July 29, 2026 • 7 mins
North Otago farmer and award-winning environmentalist pays tribute to Jim Hopkins. She also floats the idea of a political “pre-nup”, plus we talk infrastructure, the RMA, and the Ngāi Tahu irony.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Kicking off the show today Jane Smith, North Otago farmer
who took a little bit of time off the farm
this morning to go into the metropolis of Omoru and
paid tribute to our great friend the late Jim Hopkins.
Good afternoon, Jane.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Good afternoon, Jamie. And certainly it was a lovely tribute.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
To Jim before he headed north in his final journey
to back to his family in Canterbury this morning. So
it was just on the council chamber steps and we
were all able to pay tribute to Jim. And as
the Mayor said, he was a man that gave so
much of himself to the community that he loved. And
you know, he was I was thinking this morning. He
was a living, breathing thesaurus. You know, he was such
(00:40):
an outstanding orator, and you know through his young farmer's
days and I had a lot to do with immanent
throughout the regions, you know, back in the Simon hot
Crofts and Robert Kempthorn days. He was he just gave
those competitors such a hard time in a good humid
way and gave it, you know, a real profile to
to that competition.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
And Jim and I clashed on many things.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I enjoyed him as a sparring partner and council meetings
when you know, during for example, the reposed district plan changes.
And after one of those meetings, he said to me,
you know, Jane, I can't work out whether you are
an asset or a liability. But you're sure as how
made some splendid points, but you put counsel in a
really difficult position. So you know he would acknowledge when
(01:21):
you did challenge challenge him. And I guess the one
one major area that Jim and I absolutely you know
we agreed upon was the net zero alarmism. And and
Jim understood the costs and the opportunity costs of net
zero in a sort of an again, in sort of
net zero way. And you'll remember this well, Jamie. He
(01:43):
said this on your show many times. How poor do
you want our country to be? You know, how far
do you want a country to be? So basically, and
he could see that from a from a local point
of view, and in a New Zealand point of view.
I mean, we had a crump, We've got a crumbling
Victoria era a water system and omoru, yet we were
looking at spending up to one hundred and fifty million
(02:03):
on on met zero headline work, which again was going
to make no difference whatsoever. So Jim and I really
agreed on that, and gosh, I had some fantastic conversations
and he'll be sawly missed Jamie.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Yep, he was famous for his red glasses. I wonder
if he had a red coffin anyhow. Rest in peace,
Jim Hopkins, and enjoy your trip as we speak back
to your family in Canterbury. Okay, Jane, talking about things political,
you want a pre election pre nup.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
I certainly do, Jamie, And like a lot of people,
I've sort of feeling that electile dysfunction at the moment.
You know, we're very scared of what the vote may
may bring, and you know, the election result and the
formation of the next government are two very different things,
the latter being what should be keeping us awake at nights,
so you know, and almost a try before you buy.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
I'd love to see a matrix that showed what we may.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Be signing up for, depending on what sort of bizarre
coupling or throppling we may end up with. But just
a matrix it shows, you know, again on those really
important issues, So not the lolly scramble stuff, not the
social media ban and the fireworks ban and free fees
for students, but infrastructure, health, and the tax policies, which
(03:15):
of course some have come out, you know, to talk
about that. But again, we can't tax our way into prosperity,
you know. We need that trifecture of new money, new
ideas and productivity, all of which we don't have at
the moment.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Jamie, Well, look at the Opportunity Party, and I'm going
to talk to Chris Hipkins about this one and find
out where he stands on their tax proposals. If you want,
a land tax would be a real killer for farmers.
That that's a given. But they are a party of
taxing because I know they're going to simplify the income
tax brackets, and their income tax brackets will range from
(03:50):
twenty eight to thirty nine percent. Okay, same as our
current structure at the top end. But at the moment
here in New Zealand, we have ten and a half
percent on income ranging from zero to fifteen thy six hundred.
So we're all going to pay a whole lot more tax,
including a land tax, to pay for a universal basic income.
(04:10):
Do we need it?
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Actually exactly, Jamie, And I mean essentially they're trying to
turn everyone into beneficiaries.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
And you know, these unhinged.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Parties don't understand, well, don't seem to understand the law
of unintended consequences.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I mean, you've got to remember.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
A land tax is actually a tax on food production,
and we will all ultimately pay more for food and
we barely can afford food. You know, own New Zealand
produced food at the moment. So you know, they shouldn't
be in charge. The Opportunity Party should not be called
the Opportunity Party.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
And I'll tell you who gets my vote.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Is someone that comes up with intergenerational plans for those
big three infrastructure, health and education, because again, that is
a thing that's going to move our country.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Forward, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Infrastructure is a real challenge facing this country, not only
at local body level, like the way Tachi District Council
where you got pinged by a huge rate rise and
it's not even enough to wash your face. Similar type
thing for the Klutha District Council just down the road,
staring at the barrel of thirty percent rate rises. These
are unsustainable. People can't afford that.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
No, they can't, Jaman.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
I think you know that along with the council magnations,
we've got to be careful about that because it's not
necessarily the utopia that it's made out to be, because
bigger is a better and two wrongs don't make it
right in terms of putting to you know, two infrastructures
that aren't working at the moment in terms of local body.
But yeah, the infrastructure thing is massive. The RMA change
that is massive as well, and I guess on that
(05:38):
in terms of the things that are holding us back
at the moment in terms of progress and consents. I
did actually have to have to laugh at the irony,
and it's quite a serious irony this week when I
see NITA who have slammed Docks for stalling their consents
for their salmon farming proposal, and FOVO straight and I
quote well quote off the top of my head, they'd
(05:59):
said that that DOT went responding in a timely manner.
They were bringing up new matters in an irrational and
unpredictable way, and they were operating way outside their mandate
and they shouldn't have been involved in the process. Of
contenting anyway. Well, bugger me, isn't that sound like sound
very familiar in terms of the pot calling the kettle
(06:19):
black Jamie. I mean, there's so many things that have
been held to ransom by EWE and and I think,
you know, hopefully with the new Resource Management Act, whatever
shape or form that takes, that we should actually only
having those that effects being able to have an opinion
lead alone hold up a process.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Jamie. So I did.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
I did think that that irony and that was unbelievable. However,
also talking about land management change, gosh, it was enlightening
and exciting to see Sam Hayn and Kylath and Gibbon
with cows going into pine trees for getting rid of
pine trees, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
That was music to my ears.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
So well that that's on the Federated Farmer's podcast and
we've tracked those guys down, but differ caught to get
them today, but we're going to get them on the
show tomorrow. I think it's wonderful, warms my.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Heart absolutely, and putting that land back into food producing
land is just fantastic, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
So great to see people taking literally.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Taking the ball by the horns and making those changes happen,
so bloody good stuff.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Jane Smith, Thanks for your time. Jim Hopkins rest in peace.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Thanks Jamie
Kicking off the show today Jane Smith, North Otago farmer
who took a little bit of time off the farm
this morning to go into the metropolis of Omoru and
paid tribute to our great friend the late Jim Hopkins.
Good afternoon, Jane.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Good afternoon, Jamie. And certainly it was a lovely tribute.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
To Jim before he headed north in his final journey
to back to his family in Canterbury this morning. So
it was just on the council chamber steps and we
were all able to pay tribute to Jim. And as
the Mayor said, he was a man that gave so
much of himself to the community that he loved. And
you know, he was I was thinking this morning. He
was a living, breathing thesaurus. You know, he was such
(00:40):
an outstanding orator, and you know through his young farmer's
days and I had a lot to do with immanent
throughout the regions, you know, back in the Simon hot
Crofts and Robert Kempthorn days. He was he just gave
those competitors such a hard time in a good humid
way and gave it, you know, a real profile to
to that competition.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
And Jim and I clashed on many things.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I enjoyed him as a sparring partner and council meetings
when you know, during for example, the reposed district plan changes.
And after one of those meetings, he said to me,
you know, Jane, I can't work out whether you are
an asset or a liability. But you're sure as how
made some splendid points, but you put counsel in a
really difficult position. So you know he would acknowledge when
(01:21):
you did challenge challenge him. And I guess the one
one major area that Jim and I absolutely you know
we agreed upon was the net zero alarmism. And and
Jim understood the costs and the opportunity costs of net
zero in a sort of an again, in sort of
net zero way. And you'll remember this well, Jamie. He
(01:43):
said this on your show many times. How poor do
you want our country to be? You know, how far
do you want a country to be? So basically, and
he could see that from a from a local point
of view, and in a New Zealand point of view.
I mean, we had a crump, We've got a crumbling
Victoria era a water system and omoru, yet we were
looking at spending up to one hundred and fifty million
(02:03):
on on met zero headline work, which again was going
to make no difference whatsoever. So Jim and I really
agreed on that, and gosh, I had some fantastic conversations
and he'll be sawly missed Jamie.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Yep, he was famous for his red glasses. I wonder
if he had a red coffin anyhow. Rest in peace,
Jim Hopkins, and enjoy your trip as we speak back
to your family in Canterbury. Okay, Jane, talking about things political,
you want a pre election pre nup.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
I certainly do, Jamie, And like a lot of people,
I've sort of feeling that electile dysfunction at the moment.
You know, we're very scared of what the vote may
may bring, and you know, the election result and the
formation of the next government are two very different things,
the latter being what should be keeping us awake at nights,
so you know, and almost a try before you buy.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
I'd love to see a matrix that showed what we may.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Be signing up for, depending on what sort of bizarre
coupling or throppling we may end up with. But just
a matrix it shows, you know, again on those really
important issues, So not the lolly scramble stuff, not the
social media ban and the fireworks ban and free fees
for students, but infrastructure, health, and the tax policies, which
(03:15):
of course some have come out, you know, to talk
about that. But again, we can't tax our way into prosperity,
you know. We need that trifecture of new money, new
ideas and productivity, all of which we don't have at
the moment.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Jamie, Well, look at the Opportunity Party, and I'm going
to talk to Chris Hipkins about this one and find
out where he stands on their tax proposals. If you want,
a land tax would be a real killer for farmers.
That that's a given. But they are a party of
taxing because I know they're going to simplify the income
tax brackets, and their income tax brackets will range from
(03:50):
twenty eight to thirty nine percent. Okay, same as our
current structure at the top end. But at the moment
here in New Zealand, we have ten and a half
percent on income ranging from zero to fifteen thy six hundred.
So we're all going to pay a whole lot more tax,
including a land tax, to pay for a universal basic income.
(04:10):
Do we need it?
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Actually exactly, Jamie, And I mean essentially they're trying to
turn everyone into beneficiaries.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
And you know, these unhinged.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Parties don't understand, well, don't seem to understand the law
of unintended consequences.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I mean, you've got to remember.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
A land tax is actually a tax on food production,
and we will all ultimately pay more for food and
we barely can afford food. You know, own New Zealand
produced food at the moment. So you know, they shouldn't
be in charge. The Opportunity Party should not be called
the Opportunity Party.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
And I'll tell you who gets my vote.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Is someone that comes up with intergenerational plans for those
big three infrastructure, health and education, because again, that is
a thing that's going to move our country.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Forward, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Infrastructure is a real challenge facing this country, not only
at local body level, like the way Tachi District Council
where you got pinged by a huge rate rise and
it's not even enough to wash your face. Similar type
thing for the Klutha District Council just down the road,
staring at the barrel of thirty percent rate rises. These
are unsustainable. People can't afford that.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
No, they can't, Jaman.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
I think you know that along with the council magnations,
we've got to be careful about that because it's not
necessarily the utopia that it's made out to be, because
bigger is a better and two wrongs don't make it
right in terms of putting to you know, two infrastructures
that aren't working at the moment in terms of local body.
But yeah, the infrastructure thing is massive. The RMA change
that is massive as well, and I guess on that
(05:38):
in terms of the things that are holding us back
at the moment in terms of progress and consents. I
did actually have to have to laugh at the irony,
and it's quite a serious irony this week when I
see NITA who have slammed Docks for stalling their consents
for their salmon farming proposal, and FOVO straight and I
quote well quote off the top of my head, they'd
(05:59):
said that that DOT went responding in a timely manner.
They were bringing up new matters in an irrational and
unpredictable way, and they were operating way outside their mandate
and they shouldn't have been involved in the process. Of
contenting anyway. Well, bugger me, isn't that sound like sound
very familiar in terms of the pot calling the kettle
(06:19):
black Jamie. I mean, there's so many things that have
been held to ransom by EWE and and I think,
you know, hopefully with the new Resource Management Act, whatever
shape or form that takes, that we should actually only
having those that effects being able to have an opinion
lead alone hold up a process.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Jamie. So I did.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
I did think that that irony and that was unbelievable. However,
also talking about land management change, gosh, it was enlightening
and exciting to see Sam Hayn and Kylath and Gibbon
with cows going into pine trees for getting rid of
pine trees, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
That was music to my ears.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
So well that that's on the Federated Farmer's podcast and
we've tracked those guys down, but differ caught to get
them today, but we're going to get them on the
show tomorrow. I think it's wonderful, warms my.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Heart absolutely, and putting that land back into food producing
land is just fantastic, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
So great to see people taking literally.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Taking the ball by the horns and making those changes happen,
so bloody good stuff.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Jane Smith, Thanks for your time. Jim Hopkins rest in peace.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Thanks Jamie
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