James Shaw on those 'Pākehā farmers'

Climate Change Minister James Shaw. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Climate Change Minister James Shaw found himself in hot water after his comment on farmers in a recent interview about Significant Natural Areas on Ngāti Hine FM.

During the interview Shaw referred to a "group of Pākehā farmers from down south... who have always pushed back against the idea that they should observe any kind of regulation about what they can do to protect the environmental conditions on their land".

Today on The Country, Jamie Mackay asked Shaw to clarify what he meant.

"What I was talking about on Ngāti Hine FM was a small group of people who I don't think speak for the majority of farmers at all," Shaw said.

Mackay pressed Shaw to identify the group he was talking about, but the minister said "I don't want to get in to particular people".

"There are farmers doing a terrific job of looking after our indigenous biodiversity on their farms all over the country and so I get really irritated when there is a small group of agitators who are spreading misinformation and unnecessarily rarking people up."

While Shaw may have been reluctant to clarify his previous comment, he was happy to tackle questions from The Country's audience, starting with former Federated Farmers president Katie Milne's one about Significant Natural Areas.

The Climate Change Minister also answered questions about coal, electric vehicles, whether farmers would be allowed to use diesel powered tractors and trucks without tariffs, (because DoC used diesel for its vehicles in Stewart Island), whether the EV "feebate" was unfair on farmers and tradies, and why should Kiwis farmers had to focus on emissions when they were ahead of other countries.

Listen to the full interview below:

Also in today's interview: Shaw admitted he hadn't heard about Bryce McKenzie's work with the Pomahaka Water Care Group.