1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,480 Speaker 1: So let's wrap this short week with hopefully some insight 2 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: into the increasingly sticky FTA deal with India. So Trade 3 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Minister was here yesterday seemingly confident whatever hurdles we have 4 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 1: we could resolve. And New Zealand first of course are out. 5 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: So labor are batter up in terms of numbers. But 6 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: they've got a letter containing issues. They are trade men, 7 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: as Damian O'Connor, who is with us. 8 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,600 Speaker 2: Damian morning, sure, how are you, Mike? 9 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: Very well? Indeed I've read the letter from Hipkins or 10 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: I think the latest letter from Hipkins to the Prime minister. 11 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: So you've got migrant issues. Is that directly tied with 12 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: a trade deal? In other words? Are they not separate 13 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: things that a government who were awake and you know, 14 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:43,879 Speaker 1: with a good grip on the wheel would deal with anyway. 15 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 2: Look, there are guaranteed places work permits into New Zealand 16 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 2: in this trade deal. They aren't usually in a trade 17 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 2: agreement there's provision for migration and work permits, but not 18 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 2: guaranteed numbers. So that is different and it's something that 19 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 2: has to be considered. But clearly Winston's stewed up fears 20 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:07,119 Speaker 2: and concerns and Chris Hapkin's got a number of emails 21 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 2: and letters saying, you know, we're going to flood at 22 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 2: New Zealand with migrants. That's not the reality. But we 23 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 2: had to ask questions about the provisions and the safeguards 24 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 2: for that. We don't want thousands of students coming in. 25 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 2: Has happened under the Key government to shonky education courses 26 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 2: being exploited in the workplace. We don't want to get 27 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 2: back to that. Again. Winston stirred that up, we have 28 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 2: to have assurance that won't happen. 29 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:33,559 Speaker 1: And haven't you got assurance, because I wouldn't have thought 30 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: given we don't have that, and given we. 31 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 2: Have time up the government shrunk the everyone's spectra that 32 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 2: everything they have done is to remove has been removed 33 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 2: to protection for workers in our country, not enhanced them. 34 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 2: So what we're doing is potentially bring in another pool 35 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 2: of young students and enthusiastic and I'll be working. We 36 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 2: don't want them exploited. We want to make sure there 37 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 2: are people on the ground who are going to check 38 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: the workplaces and make sure that exportation is not occurring. 39 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 1: Well, hold on, when you say students in the workplaces, 40 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: are you talking about students coming in and going to 41 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: shonky education facilities or are you talking about students coming 42 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: in who might end up with a visa and doesn't 43 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: the visa solve the problem going into some second rate job. 44 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 2: There are two issues. There are student numbers and they 45 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 2: have they have worked rights with those those access so 46 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 2: there those numbers are not keppt. There's a little bit 47 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 2: of confusion. Minister said they work kept, they're not actually kept. 48 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 2: Of course, we have the ability to control the quality 49 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 2: of the educational institutes making sure that they're not shonky. 50 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 2: So there is an ability, but we've got to have 51 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 2: work inspect labor inspectors out there making sure that that 52 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 2: abuse is not occurring. Modern slavery legislation is something that 53 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 2: we raised. The Government committed to the bill. Now that 54 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 2: that two Member from Labor and Member from National have agreed, 55 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 2: it's in the order paper, but the government bump that 56 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 2: bill down the order paper. That's the modern slavery legislation 57 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 2: we want to put back up so that you know 58 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 2: these things are being dealt with property in New Zealand 59 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 2: and we're not opening the door to a lot of 60 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 2: well meaning, well intended Indians coming into the country, who 61 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 2: will be exploited. That's what's happened in the past across 62 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 2: other nations too. We don't want it to happen. 63 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: Bear repeat the number of students though, andre talking about it. 64 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: Don't we want more students? I mean, because they come 65 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: and they pay, they go to university. It's good for 66 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: the bottom line. 67 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, we do, absolutely, but we're just going to make 68 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 2: sure when they come in legitimate courses, getting a proper 69 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 2: education and a place to live and not being exploited. 70 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: I just, having read the letter, having talked to McLay 71 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: a number of times now having I just don't see this. 72 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: You're sort of there, aren't you really? I mean, we're 73 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: not that far apart. This is too big a deal 74 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: to cock up in the long term. 75 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 2: You know, there's a commitment to best efforts. It's not 76 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 2: an absolute commitment. We get that, but we need some 77 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 2: explanation as to what happens if in fifteen years time 78 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 2: we haven't invested thirty three billion New Zealand dollars in India. 79 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 2: What will that mean for exporters who might have committed 80 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 2: money less money than that, but money to the Indian market. 81 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 2: So these are questions that we would have asked through 82 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 2: the process, have we been consulted? Look, National you know, 83 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 2: Christopher luxen Held tied his own hands by saying I 84 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 2: want this deal done within three years and then hadn't 85 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 2: done a deal with Winston. So I had to come 86 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 2: back at the last minute and ask us to support 87 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 2: this without the knowledge and the background that we would 88 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 2: normally have expected. 89 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. But Damian, you're a decent bloke. You've been on 90 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: the plane from Cameroon with McLay for ours on and 91 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: I don't know how long it takes to get from 92 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: Cameroon back home. But I mean, didn't you sort this 93 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: out over a drink on the plane for goodness sake? 94 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: I mean this, none of this seems to be a 95 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:40,600 Speaker 1: hurdle you can't get over. 96 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 2: No, No, that's absolutely we hope we can get over that. 97 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,799 Speaker 2: But ultimately, you know, this is a political decision between 98 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 2: the leader of my party and the leader of the 99 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 2: National Party who needs our support. You know, it's not 100 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 2: we don't often as an opposition, you know, support the 101 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 2: government where it's sensible, we do. We need to know 102 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 2: that we're not indoor to some of the claims that 103 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 2: Winston is wildly making about this. We need to be 104 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,280 Speaker 2: able to answer to the public and say this is 105 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 2: a genuinely good deal for New Zealand. It's not the 106 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 2: one that Labor would have negotiated, but nonetheless it's a 107 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 2: good step forward. 108 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: Good on. You have a good Easter to appreciate it. 109 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: They'll get that. Damien O'Connor, Labor Trade spokesperson. 110 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 2: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 111 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:25,119 Speaker 2: news talks that'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 112 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:26,720 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.