The Country 31/03/26: Jo Luxton talks to Jamie Mackay

We ask Labour’s ag spokesperson why she was missing in action at last week’s Federated Farmers’ High Country Field Day. And will she finally come out with some ag policy in the election year? 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joe Luxton is Labour's agriculture spokesperson. I was looking forward,
Joe to spending some quality time with you last Friday
at the Federated Farmer's High Country Field Day at the
magnificent Glenary Station, but Joe, you were a no show.
Where were you? Oh?

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Good afternoon, Jamie. Yeah, would been lovely to spend some
really good quality time with you, I'm sure, but we've
had a bit of illness in our caucus and had
leaves planned to head down on Thursday, but we were
unable to get our leave got rescinded due to lots
of people being away. Sick in Parliament has to be

(00:38):
the priority for us, so with a realciting because I
really really enjoyed the high Country field Days last year.
It was really great.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Well, I think Feed's were keen to talk to the opposition,
you know, Heaven help us, you might be the government
at the end of the year, Joe. But as it was,
it was just a whole lot of nodding heads from
New Zealand First and the NATS. But never mind, you've
missed out on that one. What are you guys, What
are you guys in Labor going to do? About the
free trade agreement with India. I put it to you,

(01:07):
and I know you've got some reservations about it, but
I put it to you it'd be an act of
economic sabotage or treason, should I say, if you guys
didn't get in behind this and support it now more
than ever we need India.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
Neighbor has always had a real strength when it comes
to trade. You know, we've got several really good trade
agreements across the line and our time thanks to the
hard work of Damien. Look, there are some concerns about
some of the things within the trade agreement. You know,
we really want to work constructively with the government on

(01:41):
this and I know that a Chross is seeking some
more clarification from the government. You're just some concerns about
that's in there that you know, if that sign news
will end up to be able to deliver certain things,
and what happens if we can't quite deliver that, what
are the implications. So there's you know, there's a few
of those things to work through. They are actually really

(02:03):
important because we certainly don't want to put New Zealand
in a position where we get penalized for not being
able to deliver on our end of the bargain. So
that's just something that's been worked through.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Where do you or labor sit on this LNG terminal
in Taranaki. It looks like it might be gassed for
want of a better word, because I think liquefied natural
gas has gone up more in percentage terms than crude oil.
So it may not be the answer the fix all
we were looking for.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
We've had concerns about this right from the get go
in our spoke sess in Meghan Woods has expressed that
quite clearly in the house through questions and what have you.
But what we are seeing now with the prices overseas
just highlights what our concerns have been and there is
if we were to go ahead with this, we would

(02:56):
be held to rentsom so to speak to gas prices
overseas and which would potentially at the moment if we
were using this, would see higher prices for us here
in New Zealand to pay, and that's not a good thing.
That's the exact opposite of what we need to do.

Speaker 1 (03:15):
Joe Luxton. One to finish on, I want to go
back to that Federated Farmer's High Country field Day One
of the things that was the key topics was the
wilding pines and conifers. The risks to a beautiful farm
like Grnery and the seed source can be twenty or
thirty kilometers away. It is such a problem not only

(03:35):
down south but right around the country. And I know
you've had a good look at wilding pines. As a nation.
This is a real threat to some of our productive land.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
It's an absolute threat, Jamie, without a doubt. And it's
not just a threat to our productive land, but it
also has implications, for example, with our fires and all
those sorts of things that could potentially break out if
they continued. I take of This is something that's really
front of mine for me, Jamie, and it has been
for quite some time. I'm actually really focused on trying

(04:07):
to put together, you know, what I think would be
and you'll be pleased to hear this policy.

Speaker 1 (04:13):
What a policy, Joe. You can't give me a policy
an election here. I've been waiting two years for some.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
And you're going to have to wait a bit longer yet.
But if I'm really focused on, Jamie, I've heard loud
and clearly seen it so myself it is a real concern,
and I think, you know, we invested money when we
were lasting government to take all this problem, and we
were making some gains. Sadly, it's you know, seems to

(04:40):
have fallen away a little bit and getting out of
control even more so, it is definitely something that's front
of mine for me. Jamie.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
Well, good on you, Joe. Some policy from the Labor
Party on AG. That's good. Next next thing, Trump will
end the war. We live and hope. Hey, thanks for
your time, all right, thank you, Jamie,