The Wellington City Council has met publicly for the first time since voting to ditch the planned sale of its stake in Wellington Airport.
It's also the first time the council has met since Local Government Minister Simeon Brown announced he is appointing a Crown observer to the council.
So when will the council begin deciding what to cut to fund a large hole in its budget?
NZ Herald's Wellington issues reporter Georgina Campbell joined Adam Cooper for the Capital Letter.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks EDB, taking the pulse of the city
The Capital Letter on News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
EDB News Talk's EBB Wellington Morning's very excited to catch
up with New Zealand Herald's Wellington Issues reporter Georgina Campbell.
Moving forward the Capital Letter slot by a day this week. George,
good to catch up. I know you were working over
the weekend. Did you manage to enjoy some of the
labor weekend as well?
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I did.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
I did, and I've got some time off for the
rest of the week to make up for that time
that I worked. So thanks for bringing forward the.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Stilt our pleasure. Always good to have you on right now, George.
We're hearing a little bit about meal breaks and everything
like that at the council meeting this morning. This is
a pretty serious meeting for the Wellington City Council, trying
to take a step forward as to where the long
term plan goes. Have you been watching this morning?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Yes, I have been watching, and it is a significant
meeting because it's the first time that Wellington City councilors
have met publicly since the Government announced its intention to
put in a Crown Observer. So councilors have of course
met between themselves, but that's all happened behind closed doors
and I can report there have been no fireworks yet.
(01:22):
It's a good reminder actually of sort of how procedural
and down in the weeds local government can be. But
the big item on the agenda is how they're going
to salvage the long term plan. Of course, after they
voted to stop the sale of their stake in the
airport that upended the long term plan, they're now looking
at big spending cuts. So council officials have sort of
(01:46):
outlined some key dates and it looks like the big
meeting of the year will be on November twenty one,
and that's when they will consider options for capital spending
cuts and they'll try and have a new draft budget
in place before Christmas, which will then need to be
consulted on next year. Now, the way that this is
(02:09):
timed is so that these big decisions will happen when
the Crown Observer is in place, so those key decision
points are not scheduled until the latter half of November.
A reminder that observer doesn't have a decision making role,
but they can guide counselors and Council staff, and it's
(02:29):
clear that the Council wants the Crown Observer to be
in place for when those big decisions happen.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yeah, okay, so today's quite procedural. What should we expect
to come out of today's meeting?
Speaker 3 (02:39):
If anything, I don't think we will have any significant
decisions coming out of today. It's really just confirming that
timeline for how they're going to deal with everything. And
I should note too they did go morning to relatively quickly,
but that was just to line up an amendment that
(03:02):
was still being worked on, and so they didn't have
to have breaks further along the meeting. There's nothing too
juicy there. And then going from morning too early all.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Right, Well, we'll keep in eye when they go for
lunch though, and how long that's for, just to just
to make sure everyone's on the right track. George, you've
also been looking at this spats between the port here
and up in Napier. What's going on here?
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Yeah, this is really interesting. Basically, Napier Port has been
talking to government ministers about a proposal to build the
new Faery terminal for whatever the new fairies will be
We're still waiting for the government decision on that building
it at Centerport's Thornton container wharf. So nap Report's chief
(03:48):
executive Todd Dawson has sort of made the pitch that
the container wharf has already been seismically strengthened after the
twenty sixteen KAI coulda earthquake, and he said that that
would solve a lot of the problems with the cost
of the port's IT infrastructure. Just remembering that Tod that
Mega Fury proposal, it was support side up the structure
(04:09):
that really blew out the overall cost. And Napierport is
saying that Centerport's container trade could be redistributed around other
ports in the country, including Napier. Now I'm sure it
will come as no surprise at Centerport isn't very happy
about this, and Centerport's chairman Lockie Johnston sat down with
(04:31):
me and said he hasn't seen the proposal but described
it as laughable and quite self serving from Napier Port.
Napier has, of course already had made a play for
Wellington's container operations back in twenty twenty. Sort of seems
like they're coming back for another crack Centerport considered that
twenty twenty proposal elevated it to its shareholders, they made
(04:54):
a unanimous decision to reject it. So from Lockie Johnston's perspective,
it's finished, but we'll see what happens. Of course, I
guess the fact that the government hasn't made a decision
yet or hasn't made an announcement about what will replace
it in Trial and to Fleet kind of leaves this
void open for these kind of proposals and discussions, just
(05:16):
creating a bit of tension between the two ports.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Yeah. Interesting, okay, And just to help George, I saw
this really cool story you managed to cover over the weekend.
A guy from Lower Heart's been on a pretty wow,
amazing inspirational health Jenny, right.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Yes, so Eli Moon weighed two hundred and ninety kilos
in August last year and has since lost one hundred
and thirty eight kilos, which is just so impressive. And
basically he was admitted to hospital last year his heart
was failing, you know, he was basically struggling to walk
without falling over, and he spent a month in hospital
(05:53):
and basically his food was controlled there. He was given
a breathing machine to help him sleep properly for the
first time in his adult life. And he said his
brain just sort of started working again and he had
the energy to kind of turn things arod and that
sort of kick started this incredible journey. He started with
aqua jogging and has had meal replacements and eating salads
(06:16):
and things like that, and he's just got a totally
new lease on life and can do all sorts of
different things. And he's said, one of the biggest things
that you know has changed is that you know, he
can walk into a restaurant and he doesn't have to
worry about whether he might break the chair in the
restaurant when he sits down. You know, he's looking forward
to traveling overseas and sitting in a single seat in
(06:39):
the aeroplane and things like that. It's a very inspiring story.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Oh amazing. And that's up with the Wellington homepage on
the Herald. I'm sure George people want to read the
full story.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Yes, yes, it was up over the weekend, but if
they go on to the Wellington homepages it should be there.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Awesome, George, have a great week Thanks for keeping us
up to date on that meeting. As well, and I
know you will be through the day on the New Zealand.
Here a website as well, that is Georgina Campbell, the
New Zealand Herald's Wellington issues reporter.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks EDB, taking the pulse of the city
The Capital Letter on News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
EDB News Talk's EBB Wellington Morning's very excited to catch
up with New Zealand Herald's Wellington Issues reporter Georgina Campbell.
Moving forward the Capital Letter slot by a day this week. George,
good to catch up. I know you were working over
the weekend. Did you manage to enjoy some of the
labor weekend as well?
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I did.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
I did, and I've got some time off for the
rest of the week to make up for that time
that I worked. So thanks for bringing forward the.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Stilt our pleasure. Always good to have you on right now, George.
We're hearing a little bit about meal breaks and everything
like that at the council meeting this morning. This is
a pretty serious meeting for the Wellington City Council, trying
to take a step forward as to where the long
term plan goes. Have you been watching this morning?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Yes, I have been watching, and it is a significant
meeting because it's the first time that Wellington City councilors
have met publicly since the Government announced its intention to
put in a Crown Observer. So councilors have of course
met between themselves, but that's all happened behind closed doors
and I can report there have been no fireworks yet.
(01:22):
It's a good reminder actually of sort of how procedural
and down in the weeds local government can be. But
the big item on the agenda is how they're going
to salvage the long term plan. Of course, after they
voted to stop the sale of their stake in the
airport that upended the long term plan, they're now looking
at big spending cuts. So council officials have sort of
(01:46):
outlined some key dates and it looks like the big
meeting of the year will be on November twenty one,
and that's when they will consider options for capital spending
cuts and they'll try and have a new draft budget
in place before Christmas, which will then need to be
consulted on next year. Now, the way that this is
(02:09):
timed is so that these big decisions will happen when
the Crown Observer is in place, so those key decision
points are not scheduled until the latter half of November.
A reminder that observer doesn't have a decision making role,
but they can guide counselors and Council staff, and it's
(02:29):
clear that the Council wants the Crown Observer to be
in place for when those big decisions happen.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yeah, okay, so today's quite procedural. What should we expect
to come out of today's meeting?
Speaker 3 (02:39):
If anything, I don't think we will have any significant
decisions coming out of today. It's really just confirming that
timeline for how they're going to deal with everything. And
I should note too they did go morning to relatively quickly,
but that was just to line up an amendment that
(03:02):
was still being worked on, and so they didn't have
to have breaks further along the meeting. There's nothing too
juicy there. And then going from morning too early all.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Right, Well, we'll keep in eye when they go for
lunch though, and how long that's for, just to just
to make sure everyone's on the right track. George, you've
also been looking at this spats between the port here
and up in Napier. What's going on here?
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Yeah, this is really interesting. Basically, Napier Port has been
talking to government ministers about a proposal to build the
new Faery terminal for whatever the new fairies will be
We're still waiting for the government decision on that building
it at Centerport's Thornton container wharf. So nap Report's chief
(03:48):
executive Todd Dawson has sort of made the pitch that
the container wharf has already been seismically strengthened after the
twenty sixteen KAI coulda earthquake, and he said that that
would solve a lot of the problems with the cost
of the port's IT infrastructure. Just remembering that Tod that
Mega Fury proposal, it was support side up the structure
(04:09):
that really blew out the overall cost. And Napierport is
saying that Centerport's container trade could be redistributed around other
ports in the country, including Napier. Now I'm sure it
will come as no surprise at Centerport isn't very happy
about this, and Centerport's chairman Lockie Johnston sat down with
(04:31):
me and said he hasn't seen the proposal but described
it as laughable and quite self serving from Napier Port.
Napier has, of course already had made a play for
Wellington's container operations back in twenty twenty. Sort of seems
like they're coming back for another crack Centerport considered that
twenty twenty proposal elevated it to its shareholders, they made
(04:54):
a unanimous decision to reject it. So from Lockie Johnston's perspective,
it's finished, but we'll see what happens. Of course, I
guess the fact that the government hasn't made a decision
yet or hasn't made an announcement about what will replace
it in Trial and to Fleet kind of leaves this
void open for these kind of proposals and discussions, just
(05:16):
creating a bit of tension between the two ports.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Yeah. Interesting, okay, And just to help George, I saw
this really cool story you managed to cover over the weekend.
A guy from Lower Heart's been on a pretty wow,
amazing inspirational health Jenny, right.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Yes, so Eli Moon weighed two hundred and ninety kilos
in August last year and has since lost one hundred
and thirty eight kilos, which is just so impressive. And
basically he was admitted to hospital last year his heart
was failing, you know, he was basically struggling to walk
without falling over, and he spent a month in hospital
(05:53):
and basically his food was controlled there. He was given
a breathing machine to help him sleep properly for the
first time in his adult life. And he said his
brain just sort of started working again and he had
the energy to kind of turn things arod and that
sort of kick started this incredible journey. He started with
aqua jogging and has had meal replacements and eating salads
(06:16):
and things like that, and he's just got a totally
new lease on life and can do all sorts of
different things. And he's said, one of the biggest things
that you know has changed is that you know, he
can walk into a restaurant and he doesn't have to
worry about whether he might break the chair in the
restaurant when he sits down. You know, he's looking forward
to traveling overseas and sitting in a single seat in
(06:39):
the aeroplane and things like that. It's a very inspiring story.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Oh amazing. And that's up with the Wellington homepage on
the Herald. I'm sure George people want to read the
full story.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Yes, yes, it was up over the weekend, but if
they go on to the Wellington homepages it should be there.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Awesome, George, have a great week Thanks for keeping us
up to date on that meeting. As well, and I
know you will be through the day on the New Zealand.
Here a website as well, that is Georgina Campbell, the
New Zealand Herald's Wellington issues reporter.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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