December 7, 2025 • 8 mins
Penny Simmonds looks at changes to farm recycling which she says are a positive step forward.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome back to the Muster and the Cargo. MP Penny
Simmons joins us as well. She is Minister for the Environment.
Good afternoon, Penny. How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Yeah, good afternoon, Andy. It's to be chaffing. So I'm
still down here and Invercargo today. Going up tonight. They've
put the late flights on over summer, which is great.
I can spend a full day in the Electris and
go up at six thirty at night, get up there
at nine point forty. So I'm very pleased.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
So you'll have to go via christ Church I suppose, yes.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, yeah, no direct flights.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Yeah, good on New Zealand. Anyway, that's the matter for
another day. Hey, this right, So we talk about free
trade agreements, Penny. This has been quite at the hot
topic over the past twelve months, especially getting that free
trade agreement over the line with India. Tom mcclay's over
there at the moment putting in the effort. How realistic
is that we're going to get perhaps red meat and
(00:55):
an FTA to make it meaningful for real?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yeah? Well, look, I think he's doing his level best
for us. He's done some great work with free trade agreements.
He did their fastest free trade agreement that's ever been
done for the country earlier this year. Of course, we've
got the UAE and the Golf States one that's been
(01:18):
really good. The Indian one. Look, it's going to be
a tricky one. But he's up there at the moment.
He's up there this week really pushing things hard for us.
He had his counterpart from India down with him a
couple of weeks ago. He's very aware as the Agriculture
Minister how important it is to get some significant agriculture
(01:41):
wins for us. So let's hope that red meat one
that he can really get something included there. And I
know that the ambition from the Prime Minister and for
Todd is to have a free trade with India before
the end of this term.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Now yours qualified to talk about us as anyone. Penny
given you a history of siit was there a lot
of I don't know, hesitancy from India regarding New Zealand
based on the way we treated overseas students during the
COVID COVID era.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
No, look, I think they are very keen to be
able to get their students into here. They're very keen
to have smooth pathways for their students for work visas,
so no doubt that will be part of the discussion.
The Indian students make up big numbers in our universities
(02:33):
and polytechnics. They are second behind China, so they are
important to us and we want to make sure the
smooth pathways there as well.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
So it's pretty harmonious as far as Indian students come
into New Zealand. It's a z all kosher, yeah, I
think so.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Look, you know, there's always things that have to be
thoroughly checked out in terms of finances and credibility of qualifications,
but they are what in immigration New Zealand has to
check out anyway.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Now, this is a good news story, Penny. It came
out late last week farm plastics recycling scheme guess the
green light because this has been a real point of
contention for farmers. What are the finer details of this
that people need to know?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah, so, look, this is formalizing something that has been
a voluntary scheme that's been run by a couple of
industry players, and we're combining that and now making it
a compulsory scheme because they had sort of plateaued with
the voluntary scheme of how many were engaging in it,
and that meant there were some free riders in terms
(03:42):
of the importers of the plastics. So this now becomes
a compulsory scheme. It pulls together the two existing industry
driven voluntary schemes and ensures that the payment is made
upfront as the porters bring the products or the plastics
(04:02):
into the country. And so therefore the scheme, the farmer,
the end user doesn't have to pay for it. They
will be collected. The plastics will be collected and taken away,
so that's the bail wraps and the silid sheets and
agrichemical containers will be taken away for recycling. We're struggling
(04:26):
a bit to get recycling biable here in New Zealand,
but at this stage they are going offshore for recycling.
But we have had recycling available. You'll be aware Recycle
South has palletizer and macarewa that we're hopeful in the
future that that might become viable again now that the
(04:48):
scheme will ensure they've got feedstock for it, because it's
that continuity of feedstock of the plastics coming in that
can be the issue.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Well, that was the intriguing thing after the last line
body election penny. All of a sudden puff, the stroke
of a pen, and we had recycling here in Gore.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yes, well that's good, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Yeah? But it was random, how had just appeared out
of the blue.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Well, I'm going out to have a look at the
lime Hill site. I think it's week after next, next
week or the week after next before Christmas anyway, because
what they are doing out there where a lot of
our landfill goes to, is extremely forward looking. They capture
the gas and they use it to dry the lot.
(05:33):
So I'm very keen to see that. But of course
we do want to keep those plastics and those big
bulky containers that don't break down, we'd want to keep
them out of landfill. And so that's the value of
the recycling scheme.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Now we're saying here in the press release last week,
the industry lead scheme will bring the existing programs into
a single national system, offering free to use, simple and
accessible services for all users of in scope agrichemicals and
farm plastics. The key phrase their penny is free to use.
How far is this going to go?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Yes? So look, that's why the cost is built on
at the front for the ones that are importing the products,
importing the plastics coming into the country. Our expectation is
because it's such a small amount that they won't pass
it on to the end users, to the farmers and
(06:28):
the growers. But the scheme, the actual pickup scheme and
the recycling is free to the farmers and the growers.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
So it's going to be compulsory for farmers to be
part of this.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
It's compulsory for the importers to be part of it.
So it's not compulsory for the farmers, but it is
compulsory for the importers. But we believe that farmers as
good stewards of their land and of the environment, they
will want to if it's a free pickup, they will
want to have plastics picked up rather than having to
(07:02):
burn or bury them. And so that's where the engagement
with the farmers occurs, not making mandatory pick up, but
that it's free, So why wouldn't you do it? Save
you the job of having to try and get rid
of it.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Yeah, we'll stand by to see how this pans out.
Just finally, Penny, how busy is the week for you? Ehead?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Well, The next week ahead is very busy because it's
going to be urgency, so we'll probably be there till
midnight on Saturday night, so that'll be midnight, will be
ten o'clock Tuesday, and then Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday will
be midnight. So it's a busy week as we try
and get a lot of legislation through over the next while.
(07:46):
People will be aware that the Resource Management Acts replacement
Acts are coming up this week, so there's going to
be plenty of big, chunky things happening up in Parliament
this coming week.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Yeah, good on your penny. You always got to catch up.
We'll catch up one final time this year next week.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Bye, Penny Simmons, MP from Vicago, as well as Minister
for the Environment. You're listening to the Master Up. Next
we're away to Glenham and we're catching up with Dean Rabbage.
Welcome back to the Muster and the Cargo. MP Penny
Simmons joins us as well. She is Minister for the Environment.
Good afternoon, Penny. How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Yeah, good afternoon, Andy. It's to be chaffing. So I'm
still down here and Invercargo today. Going up tonight. They've
put the late flights on over summer, which is great.
I can spend a full day in the Electris and
go up at six thirty at night, get up there
at nine point forty. So I'm very pleased.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
So you'll have to go via christ Church I suppose, yes.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, yeah, no direct flights.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Yeah, good on New Zealand. Anyway, that's the matter for
another day. Hey, this right, So we talk about free
trade agreements, Penny. This has been quite at the hot
topic over the past twelve months, especially getting that free
trade agreement over the line with India. Tom mcclay's over
there at the moment putting in the effort. How realistic
is that we're going to get perhaps red meat and
(00:55):
an FTA to make it meaningful for real?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yeah? Well, look, I think he's doing his level best
for us. He's done some great work with free trade agreements.
He did their fastest free trade agreement that's ever been
done for the country earlier this year. Of course, we've
got the UAE and the Golf States one that's been
(01:18):
really good. The Indian one. Look, it's going to be
a tricky one. But he's up there at the moment.
He's up there this week really pushing things hard for us.
He had his counterpart from India down with him a
couple of weeks ago. He's very aware as the Agriculture
Minister how important it is to get some significant agriculture
(01:41):
wins for us. So let's hope that red meat one
that he can really get something included there. And I
know that the ambition from the Prime Minister and for
Todd is to have a free trade with India before
the end of this term.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Now yours qualified to talk about us as anyone. Penny
given you a history of siit was there a lot
of I don't know, hesitancy from India regarding New Zealand
based on the way we treated overseas students during the
COVID COVID era.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
No, look, I think they are very keen to be
able to get their students into here. They're very keen
to have smooth pathways for their students for work visas,
so no doubt that will be part of the discussion.
The Indian students make up big numbers in our universities
(02:33):
and polytechnics. They are second behind China, so they are
important to us and we want to make sure the
smooth pathways there as well.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
So it's pretty harmonious as far as Indian students come
into New Zealand. It's a z all kosher, yeah, I
think so.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Look, you know, there's always things that have to be
thoroughly checked out in terms of finances and credibility of qualifications,
but they are what in immigration New Zealand has to
check out anyway.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Now, this is a good news story, Penny. It came
out late last week farm plastics recycling scheme guess the
green light because this has been a real point of
contention for farmers. What are the finer details of this
that people need to know?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah, so, look, this is formalizing something that has been
a voluntary scheme that's been run by a couple of
industry players, and we're combining that and now making it
a compulsory scheme because they had sort of plateaued with
the voluntary scheme of how many were engaging in it,
and that meant there were some free riders in terms
(03:42):
of the importers of the plastics. So this now becomes
a compulsory scheme. It pulls together the two existing industry
driven voluntary schemes and ensures that the payment is made
upfront as the porters bring the products or the plastics
(04:02):
into the country. And so therefore the scheme, the farmer,
the end user doesn't have to pay for it. They
will be collected. The plastics will be collected and taken away,
so that's the bail wraps and the silid sheets and
agrichemical containers will be taken away for recycling. We're struggling
(04:26):
a bit to get recycling biable here in New Zealand,
but at this stage they are going offshore for recycling.
But we have had recycling available. You'll be aware Recycle
South has palletizer and macarewa that we're hopeful in the
future that that might become viable again now that the
(04:48):
scheme will ensure they've got feedstock for it, because it's
that continuity of feedstock of the plastics coming in that
can be the issue.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Well, that was the intriguing thing after the last line
body election penny. All of a sudden puff, the stroke
of a pen, and we had recycling here in Gore.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yes, well that's good, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Yeah? But it was random, how had just appeared out
of the blue.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Well, I'm going out to have a look at the
lime Hill site. I think it's week after next, next
week or the week after next before Christmas anyway, because
what they are doing out there where a lot of
our landfill goes to, is extremely forward looking. They capture
the gas and they use it to dry the lot.
(05:33):
So I'm very keen to see that. But of course
we do want to keep those plastics and those big
bulky containers that don't break down, we'd want to keep
them out of landfill. And so that's the value of
the recycling scheme.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Now we're saying here in the press release last week,
the industry lead scheme will bring the existing programs into
a single national system, offering free to use, simple and
accessible services for all users of in scope agrichemicals and
farm plastics. The key phrase their penny is free to use.
How far is this going to go?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Yes? So look, that's why the cost is built on
at the front for the ones that are importing the products,
importing the plastics coming into the country. Our expectation is
because it's such a small amount that they won't pass
it on to the end users, to the farmers and
(06:28):
the growers. But the scheme, the actual pickup scheme and
the recycling is free to the farmers and the growers.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
So it's going to be compulsory for farmers to be
part of this.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
It's compulsory for the importers to be part of it.
So it's not compulsory for the farmers, but it is
compulsory for the importers. But we believe that farmers as
good stewards of their land and of the environment, they
will want to if it's a free pickup, they will
want to have plastics picked up rather than having to
(07:02):
burn or bury them. And so that's where the engagement
with the farmers occurs, not making mandatory pick up, but
that it's free, So why wouldn't you do it? Save
you the job of having to try and get rid
of it.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Yeah, we'll stand by to see how this pans out.
Just finally, Penny, how busy is the week for you? Ehead?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Well, The next week ahead is very busy because it's
going to be urgency, so we'll probably be there till
midnight on Saturday night, so that'll be midnight, will be
ten o'clock Tuesday, and then Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday will
be midnight. So it's a busy week as we try
and get a lot of legislation through over the next while.
(07:46):
People will be aware that the Resource Management Acts replacement
Acts are coming up this week, so there's going to
be plenty of big, chunky things happening up in Parliament
this coming week.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Yeah, good on your penny. You always got to catch up.
We'll catch up one final time this year next week.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Bye, Penny Simmons, MP from Vicago, as well as Minister
for the Environment. You're listening to the Master Up. Next
we're away to Glenham and we're catching up with Dean Rabbage.
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