/on-air/the-country/audio/rss 九一星空无限 Sat, 23 Aug 2025 21:31:32 Z en /on-air/the-country/audio/todd-mcclay-trade-minister-aims-to-make-a-case-for-lowering-tariffs-to-us-counterparts/ /on-air/the-country/audio/todd-mcclay-trade-minister-aims-to-make-a-case-for-lowering-tariffs-to-us-counterparts/ The Trade Minister will meet with the top US trade boss overnight. The Trump administration increased tariffs on New Zealand exports from 10 to 15 percent earlier this month.  Todd McClay is in Washington and says he will meet with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to state New Zealand's case - and explained he plans to raise the harm tariffs cause to both countries. LISTEN ABOVE Thu, 21 Aug 2025 04:11:15 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-on-trevor-mallards-early-exit-as-ambassador-to-ireland/ /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-on-trevor-mallards-early-exit-as-ambassador-to-ireland/ The Prime Minister's weighing in on Irish ambassador Trevor Mallard's early return home.  Foreign Minister Winston Peters yesterday announced Mallard's replacement, saying the carnival's over for the former Parliament speaker.  Chris Luxon says the decision was up to Peters.  LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 20 Aug 2025 04:15:39 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-responds-to-popularity-drop-in-recent-polls/ /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-responds-to-popularity-drop-in-recent-polls/ The Prime Minister's putting on a cool front after a frosty result in the latest political polls.  The 1九一星空无限 Verian poll shows Christopher Luxon's fallen to his lowest popularity rating in two years as his party fails to make ground - staying on 34 percent.  Meanwhile, the Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll saw National drop 2.1 to 31.8 percent. Luxon joined The Country's Jamie Mackay to discuss further. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 13 Aug 2025 01:57:16 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/todd-mcclay-trade-minister-says-new-zealand-couldnt-have-avoided-additional-us-tariff-hike/ /on-air/the-country/audio/todd-mcclay-trade-minister-says-new-zealand-couldnt-have-avoided-additional-us-tariff-hike/ The Trade Minister says New Zealand could have done nothing to avoid another US tariff hike. New Zealand and several other countries will be hit by higher rates from Friday. Todd McClay has now spoken with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, about the change imposed by Donald Trump. He says it's based purely on last year's export numbers, and any country with a US trade surplus last year faces a rate of 15 percent or more. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 06 Aug 2025 02:49:46 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-on-the-government-scrapping-in-store-card-surcharges/ /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-on-the-government-scrapping-in-store-card-surcharges/ The Government's scrapping card surcharges at the till, and it's prompted concern from retailers and consumers about the extra costs. Prime Minister Chris Luxon has defended these changes - and claimed knowing all the costs upfront will make it easier for Kiwis. Luxon joined The Country's Jamie Mackay to explain further. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 30 Jul 2025 04:23:48 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-on-the-governments-solution-to-bring-down-butter-prices/ /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-on-the-governments-solution-to-bring-down-butter-prices/ Chris Luxon is backing his Finance Minister's quest to get to the bottom of soaring butter prices.  Nicola Willis met with Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell at Parliament last night. She'd told media she was keen to get his perspective on the spiralling cost of dairy.  The Prime Minister says Willis is also speaking to supermarkets about prices. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 23 Jul 2025 01:34:27 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/cameron-bagrie-independent-economist-ahead-of-tomorrows-ocr-update/ /on-air/the-country/audio/cameron-bagrie-independent-economist-ahead-of-tomorrows-ocr-update/ The Reserve Bank is set to release their latest update on the OCR, and one expert has outlined his predictions ahead of tomorrow's reveal. Cameron Bagrie has observed that the economy may have taken a step backwards over the last few months - and he's factored that into his outlook. He joined The Country's Jamie Mackay to discuss further. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 08 Jul 2025 03:21:51 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-on-the-impact-of-recent-international-visits/ /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-on-the-impact-of-recent-international-visits/ The Prime Minister has been working to grow New Zealand's economic prospects following his recent journey overseas. Luxon recently returned from meeting leaders in China and Europe - and he's revealed he used the meetings to boost trade links so the nation can keep growing. He joined The Country's Jamie Mackay to explain how boosting trade would help the nation out of its 'economic mess'. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 02 Jul 2025 01:48:58 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/dame-lisa-carrington-olympian-on-being-named-zespris-global-brand-ambassador/ /on-air/the-country/audio/dame-lisa-carrington-olympian-on-being-named-zespris-global-brand-ambassador/ Zespri, the world’s largest kiwifruit marketer, has named Dame Lisa Carrington, New Zealand’s most decorated Olympian, as its inaugural global brand ambassador. The four-year global partnership aims to inspire people to focus on their health and wellbeing through the goodness of kiwifruit. Zespri said the partnership highlighted its commitment to health, quality and excellence – values it said Carrington exemplified throughout her record-breaking kayaking career. The collaboration is also connected to the Bay of Plenty, as it is Carrington’s birthplace and produces about 80% of the country’s kiwifruit. Carrington said she was pleased to be representing the region. “It’s great to be able to connect back with home,” she told The Country’s Jamie Mackay. It was early days for the partnership and Carrington said she would take it “year by year”. She said Zespri has released an “awesome” 90-second cinematic short film to launch the relationship and she looked forward to promoting Zespri worldwide. While Carrington shows no signs of slowing down in her sporting achievements, the ambassador role could lead to a new career when she finally hangs up her paddle. “I’ve never had to be in the corporate world other than this ambassador role,” she said. “There will be a lot to learn over the next four years with Zespri and how they operate. “That’s probably just something for me to work out and understand over our relationship going forward.” She said Kiwis were lucky to have access to a superfood such as kiwifruit “all through the year”. As for the product itself, Carrington said she was partial to Zespri’s SunGold brand. “I’ve only recently tried the RubyRed and that was quite nice, but I really do enjoy the gold. “But I mean, it’s not fair to have a favourite, right?” LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 01 Jul 2025 03:53:40 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/helen-and-ian-burgess-farmers-impacted-by-cyclone-gabrielle-still-waiting-to-get-full-farm-access/ /on-air/the-country/audio/helen-and-ian-burgess-farmers-impacted-by-cyclone-gabrielle-still-waiting-to-get-full-farm-access/ Two Cyclone Gabrielle-hit farmers in the Gisborne region are still waiting to get full farm access. This is after their bridge was washed out in early 2023. Helen and Ian Burgess joined The Country's Jamie Mackay to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 17 Jun 2025 03:55:41 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-speaks-from-fieldays-2025/ /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-speaks-from-fieldays-2025/ The Prime Minister says his Government loves farmers, and has added a swipe at the Opposition. In a Curia poll paid for by lobby group Federated Farmers, 54 percent of farmers would vote National if an election were held today, 19 percent would pick ACT, and 8 percent would chose NZ First. The farmers gave Labour only three percent, the Greens 2, and Te Pati Māori 1. Chris Luxon is at the Fieldays agricultural fair in Hamilton - and he joined The Country's Jamie Mackay to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 11 Jun 2025 04:37:22 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-unbothered-by-latest-drop-in-poll/ /on-air/the-country/audio/chris-luxon-prime-minister-unbothered-by-latest-drop-in-poll/ The Prime Minister's dismissing the significance of a dip in support in two recent polls. A One-九一星空无限 Verian poll - released last night - has National down two percent, although the right bloc could still form a Government.   But this morning's RNZ Reid Research poll also putting National down two - would let the left bloc take office.  Chris Luxon says there are many polls looking at different things.   LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 04 Jun 2025 02:09:04 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/david-seymour-act-party-leader-on-his-ascension-into-deputy-prime-minister-role/ /on-air/the-country/audio/david-seymour-act-party-leader-on-his-ascension-into-deputy-prime-minister-role/ David Seymour promises to be on his best behaviour as he takes on the role of Deputy Prime Minister. The ACT leader's officially taken over the role from New Zealand First leader Winston Peters - after the duo agreed to job-share during the coalition agreement negotiations. Seymour joined The Country's Jamie Mackay to discuss further. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 03 Jun 2025 03:43:15 Z /on-air/the-country/audio/miles-hurrell-fonterra-ceo-on-the-milk-price-forecast-and-earnings/ /on-air/the-country/audio/miles-hurrell-fonterra-ceo-on-the-milk-price-forecast-and-earnings/ Good news for Fonterra dairy farmers - accompanied by a 'but'. The dairy co-op's forecasting a $10 farmgate milk price payout this season, with an earnings ranging from 65 to 75 cents a share. It's also forecasting a $10 payout next season. But chief executive Miles Hurrell says they're setting a wide forecast range - to deal with a volatile market. LISTEN ABOVE Thu, 29 May 2025 03:06:37 Z