April 20, 2026 • 7 mins
What does National’s Northland MP make of Shane Jones’ “Butter Chicken Tsunami”? Plus, we talk about the Indian FTA and whether disgruntled MPs should be named and shamed.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
One man who was in Wellington this morning and was
it a windy experience? Did some of the famous five
get away but windy? Grant McCollum. Was it awkward, Oh,
to be a fly on the wall at your caucus meeting?
Good afternoon, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Good afternoon, Jamie and the caucus. We had a great caucus,
one hundred percent behind the Prime minister. It's doing a
great job and that's great. And you know, we're now
very focused on Ashley Dearly with some of the real
challenges this country has, particularly were obviously with the fuel
crisis and so forth the moment, that's what we're bring.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
How did poor old when I say, because I know
Barbara and I like a Barbara Kurrueger, Sam Uffundel, Andrew Bailey,
Tim vandermol and former Young Farmer of the Year as
well and Joseph Mooney were outed on newstalk seed B
this morning. Yes, well, no, hang.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
On, I don't talk about what goes on in caucus
at all, but be careful what you hear about in
the media. It's very eage to be speculate about what
people what people are doing or not doing, and I
just think that is very unhelpful for those individuals because
they that they are one hundred percent behind the Prime
minister and support them all the way.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Well why did those five, why did those five get
named this morning?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I've got no idea how that came about at all.
It's very eag beautiful pick up names. You've got to
be anyone's name up there. It's very very unhelpful, and
it's hurtful for those individuals who are doing a great
job representing this party and working hard for this country.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
So the Nats are all happiness filed, no wonder. You're
the chief nodder when it comes to press conferences, Grant.
You're very good at standing behind the Prime Minister and nodding.
In fact, I think you should be the You know
how you have a chief whip. There should be an
appointed chief nodder and it should be you.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Well, yeah, we'll Peggy, Jamie, I'm pleased. I'll add that
to my list of qualifications and put on the CV
right now.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
You want to get stuck in Shane Jones, What did
you make of his butter chicken tsunami? I mean, this
is kind of well, it's racistra.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
I'm sorry, Jamie, but that is just a totally unacceptable
commentary and very unhelpful commentary. We have a lot of
amazing cultures in this country, including the Indian culture who
Indian people have emigrated here and set up families, and
some of them been in a very very long time,
and I just think those comments are very unhelpful and
insulting to those people. And I just I heard those
(02:17):
comments the last time about this MASSI immigration stuff. I've
never heard so much blogoney in my life. This the
ft A is huge for New Zealand and I really
hope that the Labor Party get them behind it. I'll
be very disappointed they don't, and as should there already been.
Some of the sets that's going to benefit the most
from the f t A are going to be forestry,
the wall sector, and fisheries and the forestry and the
(02:39):
fish and the fisheries and Shane is the Minister of Fisheries.
So I'm just the way amused by that, you know,
I just think and so. But what I was particularly
brassed off about, I'm a Fonterra farmer, and he had
to go at Fonterra farmers but being not paying their
people that work for them, well enough, Well, let me
tell you something. People that come and work for me,
starting salary package for a seventeen or eighty year old
(03:02):
without any experience sixty five to seventy thousand dollars per
annum the whole package. That's what they start on. My
daughter after five years at law school, started on sixty
five brand in Auckland. So I just think that that
was deeply insulting for me as a farmer, and I
made it quite careful when I saw the other night
that that wasn't acceptable.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yeah. Actually I'm with you on that one. Pay rates,
I know a wee bit about it in the dairy industry.
I know there are some probably some bad employers. There's
bad employers in every industry, might be abusing the roster system.
But the actual pay rates, especially for young people and
a career path and daring, are really good.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Ye. My son, he's down looking cows and Canterbury. Went
to the side conference down there and at Lincoln last week,
really enjoyed it and really got to see what the
sector was about. It's a great sector where if you
want to get ahead, it will support you. That's the
beauty of the co op structure, it really is. And
so he had a great red lures a lot, made
some good contexts and you know, I'm going to obviously
(04:02):
encourage you all the way. It's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
So you're none too pleased about Shane and his but
a chicken tsunami when it comes to and then immigration,
you're also not like you. You sent me an abusive
text on Saturday morning about the Shane and Taine show
because they were both included on the Best of the Country,
that high rating show between six and seven. Get a plug?
(04:26):
Will you make it on there? Well no, he grant.
The clue is in the name of the show, the
Best of the Country. So yeah, I think you've answered
your own questions. Yeah, yeah, whatever, Okay, So you want
to get stuck into Tane Randall as well.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yes, because I heard that interview. It was an interesting
interview and you said you were assume that he'd be
supportive of water storage.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Well, actually, well, I know, I know he wanted to
build Damn or he wants to build him now, but
he has got a record of voting against ruatani Tha.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
That is my point. I just wanted to make that
quite clear to the people Hawk's Bay and my good
colleague Katherine wed who's a great MP is just remind
the people hawks Pay that they he did not support
the rue Canna for dam that and you need one
thing Hooks Pay needs his water. And if you want
to keep minimum flows in rivers, which is what he
was talking about with a a rafting story, you need
(05:17):
a dam is a great way to achieve it because
part of the conditions and you keep a minimum flow.
And I just think he needs to be honest with
people about that stuff rather than dancing around the edge
of the story. Just if you're either full water storage
or you're not, you can't have it both ways.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Hey, Grant, you'll be pleased on either that some text
traffic is coming following our or as a result of
our conversation. A new name. Grant doing a great job mcnational.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Do you go? Do you go? All you have to do
now is put me on your best off show and
my week will be complete, don't you.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Well? Actually I've got well, I think I've got Winston
on later in the week. He'll probably make it. But look,
I'm with you on the Indian Free Trade Agreement, Grant.
I think it, and I think hopefully labor might even
come out on the show later in the air, and
Damien might have something positive to say. I just can't
see politically how they cannot support this.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Yeah, I agreed, And when you look back at our history,
to be fair, we got a little bit rope you
around the TPP and became the TPP. But ultimately the
labor and national have both understood the importance of free
trade to this country and trade deals and India the
fastest growing, biggest population in the world, we need to
be in there. It's a great opportunity for our sectors
(06:29):
because people on what they want us to spread our
risk away from China. Here is a great opportunity to
achieve it, and I hope the labour parties see it
as well. I'm just really disappointed that these little first
don't see it because ultimately, you know, they all just
remember also they voted against the China Free Trade Deal,
which is just appalling. And yet where would we be
today without us exactly?
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Well, that wonderful soliloquily I might soliloquies, should I say?
I might just edit that out and put that on
the Best of the Country on Saturday morning. That was
moving See you later. So you there, we grant mcnational, McCallum,
One man who was in Wellington this morning and was
it a windy experience? Did some of the famous five
get away but windy? Grant McCollum. Was it awkward, Oh,
to be a fly on the wall at your caucus meeting?
Good afternoon, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Good afternoon, Jamie and the caucus. We had a great caucus,
one hundred percent behind the Prime minister. It's doing a
great job and that's great. And you know, we're now
very focused on Ashley Dearly with some of the real
challenges this country has, particularly were obviously with the fuel
crisis and so forth the moment, that's what we're bring.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
How did poor old when I say, because I know
Barbara and I like a Barbara Kurrueger, Sam Uffundel, Andrew Bailey,
Tim vandermol and former Young Farmer of the Year as
well and Joseph Mooney were outed on newstalk seed B
this morning. Yes, well, no, hang.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
On, I don't talk about what goes on in caucus
at all, but be careful what you hear about in
the media. It's very eage to be speculate about what
people what people are doing or not doing, and I
just think that is very unhelpful for those individuals because
they that they are one hundred percent behind the Prime
minister and support them all the way.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Well why did those five, why did those five get
named this morning?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I've got no idea how that came about at all.
It's very eag beautiful pick up names. You've got to
be anyone's name up there. It's very very unhelpful, and
it's hurtful for those individuals who are doing a great
job representing this party and working hard for this country.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
So the Nats are all happiness filed, no wonder. You're
the chief nodder when it comes to press conferences, Grant.
You're very good at standing behind the Prime Minister and nodding.
In fact, I think you should be the You know
how you have a chief whip. There should be an
appointed chief nodder and it should be you.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Well, yeah, we'll Peggy, Jamie, I'm pleased. I'll add that
to my list of qualifications and put on the CV
right now.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
You want to get stuck in Shane Jones, What did
you make of his butter chicken tsunami? I mean, this
is kind of well, it's racistra.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
I'm sorry, Jamie, but that is just a totally unacceptable
commentary and very unhelpful commentary. We have a lot of
amazing cultures in this country, including the Indian culture who
Indian people have emigrated here and set up families, and
some of them been in a very very long time,
and I just think those comments are very unhelpful and
insulting to those people. And I just I heard those
(02:17):
comments the last time about this MASSI immigration stuff. I've
never heard so much blogoney in my life. This the
ft A is huge for New Zealand and I really
hope that the Labor Party get them behind it. I'll
be very disappointed they don't, and as should there already been.
Some of the sets that's going to benefit the most
from the f t A are going to be forestry,
the wall sector, and fisheries and the forestry and the
(02:39):
fish and the fisheries and Shane is the Minister of Fisheries.
So I'm just the way amused by that, you know,
I just think and so. But what I was particularly
brassed off about, I'm a Fonterra farmer, and he had
to go at Fonterra farmers but being not paying their
people that work for them, well enough, Well, let me
tell you something. People that come and work for me,
starting salary package for a seventeen or eighty year old
(03:02):
without any experience sixty five to seventy thousand dollars per
annum the whole package. That's what they start on. My
daughter after five years at law school, started on sixty
five brand in Auckland. So I just think that that
was deeply insulting for me as a farmer, and I
made it quite careful when I saw the other night
that that wasn't acceptable.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yeah. Actually I'm with you on that one. Pay rates,
I know a wee bit about it in the dairy industry.
I know there are some probably some bad employers. There's
bad employers in every industry, might be abusing the roster system.
But the actual pay rates, especially for young people and
a career path and daring, are really good.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Ye. My son, he's down looking cows and Canterbury. Went
to the side conference down there and at Lincoln last week,
really enjoyed it and really got to see what the
sector was about. It's a great sector where if you
want to get ahead, it will support you. That's the
beauty of the co op structure, it really is. And
so he had a great red lures a lot, made
some good contexts and you know, I'm going to obviously
(04:02):
encourage you all the way. It's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
So you're none too pleased about Shane and his but
a chicken tsunami when it comes to and then immigration,
you're also not like you. You sent me an abusive
text on Saturday morning about the Shane and Taine show
because they were both included on the Best of the Country,
that high rating show between six and seven. Get a plug?
(04:26):
Will you make it on there? Well no, he grant.
The clue is in the name of the show, the
Best of the Country. So yeah, I think you've answered
your own questions. Yeah, yeah, whatever, Okay, So you want
to get stuck into Tane Randall as well.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yes, because I heard that interview. It was an interesting
interview and you said you were assume that he'd be
supportive of water storage.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Well, actually, well, I know, I know he wanted to
build Damn or he wants to build him now, but
he has got a record of voting against ruatani Tha.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
That is my point. I just wanted to make that
quite clear to the people Hawk's Bay and my good
colleague Katherine wed who's a great MP is just remind
the people hawks Pay that they he did not support
the rue Canna for dam that and you need one
thing Hooks Pay needs his water. And if you want
to keep minimum flows in rivers, which is what he
was talking about with a a rafting story, you need
(05:17):
a dam is a great way to achieve it because
part of the conditions and you keep a minimum flow.
And I just think he needs to be honest with
people about that stuff rather than dancing around the edge
of the story. Just if you're either full water storage
or you're not, you can't have it both ways.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Hey, Grant, you'll be pleased on either that some text
traffic is coming following our or as a result of
our conversation. A new name. Grant doing a great job mcnational.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Do you go? Do you go? All you have to do
now is put me on your best off show and
my week will be complete, don't you.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Well? Actually I've got well, I think I've got Winston
on later in the week. He'll probably make it. But look,
I'm with you on the Indian Free Trade Agreement, Grant.
I think it, and I think hopefully labor might even
come out on the show later in the air, and
Damien might have something positive to say. I just can't
see politically how they cannot support this.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Yeah, I agreed, And when you look back at our history,
to be fair, we got a little bit rope you
around the TPP and became the TPP. But ultimately the
labor and national have both understood the importance of free
trade to this country and trade deals and India the
fastest growing, biggest population in the world, we need to
be in there. It's a great opportunity for our sectors
(06:29):
because people on what they want us to spread our
risk away from China. Here is a great opportunity to
achieve it, and I hope the labour parties see it
as well. I'm just really disappointed that these little first
don't see it because ultimately, you know, they all just
remember also they voted against the China Free Trade Deal,
which is just appalling. And yet where would we be
today without us exactly?
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Well, that wonderful soliloquily I might soliloquies, should I say?
I might just edit that out and put that on
the Best of the Country on Saturday morning. That was
moving See you later. So you there, we grant mcnational, McCallum,
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