The Country 21/03/25: Barry Soper talks to Jamie Mackay

Will the trade and diplomatic trips to India and the US be the saviour of the Coalition Government? 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Craig Scott, Barry, so bid you remember Craig Scott.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
I most certainly do, Jamie Good Afternoon. That's taking us
back though a decade or two.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Yeah, well it is. We're allowed to indulge yourselves of
our age. Barry, someone who's indulging himself. And he's a
lot older than you, and I is Winston. He turns
eighty in about three weeks time, and there he is
in Washington on the world stage for us. For what
it's worth, he's doing a really good job.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Yeah, he is Winston. One thing that he does do
well will you agree or disagree with his politics, and
that is international diplomacy. He's not that diplomatic when it
comes being in New Zealand when he comes to the media,
but overseas he really does know how to handle a situation.
And I think he did exactly what was expected of

(00:50):
in the United States met all will right people, And
we'll come back and talk to his cabinet colleagues about it.
But you know, I think he'd be more than happy.
On his way home as we speak.

Speaker 1 (01:03):
I see Matthew Horton and I've just seen the text alert.
I haven't read the column yet. Saying a Luxon's trip
to India could get him a second term, which is
interesting because Houton's been very critical of Luxeon. But he
seems to be in his happy space, in that sort
of space off shore. He's being dogged by problems that
won't go away, like school lunches and all that here,

(01:26):
But you'd have to say, on the face of it anyhow,
and I've talked to agricultural people who are in his
party in his touring delegation, he's doing a good job
over there.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Well, the thing is Jamie with Chris las and he's
an engaging sort of a character. If you get into
a conversation with him, you tend to forget that he
is the Prime minister. He's really good at just having
a yarm and I think certainly the Indian Prime Minister
Modi and he got on very well. They met last
year at another international forum, but this time they obviously

(02:01):
got on well right down to the hug. So it's
a bit of a bromance. And now we're talking free
trade deal agriculture or in particular therey is going to
be a big problem, as you would well know there, Jamie,
But talking to India population one point four or five
billion people and the third biggest economy in the world.

(02:25):
New Zealand certainly is doing well to get in the
doors that have opened this time and hopefully they will
result in something for this country.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
Ultimately he'll be judged on the economy that'll get him
re elected for a second term or the coalition government
for a second term. And we are starting to see
it turn well.

Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yes, I mean that point seven percent GDP last December
for the December quarter, that's good. It's not a bad
rating at all. And if you listen to Nikola Willis
since it, she's saying that the economy has turned the corner.
You see certainly dairy is doing very well. Not only that,

(03:04):
we see tourism sector that's bounce back. And it's all
about mood, Jamie. If we're in a good mood, I
think the National Party will be quite happy.

Speaker 1 (03:14):
Okay, without the farmers, we'd be buggered. As my father,
your father and our respective uncle would say, gotta go, baz,
see you lader mate, there we go. Barry Soper