April 1, 2025 • 7 mins
The Prime Minister ponders Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, the economy turning a corner, why a third of people polled think it’s the government’s job to provide school lunches, and whether Tamatha Paul, Benjamin Doyle, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi are the gift that keeps on giving.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wednesday's on the country. The Prime Minister kicks off the
show tomorrow. Our time is Liberation Day. What did Trump's
tariffs potentially hold for New Zealand? Christopher Lux And I
heard the Husks say earlier this morning twenty percent and
then you get on the phone to the don and
try and cut a deal.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Well, look, I mean the first thing I'd say is
that our trade with the US is pretty balanced and complementary.
You know, we're not an overall contributor to the US
deficit trade deficit. Well, I think's really important is everybody
just needs to stay super super calm, take a very
pragmatic approach, intelligent approach. That's what we've been doing. There's
got to distinguish between the general noise and then actually
(00:39):
what's going to be implemented, And the reality is nobody
really knows. And I'm looking at reports yesterday. It's going
to be on all countries, No, it's just going to
be on fifteen targeted specific countries. Are they going to
be exemptions? So how much will they be? So? Look,
the bottom line is New Zealand's relatively well positioned compared
to other countries in the world. For two reasons. One
(00:59):
is that, look, we've done the very best weekend to
build good relationships with the new administration. We had Winston
Peters in Washington recently with Rubio and Waltz. We've had
McLay engaging with trade representative Career recently, and we've had
our officials and with their officials for a couple of
months now just making the case constantly for New Zealand And.
(01:19):
So that's one part. But the second part, Jamie I
had to say to you is that you know, even
S and p I think it was it's acknowledged that
New Zealand's relatively well placed in position because a lot
of the products that we sell the world, you know,
think about all the great food and beverage we're selling
the world. There are a huge demand across the world.
There's eight billion people out there. We're a country of
five million people. There is demand for our products and
(01:40):
that's why we're driving hard into other growth areas like
in dear Light Vietnam, like UAE, like GCC. So you know,
we'll deal with it, but we need to need to
call calm heads as we work our way through it.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Zespri, you were at a zespre function last night, Zesprey
products now reaching one hundred million households worldwide.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Yeah, pretty impressive. I mean I'm really proud of Espree
because you know, when I'm if ever seas and I
have been actually for years, even before politics, I would
spend a lot of time with guys when I was
at the New Zealand as well, and they've just had
a really good job of just they are ambitious, they've
got aspiration and ambition, they've got you know that they
really represent us well overseas. They understand their markets very well,
(02:25):
and when you see them in Japan and China, they
do an exceptional job. But you know that we were
celebrating the milestone of just hitting one hundred million households
that are buying zespri Gemi fruit around the world. I mean,
that's pretty phenomenal. You think that's probably what you know,
one to two million households to million households in New Zealand,
that's just since the relative size of the job that
a're doing, and they've now built a four billion dollar
(02:47):
Heimi fruit industry. It's you know, and it's high margin,
creating good jobs and money back into the economy. So
it's exactly the stuff that we're trying to achieve as
we double the value of our exports. They are a
great exempler of that. So on two hundred million households,
I say, but the good news are off to a
great start this year. As an industry. They're actually pumping
and doing better than they said last year, which was
a record year for two more challenging years before that.
(03:10):
Then you've got the red meat guy saying there's an
extra one point two billion at the table. You've got
water price that Pilon has been for eighty years, aulest
it's recovering sharing prices, and then you've got a good
outlook and dairy. So it really is once again, as
I've always said, parmary industry's most important industry and is
in back part of the economy learning us out of recession.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
I agree with everything you say. You might want to
do your homework on the wall. It's not quite as
that flash. But anyhow, so does that mean the economy's
turning the corner?
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, I mean you saw the GDP numbers in Q four.
They were for the first time positive at zero point
seven percent for the quarter. So you know that means
just under one percent economic growth for that quarter, that
thirteen week period. As I said before, you've got a
good outlook sitting in agriculture and the growing sector. You've
got tourism now up twenty three percent for the year.
We've got manufacturing for the first time up two point
(03:59):
six percent. So it's sort of like a two speed
thing at the moment. I definitely think we've turned the corner.
Like it's been tough, I get it. It's still tough
for some folk, but for some folks in some sectors
it's starting to turn relatively quickly. Now. You've got average
interest rates that have fallen I think for three months
when I've been going up for thirty eight months previously,
you've had four ocr cuts, you've got inflation down below
(04:20):
in the band, and you've got I think the most
important thing for working New Zealand is, frankly Jamie, is
that you've got wages now have risen faster than inflation
for five quarters the whole time that we've been in government,
and it wasn't the case for the previous thirteen quarters.
So look, it's been tough, no doubt about it. It's been
equal to the recession of nineteen ninety one. It's now
we're piping in the corner and we've got to trust
(04:41):
the plan, and the plan will get us to a
better place. And now the question is the exciting workers.
We don't just want to watch a recovery take place.
Were actually want they're able to see us build out
and transform the place so that we actually set the
joint up for great success in the future and realizing
that potential. So you know, that's while they're going hammer
and tongs there and GCC and UAE and all that
(05:02):
sort of stuff.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
The most worrying number in the last twenty four hours
for me was that a third of the people Pold
think it's the government's job to supply as school lunch.
Where are we going wrong as a country.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Well, I think we're trying to get this notion of
rocks and responsibilities into back into New Zealand again, and
we're doing that through benefit obligations and unruly tenants and
state houses and all that sort of stuff. But equally,
you know the bottom line is if you can afford
to make a lunch for your kid and see them
off to school with the lunch, you should do that.
That is your job as a parent, period. What we
(05:35):
have is we have a free school lunch program genuinely
for those kids that are vulnerable, that are coming from
low income homes for a number of reasons, that come
to school without lunch as important because all the evidence
is if they don't have food, they're highly distractive and
they're not going to learn. If they don't learn, we're
not seeing them up for success and being able to
take opportunities that come there come our way. So you know,
(05:58):
you know, my ask is I keep saying to you know,
and I spoke about a few weeks ago. I said
to you at the time, my might sandwich and apple.
You know, parents can do that. If they can, they should,
And what we should be left with as the kids
genuinely need a school lunch, you know. And that's the deal,
that's the contract. The taxpayer is paying for it to
help and support people who need help genuinely, so not
(06:20):
to subsidize or support middle class folks who can afford
to make their own lunches really quickly.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
To finmish on Tamotha Paul Benjamin Doyle, Debbie and Rah
Weary at a's a party, Mary, are they the coalition
government's greatest assets? Oh? It's just are they the gift
that keeps on giving?
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Well, I mean it's just like it's just to be
on at a society show. I mean, I'm really frankly
focused on what I've got to do as Prime Minister
of New Zealand. Is the New Zealand public want me
to get on and get the economy growing, restore law
in order to sort our education and healthcare and you know,
to be honest, that's what I'm focused on. And there
are all issues for the leadership of those respective parties
(06:57):
to step up and actually you know, take responsibility for
their own caucuses and their behavior. But from my point
of view, that's a sideshow. I've got a Yeah, I've
been elected to a job and I've got a head's
head down tail up until twenty twenty six. That's for
why support us again? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Well, Winston and Seymour are a walk in the park.
Poor old Chris Hepkins, I'm feeling sorry for him. Prime Minister,
thanks for your time
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Great good cool you Jay as always can take care
Wednesday's on the country. The Prime Minister kicks off the
show tomorrow. Our time is Liberation Day. What did Trump's
tariffs potentially hold for New Zealand? Christopher Lux And I
heard the Husks say earlier this morning twenty percent and
then you get on the phone to the don and
try and cut a deal.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Well, look, I mean the first thing I'd say is
that our trade with the US is pretty balanced and complementary.
You know, we're not an overall contributor to the US
deficit trade deficit. Well, I think's really important is everybody
just needs to stay super super calm, take a very
pragmatic approach, intelligent approach. That's what we've been doing. There's
got to distinguish between the general noise and then actually
(00:39):
what's going to be implemented, And the reality is nobody
really knows. And I'm looking at reports yesterday. It's going
to be on all countries, No, it's just going to
be on fifteen targeted specific countries. Are they going to
be exemptions? So how much will they be? So? Look,
the bottom line is New Zealand's relatively well positioned compared
to other countries in the world. For two reasons. One
(00:59):
is that, look, we've done the very best weekend to
build good relationships with the new administration. We had Winston
Peters in Washington recently with Rubio and Waltz. We've had
McLay engaging with trade representative Career recently, and we've had
our officials and with their officials for a couple of
months now just making the case constantly for New Zealand And.
(01:19):
So that's one part. But the second part, Jamie I
had to say to you is that you know, even
S and p I think it was it's acknowledged that
New Zealand's relatively well placed in position because a lot
of the products that we sell the world, you know,
think about all the great food and beverage we're selling
the world. There are a huge demand across the world.
There's eight billion people out there. We're a country of
five million people. There is demand for our products and
(01:40):
that's why we're driving hard into other growth areas like
in dear Light Vietnam, like UAE, like GCC. So you know,
we'll deal with it, but we need to need to
call calm heads as we work our way through it.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Zespri, you were at a zespre function last night, Zesprey
products now reaching one hundred million households worldwide.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Yeah, pretty impressive. I mean I'm really proud of Espree
because you know, when I'm if ever seas and I
have been actually for years, even before politics, I would
spend a lot of time with guys when I was
at the New Zealand as well, and they've just had
a really good job of just they are ambitious, they've
got aspiration and ambition, they've got you know that they
really represent us well overseas. They understand their markets very well,
(02:25):
and when you see them in Japan and China, they
do an exceptional job. But you know that we were
celebrating the milestone of just hitting one hundred million households
that are buying zespri Gemi fruit around the world. I mean,
that's pretty phenomenal. You think that's probably what you know,
one to two million households to million households in New Zealand,
that's just since the relative size of the job that
a're doing, and they've now built a four billion dollar
(02:47):
Heimi fruit industry. It's you know, and it's high margin,
creating good jobs and money back into the economy. So
it's exactly the stuff that we're trying to achieve as
we double the value of our exports. They are a
great exempler of that. So on two hundred million households,
I say, but the good news are off to a
great start this year. As an industry. They're actually pumping
and doing better than they said last year, which was
a record year for two more challenging years before that.
(03:10):
Then you've got the red meat guy saying there's an
extra one point two billion at the table. You've got
water price that Pilon has been for eighty years, aulest
it's recovering sharing prices, and then you've got a good
outlook and dairy. So it really is once again, as
I've always said, parmary industry's most important industry and is
in back part of the economy learning us out of recession.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
I agree with everything you say. You might want to
do your homework on the wall. It's not quite as
that flash. But anyhow, so does that mean the economy's
turning the corner?
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, I mean you saw the GDP numbers in Q four.
They were for the first time positive at zero point
seven percent for the quarter. So you know that means
just under one percent economic growth for that quarter, that
thirteen week period. As I said before, you've got a
good outlook sitting in agriculture and the growing sector. You've
got tourism now up twenty three percent for the year.
We've got manufacturing for the first time up two point
(03:59):
six percent. So it's sort of like a two speed
thing at the moment. I definitely think we've turned the corner.
Like it's been tough, I get it. It's still tough
for some folk, but for some folks in some sectors
it's starting to turn relatively quickly. Now. You've got average
interest rates that have fallen I think for three months
when I've been going up for thirty eight months previously,
you've had four ocr cuts, you've got inflation down below
(04:20):
in the band, and you've got I think the most
important thing for working New Zealand is, frankly Jamie, is
that you've got wages now have risen faster than inflation
for five quarters the whole time that we've been in government,
and it wasn't the case for the previous thirteen quarters.
So look, it's been tough, no doubt about it. It's been
equal to the recession of nineteen ninety one. It's now
we're piping in the corner and we've got to trust
(04:41):
the plan, and the plan will get us to a
better place. And now the question is the exciting workers.
We don't just want to watch a recovery take place.
Were actually want they're able to see us build out
and transform the place so that we actually set the
joint up for great success in the future and realizing
that potential. So you know, that's while they're going hammer
and tongs there and GCC and UAE and all that
(05:02):
sort of stuff.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
The most worrying number in the last twenty four hours
for me was that a third of the people Pold
think it's the government's job to supply as school lunch.
Where are we going wrong as a country.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Well, I think we're trying to get this notion of
rocks and responsibilities into back into New Zealand again, and
we're doing that through benefit obligations and unruly tenants and
state houses and all that sort of stuff. But equally,
you know the bottom line is if you can afford
to make a lunch for your kid and see them
off to school with the lunch, you should do that.
That is your job as a parent, period. What we
(05:35):
have is we have a free school lunch program genuinely
for those kids that are vulnerable, that are coming from
low income homes for a number of reasons, that come
to school without lunch as important because all the evidence
is if they don't have food, they're highly distractive and
they're not going to learn. If they don't learn, we're
not seeing them up for success and being able to
take opportunities that come there come our way. So you know,
(05:58):
you know, my ask is I keep saying to you know,
and I spoke about a few weeks ago. I said
to you at the time, my might sandwich and apple.
You know, parents can do that. If they can, they should,
And what we should be left with as the kids
genuinely need a school lunch, you know. And that's the deal,
that's the contract. The taxpayer is paying for it to
help and support people who need help genuinely, so not
(06:20):
to subsidize or support middle class folks who can afford
to make their own lunches really quickly.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
To finmish on Tamotha Paul Benjamin Doyle, Debbie and Rah
Weary at a's a party, Mary, are they the coalition
government's greatest assets? Oh? It's just are they the gift
that keeps on giving?
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Well, I mean it's just like it's just to be
on at a society show. I mean, I'm really frankly
focused on what I've got to do as Prime Minister
of New Zealand. Is the New Zealand public want me
to get on and get the economy growing, restore law
in order to sort our education and healthcare and you know,
to be honest, that's what I'm focused on. And there
are all issues for the leadership of those respective parties
(06:57):
to step up and actually you know, take responsibility for
their own caucuses and their behavior. But from my point
of view, that's a sideshow. I've got a Yeah, I've
been elected to a job and I've got a head's
head down tail up until twenty twenty six. That's for
why support us again? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Well, Winston and Seymour are a walk in the park.
Poor old Chris Hepkins, I'm feeling sorry for him. Prime Minister,
thanks for your time
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Great good cool you Jay as always can take care
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