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Ryan Bridge: The Kiwi trying to stop the Trump tariffs · The SME Stream

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  Speaker 1: Rosemary Banks, remember that name. She now has one of
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  Speaker 1: the most important jobs for New Zealand, a potential two
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  Speaker 1: billion dollar job. She's our woman in DC. She's the
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  Speaker 1: ambassador to the United States. Her mission get us an
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  Speaker 1: exemption to Trump's tariffs. The scale of the problem massive.
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  Speaker 1: Early estimates at twenty percent. It could cost us one
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  Speaker 1: point seven billion dollars every year. Our total exports currently
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  Speaker 1: eight point eight billion, so that's huge. It can be done.
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  Speaker 1: The Aussie's got an exemption on steel and aluminium in
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  Speaker 1: twenty eighteen under Trump. Is she up to the job.
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  Speaker 1: I'm told yes, if anyone can do it, Rosemary Banks
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  Speaker 1: is the person that you want up there. I'm told
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  Speaker 1: she's got excellent contacts with the Republican Party and she
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  Speaker 1: is working the phones and working them hard. She was
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  Speaker 1: asked to stay on by Winston Peters back in May
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  Speaker 1: in anticipation that Trump might get in smart move. She's
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  Speaker 1: the same ambassador, was the same ambassador in charge when
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  Speaker 1: we nearly got an FTA through during Trump's last term.
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  Speaker 1: Of course, it's not all on her. Winston Todd, McLay,
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  Speaker 1: Lux and they will all play their parts, but the
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  Speaker 1: ground game is on Rosemary and we may have some
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  Speaker 1: advantage here in that we do export food, and food
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  Speaker 1: is something Trump probably doesn't want to make more expensive.
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  Speaker 1: Then there's the uncertainty of whether Trump will actually make
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  Speaker 1: good on his campaign big talk. Rosemary's not waiting around
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  Speaker 1: for that uncertainty or for certainty on the uncertainty, I
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  Speaker 1: should say they have a plan, and by god, it
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  Speaker 1: better be a good one. We like to hate on diplomats,
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  Speaker 1: don't we. Oh, they just go to nice dinners and
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  Speaker 1: drink wine and schmooze. Well, it is time to crack
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  Speaker 1: out our best pinot, use the contacts, and make the
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  Speaker 1: deals happen. The weight of our export nation is on
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  Speaker 1: your shoulders, Rosemary. Best of luck,