March 24, 2026 • 6 mins
The Prime Minister comments on the fuel crisis, the tax credit relief package, Winston Peters and Halter.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wednesdays on the country. We appreciate the time of the
Prime Minister, who would want his job at the moment
running the country in this troubled world. You came out yesterday,
Prime Minister with your in work tax credit fifty bucks
a week for one hundred and forty thousand families, very targeted.
It's almost impossible to fairly target relief like this though,
(00:22):
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yeah, Look, I mean the challenge we've got, Jamie. We
know it's a tough time for Kiwis. Households and farms
and businesses are under real pressure. But what we also
can't do is for the mistakes of COVID. And therefore
we've got to have really clear criteria and lenses by
which we think about this, because on one hand, we've
got to get make sure that any support we offer
the Ylanders is very targeted. It's got to be timely,
(00:44):
and it's got to be temporary, it doesn't stay there forever.
And on the other hand, we're very conscious of this
sins out of it, the mistakes made in COVID which
just drove huge amounts of inflation, interest rates and put
the country into recession.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Was there any sort of relief in any shape, form
or other for business, and I'm particularly thinking of businesses
and diesel that drives not only the primary sector, but
also commerce in this country.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, look, we're very sensitive and aware of the challenges
particularly around these which is actually the key fuel that
does drive, as you say, the economy here. What we've
got to do first and foremost is make sure that
we can maintain healthy fuel stocks, which we are doing
at the moment. That's really important because as soon as
we start to lose fuel, I'm telling you, your jobs
and incomes for New Zealanders will be very, very challenged
(01:30):
at that point in time. So that's really important that
we're just maintaining fuel supply. That's really our focus of
a lot of what we're doing. We acknowledge lock you know,
there's going to be fuel surch charges. People have to
reflect that and higher pricing I think about contractors with
diesel are and we've also conscious that there will be
some things that will be in a short term cash
flow cycle, whether with old prices and dealing with new prices.
(01:53):
Is costs and Nicola as Minister of Finance has spoken
to every CEO of all the major banks here in
New Zealand And said that they will, and we expect
them to stand by and support those businesses during that period.
It's finding that balance and I appreciate that they won't
meet the needs of everybody, and we're being very upfront
about that, but we're trying to make sure that we
(02:13):
can't target a support those are desperately.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Well, I know you're not at liberty to tell me
everything you know for obvious reasons, but how much communication
is going on with world leaders around trying to negotiate
some sort of settlement in the Middle East? Because Trump's
basically shooting from the lip here story is changing our
and you can't say that that's me. But what's happening
(02:36):
behind the scenes to give us some hope?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Well, look it, yeah, it's very frenetic, and you know
what we need is we need we need a resolution,
and we need a negotiated resolution. Even if there was
a cease far a Greek day or tomorrow, there will
still be supply chain implications of that for you know,
some time to come after that obviously, and disruption supply potentially.
But having said that, what we really You're right, we
(02:59):
need to get the regional players in the region to
be able to find a way to bridge the US
and Iran to actually get a negotiated cement there. And
that's in all of our interests to make sure that
that is settled as correctly as possible, so that last
time I lot, there was three thousand, six hundred ships
of oil basically sitting on either side of the hall,
move straightway to come through or move out. So you know,
(03:21):
that's really what we need, a diplomatic solution, negotiated settlement
to be able to deal with that. But yeah, and
that's really important. But yeah, I agree with you, it's
a constantly evolving situation. From our point of view. We
can control that event. We were not party to that event.
They were independent actions of the US in Israel. But
you know, I can't control that. But what I have
(03:42):
to control is the consequences of that and do the
best that we can to manage it from here on
through and the implications from New Zeale.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
I know you won't want to answer this question, but
what's winstand up to. Could he be as some people
are suggesting myself included or want to be a prime
minister in a national dominant center right coalition. Could you
would there ever be a situation, No, no, just let
me finish. Would there ever be a situation where you,
for the good of the country saying, rather than face
a center left government with the Party Maury and the Greens,
(04:13):
I'll step aside. Winston, you can do the top job,
but National is going to get the majority of the Say.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Well, Jamie, your ruminating commentators all very interesting, but I'll
tell you it's the first thing from my thought at
the moment, because we've got a serious issue trying to
deal with, which is the implications of this crisis on
New Zealand and how to fixs Kiwis and that we're
our focus is right now. So just not a consideration.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
You're happy to be the MP for Twong or on
that one by the sounds of things, Hey, just a
final word because I'm hopefully going to catch up with
him on the show. Halter, Craig Pigott, and I know
that you're from a corporate background. This is an amazing
young man, following in the footsteps of Sir Peter Beck.
Largest capital raise ever by a New Zealand company as
companies doubled in value in the past year. Gee more
(05:00):
Craig piggots.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
He's awesome. He's really awesome. I've put him on my
Promise of Science Innovation Technology Council as well last year
and it's a business that I've followed even from before
I came into politics, and I knew Craig before then
as well. He's done an in sectionally good job. He's
a very good leader and he's actually building out a
world class global company from New Zealand. The challenges often
(05:22):
what you find is i'd just encourage all farmers, you know,
to really look into the wholes of stuff because that's
got the advantages on land use, on environmental benefits, you know,
like I've been on the farm and says and when
you've got people saying the cows are walking themselves to
the milk shed and actually our worker doesn't need to
get there for another hour later and get out of
(05:43):
bed at our later, that's all quite positive stuff. And
then you can get better the use of your land
as well through just moving the cows around. So it's
pretty cool technology. Again, it's being adopted and picked up
in the US and obviously in Australia. We just want
to see you want to see also great adoption here
in New Zealand as well.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Two thousand farms, one million collars out there at the moment,
Prime Minister Christopher Lux and good luck. I'd soon have
my job than yours at the moment.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Go well, no, thank you, rape appreciate it. A good week.
Wednesdays on the country. We appreciate the time of the
Prime Minister, who would want his job at the moment
running the country in this troubled world. You came out yesterday,
Prime Minister with your in work tax credit fifty bucks
a week for one hundred and forty thousand families, very targeted.
It's almost impossible to fairly target relief like this though,
(00:22):
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yeah, Look, I mean the challenge we've got, Jamie. We
know it's a tough time for Kiwis. Households and farms
and businesses are under real pressure. But what we also
can't do is for the mistakes of COVID. And therefore
we've got to have really clear criteria and lenses by
which we think about this, because on one hand, we've
got to get make sure that any support we offer
the Ylanders is very targeted. It's got to be timely,
(00:44):
and it's got to be temporary, it doesn't stay there forever.
And on the other hand, we're very conscious of this
sins out of it, the mistakes made in COVID which
just drove huge amounts of inflation, interest rates and put
the country into recession.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Was there any sort of relief in any shape, form
or other for business, and I'm particularly thinking of businesses
and diesel that drives not only the primary sector, but
also commerce in this country.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, look, we're very sensitive and aware of the challenges
particularly around these which is actually the key fuel that
does drive, as you say, the economy here. What we've
got to do first and foremost is make sure that
we can maintain healthy fuel stocks, which we are doing
at the moment. That's really important because as soon as
we start to lose fuel, I'm telling you, your jobs
and incomes for New Zealanders will be very, very challenged
(01:30):
at that point in time. So that's really important that
we're just maintaining fuel supply. That's really our focus of
a lot of what we're doing. We acknowledge lock you know,
there's going to be fuel surch charges. People have to
reflect that and higher pricing I think about contractors with
diesel are and we've also conscious that there will be
some things that will be in a short term cash
flow cycle, whether with old prices and dealing with new prices.
(01:53):
Is costs and Nicola as Minister of Finance has spoken
to every CEO of all the major banks here in
New Zealand And said that they will, and we expect
them to stand by and support those businesses during that period.
It's finding that balance and I appreciate that they won't
meet the needs of everybody, and we're being very upfront
about that, but we're trying to make sure that we
(02:13):
can't target a support those are desperately.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Well, I know you're not at liberty to tell me
everything you know for obvious reasons, but how much communication
is going on with world leaders around trying to negotiate
some sort of settlement in the Middle East? Because Trump's
basically shooting from the lip here story is changing our
and you can't say that that's me. But what's happening
(02:36):
behind the scenes to give us some hope?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Well, look it, yeah, it's very frenetic, and you know
what we need is we need we need a resolution,
and we need a negotiated resolution. Even if there was
a cease far a Greek day or tomorrow, there will
still be supply chain implications of that for you know,
some time to come after that obviously, and disruption supply potentially.
But having said that, what we really You're right, we
(02:59):
need to get the regional players in the region to
be able to find a way to bridge the US
and Iran to actually get a negotiated cement there. And
that's in all of our interests to make sure that
that is settled as correctly as possible, so that last
time I lot, there was three thousand, six hundred ships
of oil basically sitting on either side of the hall,
move straightway to come through or move out. So you know,
(03:21):
that's really what we need, a diplomatic solution, negotiated settlement
to be able to deal with that. But yeah, and
that's really important. But yeah, I agree with you, it's
a constantly evolving situation. From our point of view. We
can control that event. We were not party to that event.
They were independent actions of the US in Israel. But
you know, I can't control that. But what I have
(03:42):
to control is the consequences of that and do the
best that we can to manage it from here on
through and the implications from New Zeale.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
I know you won't want to answer this question, but
what's winstand up to. Could he be as some people
are suggesting myself included or want to be a prime
minister in a national dominant center right coalition. Could you
would there ever be a situation, No, no, just let
me finish. Would there ever be a situation where you,
for the good of the country saying, rather than face
a center left government with the Party Maury and the Greens,
(04:13):
I'll step aside. Winston, you can do the top job,
but National is going to get the majority of the Say.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Well, Jamie, your ruminating commentators all very interesting, but I'll
tell you it's the first thing from my thought at
the moment, because we've got a serious issue trying to
deal with, which is the implications of this crisis on
New Zealand and how to fixs Kiwis and that we're
our focus is right now. So just not a consideration.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
You're happy to be the MP for Twong or on
that one by the sounds of things, Hey, just a
final word because I'm hopefully going to catch up with
him on the show. Halter, Craig Pigott, and I know
that you're from a corporate background. This is an amazing
young man, following in the footsteps of Sir Peter Beck.
Largest capital raise ever by a New Zealand company as
companies doubled in value in the past year. Gee more
(05:00):
Craig piggots.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
He's awesome. He's really awesome. I've put him on my
Promise of Science Innovation Technology Council as well last year
and it's a business that I've followed even from before
I came into politics, and I knew Craig before then
as well. He's done an in sectionally good job. He's
a very good leader and he's actually building out a
world class global company from New Zealand. The challenges often
(05:22):
what you find is i'd just encourage all farmers, you know,
to really look into the wholes of stuff because that's
got the advantages on land use, on environmental benefits, you know,
like I've been on the farm and says and when
you've got people saying the cows are walking themselves to
the milk shed and actually our worker doesn't need to
get there for another hour later and get out of
(05:43):
bed at our later, that's all quite positive stuff. And
then you can get better the use of your land
as well through just moving the cows around. So it's
pretty cool technology. Again, it's being adopted and picked up
in the US and obviously in Australia. We just want
to see you want to see also great adoption here
in New Zealand as well.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Two thousand farms, one million collars out there at the moment,
Prime Minister Christopher Lux and good luck. I'd soon have
my job than yours at the moment.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Go well, no, thank you, rape appreciate it. A good week.
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