September 3, 2025 • 8 mins
Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds talks about her recent trips to Marlborough vineyards and how they are coping with excess waste.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We're still here.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
See Wessing.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome back to the musseron Hakanui. Penny Simmons MP for
him for Cargol as well as MINNSA for the Environment,
makes other portfolios, joins us once again. Good afternoon, Penny, Yes.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Good afternoon. Lovely to be spending a day in in
Southland after I've spent a febit of time over the
last few days. We've had a couple of weeks of
recess and so I've been all over the country. I've
been to Blenham and Nelson and christ Church and Napier
and Palmerston, North manicou Auckland and Hamilton, visiting the politechs
(00:41):
there and meeting with mayors and community leaders, but also
doing a few environmental visits. So it's it's lovely to
be back in Southland for a day or two.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Yeah, talk about what you've been up to, especially around
the wineries in Blenham and waste. You talk about waste
these days, just in any way, shape or form, and
everybody's trying to do the best for the environment. What's
happening there?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeh see, Well that's right they are. And of course
we hear a lot about the farming, wastewater and things
like that. But actually, many sectors have got real issues
with disposing of waste, and certainly in the wine sector
they have considerable wastewater, but also organic waste after pressing,
(01:26):
you know, the the grapes and skins and things like that,
so they've got fairly significant issues there. Sometimes it is
used for animal feed, but that depends on whether there's
a need for it, how the grass situation is, and
of course there's not a lot of dairy farms around
(01:47):
blend them and so actually being able to transport the
waste to the farms is quite expensive. So yeah, they've
got some real issues because all that organic waste going
into landfill is not great. So they are looking at
what options they've got for composting and other things like that.
But yeah, we forget that other sectors really are the
(02:10):
main producers of waste going also to the construction sector.
Seventy percent of what goes a landfills across the country
is construction and demolition waste, and of that eighty percent
of soil. So we are putting an enormous amount of
soil into our landfills, which is ridiculous. I don't think
(02:32):
that's happening so much in the regions I think, and
particularly down here, we're a bit more canny. We don't
like spending money on waste levees, putting soil into landfills.
So you see buns around new houses with planting on
them and around industrial sites. But it is a real
issue in terms of the cost of building and demolishing,
(02:56):
having to take away so much waste and go into
our landfills. But going back to the wine industry, it
was really interesting to discuss with a number of the
wine makers the state of the New Zealand industry. Prices
are set and they're having a really tough year, there's
no doubt about it. But wine consumption across the world
(03:20):
is declining. However, New Zealand is something against the trends
in terms of the volume and amount of wine that
is being exported from New Zealand is still increasing and
our price is still keeping strong in comparison to a
number of other areas. So they are going something agains
(03:42):
what against the worldwide trends of consumption decreasing, but they
are still growing their industry, which is great for New Zealand,
but they're doing it tough. This year, which kind of
reminds us of their primary sector. There are always cycles
within the sector, aren't there. You know, when red meat
(04:03):
and wool and dairyas going up, we forget that there
are other parts of the primary sector, like the wine
industry that's feeling it really tough at the moment.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Well, that puts them into perspective. Waste from the agricultural
side of life. And you talk about those numbers regarding
waste from the building fraternity, Yes.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah, it's really significant and of course it adds to
the cost of building. So we are looking now I've
commissioned some work within the ministry and looking at how
we can use the soil better, how we can be
less strict about the contamination, because some of the soil
that's going away is really lightly contaminated or not contaminated
(04:44):
at all. So just looking at some of the things
that we are doing and how we might be able
to change it. And of course the waste levy increasing
is making it more viable for other alternative How.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Would you describe the mood thanks the vineyard owners considering
these tariffs have been implemented.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Yeah, look pretty subdued. Interestingly, the winery that I visited
with the Kim Crawford one, which is American owned, So
they're pretty subdued about the impact that the tariffs are
going to have because North America is a particularly strong
(05:24):
market for a lot of our wine makers. But you know,
they've been through tough times before and they are just
trying to work with reducing their costs and increasing their
marketing and looking for the market regions, so doing those
kinds of things that we all do once you get
hit with some additional costs, and they are finding it
(05:48):
particularly tough this year, there's no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Right, we've better mention the stags holding around fairly shield.
I pity the individuals at the port on Monday afternoon,
if it happened to have been on, if it happened
to have been on a thirty hour flight from the
other side of the world, rovean and the cargo right,
and all these people there waving placards and everything. Because
you had to wait for the other passengers to get
off the plane, you're absolutely naked, and all of a
(06:11):
sudden you walk in there and all this yah hoing's
going on. But it was for a right course, I
suppose wasn't it the Stags coming through there, and you'll
agree with us. How good was it?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Oh? Look, just brilliant. I couldn't be there. I actually
flew out to Auckland just a couple of hours before it,
so I wasn't there, but I sent a card of
congratulations round, but jee, it was great. Just watching the
game was fantastic. You sat there with sort of nervous
anticipation that the tide was going to turn. But once
we got to I think it was about the twelve
(06:41):
minute mark before the end of the game, I thought, actually,
we've got this. They can't turn it quickly enough now.
And it was tremendous, absolutely tremendous. I mean, we were
obviously quite evolved back in two thousand and nine and
twenty and eleven with the st zero fees sponsorship of
the Stags, so we saw a lot of the Shield
(07:01):
and the excitement around it, and of course the previous
time that it was won, back in nineteen fifty nine
was also a very interesting year. That was the year
I was born, So I've got all these connections. I
feel quite strongly connected to the Shield, and you know,
I just really think we need to get behind them
(07:23):
for this Saturday because an overconfident Tentibrey team, who knows
what can happen.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Here's a big question for you for a Thursday afternoon.
Penny Simmons, Are you an aggressive sports watcher?
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Oh, well it can be. Yes. I've done a lot
of sports playing and coaching and reefing and involved in sports,
so yes, you do. You certainly get into the atmosphere
of it, don't you. And it's hard to be contained.
But lo there was lots of shouting and charing going on,
(07:57):
that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Well that's the Riversdale part of you coming out of
supposed Penny Simmons, always good to catch, always got to
catch up. You enjoy the afternoon.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Lovely, Thanks very much, Bye, Penny Simmons, always got to
catch up.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
This is the muster before the end of the hour.
Who are Tamaiki, Chief executive of Rugby Southland? Up next? However,
Aaron Meekael in the Beef and lambslot talking about Bella.
What is Beller? We find out next? I'm so afraid
of
We're still here.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
See Wessing.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome back to the musseron Hakanui. Penny Simmons MP for
him for Cargol as well as MINNSA for the Environment,
makes other portfolios, joins us once again. Good afternoon, Penny, Yes.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Good afternoon. Lovely to be spending a day in in
Southland after I've spent a febit of time over the
last few days. We've had a couple of weeks of
recess and so I've been all over the country. I've
been to Blenham and Nelson and christ Church and Napier
and Palmerston, North manicou Auckland and Hamilton, visiting the politechs
(00:41):
there and meeting with mayors and community leaders, but also
doing a few environmental visits. So it's it's lovely to
be back in Southland for a day or two.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Yeah, talk about what you've been up to, especially around
the wineries in Blenham and waste. You talk about waste
these days, just in any way, shape or form, and
everybody's trying to do the best for the environment. What's
happening there?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeh see, Well that's right they are. And of course
we hear a lot about the farming, wastewater and things
like that. But actually, many sectors have got real issues
with disposing of waste, and certainly in the wine sector
they have considerable wastewater, but also organic waste after pressing,
(01:26):
you know, the the grapes and skins and things like that,
so they've got fairly significant issues there. Sometimes it is
used for animal feed, but that depends on whether there's
a need for it, how the grass situation is, and
of course there's not a lot of dairy farms around
(01:47):
blend them and so actually being able to transport the
waste to the farms is quite expensive. So yeah, they've
got some real issues because all that organic waste going
into landfill is not great. So they are looking at
what options they've got for composting and other things like that.
But yeah, we forget that other sectors really are the
(02:10):
main producers of waste going also to the construction sector.
Seventy percent of what goes a landfills across the country
is construction and demolition waste, and of that eighty percent
of soil. So we are putting an enormous amount of
soil into our landfills, which is ridiculous. I don't think
(02:32):
that's happening so much in the regions I think, and
particularly down here, we're a bit more canny. We don't
like spending money on waste levees, putting soil into landfills.
So you see buns around new houses with planting on
them and around industrial sites. But it is a real
issue in terms of the cost of building and demolishing,
(02:56):
having to take away so much waste and go into
our landfills. But going back to the wine industry, it
was really interesting to discuss with a number of the
wine makers the state of the New Zealand industry. Prices
are set and they're having a really tough year, there's
no doubt about it. But wine consumption across the world
(03:20):
is declining. However, New Zealand is something against the trends
in terms of the volume and amount of wine that
is being exported from New Zealand is still increasing and
our price is still keeping strong in comparison to a
number of other areas. So they are going something agains
(03:42):
what against the worldwide trends of consumption decreasing, but they
are still growing their industry, which is great for New Zealand,
but they're doing it tough. This year, which kind of
reminds us of their primary sector. There are always cycles
within the sector, aren't there. You know, when red meat
(04:03):
and wool and dairyas going up, we forget that there
are other parts of the primary sector, like the wine
industry that's feeling it really tough at the moment.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Well, that puts them into perspective. Waste from the agricultural
side of life. And you talk about those numbers regarding
waste from the building fraternity, Yes.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah, it's really significant and of course it adds to
the cost of building. So we are looking now I've
commissioned some work within the ministry and looking at how
we can use the soil better, how we can be
less strict about the contamination, because some of the soil
that's going away is really lightly contaminated or not contaminated
(04:44):
at all. So just looking at some of the things
that we are doing and how we might be able
to change it. And of course the waste levy increasing
is making it more viable for other alternative How.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Would you describe the mood thanks the vineyard owners considering
these tariffs have been implemented.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Yeah, look pretty subdued. Interestingly, the winery that I visited
with the Kim Crawford one, which is American owned, So
they're pretty subdued about the impact that the tariffs are
going to have because North America is a particularly strong
(05:24):
market for a lot of our wine makers. But you know,
they've been through tough times before and they are just
trying to work with reducing their costs and increasing their
marketing and looking for the market regions, so doing those
kinds of things that we all do once you get
hit with some additional costs, and they are finding it
(05:48):
particularly tough this year, there's no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Right, we've better mention the stags holding around fairly shield.
I pity the individuals at the port on Monday afternoon,
if it happened to have been on, if it happened
to have been on a thirty hour flight from the
other side of the world, rovean and the cargo right,
and all these people there waving placards and everything. Because
you had to wait for the other passengers to get
off the plane, you're absolutely naked, and all of a
(06:11):
sudden you walk in there and all this yah hoing's
going on. But it was for a right course, I
suppose wasn't it the Stags coming through there, and you'll
agree with us. How good was it?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Oh? Look, just brilliant. I couldn't be there. I actually
flew out to Auckland just a couple of hours before it,
so I wasn't there, but I sent a card of
congratulations round, but jee, it was great. Just watching the
game was fantastic. You sat there with sort of nervous
anticipation that the tide was going to turn. But once
we got to I think it was about the twelve
(06:41):
minute mark before the end of the game, I thought, actually,
we've got this. They can't turn it quickly enough now.
And it was tremendous, absolutely tremendous. I mean, we were
obviously quite evolved back in two thousand and nine and
twenty and eleven with the st zero fees sponsorship of
the Stags, so we saw a lot of the Shield
(07:01):
and the excitement around it, and of course the previous
time that it was won, back in nineteen fifty nine
was also a very interesting year. That was the year
I was born, So I've got all these connections. I
feel quite strongly connected to the Shield, and you know,
I just really think we need to get behind them
(07:23):
for this Saturday because an overconfident Tentibrey team, who knows
what can happen.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Here's a big question for you for a Thursday afternoon.
Penny Simmons, Are you an aggressive sports watcher?
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Oh, well it can be. Yes. I've done a lot
of sports playing and coaching and reefing and involved in sports,
so yes, you do. You certainly get into the atmosphere
of it, don't you. And it's hard to be contained.
But lo there was lots of shouting and charing going on,
(07:57):
that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Well that's the Riversdale part of you coming out of
supposed Penny Simmons, always good to catch, always got to
catch up. You enjoy the afternoon.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Lovely, Thanks very much, Bye, Penny Simmons, always got to
catch up.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
This is the muster before the end of the hour.
Who are Tamaiki, Chief executive of Rugby Southland? Up next? However,
Aaron Meekael in the Beef and lambslot talking about Bella.
What is Beller? We find out next? I'm so afraid
of
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