April 9, 2026 • 6 mins
The Minister of Agriculture and Trade updates us on the Indian FTA, the prospect of more Trump tariffs on our lamb, and whether he would look forward to serving under Winston as a Prime Minister?
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tom McLay is the Minister of Agriculture and Trade. He
is racking up the air miles because he's doing a
good job for us. He might have to take another
trip to America to try and talk the Americans out
of slapping more tariffs on our lamb. But before we
talk about that, Todd, I want to talk about the
Indian FTA. I had Damien O'Connor on the show earlier
(00:20):
in the week. He made soothing noises as chippy as convinced.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Well, hey, thanks having me on. We've been going through
a pretty long process with Labor and I've had full
access to officials. They've been a lot of meetings. It's
seven or eight meetings now with me and Damien, Me
with Chris Hopkins, Damien and another one of their MP's,
with all of the officials, and so they're going through
the detail. You know, we're going to be very careful.
(00:45):
We don't get down in the weeds. We've got to
rise above it. This is one point four billion people,
we're five million people, and it's a high quality deal.
In fact, when I was in the Double Zio Ministerial
Trade negotiation a couple of weeks ago, the EU Trade
can missioner was a bit friendly grumpy with me, saying,
you guys got a better deal than we did a
lot of stuff and I'm under pressure over here in
(01:06):
Europe now from my farmers. So look, we're working through
a process, but labour getting to the point where they're
going to make a decision. They can't sort of sit
on the fence all the time, continuing to ask small
questions about things in the agreement. They're probably not material.
This is going to be worth a lot of money
for New Zealand and a lot of money for New
Zealand farmers. I know Damien actually is very supportive of
(01:27):
the deal. He's just going to get to make sure
as caucus gets over the line.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
We really need to get this across the line before
the election in case, shock, horror, Chippy and Co get
in there and then it might be kicked for touch completely.
Surely they would, Surely sanity will prevail.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
You're absolutely right. But the actual reason we want to
get it underway very quickly is we have a couple
of most Favored Nation clauses in our negotiated text, which
means if India gives better conditions in wine or services
trade to another name. They must automatically give it to
us as long as our agreement is already enforced. So
(02:04):
for wine, they gave the EU better access, lower tariff rates,
then they gave us. We get that automatically. And for
services they gave them much bigger deal. Because you know
Europe three or four hundred million people, they were able
to negotiate more. And so if we can get it
in place before then we win even more. But there's
another reason for that. I met with Indian Trade minister
(02:24):
Againzo meet in a couple of weeks ago, and he
said to me, Todd, we should get on and sign it.
So India are very keen to sign and get on
with this because they want to make progress. I agree
with them. So I'm working through the you know, working
through this with labor. But the best place for them
to be scrutiny is an open air in public in Parliament.
(02:45):
So we will be signing it. We then get to
table the agreement in Parliament in everybody, you know, you Labor,
every party in Parliament gets to look at this and
make a decision for themselves. So we're doing this in
good faith. Because trade is bipartisan. We will be signing
the deal and tabling in Parliament, so and so everyone
can have a look.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
The Americans can't get enough of their beef, but Trump
wants to slap some more teriffs on a lamb and
I think you have a very good relationship with Trump's
trade represented of jameson Grea. Where are we at with
that because we're currently sitting at ten percent.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
That's right, well ten percent, and when I went to
fifteen minutes back to ten. Look, I think what's happening
is the US looking at, you know, other legal means
to put that tariff wall back in place the ten
percent after the court found President Trump had not used
the right legal base that the tariffs were illegal. There's
you know, they've got a ten percent for one hundred
(03:41):
and fifty days. So I think that they are looking
at everything they can for all countries in the world
to put tariffs back on place and have them stay there.
I raised this lamb with jameson Grea a couple of
weeks ago again at wshow when I met with him,
they said, we're not doing any harm there at all.
In fact, what New Zealand has done has increased can
something and the price has gone up which is good
(04:03):
for your farmers, he said. It's a very long process
they'll go through. They send it off to another group
to see if there is actually any harm being done.
A report will come to him and then he'll make
a decision. We've committed to working closely with them on this.
I'll be sending officials up to Washington to meet in
person and go through the detail. New Zealand LAMB is
(04:24):
not doing harm in that market, but it's a pretty
political place at the moment, so we'll be making a
very very strong case along with Australia actually, and I
know that the meat exports sector is behind us. They're
going to play their part as well. Before any tariffs
have put in place, I'll have a chance to meet
with jameson Greer again to make the case. But we're
also in that position as we have been for a
(04:47):
while now. Whatever the President decides, the President decides.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Finally, your late father, Roger McLay, former MP, great mat
of Winston Peters, I think he used to flat with them.
Are you looking forward to the prospect of serving under
Winston Peters as the next center right coalition Prime Minister?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Well, I am an associate minister of Foreign Affairs, so
I already serve under him. But everybody in New Zealand
has already served under the Winston as prime minister. Do
you remember when he put to Sindo a durn in
power and then she took maternity leave and Winston was
our prime minister. Some might argue that was the only
bright spot of the six years of the Labor government
that Winston put there. So our current prime minister is
(05:28):
doing an excellent job. He's very hard working and he
is the best prime minister I have ever worked for.
Christopher Luxon and we're all working hard. You see that
poll that came up this week there was ten MP's
difference between the current government and Labor Greens and the
Maori Party, which gives us all desire to work even
harder to prove to New Zealand as we deserve to
(05:50):
be re elected. And we'll be doing that and it
will be a Chris Luxeon prime ministership.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Did you not serve under John Key? As Christopher lux
On a better prime minister than John Key in the spry.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
So I served under John t and also Bill English,
And what I'm saying is I had been given more
ability to get out and do my job and deliver
for New Zealand and Chris Luxeon, it's a pleasure to
work with me, the best prime Minister I've ever worked for, and.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
You're happy to be the MP for tower on or
on your case Telpo, is it well?
Speaker 2 (06:21):
I'm happy to four rot Rua, which is better than
Tower Onner and tower Boat. Because everyone and Wroter listened
to your show, this is the best elected in the country.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Wonderful Todd McClay, thank you very much for your time.
Good luck in America you might need it.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Thanks so much,
Tom McLay is the Minister of Agriculture and Trade. He
is racking up the air miles because he's doing a
good job for us. He might have to take another
trip to America to try and talk the Americans out
of slapping more tariffs on our lamb. But before we
talk about that, Todd, I want to talk about the
Indian FTA. I had Damien O'Connor on the show earlier
(00:20):
in the week. He made soothing noises as chippy as convinced.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Well, hey, thanks having me on. We've been going through
a pretty long process with Labor and I've had full
access to officials. They've been a lot of meetings. It's
seven or eight meetings now with me and Damien, Me
with Chris Hopkins, Damien and another one of their MP's,
with all of the officials, and so they're going through
the detail. You know, we're going to be very careful.
(00:45):
We don't get down in the weeds. We've got to
rise above it. This is one point four billion people,
we're five million people, and it's a high quality deal.
In fact, when I was in the Double Zio Ministerial
Trade negotiation a couple of weeks ago, the EU Trade
can missioner was a bit friendly grumpy with me, saying,
you guys got a better deal than we did a
lot of stuff and I'm under pressure over here in
(01:06):
Europe now from my farmers. So look, we're working through
a process, but labour getting to the point where they're
going to make a decision. They can't sort of sit
on the fence all the time, continuing to ask small
questions about things in the agreement. They're probably not material.
This is going to be worth a lot of money
for New Zealand and a lot of money for New
Zealand farmers. I know Damien actually is very supportive of
(01:27):
the deal. He's just going to get to make sure
as caucus gets over the line.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
We really need to get this across the line before
the election in case, shock, horror, Chippy and Co get
in there and then it might be kicked for touch completely.
Surely they would, Surely sanity will prevail.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
You're absolutely right. But the actual reason we want to
get it underway very quickly is we have a couple
of most Favored Nation clauses in our negotiated text, which
means if India gives better conditions in wine or services
trade to another name. They must automatically give it to
us as long as our agreement is already enforced. So
(02:04):
for wine, they gave the EU better access, lower tariff rates,
then they gave us. We get that automatically. And for
services they gave them much bigger deal. Because you know
Europe three or four hundred million people, they were able
to negotiate more. And so if we can get it
in place before then we win even more. But there's
another reason for that. I met with Indian Trade minister
(02:24):
Againzo meet in a couple of weeks ago, and he
said to me, Todd, we should get on and sign it.
So India are very keen to sign and get on
with this because they want to make progress. I agree
with them. So I'm working through the you know, working
through this with labor. But the best place for them
to be scrutiny is an open air in public in Parliament.
(02:45):
So we will be signing it. We then get to
table the agreement in Parliament in everybody, you know, you Labor,
every party in Parliament gets to look at this and
make a decision for themselves. So we're doing this in
good faith. Because trade is bipartisan. We will be signing
the deal and tabling in Parliament, so and so everyone
can have a look.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
The Americans can't get enough of their beef, but Trump
wants to slap some more teriffs on a lamb and
I think you have a very good relationship with Trump's
trade represented of jameson Grea. Where are we at with
that because we're currently sitting at ten percent.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
That's right, well ten percent, and when I went to
fifteen minutes back to ten. Look, I think what's happening
is the US looking at, you know, other legal means
to put that tariff wall back in place the ten
percent after the court found President Trump had not used
the right legal base that the tariffs were illegal. There's
you know, they've got a ten percent for one hundred
(03:41):
and fifty days. So I think that they are looking
at everything they can for all countries in the world
to put tariffs back on place and have them stay there.
I raised this lamb with jameson Grea a couple of
weeks ago again at wshow when I met with him,
they said, we're not doing any harm there at all.
In fact, what New Zealand has done has increased can
something and the price has gone up which is good
(04:03):
for your farmers, he said. It's a very long process
they'll go through. They send it off to another group
to see if there is actually any harm being done.
A report will come to him and then he'll make
a decision. We've committed to working closely with them on this.
I'll be sending officials up to Washington to meet in
person and go through the detail. New Zealand LAMB is
(04:24):
not doing harm in that market, but it's a pretty
political place at the moment, so we'll be making a
very very strong case along with Australia actually, and I
know that the meat exports sector is behind us. They're
going to play their part as well. Before any tariffs
have put in place, I'll have a chance to meet
with jameson Greer again to make the case. But we're
also in that position as we have been for a
(04:47):
while now. Whatever the President decides, the President decides.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Finally, your late father, Roger McLay, former MP, great mat
of Winston Peters, I think he used to flat with them.
Are you looking forward to the prospect of serving under
Winston Peters as the next center right coalition Prime Minister?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Well, I am an associate minister of Foreign Affairs, so
I already serve under him. But everybody in New Zealand
has already served under the Winston as prime minister. Do
you remember when he put to Sindo a durn in
power and then she took maternity leave and Winston was
our prime minister. Some might argue that was the only
bright spot of the six years of the Labor government
that Winston put there. So our current prime minister is
(05:28):
doing an excellent job. He's very hard working and he
is the best prime minister I have ever worked for.
Christopher Luxon and we're all working hard. You see that
poll that came up this week there was ten MP's
difference between the current government and Labor Greens and the
Maori Party, which gives us all desire to work even
harder to prove to New Zealand as we deserve to
(05:50):
be re elected. And we'll be doing that and it
will be a Chris Luxeon prime ministership.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Did you not serve under John Key? As Christopher lux
On a better prime minister than John Key in the spry.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
So I served under John t and also Bill English,
And what I'm saying is I had been given more
ability to get out and do my job and deliver
for New Zealand and Chris Luxeon, it's a pleasure to
work with me, the best prime Minister I've ever worked for, and.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
You're happy to be the MP for tower on or
on your case Telpo, is it well?
Speaker 2 (06:21):
I'm happy to four rot Rua, which is better than
Tower Onner and tower Boat. Because everyone and Wroter listened
to your show, this is the best elected in the country.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Wonderful Todd McClay, thank you very much for your time.
Good luck in America you might need it.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Thanks so much,
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