1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: The only drive show you can trust to ask the questions, 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,640 Speaker 1: you get the answers to find the fag and give 3 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:12,399 Speaker 1: the analysis. Here the duplicy Ellen Drive with One New 4 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: Zealand and the power of satellite mobile news dogs. 5 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 2: V Good afternoon. There is widespread speculation this afternoon in 6 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 2: political circles that the Prime Minister is considering his future 7 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,240 Speaker 2: following a brutal poll for National It's the Taxpayer's Union 8 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 2: Curier poll has the party at twenty eight point four 9 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 2: percent and it's his worst result since the Judith Collins era. 10 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 2: And we're joined by the Prime Minister Hig Chris good O, Heather, 11 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 2: how are you? I'm well, thank you. Are you considering 12 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 2: standing down? 13 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 3: Absolutely not. The only thing I'm considering is the future 14 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 3: of our kids and our grandkids, and that's why I 15 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 3: came to politics. We've got a great country, We've got 16 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 3: a hell of a lot to do, and that's what 17 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 3: I'm fixated on. 18 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 2: Do you think you should consider standing down? 19 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: No? 20 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 2: Why not? 21 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 3: Well, look I'm in We've got a lot of work 22 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 3: to do, and I think you know I've got skills 23 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 3: that actually are very useful at this time trying to 24 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 3: navigate some challenging global environments with our biggest challenge in 25 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 3: this country is our economy. And I understand the economy well. 26 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:09,759 Speaker 3: I appreciate there's a lot of key we're still doing 27 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 3: it tough and a challenge by that and are frustrated 28 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 3: by that as I am. But you know, we've got 29 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 3: to follow the plan and it's starting to work a 30 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 3: little bit, and we want to see more of it 31 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 3: happen over the course of the year. 32 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 2: What are your ministers telling you? Are any of them 33 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 2: telling you to consider your future? 34 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 3: No? No, not at all. 35 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 2: Are any of them telling you that they back you? 36 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 3: All of them? Yes? 37 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:31,759 Speaker 2: Is there? If this is not a poll number, Chris, 38 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 2: it's bad enough for you to consider your position. What 39 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 2: is the poll number at which you do well? 40 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 3: Can I just step you through the polls right? Because 41 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 3: you know, if you're in my position, I get asked 42 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 3: every single week by a different journalist or a different 43 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 3: media organization that has its own polling right, and there's 44 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 3: often public polls that I'll have two public polls in 45 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 3: a week that will be saying different things. And polling 46 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 3: in twenty twenty six is really important to get right 47 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 3: because there's methodology issues there are a new media environment. 48 00:01:57,280 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 3: People don't have landline phones. There's a whole bunch of 49 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 3: stuff that goes into it. Only the only polling I 50 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 3: look at is the one that we do internally for ourselves, 51 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 3: and that's stuff that we actually get processed overseas actually, 52 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 3: to be honest, because there's skills that we need to 53 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 3: process the data. 54 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:13,959 Speaker 2: When you say processed, do you mean it gets weighted 55 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 2: overseas well. 56 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:18,239 Speaker 3: What we do is we do our internal polling. I 57 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 3: think Nicholas spoken about this at the end of last year. 58 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 3: Is actually and since I became the leader, I actually 59 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 3: get that processed in the UK, and I have done 60 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 3: ever since. 61 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 4: And where are you guys sitting Well, I don't talk 62 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 4: about it obviously, but I just would reassure you if 63 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 4: there was a problem, I would be doing something about it. 64 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 4: But we are a long way away from what we've 65 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 4: seen published in a TPU poll today. And you know, 66 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 4: we know we've got work to do. We know this 67 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 4: is all about the economy. It's all about actually people 68 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 4: feeling it as it improved through the course of the year, 69 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 4: and there's. 70 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 3: A lot more for us to do. But that's what 71 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 3: I lead, and that's why you know hither you asked 72 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 3: me lots of times because it could be a very 73 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:59,359 Speaker 3: in TV poll, it could be a fresh water poll, 74 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 3: it could be a tea you pole, can be a 75 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 3: Roy Morgan pole, you know, and you know, and people 76 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 3: ask me all the time, and I always say, don't 77 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 3: comment on poles. And that's the reason I don't is 78 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 3: that I know the task at hand. I know what 79 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 3: the issue that's concerning Zealand is the most is the economy. 80 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 3: The economy of the economy. That's what election is going 81 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:16,800 Speaker 3: to be fought about. I don't believe going down the 82 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 3: pathway with labor doing more of their stuff is the 83 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 3: way forward for this country. I think we have an 84 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 3: awesome country, but we have a lot of potential to 85 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 3: realize on it. And that's what I'm waking up doing 86 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 3: each never. 87 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 2: Okay, So is there is there a poll number at 88 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 2: which you do start to consider your future. 89 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 3: It's not something I've thought about at all, and I 90 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 3: haven't discussed it with anybody because it hasn't been hasn't 91 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 3: needed to be a conversation. 92 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 2: Because you're what you're asking me to believe, though, Chris, 93 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 2: is that all the polls out there that we are 94 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 2: seeing public are wrong and there's something special about your 95 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: poll that makes it right. 96 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 3: At a higher level, I'm not saying that. I'm just 97 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 3: saying if I spend all my time each and every 98 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 3: week commenting on different polls that are presented and pitched 99 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 3: to me as Gospel, as Bible, as true, and debating 100 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 3: that that is a waste of my time. What New 101 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 3: Zealand expect me to be doing is cracking on with 102 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 3: the job that I was elected to do. They get 103 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 3: to determine a poll on November the seventh, they get 104 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 3: to make that decision. We've got a long way to 105 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 3: go until then. I'll tell you, right, what I hear 106 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 3: from them is the economy right. 107 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 2: That's fair. It is fair what you are saying. But 108 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 2: there is also something else which is going on air, 109 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 2: which is if you go to November the seven with 110 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 2: a number as low as this, you lose twelve of 111 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,359 Speaker 2: your MPs. You lose Nikola Willis, you lose Paul Goldsmith. 112 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 2: You start cutting into the muscle of the National Party. 113 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: They are not going to stand for it. Your ministers 114 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 2: are not going to stand there on November six and 115 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 2: say that that's all right. They're going to roll you, 116 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 2: aren't they so. 117 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 3: Hitl I have the full support of my team and my. 118 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 2: Caucus, right, But what they say to leaders before they 119 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 2: roll leaders, I'm not suggesting they're about to I'm not 120 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 2: suggesting they're about to roll you. But all I am 121 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 2: saying is you cannot. You cannot take this to the election. 122 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 2: You can't go to the election on a number like this, 123 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 2: can you. 124 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 3: Well, I just say to you, that's not what we're 125 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 3: planning to do, and that's not what. 126 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 2: We are How are you going to lift it? 127 00:04:58,520 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 3: Well, what we've got to do, it's got to del 128 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 3: for the economy, right, I mean, that is really what 129 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 3: New Zealanders are telling us. This is the major major 130 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 3: issue here that if I look at my qualitative research, 131 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 3: we look at our quantitative research, what are the biggest 132 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,039 Speaker 3: concerns for New Zealanders. It's been cost of living in 133 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 3: the economy by a long shot. 134 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 2: Okay, and the economies on its knees, and the recovery 135 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 2: was already going to be a grind for us this 136 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 2: year without what's going on in Iran? Can you credibly 137 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 2: tell me that this is going to help you out 138 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 2: the selection? Because I think I think it's it's not well. 139 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 3: I disagree. I think the economy, the economic recovery is underway. 140 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 3: You've seen positive quarterly growth last quarter. You've seen inflation 141 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 3: in the band. You've got ocr down nine cuts in 142 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,599 Speaker 3: twenty four months. You've got the consumer confidence the highest 143 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 3: it's been since twenty twenty one. You've got business conference 144 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 3: higher since twenty fourteen. You've got farmer confidence higher since 145 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 3: twenty sixteen. You've even got manufacturing growth. 146 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 2: This per run stuff you're talking about. 147 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:49,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, sure, sure here that. But there's one hundred and 148 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 3: ninety five countries in the world and eight billion people 149 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 3: and they are all having to navigate the same scenario 150 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,799 Speaker 3: that we are. But New Zealand, relative to other countries 151 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 3: in the world, despite the shocks, despite the dramas that 152 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:01,160 Speaker 3: are going on, and the conflicts that are going on, 153 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 3: is in a better position than anybody else to navigate 154 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 3: all of that. That is why we have been out 155 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 3: and about making sure we're diversifying, deepening the relationships internationally, 156 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 3: opening up trading opportunities. Most of our focus is in 157 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 3: the Indo Pacific region where most of our business gets done. Yes, 158 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 3: there's uncertainty around this event with Iran and Yes, there's 159 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 3: risk around a whole bunch of things, but we are 160 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 3: well prepared, we are well diversified, We've developed relationships to 161 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 3: be able to deal with that, and I think our 162 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:31,280 Speaker 3: relative performance compared to any other country on Earth, I'd 163 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 3: sooner be leading New Zealand than any other place at 164 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 3: this point in time, and I think we can do 165 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:35,280 Speaker 3: really well with it. 166 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 2: Chris, how are you going to improve your performance because 167 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 2: your performance and the stuff that we saw on Monday 168 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 2: fumbling over answers, is what is also dragging the party 169 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 2: vote down. 170 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, look at but it. I mean, I think I've 171 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,160 Speaker 3: freely admitted I'm not a career politician. I'm not going 172 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 3: to always have the perfect, most tidy SoundBite like someone 173 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 3: who's been there twenty years would do, and I will 174 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,159 Speaker 3: probably make mistakes and not get it perfect each and 175 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,359 Speaker 3: every time. But that's not what I'm there to do. 176 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 3: I'm there to do is to communicate to the best 177 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 3: of my ability, but most importantly, to drive a team 178 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 3: to improve economic outcomes, to create opportunity for his islanders. 179 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 3: That's what I'm doing, well, you know, I mean, I 180 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 3: think you know, just thinking about Hei that we're dealing 181 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 3: with a really crappy situation we've inherited. We've got really 182 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 3: volatile global conditions. We're navigating through the economic challenges we've got. 183 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 3: I'm doing it with the coalition partners as a result, 184 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 3: and we've got a team of ministers that I think 185 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 3: are hard. 186 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 2: Finally you're doing it. I'm doing an admirable job of 187 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 2: making it sound like this doesn't matter, but the fact 188 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 2: that you're on the show talking about it says you 189 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 2: know this matters, right. 190 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 3: Well, it's just that I've been down in a master 191 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 3: toon of Golden Shares yesterday. I've been out of my 192 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 3: electorate and Botany doing series of events, and I've picked 193 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 3: up as i've come back into finishing my events in 194 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 3: Botany that the whole world seems have got very exercised about. 195 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 3: I'm considering my future. Reason I'm coming on your shows 196 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 3: to clarify to people, No, I'm not doing that. I'm 197 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 3: considering very deeply the future for New Zealand and nothing's 198 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 3: changed for me. So I appreciate the media may have 199 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 3: got carried away through the course of the day in 200 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 3: reacting to another public poll of which there are men 201 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 3: and I'm just trying to give some perspective to it 202 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 3: and some balance to it. 203 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 2: All right, Chris, thank you for coming on the show. 204 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 2: I really appreciate your time, of course, as always Chris 205 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:09,840 Speaker 2: luson Prime Minister coll 206 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to 207 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:16,679 Speaker 1: news Talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 208 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.