and you know, I've sort of
been ridiculed for that over the last four to five years.
And the reality is that the climate change terea is
inversely related to economic growth. So you know, let's actually
get our facts right on this and drew a line
under the whole methane mitigation mythical, you know, money wasting
(13:55):
and turn off the tap and start focusing on the
real problems in New Zealand, of which we have many.
And it was interesting to hear Christopher Luxe, and I
think it was yesterday, say we need to make the
tough choices and the trade offs. So here it is.
Here are the facts and black and white, and you know,
twenty four billion dollars that they've potentially signed us up
(14:16):
for with their net zero and their new targets. Twenty
four billion dollars, Christopher Luxe, and you could buy a
new defense force and ten new hospitals for that, or
do what you signed us up to do and get
a gold star on your sticker chart when you go
to the next climate change conference.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Jamie.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
It was disappointing to hear Grant McCallum with us insipid
line yesterday saying how poor do we want our country
to be? Well, that is exactly the question that we've
been asking, So to hide behind that sort of that
byline of trade deals, there is actually not one single
trade deals that states that we need to stay in
the Paris Agreement, Jamie, So please stop hiding behind at
(14:53):
news Helen and actually just take our own stance. We
just be proud of our free range produce and and
let's just be really upfront and honest in terms of
the part that we need to play for the world.
It's just being a leader in that area, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Pearl, Grant mcallum, everyone's getting into them interest rates. What
are you going to say about that?
Speaker 6 (15:13):
It's interesting, So just thinking last night would have been
on Franklin say, if you want to know the value
of money, go and borrow some. And it's an interesting
fact that you'll see our bank actually increased our interest
rates just before the o Ther announcement, and I was
intrigued to see see that happen, and I yet to
see them go down, but you know, they certainly are
heading in the right direction generically, and that's going to
(15:35):
actually pump a lot more money into into actually useful
things in terms of uh, you know, spectrum back economic growth,
back into our communities. Jamie, and I guess I was
away at Cynical when I saw the farmer confidence who
they come out. I guess that was taken at the
time when student Farmers and Luxton were walking hands on
hand on stage and their civil union on their tour.
(15:57):
But and there's been a few roadblocks since then, include
the misguided emissions targets announcements. But you know, I guess
one thing, Jamie, and I was just thinking back eighteen
months ago. I said that we had lost and there
was hope, and there was just a lack of hope
in our rural communities, and that obviously extrapolates out throughout
the whole entire country.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
And I feel like.
Speaker 6 (16:18):
We are back on on having some hope, and I
think that's really great. So there is some positivity out
there and let's encapsulate there and actually work on the
right things, Jamie, and not waste no more time on
this methaan folly.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Gee, you're getting into the nets today mcnational and then Lucksom, Hey,
how are things on your North Otago farm. I'm looking
at my knee with drought index map and you're there's
no yellow where you are. You you must be doing okay.
Speaker 6 (16:44):
Yeah, Jamie, we've we've been very fortunate actually over that
Christmas obviously new period, right through January and right into February,
we seem to have gathered about I think it's about
afy or ninety up to probably one hundred miles of
rain now, which is again unusual. We're not in that
sort of norwistern pattern that we usually have, and there's
a lot of feed about in stock are looking goods,
(17:05):
So all boats well for a really good autumn, because
it's autumn of really is our pivot point. Like most
east coastal areas that do get dried, it's the autumn
that can really sort of make or break as Jamie.
So no, things are very positive in net regard.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Well, you're farming on the east coast, you're heading west
this weekend to run the Motor Tarpou Marathon. That's a
lot of running up. Hell, if you don't mind me
saying so, Jane.
Speaker 6 (17:27):
It's not a deal for twenty of half marathons, Jamie.
I've never done a full one, so you think I
would be wise enough not to do a mountain run
on my first one. But I figure it can't be
any worse than childbirth or six years of a labor
Greens government, Jamie. So I think I'll just I'll.
Speaker 7 (17:42):
Just survive through it.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Jamie.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Well, they tell me. And I've done three, but might
have all been on the roads, and I think that's
a bit easy. You've got to run up to the
top of the hill. But the hard part apparently is
running down into Arrowtown the downhill. But it's quite it's
quite tough on the old knees. I hope your knees
are good.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
He's a good Jonie.
Speaker 6 (17:59):
Not sure about the rest of my physique, but again
I think I'm hopefully mentally I'll get there. I think
the last twenty odd ks might be the tought but
looking forward to it, Jamie. Always up for a challenge.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Good on you, Jane Smith. Thank you very much for
your time. Good luck on Saturday or is it Sunday?
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Saturday?
Speaker 6 (18:15):
And yes, I'll need it.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Thank you, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Good luck on Sunday for the recovery. See you later, Yeah,
thank you. Jane. It is twenty eight after twelve with
the country. She's a ball of energy, isn't she. The
Moto Tarpoo Marathon. Yeah, that's basically you run from kind
of Wonka over to Arrowtown sort of. Michelle Watt is
(18:38):
coming in here, has just arrived in about to do
rural News. You're a runner. Have you done the Motor Tarpoo?
I have, yes. What was your time?
Speaker 8 (18:47):
I think it was about five thirty and I'm pretty
sure I was in the top twenty woman for that time.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Well, it would because it's a lot harder than a marathon.
Speaker 8 (18:56):
It is a lot harder.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
It's probably easier on your legs because you've got those
nice I mean a road marathon ken is a bit
tough on your legs all on Ashvelt. But as I
said to Jane, running down the hill, apparently that's what
everyone who's done and has told me, Oh.
Speaker 8 (19:09):
That's where the cramp happens, because you run into those
river crossings and everything just seizes. It's a bit of
a push to the end, but it's a great race.
Good luck to I mean, I know there's a few
farmers competing this weekend and out on in the mountain
bike in the run. So if you're listening, good luck
and enjoy it. And I hope the weather's really good
for you out there.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Well, you'd be a bit unlucky if you struck some
bad weather in the Wanaca region. It's been a heat
wave up there. That's probably what they don't want. They
don't want thirty degrees now. Steve wyn Harris, there's a
name from the past. Steve is cleaning out troughs on
his Central Hawks Bay farm, listening to my dulcet tones,
and he says, hold on, mackay, aren't you the fellow
(19:48):
who advocated for milk and schools? And this is in
reference to whether we should be providing lunches and schools
for the kids. I'm all for feeding hungry kids because
it helps them learn. Steve, milk and schools is a
bit different in my humble opinion, because we've got kids
moaning about eleven straight days of whatever it was, but
a chicken one. I mean, you should have seen the
(20:10):
slop we used to eat at boarding school anyhow, My
point being when Fonterra, a magnificent and initiative, was chucking
milk into schools. It's in a weak, hard and very
easy to procure, produce and drop off. It's got a
refrigerate it unlike in our days of milk and school.
You know, lunches in school are completely different and there's
(20:30):
lots of logistic logistical challenges around that.
Speaker 6 (20:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (20:34):
Absolutely, And I just want to put out there. I
have a friend who attended basically boarding school in the UK.
Asked him about what the meals were like there, and
one of them was spam fritters, which is tin spam
made into fritterers and fried in a frying pan. But
a chicken sounds way nicer than that.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Yeah, And honestly, it's too it's too widespread. I know
we're targeting low decile schools, but there's plenty of kids
in those schools who don't need a lunch. Their parents
are in a position to provide one. As I say,
what happened to parental responsibility? A bit of milk and
schools for every kid should they choose to drink it
is I think a good thing. Bring back milk and schools,
(21:13):
bring back rucking. Anyhow, up next it is Rural News
with Michelle and we'll have a look at sports news
as well. Now you in that way, wish pennies and
dance Carlie Ray jebson more music from Nikola Willis's Spotify
list for what It's worth. Okay, let's do rural news.
(21:36):
I think we've got some good news for Kiwi fruit.
Welcome back to the country. It's brought to you by Bran.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
With cap Cadet, New Zealand's leading right on lawn Bower
brand is a steel for dot co dot NC for
your locals. Doggist.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Once again, I'd like to blame you for that one.
Have I done the sports liner?
Speaker 8 (21:55):
No, but you have played something else.
Speaker 7 (21:56):
It's a right.
Speaker 8 (21:57):
We'll sort out there.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think that was something from you
that are Anyhow, we'll do the rural news with cub Cadet.
Shall we do that?
Speaker 8 (22:04):
Yeah, we'll do that. Eh. So we've got Zesfree has
had a had a my major Oh now I'm stumbling
over things. Jamie might be catching had a major milestone.
It's the past reaching a million households in the world
for the first time. The milestone reflects growing global demand,
with household penetration measured via the Kiwifruit market as shopper
panels now sitting at around twenty three percent and Zesfrey's
(22:25):
core markets esprey all over the place. You be friad everywhere.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Yep, okay. So that is the latest and rural news.
Let's have a look at sport.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Sport with AFCO. Visit them online at a fco dot
co dot nz.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
All right, Blues captain Patrick Tuipoloto admits complacency has crept
into his side's performances after a windless start to their
Super Rugby campaign. I don't know about you, Michelle, but
I've enjoyed the start of the Blues rugby campaign, especially
at especially against the Highlanders and the Blackstick women have
lost their second Hockey Nations group match one to Ireland
(23:06):
or one nill to Ireland, should I say, in Chile,
but remain second in their group. Now there's the latest
and sports news for you. A more extensive bulletin at
one o'clock on news Talk, said b But up next
it's farmer Tom Martin. He's a UK farming correspondent. Farmer
(23:29):
Tom Martin very big in social media circles, but who
would want to be a farmer in the UK at
the moment, Tom, I thought our last labor government was
bad for farming. They've got nothing on Sirkia's starmer's lot.
He's trying to wipe farming off the face of the earth.
In the UK. You've just finished your National Farmers' Union
annual conference in London.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
It all kicked off well, Jamie we Albert's. After all,
it was relatively respectful, but there was a lot of
anger in the room, I can tell you, and not frustration,
not upset, but real anger. It's an existential crisis for
us here in UK farming at the moment.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
You're telling me that British farmer confidence or UK farmer
confidence is at an all time low.
Speaker 4 (24:13):
That's right. I mean confidence is important because it allows
us to plan long term, to strategize, to invest. And
let me tell you, there's almost no investment happening at
the moment because we just don't know if we're going
to be here next year or you know, when we
move to the farm moves to the next generation, we
won't be able to and that's the problem. We now
have this inheritance tax being levied from April twenty twenty six,
(24:36):
potentially twenty percent, and it will absolutely cripple us. With
farm margins at zero point five to one percent average,
I say average, We're just not going to be able
to pay this tax, and it will send family farm
businesses to the wall.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
I was watching a video on YouTube, I think from
the Telegraph, who are covering the inf you the National Farmers'
Union conference, and they were talking about a ninety year
old woman who had farmed all a life and she
wanted to pass the farm down to the next generation.
And basically to make that happen, she had to die
before as sad as the sounds had to die before
(25:12):
April twenty twenty six.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
That's right. For the last forty years we've had this
inheritance tax exemption, which basically means that farmers can confidently invest,
grow and do everything that we want to do to
do all the great jobs we do. Produce nutritiou food,
protect the environment, all the stuff. We've said this before,
but so the advice has been to farm to your
grave and then you have the ability to pass the
farm onto the next generation. Well that's just gone with
(25:36):
the stroke of a pen. And because it didn't go immediately,
it goes on April twenty twenty six. If you are
still alive in April twenty twenty six, you will succumb
to this. And there have been it's ridiculous, there have been.
You know, there are the older generations who've worked all
their lives to build up this farm business, support their family,
and they'd be better off not making it past the
(25:56):
thirty first of March. And it feels almost a bit flipped,
a bit ridiculous to be saying that, but there are,
you know, there have been some terrible, absolutely awful stories.
And I've been hearing across the farming community here in
the UK.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
You've got seventy million people or something like that on
your island. What about food security? What about that? Doesn't
the labor government get well?
Speaker 4 (26:21):
Quite We're I think we're fifty eight percent self sufficient
at the moment. Obviously there are some things we can't grow,
but we're a nation, you know, we're a nation of farmers.
We've been farming this land, these islands for you know,
hundreds thousands of years. It's it's a huge challenge. The
government talks about one of their key pillars being growth,
but in order to grow, you need confidence, and there's
(26:42):
no confidence in farming at all at the moment. One
of the key messages from Steve Reed today, who's the
Secretary of State for the Environment for DEPRA Department for
Environment and Food and Roral Affairs, was that he wants
to improve profitability. I will consider it a failure of
my time as Secretary of State if I do not
improve farmer productivity. Was a laugh across the room, because
we're not going to make it. It's not about just
(27:05):
a sticking plaster.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
You know.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
The armor has been amputated, it's gone, and it's been
a real, real challenge. One of the things he was
talking about was increasing public procurement, sourcing food for the
major public sectors locally. Well, the French government did that
in twenty ten when the Labor Party were laughed in,
so it's pretty old news. It's not something new and exciting.
He was talking about ensuring that we maintain our standards
(27:30):
in international food deals now and trade deals. We've spoken
about trade deals before and we Jamie, he said, we
will be maintaining our standards and When he was questioned
and said do you mean maintaining our standards or ensuring
that food imported to the UK adheres to the standards
that UK farmers have to adhere to. He said, yeah,
well we're going to be maintaining our standards. Like I said, so,
(27:52):
I just have below zero confidence. There's no confidence whatsoever,
and that's echoed across the farming community, businesses large and small,
all sectors. It's as bad as it's ever been.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
So is there any chance at all that the labor
government will step back on this inheritance tax because it
seems to be the major sticking point.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
There's always a chance, and I would say to them
there is no shame in changing your mind. Various different
industry bodies sectors had come out, The Confederation of British Industry,
the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers, the Country and Land
Business Association, independent Labor Economist Advisors have all come out
and said this is not going to achieve what it
(28:34):
was supposed to achieve, raising tax revenue of five hundred
million a year and protecting family farms whilst making it
more difficult for people to avoid tax. Avoid inheritance tax
by putting their money into farmland. And actually this week, sorry,
last week, the UK farming unions went to the Treasury
(28:55):
with another suggestion which would generate more tax, but would
mean that the tax was payable on the and sale
within a certain number of years of someone passing rather
than at the time of death. And they were roundly
just turned away, sent off, the door closed behind them,
and absolutely nothing has happened at all. So I don't know,
(29:16):
it's difficult, it's it feels like they're digging in for
the long haul. But there is no shame in changing
your mind.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
A final comment from the outside looking and from me,
Sir Kia Starmer, the labor leader, your Prime minister seems
to be more concerned about Ukraine glad handing on the
world stage than he does about British farmers.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
Yeah, and you know he's our figurehead. We've we've we've
talked about your different prime ministers down in New Zealand
and you know his role is an international role and
me while the rest of his cabinet run the country.
So I do see that. But it's very frustrating as
as a British citizen seeing millions of pounds being given
away all over the place, only to find that we're
(29:57):
you know, we're we're really having well, we're really being
taught apart in the in the UK farming sector. It's
it's it's pretty diret it's pretty ridiculous. And when we
look internationally, well, New Zealand doesn't even have any inheritance tax.
They don't have a capital gains tax as far as
I'm aware, So it just feels I don't know, it
just feels ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I'm glad I live here, not there, or trying to
farm over there would be impossible. Tom, all the best
springs just around the corner. I hope the farming season
treats you well.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
Thanks, we'll plant again, but gosh, it's going to be
a tough one.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
You have my sympathy is Tom Farmer, Tom from a
way bit earlier this morning, quarter away from one. Just
some of your feedback on milk and schools, someone writes,
Jamie Milkine schools has fraught my partner as a retired teacher.
The waist cartons and miss was unacceptable, according to her.
Up next Jim Hopkins, a rural rack on tour and
(31:01):
a wait Taki district councilor yes, election here for local
body politicians, Jim Hopkins, are you puckering up your lips?
It's getting ready for kissing babies on street corners corners?
Should I say in a lamorous.
Speaker 7 (31:18):
You can't go around randomly kissing babies on street corners.
You'll have me confusion. Andrew Baby, careful, you'll be accusing
me of touching people on the upper arm. Well, no,
I hadn't actually contemplated puckering up in order to kiss babies,
not that. Yeah, all right.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Yeah, let's just say vote Hopkins. Mind you. You know,
being a local body politician's tough work these days because
you're being lumbered. You're being lumbered with a hell of
a lot of costs that perhaps central government has has
foisted onto you. And I look here in Dunedin where
I'm based, and what a shambles it is with the
pipes digging up streets and orange cones and all that
(32:02):
sort of nonsense. But the problem we've got as a
country is, for a lot of the cities and major towns,
these pipes went underground one hundred or more years ago
and they're all crapping out at the same time.
Speaker 7 (32:14):
Well, you say that is a problem, although I think
there's a bigger problem, and that is a central government
in Wellington will not acknowledge that an awful lot of
the costs that are being sheeted home to local councils
and are seeing quite substantial rate increases as a result,
are actually costs and posed because central government said, you've
got to do this, and you've got them through that,
(32:34):
and you've got to upgrade here, and you've got to
enhance there, and you've got to add this and so on.
But oh money, do you want money to do that?
Speaker 2 (32:44):
No?
Speaker 7 (32:44):
No, no, we're just telling you what to do. You
go and get it done and by the way, pay
for it as well. And there is no doubt I mean,
keep on hearing that rates and insurance of the two
big local contributors to higher costs internally. But what's not
(33:05):
actually discussed quite as frequently or openly or admitted by
parliamentarians is that they have a significant role to play
in terms of this constant amping up of standards and
constant imposing of new requirements for councils without any corresponding
(33:26):
increase in funding.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
Yeah, fair enough, Hey listen, I want to move off
local body politics because I can get ignoring on occasions
and let's talk about national politics or politics at a
national level. Now, you've been listening to Shane Jones on
the show talking about woke banks or have you not
been listening to Shane Jones.
Speaker 7 (33:44):
I've been listening to Shane, but more importantly, I've been
listening to you, and I've heard you say several times
this year. Indeed, i've written it down sharing as I
have done. So I've heard you come out passionately supporting
Shane and now thing on your own, behalf, on your own, behalf,
mister McKay, proudly on several occasions that you'd like to
(34:06):
see us drill baby, drill and dig baby dig. Let's fantastic, Jamie.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
You know me.
Speaker 7 (34:15):
Okay, you might comment from some of the numerous teachers
of your family, but your audience. I suspect that we say,
for the most part, but on your mate, And it
is nice to hear somebody in media not towing the
media line. Jamie, you've almost become a fearless fellow, almost,
and I suspect there are a few less dimples on
your dear ear because you're not sitting on the fence anymore.
(34:36):
And you've also begged the woke banks for the sort
of climate change philosophy driven investmental lending policies. But here's
the thing, Jamie, here's the thing. You ain't going far enough. No,
you're not. Because if you're gonna say drill, baby drill,
and dig baby dig, and if you're going to get
(34:57):
stuck into the banks and a criticize them for the
woke position they're taking, then in each case, remember this,
critics of Shane Jones are clinging to an increasingly shaky
climate change global warming orthodoxy that Trump's decision to pull
out of Paris has, in my view, fatally wounded. I
(35:19):
mean change. Smith's right. There's a whole lot of other
countries that are pulled out, Brazil, India, Russia, Indonesia, South Africa. Uee.
I go, Jamie. Look, here's the thing. You need to
be the champion. You need to actually start actually looking
for some of the people around the world, influential and
intelligent people who can challenge this orthodoxy. You've got to
(35:41):
get stuck into the underlying ideology at the heart of
the drill, baby drill and the banking debate.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
You can do and then I'd be a climate change
denial like you. All I said is I wanted to change.
All I said is I wanted change to build a
few damns. Anyhow, I'd take on board what you say,
and I'm not going to give up on the Wope
banks either. Okay, thank you very much, Jim. Good luck
and re election year. Vote Hopka and see you later.
Speaker 7 (36:06):
Hi.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
Six away from one. Thank you, Jim. Some more of
your feedback, lots of it coming in on school lunches.
We'd be better to have a sandwich and a piece
of fruit, like Nikola Willis said, and put the rest
of the money into teaching kids food budgeting and cooking lessons.
Obviously some parents are lacking in this field. More are
your feedback. After the break, Welcome back to the country.
(36:34):
It's Golden Shares Week. We'll be speaking to Sir David
Fagan on Friday. Rowena is there as well when she's
not doing podcasts on parasites because she's done an excellent
series with Beef and Lamb New Zealand. We all know
internal parasites and drench resistance are serious threats to livestock production.
Rose teamed up with Beef and Lamb for a four
(36:55):
part podcast series looking at the key aspects of their
livestock internal parasite program. Episode three is just dropped in
it Rows. Joined by principal scientist doctor Kara Brosnahan, they
look at beef and lamb New Zealand's innovative livestock parasite
management groups launched to help farmers. From one initial pilot group,
they've added seven more around the country to promote best
(37:17):
practices and improve control strategies. Rowan Kara cover off what
the groups are and what success looks like for them.
The podcasts called Insights on Parasites. You'll find them on
the Country's podcast stream or wherever you get your podcasts.
Plus there's a link up on our Facebook page. Time
for a wee bit of your feedback. Just before I go,
(37:39):
Rob says, when it comes to defense spending, let's put
a couple of twelve inch cannons on the new cook
straight fairies. Maybe not a bad idea and on school lunches.
May be an opportunity for ag sectors to come together
and actually promote lamb, beef, veggie, hort etc. And their origins. Yes,
but it's not the primary sector's job or farmer's job.
To feed hungry kids at school. Guess what, it's the
(38:03):
job of the parents.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie mckue. Thanks to Brent, you're specialist in
John Deere machinery.
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie mckue thanks to Brent the starkest of
the leading agriculture.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Brands Knew Zealand. Welcome to the Country. I'm Jamie MacKaye.
(00:32):
The show is brought to you by Brandt Music. Today
Curtis of our first guest, Finance Minister Nikola Willis. This
is on the Spotify account, apparently filling in for the
Prime Minister. She's weighed in on woke banks. But does
the cozy pillow fight continue? We're going to ask her
in just a tick. Also Jane Smith, outspoken North Otago farmer,
(00:54):
following up from doctor Vaughan Holders comments yesterday about greenhouse
gas emissions. Farmer Tom Martin. Look, if you think we've
got it tough in this country, or farmers have got
it tough in this country and they haven't really compared
to their British counterparts, they're talking about introducing an inheritance
(01:15):
tax which will break literally just about break every British
farming family. We're going to talk to farmer Tom Martin
about that one. In fact, I caught up with him
about a couple of hours ago in London they've just
finished that annual National Farmers' Union conference and are all
kicked off. Jim Hopkins also, before the end of the hour,
(01:36):
we'll have the latest and rural news and sports news
for you as well. We're going to kick it off
with the Deputy Prime Minister. No, she's not, or that
might have been a Freudian slip with the Finance Minister.
(02:04):
Normally on a Wednesday, the PM kicks off the country,
but he's out of the country. He's in Vietnam, no
doubt the looming specter of China and the Pacific will
be on the agenda, but filling in is Finance Minister
Nichola Willis. And Nicola, you've got stuck into the banks.
You said it was a cozy pillow fight. I take
it you agree with the New Zealand first stance on
(02:26):
woke banks.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Well, I want to see our agricultural sector, our important industries,
our businesses getting access to lending so that they can
be more productive than they can grow. And I'm really
concerned by anything that suggests that some firms are finding
it difficult to get the finance they need. So I
(02:50):
share the concerns that are behind New Zealand First's Bill.
That's why I've suggested that Palmatary Select Committee look very
carefully at these issues. Now that the bill has been
drawn from the ballot, National Party MPs will discuss it,
look at the detail of it, does it achieve what
it sets out to achieve, and then we'll decide whether
or not to support it.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Well, you've had strong rhetoric on this, but as a
finance minister, what can you do? What pressure can you
apply to the banks?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Well, the first thing I've done is set out new
expectations for the Reserve Bank and our Financial Policy rematch.
I've made it clear that I want them to be
removing regulatory barriers which have prevented banks from expanding, which
had stopped new banks entering New Zealand, because those are
the things that will lead to more competition in the
(03:37):
medium terms. I've already done that and that work is underway.
The next thing that I can do is ensure that
when we're looking at these issues such as lending banks
stopped to particular institutions, we get to the bottom of
it and we fix up anything in law or the
regulations that are enabling that to happen. You know, I
went and visited WYTOMO groups recently. They're the petrol station
(04:00):
that the little train that could have challenged the big
petrol ferns, and they were clear with me they has
a situation where their access to borrowing in the future
is being limited because of the climate goals of banks.
I don't think that's good for New Zealand, and I
am pretty determined that we ensure that that is not
(04:21):
in fact the case. So these are issues that where
the detail matters. We're going to get into the detail,
but our goal is clear. We want productive lending going
to the productive sector. Yea.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
And why TIMA is doing a great job of keeping
the big players honest. Okay, the Paris Climate Agreement and
whether we should stay in it. Are you not NATS
to woke on climate change? I know you're getting into
woke banks. Your coalition partners, for instance, are taking a
stronger line. Winston wants us out. Seymour says the cost
of staying in will be greater eventually than the punishment
(04:53):
for leaving.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Well, hang on, hang on. First of all, I'm a
big believer that you do what you say and you
say what you do. So let's be clear Cabinet and
comprises three parties, the Zealand First Act and National All
three parties signed up to the decision to remain in
the Paris Agreement and set a target accordingly, that was
(05:17):
a decision that all of those three parties made. So
I would invite anyone listening to your show to interrogate
that before they suggest that there is very different positions
being taken by the three parties. Second thing is I
am really clear on this. New Zealand has to do
what's in our economic interests, what's best for our people,
our economy, our farmers, our exporters, and every decision we
(05:40):
take in relation to climate change the Paris Agreement should
be judged by that. And so the bottom line is
our government will not shut down the world's best farmers
or send billions of dollars overseas to meet our climate targets.
That not be in New Zealand's interest and instead, what
we're doing is keeping the doors open to markets. Do
care about whether or not we're part of international agreements?
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Do you think of the UK?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
If you think of that au it's actually part of
our trade agreements with those countries that we will be
making contributions on climate change. So the risk we would
run by making a dramatic with all is that that
could actually limit exporter's ability to access those very important markets.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Now you've got to put together a budget and may
increased defense spending is on the agenda. We've got Chinese
firing shots and anger in the Tasman. Can we afford it?
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yes, we can afford it because we have to afford it.
There can be no economic security without defense security. And
New Zealand across successive governments has allowed our defense capability
to be eroded and it's up to our government to
rebuild it and we will. We've been working on a
defense Capability Plan which takes a strategic view of what
(06:53):
are the assets we need to order and build over
the medium term, what order should we do that in?
How do we build up our capability? And I'm committed
as Finance Minister that every budget I deliver will include
increased funding for our defense forces.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
And now here's a final question for you, not on
the script, but I know you can think on your feet.
You're a very smart woman. Nikola Willis school lunches eleven
days straight of buttered chicken. I mean I went to
boarding school. I would have killed for eleven straight days
of buttered chicken. But are we putting the horse before
the cart here? Should we be more targeted in how
we feed hungry kids at school? Is it the state's
(07:29):
job to give holess bolus kids school lunches, especially in
I know it's targeting the lower decile schools, but a
lot of parents are just abdicating their responsibility.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Well, I'm going to say something controversial, Jamie, as there
are mums and dads out there who are very unhappy
with the butter chicken. I'd suggest to them that a
marmite sandwidgeon of banana would be just fine in the
lunch box. And actually, in New Zealand, we do have
a social welfare system that is there to ensure that
all families have the material means they need to provide
(08:02):
for their children. Now, we accept that it's not good
to have a kid at school who isn't eating and
is unable to focus, and that was the original intentions
for school lunch program to provide for those children. But
it's my view that in doing that we must not
lose sight of parental responsibility. I think every parent has
(08:23):
a responsibility to ensure that their child is well fed,
and we shouldn't just think that it's up to David
Seymour and the contracts he forms to make sure that
kids are wealthed.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Well spoken. Nichola Willis. Thanks for your time and thanks
for filling in for the PM.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
My absolute pleasure love being on your show.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Thank you, Nichola. Some of you are texting it and
saying wise and see more on he's the Deputy Prime Minister. Well,
he is a regular gig anyhow so when the PM's
out of the country, that's who they put up on
a Wednesday. Nichola Willis, She's bang on in my humble
opinion about the school lunches. What do you guys think?
I know it's not necessarily a farming question, but it's
(09:04):
a society question, you know, like the headlines in the
Herald this morning eleven straight days of butter chicken. Well,
if the alternative is nothing, you know, what are you
moaning about? And what did happen to parental responsibility? Are
we giving kids school lunches so Dad can go to
(09:25):
the pub later on and have a pint. I know
that sounds cynical, but unfortunately in some cases it is
the case up next. Jane Smith, following on from doctor
Vaughan Holder's comment yesterday before the end of the hour
old farmer Tom Martin. I did catch up with him
a wee bit earlier this morning out of the UK.
(09:46):
They're up in arms over there. If you think our
lass labor government wasn't flashed for farming, you want to
hear what he's got to say about the care starmer's lot.
Jim Hopkins before the end of the hour as well,
we'll get his take on life, and also Michelle with
rural news, and we'll have sports news for you as well,
and we'll tell you, in fact I should tell you
(10:06):
now before I forget how you can win the thousand
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So what Ecolab are doing wonderful promotion this. They're taking
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(10:30):
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(10:52):
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Speaker 5 (11:27):
New York's Now.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
She got that day side. She's an North Otago farmer
taking time out of a very busy daity yarn to us.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
Jane.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
I don't know whether you caught up with doctor Vaughan
Holder on yesterday's show, but this is what he had
to say about the split gas approach to greenhouse scarce emissions,
i e. Methane versus CO two And.
Speaker 5 (11:52):
These two gases behave very very differently in the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide accumulates. In fact, when you drive your car
to work today, you put out a certain amount of
CO two. When you drive tomorrow you double that, right,
if your call was putting out methane. If you drive
the same distance every day and you excrete the same
(12:13):
amount of methane every day, the amount of warming stay the.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
Same over time.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
What that means is if we have stable herds of
capital and sheep, we actually end up not having an
increase in warming over time.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
So there you go. That's what he had to say
yesterday as the poster girl for the Methane Science Accord.
Is that the name of it, Jane? What do you
have to say?
Speaker 6 (12:36):
Music to my ears, Jamie. Enlightening and great to hear
some sense and sensibility from doctor Holder. And whether you
look at it as a livestock seat as a whole
or xcrapolate it down to farm level. The two questions
that are all of our egg leaders and our politicians
have consistently failed to ask. These are our New Zealand
(12:57):
livestock methane emissions increasing? The answer is no. And then
the second one is with these many sane emissions, are
they stable and therefore or decreasing? And therefore are they
adding to warming? Answer also no, and so both of
these meats the definition of net zero.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Jamie.
Speaker 6 (13:16):
Job done. And that's again why it was really really
great to hear that, and you know, a great analogy
there by doctor Holders.
Speaker 7 (13:22):
I think, yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Well, and the interesting thing is, or perhaps the obvious
thing is perhaps agriculture ruminants are adding to a cooling effect.
Speaker 6 (13:33):
Absolutely, Jamie. And I've said that at a couple of
speeches that I've done, and you know, I've sort of
been ridiculed for that over the last four to five years.
And the reality is that the climate change terea is
inversely related to economic growth. So you know, let's actually
get our facts right on this and drew a line
under the whole methane mitigation mythical, you know, money wasting
(13:55):
and turn off the tap and start focusing on the
real problems in New Zealand, of which we have many.
And it was interesting to hear Christopher Luxe, and I
think it was yesterday, say we need to make the
tough choices and the trade offs. So here it is.
Here are the facts and black and white, and you know,
twenty four billion dollars that they've potentially signed us up
(14:16):
for with their net zero and their new targets. Twenty
four billion dollars, Christopher Luxe, and you could buy a
new defense force and ten new hospitals for that, or
do what you signed us up to do and get
a gold star on your sticker chart when you go
to the next climate change conference.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Jamie.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
It was disappointing to hear Grant McCallum with us insipid
line yesterday saying how poor do we want our country
to be? Well, that is exactly the question that we've
been asking, So to hide behind that sort of that
byline of trade deals, there is actually not one single
trade deals that states that we need to stay in
the Paris Agreement, Jamie, So please stop hiding behind at
(14:53):
news Helen and actually just take our own stance. We
just be proud of our free range produce and and
let's just be really upfront and honest in terms of
the part that we need to play for the world.
It's just being a leader in that area, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Pearl, Grant mcallum, everyone's getting into them interest rates. What
are you going to say about that?
Speaker 6 (15:13):
It's interesting, So just thinking last night would have been
on Franklin say, if you want to know the value
of money, go and borrow some. And it's an interesting
fact that you'll see our bank actually increased our interest
rates just before the o Ther announcement, and I was
intrigued to see see that happen, and I yet to
see them go down, but you know, they certainly are
heading in the right direction generically, and that's going to
(15:35):
actually pump a lot more money into into actually useful
things in terms of uh, you know, spectrum back economic growth,
back into our communities. Jamie, and I guess I was
away at Cynical when I saw the farmer confidence who
they come out. I guess that was taken at the
time when student Farmers and Luxton were walking hands on
hand on stage and their civil union on their tour.
(15:57):
But and there's been a few roadblocks since then, include
the misguided emissions targets announcements. But you know, I guess
one thing, Jamie, and I was just thinking back eighteen
months ago. I said that we had lost and there
was hope, and there was just a lack of hope
in our rural communities, and that obviously extrapolates out throughout
the whole entire country.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
And I feel like.
Speaker 6 (16:18):
We are back on on having some hope, and I
think that's really great. So there is some positivity out
there and let's encapsulate there and actually work on the
right things, Jamie, and not waste no more time on
this methaan folly.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Gee, you're getting into the nets today mcnational and then Lucksom, Hey,
how are things on your North Otago farm. I'm looking
at my knee with drought index map and you're there's
no yellow where you are. You you must be doing okay.
Speaker 6 (16:44):
Yeah, Jamie, we've we've been very fortunate actually over that
Christmas obviously new period, right through January and right into February,
we seem to have gathered about I think it's about
afy or ninety up to probably one hundred miles of
rain now, which is again unusual. We're not in that
sort of norwistern pattern that we usually have, and there's
a lot of feed about in stock are looking goods,
(17:05):
So all boats well for a really good autumn, because
it's autumn of really is our pivot point. Like most
east coastal areas that do get dried, it's the autumn
that can really sort of make or break as Jamie.
So no, things are very positive in net regard.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Well, you're farming on the east coast, you're heading west
this weekend to run the Motor Tarpou Marathon. That's a
lot of running up. Hell, if you don't mind me
saying so, Jane.
Speaker 6 (17:27):
It's not a deal for twenty of half marathons, Jamie.
I've never done a full one, so you think I
would be wise enough not to do a mountain run
on my first one. But I figure it can't be
any worse than childbirth or six years of a labor
Greens government, Jamie. So I think I'll just I'll.
Speaker 7 (17:42):
Just survive through it.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Jamie.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Well, they tell me. And I've done three, but might
have all been on the roads, and I think that's
a bit easy. You've got to run up to the
top of the hill. But the hard part apparently is
running down into Arrowtown the downhill. But it's quite it's
quite tough on the old knees. I hope your knees
are good.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
He's a good Jonie.
Speaker 6 (17:59):
Not sure about the rest of my physique, but again
I think I'm hopefully mentally I'll get there. I think
the last twenty odd ks might be the tought but
looking forward to it, Jamie. Always up for a challenge.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Good on you, Jane Smith. Thank you very much for
your time. Good luck on Saturday or is it Sunday?
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Saturday?
Speaker 6 (18:15):
And yes, I'll need it.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Thank you, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Good luck on Sunday for the recovery. See you later, Yeah,
thank you. Jane. It is twenty eight after twelve with
the country. She's a ball of energy, isn't she. The
Moto Tarpoo Marathon. Yeah, that's basically you run from kind
of Wonka over to Arrowtown sort of. Michelle Watt is
(18:38):
coming in here, has just arrived in about to do
rural News. You're a runner. Have you done the Motor Tarpoo?
I have, yes. What was your time?
Speaker 8 (18:47):
I think it was about five thirty and I'm pretty
sure I was in the top twenty woman for that time.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Well, it would because it's a lot harder than a marathon.
Speaker 8 (18:56):
It is a lot harder.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
It's probably easier on your legs because you've got those
nice I mean a road marathon ken is a bit
tough on your legs all on Ashvelt. But as I
said to Jane, running down the hill, apparently that's what
everyone who's done and has told me, Oh.
Speaker 8 (19:09):
That's where the cramp happens, because you run into those
river crossings and everything just seizes. It's a bit of
a push to the end, but it's a great race.
Good luck to I mean, I know there's a few
farmers competing this weekend and out on in the mountain
bike in the run. So if you're listening, good luck
and enjoy it. And I hope the weather's really good
for you out there.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Well, you'd be a bit unlucky if you struck some
bad weather in the Wanaca region. It's been a heat
wave up there. That's probably what they don't want. They
don't want thirty degrees now. Steve wyn Harris, there's a
name from the past. Steve is cleaning out troughs on
his Central Hawks Bay farm, listening to my dulcet tones,
and he says, hold on, mackay, aren't you the fellow
(19:48):
who advocated for milk and schools? And this is in
reference to whether we should be providing lunches and schools
for the kids. I'm all for feeding hungry kids because
it helps them learn. Steve, milk and schools is a
bit different in my humble opinion, because we've got kids
moaning about eleven straight days of whatever it was, but
a chicken one. I mean, you should have seen the
(20:10):
slop we used to eat at boarding school anyhow, My
point being when Fonterra, a magnificent and initiative, was chucking
milk into schools. It's in a weak, hard and very
easy to procure, produce and drop off. It's got a
refrigerate it unlike in our days of milk and school.
You know, lunches in school are completely different and there's
(20:30):
lots of logistic logistical challenges around that.
Speaker 6 (20:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (20:34):
Absolutely, And I just want to put out there. I
have a friend who attended basically boarding school in the UK.
Asked him about what the meals were like there, and
one of them was spam fritters, which is tin spam
made into fritterers and fried in a frying pan. But
a chicken sounds way nicer than that.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Yeah, And honestly, it's too it's too widespread. I know
we're targeting low decile schools, but there's plenty of kids
in those schools who don't need a lunch. Their parents
are in a position to provide one. As I say,
what happened to parental responsibility? A bit of milk and
schools for every kid should they choose to drink it
is I think a good thing. Bring back milk and schools,
(21:13):
bring back rucking. Anyhow, up next it is Rural News
with Michelle and we'll have a look at sports news
as well. Now you in that way, wish pennies and
dance Carlie Ray jebson more music from Nikola Willis's Spotify
list for what It's worth. Okay, let's do rural news.
(21:36):
I think we've got some good news for Kiwi fruit.
Welcome back to the country. It's brought to you by Bran.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
With cap Cadet, New Zealand's leading right on lawn Bower
brand is a steel for dot co dot NC for
your locals. Doggist.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Once again, I'd like to blame you for that one.
Have I done the sports liner?
Speaker 8 (21:55):
No, but you have played something else.
Speaker 7 (21:56):
It's a right.
Speaker 8 (21:57):
We'll sort out there.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think that was something from you
that are Anyhow, we'll do the rural news with cub Cadet.
Shall we do that?
Speaker 8 (22:04):
Yeah, we'll do that. Eh. So we've got Zesfree has
had a had a my major Oh now I'm stumbling
over things. Jamie might be catching had a major milestone.
It's the past reaching a million households in the world
for the first time. The milestone reflects growing global demand,
with household penetration measured via the Kiwifruit market as shopper
panels now sitting at around twenty three percent and Zesfrey's
(22:25):
core markets esprey all over the place. You be friad everywhere.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Yep, okay. So that is the latest and rural news.
Let's have a look at sport.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Sport with AFCO. Visit them online at a fco dot
co dot nz.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
All right, Blues captain Patrick Tuipoloto admits complacency has crept
into his side's performances after a windless start to their
Super Rugby campaign. I don't know about you, Michelle, but
I've enjoyed the start of the Blues rugby campaign, especially
at especially against the Highlanders and the Blackstick women have
lost their second Hockey Nations group match one to Ireland
(23:06):
or one nill to Ireland, should I say, in Chile,
but remain second in their group. Now there's the latest
and sports news for you. A more extensive bulletin at
one o'clock on news Talk, said b But up next
it's farmer Tom Martin. He's a UK farming correspondent. Farmer
(23:29):
Tom Martin very big in social media circles, but who
would want to be a farmer in the UK at
the moment, Tom, I thought our last labor government was
bad for farming. They've got nothing on Sirkia's starmer's lot.
He's trying to wipe farming off the face of the earth.
In the UK. You've just finished your National Farmers' Union
annual conference in London.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
It all kicked off well, Jamie we Albert's. After all,
it was relatively respectful, but there was a lot of
anger in the room, I can tell you, and not frustration,
not upset, but real anger. It's an existential crisis for
us here in UK farming at the moment.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
You're telling me that British farmer confidence or UK farmer
confidence is at an all time low.
Speaker 4 (24:13):
That's right. I mean confidence is important because it allows
us to plan long term, to strategize, to invest. And
let me tell you, there's almost no investment happening at
the moment because we just don't know if we're going
to be here next year or you know, when we
move to the farm moves to the next generation, we
won't be able to and that's the problem. We now
have this inheritance tax being levied from April twenty twenty six,
(24:36):
potentially twenty percent, and it will absolutely cripple us. With
farm margins at zero point five to one percent average,
I say average, We're just not going to be able
to pay this tax, and it will send family farm
businesses to the wall.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
I was watching a video on YouTube, I think from
the Telegraph, who are covering the inf you the National Farmers'
Union conference, and they were talking about a ninety year
old woman who had farmed all a life and she
wanted to pass the farm down to the next generation.
And basically to make that happen, she had to die
before as sad as the sounds had to die before
(25:12):
April twenty twenty six.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
That's right. For the last forty years we've had this
inheritance tax exemption, which basically means that farmers can confidently invest,
grow and do everything that we want to do to
do all the great jobs we do. Produce nutritiou food,
protect the environment, all the stuff. We've said this before,
but so the advice has been to farm to your
grave and then you have the ability to pass the
farm onto the next generation. Well that's just gone with
(25:36):
the stroke of a pen. And because it didn't go immediately,
it goes on April twenty twenty six. If you are
still alive in April twenty twenty six, you will succumb
to this. And there have been it's ridiculous, there have been.
You know, there are the older generations who've worked all
their lives to build up this farm business, support their family,
and they'd be better off not making it past the
(25:56):
thirty first of March. And it feels almost a bit flipped,
a bit ridiculous to be saying that, but there are,
you know, there have been some terrible, absolutely awful stories.
And I've been hearing across the farming community here in
the UK.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
You've got seventy million people or something like that on
your island. What about food security? What about that? Doesn't
the labor government get well?
Speaker 4 (26:21):
Quite We're I think we're fifty eight percent self sufficient
at the moment. Obviously there are some things we can't grow,
but we're a nation, you know, we're a nation of farmers.
We've been farming this land, these islands for you know,
hundreds thousands of years. It's it's a huge challenge. The
government talks about one of their key pillars being growth,
but in order to grow, you need confidence, and there's
(26:42):
no confidence in farming at all at the moment. One
of the key messages from Steve Reed today, who's the
Secretary of State for the Environment for DEPRA Department for
Environment and Food and Roral Affairs, was that he wants
to improve profitability. I will consider it a failure of
my time as Secretary of State if I do not
improve farmer productivity. Was a laugh across the room, because
we're not going to make it. It's not about just
(27:05):
a sticking plaster.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
You know.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
The armor has been amputated, it's gone, and it's been
a real, real challenge. One of the things he was
talking about was increasing public procurement, sourcing food for the
major public sectors locally. Well, the French government did that
in twenty ten when the Labor Party were laughed in,
so it's pretty old news. It's not something new and exciting.
He was talking about ensuring that we maintain our standards
(27:30):
in international food deals now and trade deals. We've spoken
about trade deals before and we Jamie, he said, we
will be maintaining our standards and When he was questioned
and said do you mean maintaining our standards or ensuring
that food imported to the UK adheres to the standards
that UK farmers have to adhere to. He said, yeah,
well we're going to be maintaining our standards. Like I said, so,
(27:52):
I just have below zero confidence. There's no confidence whatsoever,
and that's echoed across the farming community, businesses large and small,
all sectors. It's as bad as it's ever been.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
So is there any chance at all that the labor
government will step back on this inheritance tax because it
seems to be the major sticking point.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
There's always a chance, and I would say to them
there is no shame in changing your mind. Various different
industry bodies sectors had come out, The Confederation of British Industry,
the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers, the Country and Land
Business Association, independent Labor Economist Advisors have all come out
and said this is not going to achieve what it
(28:34):
was supposed to achieve, raising tax revenue of five hundred
million a year and protecting family farms whilst making it
more difficult for people to avoid tax. Avoid inheritance tax
by putting their money into farmland. And actually this week, sorry,
last week, the UK farming unions went to the Treasury
(28:55):
with another suggestion which would generate more tax, but would
mean that the tax was payable on the and sale
within a certain number of years of someone passing rather
than at the time of death. And they were roundly
just turned away, sent off, the door closed behind them,
and absolutely nothing has happened at all. So I don't know,
(29:16):
it's difficult, it's it feels like they're digging in for
the long haul. But there is no shame in changing
your mind.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
A final comment from the outside looking and from me,
Sir Kia Starmer, the labor leader, your Prime minister seems
to be more concerned about Ukraine glad handing on the
world stage than he does about British farmers.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
Yeah, and you know he's our figurehead. We've we've we've
talked about your different prime ministers down in New Zealand
and you know his role is an international role and
me while the rest of his cabinet run the country.
So I do see that. But it's very frustrating as
as a British citizen seeing millions of pounds being given
away all over the place, only to find that we're
(29:57):
you know, we're we're really having well, we're really being
taught apart in the in the UK farming sector. It's
it's it's pretty diret it's pretty ridiculous. And when we
look internationally, well, New Zealand doesn't even have any inheritance tax.
They don't have a capital gains tax as far as
I'm aware, So it just feels I don't know, it
just feels ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I'm glad I live here, not there, or trying to
farm over there would be impossible. Tom, all the best
springs just around the corner. I hope the farming season
treats you well.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
Thanks, we'll plant again, but gosh, it's going to be
a tough one.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
You have my sympathy is Tom Farmer, Tom from a
way bit earlier this morning, quarter away from one. Just
some of your feedback on milk and schools, someone writes,
Jamie Milkine schools has fraught my partner as a retired teacher.
The waist cartons and miss was unacceptable, according to her.
Up next Jim Hopkins, a rural rack on tour and
(31:01):
a wait Taki district councilor yes, election here for local
body politicians, Jim Hopkins, are you puckering up your lips?
It's getting ready for kissing babies on street corners corners?
Should I say in a lamorous.
Speaker 7 (31:18):
You can't go around randomly kissing babies on street corners.
You'll have me confusion. Andrew Baby, careful, you'll be accusing
me of touching people on the upper arm. Well, no,
I hadn't actually contemplated puckering up in order to kiss babies,
not that. Yeah, all right.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Yeah, let's just say vote Hopkins. Mind you. You know,
being a local body politician's tough work these days because
you're being lumbered. You're being lumbered with a hell of
a lot of costs that perhaps central government has has
foisted onto you. And I look here in Dunedin where
I'm based, and what a shambles it is with the
pipes digging up streets and orange cones and all that
(32:02):
sort of nonsense. But the problem we've got as a
country is, for a lot of the cities and major towns,
these pipes went underground one hundred or more years ago
and they're all crapping out at the same time.
Speaker 7 (32:14):
Well, you say that is a problem, although I think
there's a bigger problem, and that is a central government
in Wellington will not acknowledge that an awful lot of
the costs that are being sheeted home to local councils
and are seeing quite substantial rate increases as a result,
are actually costs and posed because central government said, you've
got to do this, and you've got them through that,
(32:34):
and you've got to upgrade here, and you've got to
enhance there, and you've got to add this and so on.
But oh money, do you want money to do that?
Speaker 2 (32:44):
No?
Speaker 7 (32:44):
No, no, we're just telling you what to do. You
go and get it done and by the way, pay
for it as well. And there is no doubt I mean,
keep on hearing that rates and insurance of the two
big local contributors to higher costs internally. But what's not
(33:05):
actually discussed quite as frequently or openly or admitted by
parliamentarians is that they have a significant role to play
in terms of this constant amping up of standards and
constant imposing of new requirements for councils without any corresponding
(33:26):
increase in funding.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
Yeah, fair enough, Hey listen, I want to move off
local body politics because I can get ignoring on occasions
and let's talk about national politics or politics at a
national level. Now, you've been listening to Shane Jones on
the show talking about woke banks or have you not
been listening to Shane Jones.
Speaker 7 (33:44):
I've been listening to Shane, but more importantly, I've been
listening to you, and I've heard you say several times
this year. Indeed, i've written it down sharing as I
have done. So I've heard you come out passionately supporting
Shane and now thing on your own, behalf, on your own, behalf,
mister McKay, proudly on several occasions that you'd like to
(34:06):
see us drill baby, drill and dig baby dig. Let's fantastic, Jamie.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
You know me.
Speaker 7 (34:15):
Okay, you might comment from some of the numerous teachers
of your family, but your audience. I suspect that we say,
for the most part, but on your mate, And it
is nice to hear somebody in media not towing the
media line. Jamie, you've almost become a fearless fellow, almost,
and I suspect there are a few less dimples on
your dear ear because you're not sitting on the fence anymore.
(34:36):
And you've also begged the woke banks for the sort
of climate change philosophy driven investmental lending policies. But here's
the thing, Jamie, here's the thing. You ain't going far enough. No,
you're not. Because if you're gonna say drill, baby drill,
and dig baby dig, and if you're going to get
(34:57):
stuck into the banks and a criticize them for the
woke position they're taking, then in each case, remember this,
critics of Shane Jones are clinging to an increasingly shaky
climate change global warming orthodoxy that Trump's decision to pull
out of Paris has, in my view, fatally wounded. I
(35:19):
mean change. Smith's right. There's a whole lot of other
countries that are pulled out, Brazil, India, Russia, Indonesia, South Africa. Uee.
I go, Jamie. Look, here's the thing. You need to
be the champion. You need to actually start actually looking
for some of the people around the world, influential and
intelligent people who can challenge this orthodoxy. You've got to
(35:41):
get stuck into the underlying ideology at the heart of
the drill, baby drill and the banking debate.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
You can do and then I'd be a climate change
denial like you. All I said is I wanted to change.
All I said is I wanted change to build a
few damns. Anyhow, I'd take on board what you say,
and I'm not going to give up on the Wope
banks either. Okay, thank you very much, Jim. Good luck
and re election year. Vote Hopka and see you later.
Speaker 7 (36:06):
Hi.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
Six away from one. Thank you, Jim. Some more of
your feedback, lots of it coming in on school lunches.
We'd be better to have a sandwich and a piece
of fruit, like Nikola Willis said, and put the rest
of the money into teaching kids food budgeting and cooking lessons.
Obviously some parents are lacking in this field. More are
your feedback. After the break, Welcome back to the country.
(36:34):
It's Golden Shares Week. We'll be speaking to Sir David
Fagan on Friday. Rowena is there as well when she's
not doing podcasts on parasites because she's done an excellent
series with Beef and Lamb New Zealand. We all know
internal parasites and drench resistance are serious threats to livestock production.
Rose teamed up with Beef and Lamb for a four
(36:55):
part podcast series looking at the key aspects of their
livestock internal parasite program. Episode three is just dropped in
it Rows. Joined by principal scientist doctor Kara Brosnahan, they
look at beef and lamb New Zealand's innovative livestock parasite
management groups launched to help farmers. From one initial pilot group,
they've added seven more around the country to promote best
(37:17):
practices and improve control strategies. Rowan Kara cover off what
the groups are and what success looks like for them.
The podcasts called Insights on Parasites. You'll find them on
the Country's podcast stream or wherever you get your podcasts.
Plus there's a link up on our Facebook page. Time
for a wee bit of your feedback. Just before I go,
(37:39):
Rob says, when it comes to defense spending, let's put
a couple of twelve inch cannons on the new cook
straight fairies. Maybe not a bad idea and on school lunches.
May be an opportunity for ag sectors to come together
and actually promote lamb, beef, veggie, hort etc. And their origins. Yes,
but it's not the primary sector's job or farmer's job.
To feed hungry kids at school. Guess what, it's the
(38:03):
job of the parents.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie mckue. Thanks to Brent, you're specialist in
John Deere machinery.
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