WEBVTT - Economic worries putting pressure on National as parties lay groundwork for next election 0:00:05.200 --> 0:00:05.600 Kyoda. 0:00:05.680 --> 0:00:08.720 I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, a 0:00:08.840 --> 0:00:10.520 daily podcast. 0:00:10.039 --> 0:00:12.039 Presented by the New Zealand Herald. 0:00:15.880 --> 0:00:19.360 Cost of living and the economy remain top of the 0:00:19.400 --> 0:00:20.640 agenda for national. 0:00:21.040 --> 0:00:22.320 Prime Minister Christopher. 0:00:22.000 --> 0:00:25.760 Luxeen's already touting his leadership as one that is a 0:00:25.880 --> 0:00:29.720 clear choice for New Zealander's at next year's election, saying 0:00:29.720 --> 0:00:31.560 the government inherited. 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:32.760 A mess and is sorting it out. 0:00:33.040 --> 0:00:36.400 However, commentators have been quick to point out the issues 0:00:36.479 --> 0:00:40.199 facing National ahead of the campaign, writing that Luxon is 0:00:40.240 --> 0:00:44.320 getting worried and that National is a mess. So as 0:00:44.360 --> 0:00:47.640 the battle lines start getting drawn in the beehive, what 0:00:48.080 --> 0:00:52.440 is ahead for politicians today? On the front Page, Outgoing 0:00:52.680 --> 0:00:56.040 News Talk z B political editor Jason Walls joins us 0:00:56.120 --> 0:00:59.600 to discuss the past week in politics and what could 0:00:59.680 --> 0:01:07.080 lie head. First off, Jase, Christopher Exxon's out here talking 0:01:07.080 --> 0:01:10.120 about cleaning up messes, trust in his leadership and that 0:01:10.200 --> 0:01:13.600 the country's best days lie ahead. It kind of sounds 0:01:13.640 --> 0:01:16.319 like it's in a campaign mode already, Is it a 0:01:16.319 --> 0:01:16.959 bit too soon? 0:01:17.319 --> 0:01:19.880 Oh? Well, when you're a prime minister, or any politician 0:01:19.920 --> 0:01:22.440 for that matter, every day is campaign mode because you're 0:01:22.480 --> 0:01:25.360 always looking to get reelected. And I think, especially now, 0:01:25.680 --> 0:01:28.480 you've got a national party that was so focused on 0:01:28.600 --> 0:01:31.480 the economy and saying we're the guys that can handle this, 0:01:31.720 --> 0:01:34.920 trust us to turn this around. And eighteen months later, 0:01:35.000 --> 0:01:37.399 I mean, we're in a position where things aren't looking good. 0:01:37.680 --> 0:01:40.600 So I would say it's almost less campaigning. Is its 0:01:40.640 --> 0:01:43.760 damage control at this stage because you can talk about 0:01:44.040 --> 0:01:46.679 things like global factors until the cows come home, But 0:01:46.720 --> 0:01:48.440 at the end of the day, when the Nats are 0:01:48.440 --> 0:01:51.800 in opposition, they're ignoring those things and taking a crack 0:01:52.000 --> 0:01:55.240 at the then current government. So I think the chickens 0:01:55.280 --> 0:01:57.040 have in some ways come home to roost a little 0:01:57.080 --> 0:01:57.400 bit there. 0:01:57.880 --> 0:02:01.920 Do Winston's small array of random bills being put into 0:02:01.920 --> 0:02:05.640 the Biggie ten spell a bit of I don't know, 0:02:05.800 --> 0:02:09.440 preparation from New Zealand. First, maybe they're slowly trying to 0:02:09.520 --> 0:02:10.840 back away from the coalition. 0:02:11.600 --> 0:02:13.600 Well, I mean I just talked a moment ago about 0:02:13.600 --> 0:02:16.080 how every politician is always in campaign mode. There is 0:02:16.120 --> 0:02:19.360 nobody more so than Winston, Raymond Peter is always in 0:02:19.440 --> 0:02:22.560 campaign mode. And listen, this is just it's an interesting 0:02:22.560 --> 0:02:26.000 phenomenon this New Zealand. First, I would say clogging the 0:02:26.040 --> 0:02:29.680 biscuit tin with some fairly irrelevant sort of bills, because 0:02:29.720 --> 0:02:32.400 if you're in a government party, you have the ability 0:02:32.480 --> 0:02:34.720 to put things on the government as gender and some 0:02:34.760 --> 0:02:38.080 of these things about you know, only flying New Zealand 0:02:38.080 --> 0:02:41.239 flags outside of New Zealand government buildings, which is a 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:45.440 not of things like the LGBTQI plus flag and various 0:02:45.480 --> 0:02:48.160 other different flags that he's just making into these sort 0:02:48.200 --> 0:02:50.800 of these culture wars and giving it the shroud of 0:02:50.840 --> 0:02:55.000 authenticity by putting it in the biscuit tin means that 0:02:55.160 --> 0:02:57.079 I think he thinks that it's going to have more 0:02:57.080 --> 0:02:59.280 of a poll with the public where it's actually not. 0:02:59.480 --> 0:03:01.280 I mean, just you could just put out a press 0:03:01.280 --> 0:03:03.880 release for these things. But what it's doing is you've 0:03:03.880 --> 0:03:06.440 got other bills in the ballot. For example, Laura McClure 0:03:06.480 --> 0:03:09.200 from the ACT Party has this fantastic bill where she 0:03:09.240 --> 0:03:14.640 wants to ban nontensensual AI pawn And because Winston is 0:03:14.639 --> 0:03:17.840 putting every second week some of these bills in the ballot, 0:03:17.960 --> 0:03:20.640 which are frankly not very good pieces of legislation, it 0:03:20.680 --> 0:03:22.800 means it has less of a chance for the really 0:03:22.800 --> 0:03:25.920 good pieces of legislation to be pulled out. So, yes, 0:03:26.000 --> 0:03:28.520 it is one hundred percent electioneering by Winston and New 0:03:28.600 --> 0:03:31.399 Zealand first. But I'm not surprised in the slightest. 0:03:31.960 --> 0:03:34.920 We had Chris Hipkins on the podcast the other week. 0:03:34.960 --> 0:03:37.480 He seems to think we should have a little look 0:03:37.520 --> 0:03:39.440 about how MMP works. 0:03:40.240 --> 0:03:42.480 I differ for a bit from the current government and 0:03:42.560 --> 0:03:46.600 the sense that, you know, I respect the important constituencies 0:03:46.640 --> 0:03:50.040 the smaller parties represent, and I also respect that we 0:03:50.040 --> 0:03:53.040 compete with them for votes too. I don't think under 0:03:53.160 --> 0:03:56.120 MMP the smaller parties should call all of the shots, 0:03:56.640 --> 0:03:59.480 you know. I still think that the bigger parties have 0:03:59.560 --> 0:04:02.480 a man to reflect the view of a much larger 0:04:02.520 --> 0:04:05.520 section of the electorate, and so I do think under 0:04:05.600 --> 0:04:09.920 MMP you need to kind of keep proportionality in mind. Yes, 0:04:09.960 --> 0:04:12.400 there should be some concessions and some trade offs to 0:04:12.480 --> 0:04:15.280 the other parties in order to form government, but that 0:04:15.320 --> 0:04:17.520 doesn't mean that you should be doing things that you 0:04:17.839 --> 0:04:20.559 specifically told the electorate before the election that you weren't 0:04:20.560 --> 0:04:21.080 going to do. 0:04:22.080 --> 0:04:23.360 What do you make of that suggestion. 0:04:24.279 --> 0:04:27.000 I think it's kind of ironic coming from Chris Hopkins, 0:04:27.040 --> 0:04:29.840 who will probably be working with if he gets into government. 0:04:30.360 --> 0:04:33.240 TI Party Marii and the Greens, who will have a 0:04:33.400 --> 0:04:36.840 disproportionate impact because if you just look at their rhetoric 0:04:37.000 --> 0:04:39.240 now and I know things do get toned down a 0:04:39.240 --> 0:04:41.440 little bit when you're in government, but that will be 0:04:41.480 --> 0:04:45.159 a case of the tail wagging the dog in numerous circumstances. 0:04:45.200 --> 0:04:47.560 And frankly, I mean that's just the system that we 0:04:47.640 --> 0:04:50.440 have in New Zealand. We have an MMP system where 0:04:50.480 --> 0:04:53.400 we don't have one party that has all the power. 0:04:53.440 --> 0:04:57.479 They actually do have to have communication and consultation with 0:04:57.560 --> 0:05:00.400 some of the smaller parties, but it's in. Remember it's in. 0:05:00.520 --> 0:05:04.400 Chris Hipkins is the best interest to call out the 0:05:05.040 --> 0:05:07.480 government for the sort of what he considerts to be 0:05:07.760 --> 0:05:11.800 the more fringe aspects of the right because it's going 0:05:11.880 --> 0:05:14.160 to turn a lot of middle voters off. But he's 0:05:14.200 --> 0:05:17.080 got to be careful because you know, it's throwing stones 0:05:17.080 --> 0:05:19.200 in a glasshouse, because when it comes to the election, 0:05:19.320 --> 0:05:22.080 or even beforehand, you get parties on the right hand 0:05:22.160 --> 0:05:25.280 side saying the exact same thing about Chris Luxen, are 0:05:25.320 --> 0:05:29.880 Chris Hickins rather and the further left of that political 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:31.440 spectrum with TI Party Marty. 0:05:31.320 --> 0:05:33.760 Especially, how do you reckon everything's going at the moment. 0:05:33.760 --> 0:05:36.720 I mean, it's hardly been a coalition of chaos, has it. 0:05:37.440 --> 0:05:39.400 No, it hasn't. And I think and will I will 0:05:39.400 --> 0:05:41.799 always say this, and it's one of my lasting memories 0:05:42.120 --> 0:05:44.880 or one of my lasting opinions of politics, is that 0:05:44.960 --> 0:05:49.040 Chris Luxen put together an extremely good coalition agreement. I mean, 0:05:49.040 --> 0:05:51.440 it's just again, we have to and we forget about 0:05:51.480 --> 0:05:54.359 this sometimes, but we have to remember that it's three 0:05:54.480 --> 0:05:57.200 parties in a coalition. That means you've got three parties 0:05:57.400 --> 0:06:00.680 around the cabinet table. It's never been done. We've had 0:06:00.720 --> 0:06:03.680 confidence and supply mixed in with coalition, with the least 0:06:03.720 --> 0:06:06.760 labor government, and various other iterations in the past that 0:06:06.960 --> 0:06:09.800 three actual parties in a coalition government. Of course, we 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:11.880 got people saying it was going to be a coalition 0:06:11.880 --> 0:06:14.000 of chaos because you look at Winston and you look 0:06:14.000 --> 0:06:16.560 at Seymour. I mean, when they're in opposition, they were 0:06:16.960 --> 0:06:19.800 literally threatening to fight each other. I don't use the 0:06:19.839 --> 0:06:21.640 word literally often, but they were. 0:06:21.880 --> 0:06:25.560 They literally meet me outside. 0:06:24.600 --> 0:06:27.520 There'll be three Winston was talking about how he had 0:06:27.600 --> 0:06:29.680 hit David Seymour and he'd have to call the ambulance 0:06:29.880 --> 0:06:32.760 this actually happened. It was just this wild West time 0:06:32.800 --> 0:06:34.880 and politics, and now the three of them are sitting 0:06:34.880 --> 0:06:37.520 around the cabinet table being all hunky doory with each other. 0:06:37.720 --> 0:06:39.760 Of course, people were saying that this was going to 0:06:39.760 --> 0:06:43.040 be a coalition of chaos, but because that coalition agreement 0:06:43.160 --> 0:06:47.000 was crafted so intricately, it meant that we've seen them 0:06:47.120 --> 0:06:49.440 have their little scuffles. I'm sure that there has an 0:06:49.480 --> 0:06:52.719 eyes I understand it. Quite a lot of disagreements behind 0:06:52.720 --> 0:06:54.839 the scene, but as long as they stick to the 0:06:55.000 --> 0:06:58.680 legislative agenda that they've put forth, that's exactly what they've 0:06:58.680 --> 0:06:59.960 promised to the New Zealand voter. 0:07:00.680 --> 0:07:04.200 A few commentators for The Herald have written about the 0:07:04.320 --> 0:07:08.560 potential concerns facing National. So Audrey Young wrote that Luxon 0:07:08.640 --> 0:07:12.160 is getting worried about National's messaging not getting through. Simon 0:07:12.200 --> 0:07:15.720 Wilson said that National is making a hash of things, 0:07:16.000 --> 0:07:20.280 and Matthew Houghton has declared Luxon is living on borrowed time. 0:07:21.000 --> 0:07:23.560 Not exactly the best headlines for them at the minute. 0:07:23.560 --> 0:07:25.960 What's causing this trend of headlines. 0:07:26.000 --> 0:07:27.239 I suppose it's. 0:07:27.040 --> 0:07:29.760 Just grim out there. It's just grim. It's the economy stupid, 0:07:29.840 --> 0:07:31.920 not telling you stupid. Of course, Chelse love you love 0:07:31.960 --> 0:07:35.880 your work. But it's the old phrase. National got into 0:07:36.200 --> 0:07:38.760 power by saying that they would fix the economy, and 0:07:38.800 --> 0:07:41.880 as Chris Hipkins has pointed out, it's been eighteen months 0:07:41.920 --> 0:07:44.280 and it's not fixed. You do have Chris Luxon on 0:07:44.320 --> 0:07:46.320 the other hand saying things like, well, it's going to 0:07:46.320 --> 0:07:48.880 take more than eighteen months to turn it around. But 0:07:48.920 --> 0:07:52.120 it was Nikola Willis singliston twenty twenty five is going 0:07:52.200 --> 0:07:54.280 to be better, just wait for those interest rates to 0:07:54.600 --> 0:07:55.200 filter through. 0:07:55.240 --> 0:07:57.560 And which is was that thrive so twenty twenty five? 0:07:57.600 --> 0:07:58.200 At one point? 0:07:58.320 --> 0:08:00.600 Was it survive for twenty twenty five? I think it 0:08:00.680 --> 0:08:03.200 was because things were still grim in twenty twenty four. 0:08:03.240 --> 0:08:06.240 But how I'm not feeling I'm not thriving. I'm not 0:08:06.280 --> 0:08:07.880 sure that you are. I mean, I'm looking down the 0:08:07.880 --> 0:08:10.760 barrel of a massive loss in the house that I own. 0:08:10.840 --> 0:08:12.400 And you know that You've got a lot of my 0:08:12.400 --> 0:08:14.720 friends that are moving overseas. A lot of it is 0:08:14.760 --> 0:08:17.520 getting quite personal now, and people vote on the personal 0:08:17.520 --> 0:08:19.840 and if it starts to impact you, it starts to 0:08:19.880 --> 0:08:21.920 affect you. If you start seeing some of your friends, 0:08:22.200 --> 0:08:24.240 some of your colleagues losing their job. As we see 0:08:24.320 --> 0:08:27.560 unemployment tacking up, that starts to become a problem and 0:08:27.600 --> 0:08:29.160 people want to look for someone to blame. 0:08:29.480 --> 0:08:32.600 What do you think the government has actually is aware 0:08:32.760 --> 0:08:36.040 of the impacts of cost of living. We had some 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:40.080 worrying unemployment stats out this week, but Finance Minister Nichola 0:08:40.120 --> 0:08:44.600 Willis said people were taking a glass half empty approach 0:08:44.679 --> 0:08:47.240 and once again blamed the previous government. 0:08:47.640 --> 0:08:51.079 Yeah, and listen, I kind of do feel for Nikola 0:08:51.160 --> 0:08:53.120 Willis on this one, because she is right. You know, 0:08:53.240 --> 0:08:56.600 Treasury were expecting I think a five point three five 0:08:56.640 --> 0:08:59.960 point four percent unemployment rate. We got five point two, 0:09:00.080 --> 0:09:02.440 So it is better than expectations. It's better than what 0:09:02.520 --> 0:09:05.320 a lot of economists were expecting. But it's still right 0:09:05.400 --> 0:09:09.760 up there with the highest unemployment rates since twenty twenty. So, 0:09:10.160 --> 0:09:11.680 I mean, you've got to look at it. You could 0:09:11.679 --> 0:09:13.600 do it glass half full and you could do a 0:09:13.640 --> 0:09:16.240 glass half empty. Of course, Nikola Willis is going to 0:09:16.320 --> 0:09:18.680 do the glass half full because the buck stops with 0:09:18.760 --> 0:09:21.960 her with something like that. But yeah, you just can't 0:09:22.040 --> 0:09:24.760 need to take a little bit of a historical perspective 0:09:24.880 --> 0:09:28.520 on unemployment. My good friend Thomas Coglan will say this 0:09:28.679 --> 0:09:33.200 that the John Key era government, unemployment was above five 0:09:33.280 --> 0:09:36.640 percent for every single quarter they were in government bar 0:09:36.880 --> 0:09:40.600 the last one maybe two while Bill English was in government, 0:09:40.640 --> 0:09:43.600 and then everything switched. The government changed and it got 0:09:43.640 --> 0:09:48.720 over to labor and so unemployment has historically usually set 0:09:48.760 --> 0:09:51.560 around the level that we're seeing right now. We just 0:09:51.640 --> 0:09:54.960 had a period of time where it was historically quite low. 0:09:55.000 --> 0:09:57.000 I mean it's one point. With the Arderne years, we 0:09:57.080 --> 0:09:59.839 were getting it into the three percent, which is very 0:10:00.360 --> 0:10:02.880 we usually it's quite unheard of in New Zealand context. 0:10:03.000 --> 0:10:05.160 Could that be attributed to COVID as well though, us 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:07.920 not being able to leave the country. 0:10:08.640 --> 0:10:11.040 You've got to look at the fact that there are 0:10:11.120 --> 0:10:13.160 so many people leave it. You've got to start asking 0:10:13.200 --> 0:10:15.640 some questions about that and if there's more people here. 0:10:15.679 --> 0:10:17.600 There was a lot of government subsidies at that time. 0:10:17.640 --> 0:10:19.720 Of course, there was the you know, if the government 0:10:19.760 --> 0:10:22.360 didn't do the wage subsidies scheme would have been a 0:10:22.400 --> 0:10:25.360 lot higher. Obviously, that's just how it works. So you know, 0:10:25.440 --> 0:10:30.119 I don't think it is as pure market led economy 0:10:30.160 --> 0:10:32.400 as the labor government would have had you believe at 0:10:32.400 --> 0:10:35.560 the time, there was a lot of government interventions. But still, 0:10:35.600 --> 0:10:38.120 you know, if people are just looking at the raw numbers, 0:10:38.160 --> 0:10:40.160 which I will say again the Nest did when they're 0:10:40.160 --> 0:10:42.960 in opposition, so you've got to compare apples to apples 0:10:42.960 --> 0:10:46.319 on these sorts of things. 0:10:50.440 --> 0:10:54.839 Speaking of the next election, the government set aside twenty 0:10:54.840 --> 0:10:59.680 five million dollars for a referendum on four year parliamentary terms. 0:11:00.040 --> 0:11:03.560 It's agreed in principle to holding one, but a final 0:11:03.600 --> 0:11:07.840 decision isn't expected until early next month. What are the 0:11:08.000 --> 0:11:11.720 vibes Jason like? How likely is this referendum? Do you 0:11:11.760 --> 0:11:13.520 think the reference. 0:11:13.280 --> 0:11:14.800 That's a bit of a toss up. I think that 0:11:14.880 --> 0:11:17.280 they've talked about it for a while and it may 0:11:17.360 --> 0:11:19.040 or may not be at the next election. I mean, 0:11:19.080 --> 0:11:20.920 the fact that they set funding aside for it is 0:11:20.920 --> 0:11:23.840 a pretty indicative nod to the fact that it will 0:11:23.880 --> 0:11:26.160 be happening. But I think the more interesting question is 0:11:26.200 --> 0:11:29.160 will where does the New Zealand public sit on this one? 0:11:29.160 --> 0:11:32.120 Because I think absolutely four year terms. I mean you 0:11:32.200 --> 0:11:35.680 look over at the UK, for example, five years I 0:11:35.720 --> 0:11:38.839 think is too long. Three years is too short because 0:11:38.840 --> 0:11:41.880 you have one year to kind of get yourself to 0:11:41.960 --> 0:11:44.040 your feet under the desk and figure it all out. 0:11:44.080 --> 0:11:46.040 You have a second year to be like, Okay, I 0:11:46.080 --> 0:11:48.240 know what's going on here, let's try and move something through. 0:11:48.480 --> 0:11:51.000 And then you've got the third year that is actually 0:11:51.160 --> 0:11:53.720 you're more or less campaigning for a lot of the time, 0:11:53.960 --> 0:11:56.280 and voters know that, and so what tends to happen 0:11:56.320 --> 0:11:58.760 is say, okay, we'll give you at least two terms, 0:11:58.880 --> 0:12:00.520 and then it gets to the point where too long. 0:12:00.559 --> 0:12:04.040 You know, it's a default six year term. So having 0:12:04.040 --> 0:12:06.400 it four years kind of cuts both ways because it 0:12:06.440 --> 0:12:09.400 means that voters will be less sympathetic to the argument 0:12:09.480 --> 0:12:11.520 to say that, oh, they've only had three years, we'll 0:12:11.559 --> 0:12:13.320 give them another go just to see how they go. 0:12:13.440 --> 0:12:15.800 Because four years you really should be starting to get 0:12:15.800 --> 0:12:18.840 something done. At the same time, it's not too short 0:12:19.000 --> 0:12:21.559 to say that, you know, nothing could get done if 0:12:21.559 --> 0:12:24.679 things did go really sideways. So I think you've got 0:12:24.760 --> 0:12:27.320 people like Chris Hipkins and Chris Luxon both saying that 0:12:27.360 --> 0:12:29.920 they want a four year term, and they've said that, 0:12:29.960 --> 0:12:32.520 you know, it will happen eventually. I'm sure some of 0:12:32.559 --> 0:12:34.840 the other candidates, like David Seymour, I do remember him 0:12:34.840 --> 0:12:38.120 being sympathetic to it. The outlies. Of course, Winston and 0:12:38.120 --> 0:12:40.040 Ti Party Marti. You never really know what they're going 0:12:40.080 --> 0:12:41.880 to say on an issue, so we'll wait to see 0:12:41.920 --> 0:12:44.480 what they say, or we'll do a bit more research 0:12:44.520 --> 0:12:46.680 into what they've already said. But I think the New 0:12:46.760 --> 0:12:48.600 Zealand public will be very sympathetic to it. 0:12:48.800 --> 0:12:51.760 And of course we can't go and speak about politics, 0:12:51.840 --> 0:12:55.760 especially this week without mentioning Trump's tariffs. 0:12:56.200 --> 0:12:59.120 How do you reckon our government has fared? 0:13:00.160 --> 0:13:03.320 Oh, there's nothing they can do really. You know, they 0:13:03.360 --> 0:13:05.400 got to ten percent and they were happy with that, 0:13:05.440 --> 0:13:07.559 and I understood why because if you're playing at a 0:13:07.640 --> 0:13:10.720 level playing field with other countries that are ten percent, 0:13:10.760 --> 0:13:13.440 that's fantastic. But if you're looking at other countries, say 0:13:13.559 --> 0:13:16.720 Vietnam or some there where they export you know, they 0:13:17.320 --> 0:13:20.040 export some dairy to the US, we're obviously going to 0:13:20.040 --> 0:13:22.679 have a better competitive advantage there if our tariffs are 0:13:22.720 --> 0:13:24.600 ten and there's our can't remember what they are, but 0:13:24.640 --> 0:13:27.720 I think they were up around the thirties. Essentially bringing 0:13:27.800 --> 0:13:29.520 us up to fifteen is a bit of a blow. 0:13:29.640 --> 0:13:31.160 The government needs to put on a bit of a 0:13:31.160 --> 0:13:35.040 brave face and show that they're trying to overturn these things. 0:13:35.040 --> 0:13:37.320 They can't take it lying down. But at the end 0:13:37.360 --> 0:13:39.000 of the day, you know, Todd with Play is not 0:13:39.000 --> 0:13:41.520 going to a bang on the Oval Office door and say, 0:13:41.559 --> 0:13:44.200 mister Trump, we've got our dairy exporters, we've got our 0:13:44.200 --> 0:13:46.600 wine exporters. Have you not considered them? And he's going 0:13:46.679 --> 0:13:48.720 to be like, oh, sorry, I didn't consider them. You know, 0:13:48.960 --> 0:13:51.120 it's just not going to happen New Zealand. Is we 0:13:51.240 --> 0:13:54.520 forget because we're here, that we are, we're seen on 0:13:54.559 --> 0:13:58.320 the global stage is nice, but fairly irrelevant. And so 0:13:58.440 --> 0:14:01.960 if they start ratcheting down New Zealand's tariffs, other countries 0:14:01.960 --> 0:14:04.040 are going to be asking some questions, other countries with 0:14:04.440 --> 0:14:06.400 much bigger economic footprints than ours. 0:14:09.000 --> 0:14:11.200 We will have to see what the impact of this 0:14:11.360 --> 0:14:14.800 latest development is, but I expect that some of those 0:14:14.880 --> 0:14:18.520 companies will probably now we double their efforts to develop 0:14:18.720 --> 0:14:23.880 and explore other markets. The government, for our part, will 0:14:23.880 --> 0:14:28.000 continue out of work to support those exporters with good information. 0:14:28.600 --> 0:14:31.840 We will continue our work to open up new markets 0:14:31.960 --> 0:14:35.320 around the world and to pursue good trade into those 0:14:35.320 --> 0:14:38.920 countries with whom we already have free trade arrangements. And 0:14:38.960 --> 0:14:41.800 we will continue to represent New Zealand's case for a 0:14:41.840 --> 0:14:43.640 better deal with the US. 0:14:46.000 --> 0:14:47.680 And while we're on the subject, what have the Greens 0:14:47.720 --> 0:14:49.520 into Padimori been up too lately. 0:14:50.240 --> 0:14:53.560 Oh, they've been playing opposition, you know, this is the 0:14:53.560 --> 0:14:56.280 things that they do. They try and get into the press. 0:14:56.640 --> 0:14:58.480 I think that Chloe Straubrick I was having a good 0:14:58.520 --> 0:15:01.040 chat with her the other night actually about how she 0:15:01.160 --> 0:15:03.240 sees the lay of the land right now, and she's 0:15:03.480 --> 0:15:05.680 pretty happy with how the Greens are going And why wouldn't. 0:15:05.680 --> 0:15:08.200 You're at twelve percent. You did your budget where you 0:15:08.440 --> 0:15:11.040 taxed everybody from Arthur to Martha the whole way through 0:15:11.400 --> 0:15:14.400 and or you proposed to and people like that. The 0:15:14.440 --> 0:15:18.520 elector like that, the Green Party base like that. So 0:15:18.560 --> 0:15:21.680 she's probably in quite good spirits Tea Party Marty as well. 0:15:21.720 --> 0:15:24.520 I mean they're coming up with the brunting up against 0:15:24.600 --> 0:15:27.440 Labor at the upcoming by election and that's going to 0:15:27.480 --> 0:15:31.160 be a real test for both parties the ultimate makeup 0:15:31.160 --> 0:15:33.280 of parliament that you know, we're not going to top 0:15:33.360 --> 0:15:35.520 all the government with the Tomackie mccod or by election, 0:15:35.840 --> 0:15:38.160 but it is an indicative look into how the sort 0:15:38.200 --> 0:15:42.680 of the Marti world New Zealand sees the opposition right now. 0:15:42.800 --> 0:15:44.880 You more of a Tea Party Marty person or more 0:15:44.920 --> 0:15:48.240 of a labor person. And you've got two exceptional candidates, 0:15:48.280 --> 0:15:50.920 I mean or any versus Peni Hennedy. It's going to 0:15:51.000 --> 0:15:53.440 be a blockbuster and I'm looking forward to it because 0:15:53.440 --> 0:15:56.760 of what it represents for the next year's election. So 0:15:57.480 --> 0:15:59.680 keep an eye Peel's keep two eyes peeled, I would 0:15:59.680 --> 0:16:00.160 say actual. 0:16:00.640 --> 0:16:04.440 And lastly, Jace, I know it's your last day in 0:16:04.480 --> 0:16:08.840 the Beehive today and got word around the office. 0:16:08.880 --> 0:16:10.560 I think as well have a listen to this. 0:16:12.000 --> 0:16:12.120 Well. 0:16:12.200 --> 0:16:12.480 Jason. 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:13.960 Look, I just want to say, mate, thank you so 0:16:14.040 --> 0:16:16.360 much for all the work in the press gallery. I've 0:16:16.360 --> 0:16:18.160 got to be honest, sometimes you're not my most favorite 0:16:18.160 --> 0:16:20.080 people on earth, but I have to say you've been 0:16:20.160 --> 0:16:22.480 absolutely stellar. You've been there nine years, You've done an 0:16:22.480 --> 0:16:25.360 exceptionally good job, You've learned all about politics, and I 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:27.160 just think you I wish you're all the very best, mate, 0:16:27.160 --> 0:16:29.440 as I've spoken to you before, in the next part 0:16:29.440 --> 0:16:31.920 of your career, it's a really great move for you personally, 0:16:31.960 --> 0:16:33.200 and I think you're going to be awesome at it. 0:16:33.240 --> 0:16:35.600 So thanks what you've been doing covering politics, down in 0:16:35.640 --> 0:16:37.400 Wellington and getting the message out to the people about 0:16:37.400 --> 0:16:38.240 what's really going on. 0:16:38.560 --> 0:16:39.520 I appreciate what you work. 0:16:39.600 --> 0:16:42.560 Take care of mate, go well. I feel a bit 0:16:42.600 --> 0:16:45.880 bad about what I've said about the economy. Now, thank you, right, 0:16:45.960 --> 0:16:49.160 honorable Chris Mark Lutson. That was very nice, Savid. It's 0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:51.760 been a what heck of a ride over the last 0:16:51.840 --> 0:16:52.320 nine years. 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:53.280 What's it like? 0:16:53.400 --> 0:16:56.160 I mean in terms of the faces that you see 0:16:56.200 --> 0:16:58.480 coming and going when you're in the bee Hive for 0:16:58.560 --> 0:17:02.840 that long, do you see the intricacies of different personalities 0:17:03.080 --> 0:17:06.680 and how different governments really take hold and see those changes? 0:17:07.320 --> 0:17:09.639 Yeah, I mean the thing about politics, and this is 0:17:09.680 --> 0:17:11.399 going to sound cheesy, but bear with me. It is 0:17:11.480 --> 0:17:14.560 really about the people. And I can say genuinely with 0:17:14.800 --> 0:17:17.560 my hand on my heart that everybody here that I've 0:17:17.600 --> 0:17:19.600 caught to is here because they want to make a difference. 0:17:19.600 --> 0:17:22.320 So as a matter, if you're on the center left, 0:17:22.560 --> 0:17:25.480 the far left, to the center right, the further right, 0:17:25.760 --> 0:17:29.200 you know, everybody here is here because they genuinely they've 0:17:29.200 --> 0:17:31.920 been voted in by a constituent base that they really 0:17:31.960 --> 0:17:34.400 want to represent. And it's been one of the best 0:17:34.480 --> 0:17:37.480 things about being a gallery reporter. Especially more of a 0:17:37.520 --> 0:17:40.280 senior gallery reporter is you get to see the people 0:17:40.320 --> 0:17:42.159 behind the scenes and you get to talk to them 0:17:42.160 --> 0:17:44.560 and actually find out what makes them tick. And they're 0:17:44.600 --> 0:17:47.680 all really they get along. It's the thing like it 0:17:47.840 --> 0:17:50.119 was the other night. I'm sure they might be saying this. 0:17:50.440 --> 0:17:53.360 The two polar opposite people in Parliament would probably be 0:17:53.680 --> 0:17:57.320 Stephen Abel from the Greens and Simon Court from Act 0:17:57.359 --> 0:17:59.000 and the other night we're having some drinks in the 0:17:59.040 --> 0:18:01.119 gallery and the two of them would talking like old friends. 0:18:01.320 --> 0:18:03.840 And it's those sorts of things that I really love 0:18:03.880 --> 0:18:05.800 about this place is that there's a lot of theater. 0:18:06.240 --> 0:18:09.000 There's a lot of rgi bargie when the cameras are on, 0:18:09.080 --> 0:18:11.600 but when they're off, actually people get along, and in 0:18:11.680 --> 0:18:14.400 select committees and in various different places that we don't 0:18:14.480 --> 0:18:17.280 usually see, there's a lot of people working together to 0:18:17.320 --> 0:18:20.399 make this country really great. So after being here for 0:18:20.440 --> 0:18:23.960 so long, I mean, I've covered some crazy stories, some 0:18:24.240 --> 0:18:27.000 incredible times for New Zealand, but I'll remember the fact 0:18:27.000 --> 0:18:29.280 that at the end of the day, people are genuinely 0:18:29.280 --> 0:18:31.320 here to make this country a better place, and we're 0:18:31.359 --> 0:18:34.600 really well served by our politicians and the press gallery. 0:18:34.600 --> 0:18:36.919 Of course, what a great group of people, especially the 0:18:36.960 --> 0:18:38.760 newstalksb Office and the Herald. 0:18:38.960 --> 0:18:45.639 Thanks for joining us, Jash, no problem, by friend. That's 0:18:45.640 --> 0:18:48.640 it for this episode of the Front Page. You can 0:18:48.680 --> 0:18:52.680 read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage at 0:18:52.760 --> 0:18:56.640 enzedherld dot co dot nz. The Front Page is produced 0:18:56.640 --> 0:19:01.199 by Ethan Sills and Richard Martin, who is also I 0:19:01.240 --> 0:19:05.359 Am Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to the Front Page on iHeartRadio 0:19:05.640 --> 0:19:08.800 or wherever you get your podcasts, and tune in on 0:19:08.880 --> 0:19:11.760 Monday for another look behind the headlines.