Local elections are less than four months away now, and nominations officially opened today. But with four races in Wellington with hot favourites, are we less excited than we have been in previous years?
Also, Wellington Central MP Tamatha Paul wants some of the city's statues pulled down, including the William Wakefield monument on the bank of the Basin Reserve, claiming we shouldn't have statues of "thieving criminal colonisers". Is she right?
To answer those questions, PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons and Wellington City Councillor Nicola Young joined Nick Mills for Friday Faceoff.
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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 Talk said b Wellington's official week interview, It's
Friday face Off with Quindovic Property Management a better rental
experience for all. Visit Quo dot cot on its head Thursday.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Start.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
My favorite part of the week is when I get
a couple of special guests in the studio and it's
called Friday face Off. As I said, it's been going
for decades on this particular radio station at this particular time.
Joining us for Friday face Off. Couple of women this morning,
Wellington City Councilor Nikola Younger Mordan Nichola.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
Good morning, Nick. Thank you for that enthusiastic response to
having two fabulous women in the studio.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
You are too fabulous women. I could argue with that
and PSA National Secretary flir Fit Simon's morning flirt morning.
Can you lovely to see you too? Can you help
me keep her under will?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I will?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Could you keep her under control?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
And counsel at times?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (01:12):
Yeah, And we got along very well on council because
we thought something she says together quite successfully.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
But one of you is as far left as your
left hand can go. And one of you as far
right as the right hand can go, how do you
get on well?
Speaker 2 (01:24):
And this is local government as well. You have to
work with whoever's round the table. And Nichola is a
person of integrity and somebody who's actually easy to work
with because she says what she's She says what she says,
and she stands for what she stands for. But she's
got an open mind.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
And also very I haven't got a bucket here.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
By the way, She's ridiculously active on local issues and
I always thought that was the core job of a
city councilor if someone rings you and they've got a problem,
you deal with it. You don't as see politics, you
deal with it. And Nicola and I shared that view
of what representation is.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Can I remind you after the show because I've got
a problem with trying to get a counsel to do
a job for me, and it's going nowhere. I might
have to use your counsel influence. You think it can happen.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
But all I can do is, you know, I'm a voice.
I don't have any power other than the voice, but
certainly I like to get onto things.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Okay, my job, let's start with local elections less than
four months away? Can you believe that it's four months away?
Speaker 4 (02:14):
I mean ninety nine days?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Ninety nine and well to be exact. Nominations open today.
Have you enrolled?
Speaker 4 (02:22):
I know my son took my photograph because you have
to have a recent photograph. You took it in the
kitchen the other night. My nomination form is almost complete.
I just got to think, am I independent? Or am
I independent? Affordable rates? And my passport? Photograph or passport's
all done? And what's the other one to deposit? I'm
nearly there.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah, can somebody else pay your deposit? Or you have
to pay your deposit yourself.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
You paid us, but if you get over a certain
percentage of votes, you get it back. And I'm hoping
that I will get it back. That's what I'm working
on anyway.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
All right, there's never in my time, and correct me
and you guys are a lot more experienced in local
body elections than I'll ever be. Has there ever been
an election in this city where the results are so
obvious so early? Flair? I mean we almost no, it's
a coronation, not a vote, didn't it?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Absolutely not? And in this political environment, look what's happening
around the world. Andrew Little is rightly taking nothing for granted,
and I think that he's right to adopt that approach.
Ray Chung has been a very outspoken local ward counselor.
I understand that when he ran for that ward, he
door knocked every single house. He's a hard worker. He's
(03:29):
not someone to be underestimated. I admit Andrew Little is
absolutely the frontrunner.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
But if you're a gambling person, I know you probably not,
but you would you well, you are a gambling person,
would you go to the top and bet on anyone else?
But Andrew Little, come on, be honest.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
With me, No, I wouldn't. But I would also advise
him not to take anything for granted. People told me
I was a schiwin for wrong a tie. I took
nothing for granted, and that was the correct approach because
I've got no regrets.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
But also carry printing Ars is probably the most one
that took it for granted a little bit, didn't she.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
The local government is a bit of a lottery and
vote single transportable vote, anything can happen, and where those
second is the preferences go.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
So what I say to people is only put a
tick or put a number beside people you want to
see on council?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Why are we feeling so I want to use the
word over it already. I mean, for as long as
I've been doing this job, I've been copying it, the
hatred and you know, with the council and the mayors
and everything, and it suddenly we're four months away from
the election and everything everyone's uh, well.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Well, I think there's been a lot We've been waiting
for this election for almost three years, especially for the Meryalty.
It hasn't begun yet. I mean, if you're over it now,
I think it's going to be very interesting, very exciting,
and I think there could be a few dramas in
the election which will be make it interesting.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Bring it on, bring it on at full stand boring
right now.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
But the nominations only open today, so I don't think
it will get exciting until is it the first of
August when your nominations closed.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yah? So tell me, do you either of you think
they are a superstar? Hollywood superstar is going to stand?
Are we going to get somebody that stands.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
For what they have to be a Wellington resident?
Speaker 3 (05:11):
You know what I'm saying? I mean I remember talking
to Ian Castles once when I was thinking of running
for mayor many many years ago, and he said, Nick,
you've never been in all blacks, so don't even try.
So have we got an all black that's sitting out
there waiting to become No.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
And actually, if you look at people that move from
journalism or sports to politics, they actually often struggle.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
Because I was ast it's hard.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
It's a craft and it's hard, and going from having
no experience as a ward counselor or as a local
representative to running for mayor or going to parliament hasn't
played well for many people. So I don't think we'll
see that.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Well, you're just saying you're talking about you're talking Andrew
Little up. Now. He's never been on council before nobody.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
He has got a huge amount of political experience, including
in Wellington.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
And he understands governance.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Right. Is it a two horse race?
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Well, I think STV when the last time. I mean, look,
I don't know the STV, but if I was going
to put a bet on which I wouldn't know, it's
it's a two horse race.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Yeah, I think just by the way, you can't hear nodding.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
On Radio No, No, I do think it's a two
horse race. And look, rach Hung as much as I
think Andrew Dittle shouldn't underestimate him. He is a very bizarre,
erratic man, and he's got bizarre views on rates. He's
got bizarre views on a whole range of issues. I
think once Wellingtonians are exposed to him, they will realize
(06:31):
that he is a dangerous threat and not consistent with
what the city.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Now. We're all underestimating Carl Tekenbaker though, aren't we. I
mean he's none of those things, extremist things. And someone
said or not not someone said to me on Q
and A, the ex mayor of Masterton, who's very outspoke,
Tina Nixon said, anybody, anybody in New Zealand that promises
to lower rates, don't vote for them.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I think she's right. It's irresponsible. It is not the
what local government needs. Local government needs has got a
funding crisis and needs more investment. Promising lower rates without
a plan to get there is a consistent theme adopted
by right wing counselors and it's not only irresponsible, but
they can't even deliver it anyway.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
So but we can have we can have the aim
of affordable rates. And but that's by really looking at
what are our top priorities. Is the golden Male priority
for Walish and I don't believe it is. Is it
a priority?
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Why isn't someone out, Why aren't they coming out and
saying no, no, no to it? Then? I mean Andrew
Little hasn't come out and said no to it. He
has said he Carl has Carl deefn Barkeys.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
Look, the election campaign hasn't begun yet, but there are
lots of areas where we can cut expenditure, such as
the shipping organic waste up to the Hawks Bay by
diesel trucks because they've got no way to process it.
And a lot of people don't want it collected because
they use it for composting in their garden, you know,
and we can't collect it from apartments. It's nuts.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Nichola is wrong And as much as I have respect
for her approach to local government council, she could never
bring the type of initiatives that would reduce rates or
the rates increase to the council table. The right talk
a big game, they can't land it.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
So I mean there is some truth I have to
say and what first says, because the thing is that
you've got to get unanimity around the council table. And
the problem for a mayor is you could have you know,
you could have a mayor with all sorts of promises,
but unless they have the votes around the table, they
can't deliver it. But it depends on who's on console.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
So help me out here. Help me out here as
someone that has to get up at four thirty in
the morning five days a week and come to work
and try and create stories to people to listen to.
Do you reckon? There is going to be a genuine fight,
a genuine campaign between now and October. First, don't dodgy.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
People, head I'm being polite and agreeing with you, Nac.
I want to encourage the question. I think you're right
to be asking the question, and your job is to
make it interesting for people. And I really am interested
to get behind the headlines and get into the moral
integrity of these two individuals. What do they stand for?
What are their value?
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Why are you cutting Carl out?
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I haven't. I mean, he stood the Lampton ward and
you know, yes he came close, but he couldn't even
win the Lampton Ward. I think he's going to struggle
to win the mayoral team, but sure put him in there.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
But I really he has sort of done the disappearing
act to be fair, hasn't he.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Yeah, that's right. I could never get him to give
straight answers on anything. I could really understand what he
stood for. And he's also someone without any political experience,
which I think is dangerous that it doesn't work. But
your job is to make it interesting for us. But
I want to get behind and understand what really drives people,
what their values are, where the moral compassites on important issues.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Well, the last thing you're going to get is get
them to be honest on the shows.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
Well they should be. I mean, one of the reasons
flu M I get on with each other is we
both understand each other's sort of compasses, you know, like
we know and where this overlap, it's great, And where
there's no overlap, we can disagree, but we can still
be friends.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Now, I want to ask you because this is very
very important to me personally, and I said this yesterday
on the show, and I'm going to be quick because
I've got to go to an ad break. But what
about people that are sitting around that table on the council.
Should they be making decisions based on what's right for
Wellington or what's right for themselves. But should they actually
just because they used to getting one hundred grand a
(10:15):
year and getting paid, still put their names forward? Fleur?
What are you thinking?
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Well, I think as much as I didn't get on
with every counselor, all of them are there for the
best interester Wellington. They all do their very best. And actually,
when you compare their salaries to the people who report
to them, they're quite small in comparison.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
I was just meaning that on a basis of it,
it's a job, and they're doing it as a job,
namely two counselors that should not actually stand next time
that are thinking is standing?
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Do you think I'm mad to say to tell you why?
I'll tell you off air. I'm not going to tell
you on air. But I do believe that when we
become councilors, when we're sworn and we put an oath,
that we will put Wellington above all other things. And
that's where I think it's a real shame that we
have candidates are put up by political powers.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
I mean, don't give me names, give me numbers. Say
to me, I've got I think there's five people around
the table that are completely that are a complete waste
of time and shouldn't stand again.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
But they've been legitimately elected and you need to respect
that because we're a democracy.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
But this is the chance to us to re elect.
And if they're not doing the job, is there four
or five that you think, fleur that shouldn't be real?
Speaker 2 (11:17):
But I respect all of them. I think they all
come to work trying to do the best best for well.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Whore's your red scarf? Where's your red scarf today?
Speaker 4 (11:25):
She's much nicer than me.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Well, she's a unionist, of course.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
I would just let you know I used to belong
to trade union when as a journalist we had to
belong to the National Union of Journalists in Britain.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Might have been the story a few times.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Joined by Flurford Simon's and Nicolay Young. Statues, statues, statues,
statues everywhere. We've got a few people angry this weekend
when Wellington Central m P TAMMOTHA Ball wants some of
the city's statues pulled down, including the William Wakefield Momentum
at the on the Bank of the Basin Reserve, monument
on the Basin Reserve, Queen Victoria's statue on Kent Terrace
(11:59):
and Cambridge terrorists. Paul said, we shouldn't have statues of
thieving criminal colonials, colonial colonizers, colonies. Yeah, she doesn't want them.
What are you thinking on this one, Nikola Young Well.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
I think Tamitha should be focused on the big issues,
such as getting government support for wedding and projects, et cetera.
You know, I am a sixth generation Central Wellingtonian, which
is pretty unusual, and I'm really proud of our history
and I'm proud of the way the city was built,
and I think we should embrace our history, good and bad,
and learn from it, not just try and hide it.
You know, you can't get rid of things just because
(12:36):
social mores change. For example, Rome's Colosseum, you know, is
really a memorial or monument to the slavery of people
and the abuse of animals, and yet you know, we
think it's fantastic and we go and have a look
at it.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
We're in Rome. You know.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
I just think it's wrong to apply today's standards to
people who have two hundred years ago.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I think we need to clean them up a bit.
I mean, I'd like to talk to you about that,
because I went past the one down the road, the
Queen Victoria one. I thought, what a beautiful piece of artwork,
and it needs a little bit of love.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
It needs a little it needs more than rain.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
It needs more than rain, it little bit of love.
I've got a family connection there that's got something to
do with that, So I'll give them a yell. Okay, Fleur,
what are you thinking? Do you think that our local
MP should be concentrating on something more serious in this
or well?
Speaker 2 (13:18):
I think it's very on brand for Tim. I don't
think anyone should be surprised by this. It was very
much the sort of thing she raised when she was
a city councilor, and good on her. As a nation,
we are grappling with the violence and oppression of colonization,
and the future of statues that celebrate it in historically
troublesome ways is up for debate. It's up for discussion.
(13:40):
It's part of grappling with the history of.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Do we get rid of the coupaid beautiful coupe monument
that's been around forever? Do we get rid of that
as well there, but.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
We forced the discussion one of my favorite.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Do we get rid of that?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Well, we force the discussion. We have to. We have
to look at our colonial past and reckon with it.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
That's what I'm saying, you know, we accept good and
bad and learn from it.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
And what these would sort it out? These were built
by our ancestors. How do we actually just get rid
of them because we feel like it in our generation.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Well, they're not untouchable and sacred forever. If you look
at what happened with the fall of communism in Eastern Europe,
there was a whole lot of statues in some of
the countries there no no but in Hungary I visited
a place called Statue Pass brilliant piece. It's full of
all the monuments of Stalin and others.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
Would be a very small park in Wellington because like
we've got the Wakefield bird Bath.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
The point is what it symbolizes, which is you don't
ignore history. You grapple with it, You engage with it,
you debate it, you discuss it, you remember it. But
it doesn't mean that you all the people that you
thought were heroes of the past are still heroes in
the present.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
You know what, personally, I would have thought this is
to both of you. And I like Tammoth Paul, no
question about her. I think she's a very talented young
woman and I like her. She's got bigger eggs to fry. Absolutely,
we as a city, you've got bigger eggs to fry.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
But you know what it's like. It's also she'll say
all sorts of other things. This is the thing the
media pick up on. She's across everything.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
She wanted to go back to pre colonial housing. You know,
I think it was eighteen sixty eight when rapo were
made illegal because there was such a fire risk. That
was part of her anti heritage housing zone. I mean,
you know, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Do you think she's just not enjoying the media. But
like Chrisipkins did with me the other day, did you see.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
That I did you think I got plaid for it.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
I got blame for I got played for the lack
of reporting on ram raids. That hart happening my fault.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
You will give the media talk.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
You're a big boy. You can cope.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Thanks. Thanks. I don't like being called a big boy. Look,
I was going to have a break, but I'm not
uber paid one point two million in taxes in the
twenty twenty three financial years, sending most of its revenue
overseason into company service fees. Come on, Flir, tell me
what you think of this. I'm sure this is going
to fire you up and you will do more than
not during.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
I am fired up about Uber. Do not get me
started about them. It is a disgrace that they make
three hundred and sixty five million in revenue but reported
a profit for a four point six million and only
paid one point two million in tax. It is a
version of corporate welfare. The government needs to step up
and stop it. But instead what they are doing is
(16:16):
changing the law to make it easier for Uber to
exploit their drivers. We've had two court cases now maybe three,
which have found that Uber drivers are employees, not contractors.
That means they get rights like sick leave, rights like
God days. No, but they well the current law. These
test cases, one of them done by nicholas colleague counselor
(16:37):
Neurroed and abdur Rahman, who was an Uber driver and
took them to court and see, I'm very good counselor
he is, and a very good Uber driver, and he
said we should be treated better. We should have the
right to collective bargaining. We should have the right to
sick leave. The court agreed, but Uber is still fighting it.
But worse still, Brook van Valden is changing the law
to give Uber the ability to continue to exploit these drivers.
(16:58):
So not only are they not paying enough tax, but
they're getting our law change so that they can keep
exploiting their drivers.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Can I just ask you quickly why you know he's
a good Uber driver.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
I've driven with him many many times. He's teaching my
partner to drive as well.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
He's a great man and your partner to drive. What
if you've got a fourteen year old partner or something?
I mean, did you.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
Uber drivers are scored just as passengers are scored.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
You know, yes, yeah, I get it, I get it,
I get it. What do you think about the Uber situation?
I mean, it's morally wrong, so.
Speaker 4 (17:26):
I agree, I agree, you know, I think it's it
is outrageous they pay that little tax. But I would
say Uber has transformed transport, and especially you know for
women for example. You know, you know you can take
an Uber, you know who the driver is, and it's
really now part of the public transport system. All their software,
(17:46):
all their systems, et cetera, would developed overseas, so it's
not as if they've got any intellectual property here. But
I agree they should be paying a proper amount of tax.
And they're not the only All those multinationals are the same.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
And they gets one. The thing that gets me is
they say, well, we're paying GST. Well they're not paying GST.
The pool drive paying the GST, aren't they?
Speaker 2 (18:08):
And they're undermining other New Zealand businesses who are trying
to get ahead, and our public health and education systems
that desperately need more funding.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Right, how do you feel really quickly? Because I feel
strongly than this too that churches and sanitariums and or
I think we should have it straight across the board.
If you make a profit, you pay a text, whether
you're a church or ewhere you or I.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
Don't think, well there aren't many churches that make profits.
That when churches have businesses like sanitarium, I think they
should be paid full amount of tax like any other company.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Well, I've got property, huge multi billion dollar property holdings.
Churches I don't they so they can't you know, you
can No.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Look, I do think that the whole charity system has
to be looked at, because there are some really, really
good charities, but there are other ones that I think
are questionable.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Friday face off with Flurford Simon's and Nicolae Young there,
she's not nodding her head and smiling at the moment
with that rates cry.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
Okay, that's why I voted against the long term plan,
my approaches against the rates.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Okay, let's talk about the governments has seemingly opened the
door for possible partial privatization of the inter islander. But
while David Seymour loves the idea, Winston Peters, who opened
the door, closed it pretty damn quickly, he doesn't want
to do it. Flur tell me why do we not
want to talk about things like this? I mean, I
know that your union hat will prevent you from thinking that.
(19:27):
You know, private public partnerships could be a good thing,
but surely private enterprise can do better than the government department.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Well, no, I don't think that's right. And New Zealand
has a terrible history with privatization, and it's usually being
done without any electoral mandate, and it's usually meant that
taxpayers are worse off for it. And I totally agree
with Winston Peters on this, and he says it quite eloquently.
He says, if a third party's interested in acquiring public assets,
it's because they're of value and shouldn't be given up.
I couldn't say it more simply than that.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
But we don't make a profit out of it. We can't.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
It's a public service for the public good and if
private enterprise want it, they want it because it can
make money.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
But it's not a service. You never know if it's
going to go or not go. I mean, it's hopeless.
I think Kiwi Rail have been completely incompetent and as
an example of that, their plan for the two huge
mega fairies they were going to bring into the Inner Harbor,
so Darren Ponter, Labour Regional Council and I fought against that.
They're going to have these big ferries doing circles in
(20:26):
the middle of the Harvest. There'll be no kayaking, no
dragon boat racing. They wanted to build a flyover from
the stadium to the railway station so their trains would
go underneath. Kiwi Rail is just a disgrace. So I've
got no problem with privatization part privatization. It works for
their New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
I know the airfares, why but why don't we look
at the air New Zealand situation and say it's great
for tourism, it's great for our country. I mean, a
connection between the North and South Island done in the
same way. How can that not work.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Let's remember the background to in New Zealand. It was
a rescue package.
Speaker 4 (20:58):
What has been rescued twice and I do accept that.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
And actually what we should do is invest in the fairies,
make sure that they're operates well. And because if there's
a profit, it's at the expense of residents who are
going to be paying for it. So let's just invest
in it, make sure it's a public service. If it
does make money, that gets reinvested into more public services
instead of into the profits of corporate Dubai. And they
are interested because it makes money.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
This argument, we're going to have a little argument on
this one. Answer me this one. I want a really stylish,
well run ferry service that tourism will talk about. We'll
go back and have photos of remember when the inter
Island was the inter Islander, I mean it used to
be rall one a premium product. Tell me how a
government department can do that, Flir.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
I don't accept that public services means poor quality. As
soon as we accept that is the premise, you forgive
bad service. You forgive hospitals not being funded and school's
not being funded. Public services can be well funded. They
can be well run, and they should be because the
stakes are high. We rely on them well they need
to be. That's because this government's prioritized landlords and tobacco
(22:04):
companies over the public services that everyone.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
So they've only been in government for two years. I
don't think you can blame all the damage rebarkle of KiwiRail,
I mean absolute debarcle. But the other thing is, why
do we buy these old fairies that are cast off
from Europe? What about the one they send away to
be chopped into and extended. I mean, why don't we
buy decent purpose built fairies but not mega ones? But
(22:26):
plan Ahead I do agree, plan Ahead invest in them.
Have decent fairies. I don't really care who owns them
as long as they have a decent service. And we
don't have a decent.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
And a service that we can be proud of for
our tourism because we don't actually realize the extent of
our tourism dollar. I mean, it used to be our
biggest income in New Zealand, you know, far bagging in
the house, and now we seem to be not caring
about it. Flur forit. Simon's and Nikola Young they want
to talk about weddings. I want to talk about shoplifting.
But let's talk about weddings. Do you know that the
(22:57):
average cost of a wedding our flu You haven't been
married before, so.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
Shoplifting, you know.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
We'll come to that. The average cost of a wedding
is more than eighty thousand dollars.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Now I'm astonishing.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
It's stupid, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
Well.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
I have to say, as much as I'm not into weddings,
won't be getting married. I do love going to a
good wedding. A great party is fun and I will
never say no to a wedding invitation because that's so
much fun. Best nights have had out have been weddings.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
How could you say that? How could you say which
don't like marriage go to a wedding.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
I'm quite specific about it. I don't want to be
the center of attention. That's why I'm not married. I
don't like the whole everyone looking at you an address.
I can't think of anything worse.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
Union, next counselor, and you stood for the labor for wrong, retire,
but you don't want people looking at it.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
It's different, it's different. That kind of attention does to
think of anything worse just embarrassing, awkward, horrible. Wouldn't want
to do it. Love celebrating other people's love.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
What about the money? I mean, it's that's ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (23:54):
It is ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
And look, some of the best weddings I've been to
have been the sort of weddings where they say bring
a bottle of wine, or you bring a bottle of
wine to the engagement, or you bring some wine, bring
a plate, and you just have a big party and
a big.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
Night and in the corner of the garden of the
rose flying. How good is that?
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Great fun?
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Nikola, You've got the stern face on. So you disagree
with us.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
No, I completely agree. I loathe my big weddings. I
loathe them. I loathe all the fuss that goes into
a dress that they only going to wear once. I'd
lost loathe the whole thing about it. And I just
think the bigger the wedding, the shorter of the marriage.
And when I saw that be sauce wedding, I just
thought that was the most vulgar, appalling. But anyway, I've
(24:34):
never been to a wedding like that, but I just
would say. I mean, I had a very small wedding.
I had a dress that I could wear. It was
a floral dress that I wore out in the end.
And then when I turned sixty, I had a huge
party and I thought this is a low the fact
I had a very modest wedding. My daughter got married
in London, which I paid for and I was thinking,
(24:54):
oh god, but we had a very about thirty forty people.
We went to a restaurant afterwards. No champagne because I
hate champagne. We had jugs of vodka cocktails because it
was a Baltic restaurant. It was a lovely wed No stress.
These big weddings, the stress, the dramas, the makeup artists,
their hairdresser.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I mean it, I've seen that woman lose control. They
start out small and then people add on and it's sad.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
Can can I tell you, as a hospitality operator and
a caterer that I have never ever done a wedding
without there being a drama. Ever. Ever, there's always a
drama at a wedding anyway. Shoplifting government has announced a
new on the spot fine. I mean, I just don't
understand this. Why would you actually just give someone a fine?
(25:39):
It still relies on police having to have the resources
to respond when to retailer caused one point one, but fleur,
the idea of them writing out a ticket for shoplifting
to me lowers the extent of the crime.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
Yeah, I think it's very strange. It also seems to
be a way of getting around the underfunding of the police,
as you say, and we're seeing that in many different ways.
We're seeing police withdraw from mental health call outs because
they're under pressure, and this is another version of it.
I also just kind of worry about how it will
work in practice. Well, the police have a mobile if
post machine. And I also don't really like the precedent
(26:15):
of giving money over to the police. I just think
it sends the wrong message about how you deal with
this kind of behavior. And it's yeah, it's a slippery
slope if we're starting to pay the police.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Yeah, and it takes it away from that actually going
to court. We saw it with a local MP. You know,
not an MP going to court is a social sigma
against it. Getting a ticket. It's like a speeding ticket,
isn't it, Nickola?
Speaker 4 (26:38):
Well, I don't know. I've never had a speeding ticket.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Well, you probably don't drive, do you?
Speaker 4 (26:42):
Of course I drive, Yeah, I've got a GTA of
you know, turbo engined golf. I didn't drive very much
because I live on my Victoria. But I do make
cast thirteen years old because I didn't drive that much.
But shoplifting, you know, the thing is it affects us
all because it affects the price that we pay for
all the goods, and it's a scourge for the retailers
and can be quite scary for the people who work
(27:02):
in the shops. But I think you have to remember
a small number of people steal because they're desperate, but
others do it, you know, for the fun or because
they're going to set it on. I think the courts
are already clogged, but this is not the solution. It
just seems to me to be a very strange.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Does it seem to you like it seems to me
as a talkback host, they've been given the advice, you know,
the coalition has been given the advice, if you want
to get more popular, let's be tougher on crime. Monday, Sunday,
this Tuesday, this Wednesday, this every day this week we've
had a new crime one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
It's shallow, populous, tough on crime rhetoric. And actually what
we're seeing is police withdraw from mental health, health workers
and ed under incredible pressure. We've got a myth problem
which has become a crisis, and all of that is
being ignored at the expense of these shallow populist aiming
for the headline policies.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
I've got it quickly because I've been told to move
on before we go to hots and knots. Bedtime stories.
I love this story when I read it because I
was a great lion bed and read to my kids
and spend that time. It was love. Research on HarperCollins
reveals that parents are not enjoying reading to their children anymore. Nikola,
did you read to your kids? Is that lying in
(28:17):
bed reading?
Speaker 4 (28:19):
Absolutely? My parents did it for me, although they were
very keen for us to learn to read early so
we could self read. But I'm going to be with
my grandson and my daughter and son in law in
London next week. I can't wait to get into bed
with him and read stories. And I gather he's not
very keen on rolled dog because he finds the people
a bit ghastly. But he needs to get over that.
(28:40):
Come on, we were never allowed to read and blatten
his children. We were not allowed to AM's that's Seuss,
it was doctor No. We were told in a blighten moves.
My mother said, you're you're a good reader, and you've
got to read something more testing than that. But reading
is so important for children.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
Okay, fleir what I mean? You? I know that you
are that mum.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Absolutely, I'm that mum. We still read to our six
year old now eight year old every single night and
they are quite discerning though they don't like those older books.
They know what's hot now and they're into the current stories.
And one of the things I find frustrating about it
is they quite like that cartoon style of reading, which
I can't really get my head around. So I contract
that out to my partner.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
So so you read a page, they read a page.
You read a page.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Not as much actually, And I think that is a shame.
We need to move towards that model where they read
back to you.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
That's that's what my mum, did you know? And that's
how not that I'm the world's greatest reader, as any
listener would know of the show, but you know, that's
how I remember it. So that that valuable time, that
is just such valuable private ten minutes before they go
to sleep.
Speaker 4 (29:42):
It's quite nice when you see their eyes suddenly go
and have a glob of one.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Okay, no problem at all. Come on, who am I
going to go for a flur? Come on, give us
your hots.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
And not okay, I'll give you my hot. My hot
is Mary Disability Co Pupper Provider Co Puper Marty Disability Provided.
Speaker 4 (30:04):
Let me get this right.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
This week settled with its workers. We had a long
standing industrial dispute there. They were insisting on a ninety
day trial period. We eventually, after a lot of work,
a lot of public activism, got to a situation where
they didn't adopt a ninety day trial. They realized that
that wasn't the way to go for their workforce, and
we've ratified a collective agreement there.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
So that is my hot, great hot. If you've got
a not hot.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
She's so abraded.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
And it is on brand as well. And it is
the government's moves to effectively privatize meat inspection in this country,
and I don't think it's got the attention it deserves.
But the government do have plans to set up a
version of meat company inspection. At the moment, we have
independent meat inspection by a sure quality meat inspectors who
are well trained and who don't come under pressure from
(30:52):
the companies to let contaminated or disease meet through. And
we're really worried that this privatization model will not be
good for consumers or our markets.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
Here here on that one, Nikolaie Young, come on, give
us your hots and lots.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
Okay, it's boring hot. It is ninety nine days until
the elections. Please, people get out and vote. It's well,
it's hot for me. I mean ninety nine days time.
I could be unemployed. But people have to vote. They
cut when someone WANs to be about the council and
I said, did you vote, and they go, oh, it's
too busy. I said, well, don't complain.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
No, you can't complain.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
You've got to get out and vote. I'm not is
a little bit wacky. It used to be in Wellington
that people walk down the pavement and the footpath on
the left, and it was very it was very organized.
It's gone. People are all over the place now and
it's just such a shame because you have to be
far more careful now because someone could be coming straight
at you. What has happened?
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Keep left, good advice, keep right.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Brand I love it.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Those days are well and truly gone.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
It was only a couple of years ago, and I
think this is such a couple When I came back
from England, I thought this is so civilized, and it
was last year I noticed that it's gone.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
You obviously haven't been to Japan. Japan they do all
that sort of stuff twice. Well, you know how they
will be walks on the same pace you just like.
Thank you both so much for taking time out of
your very busy schedules. Flir for Simon's lovely to see
you again, Nichola Young, lovely to see you again. I
haven't seen you on Courtney Place for a while. You
keep left. If you see I'll keep the hell away
(32:22):
from it. I'll definitely keep I'll send.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
You the name of that Japanese restaurant on Inward Street
because it's really good and it's reasonably priced.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
I love a good Japanese. You gave me a good
Chinese one last time you were in, so I'll take
your advice.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
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 Talk said b Wellington's official week interview, It's
Friday face Off with Quindovic Property Management a better rental
experience for all. Visit Quo dot cot on its head Thursday.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Start.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
My favorite part of the week is when I get
a couple of special guests in the studio and it's
called Friday face Off. As I said, it's been going
for decades on this particular radio station at this particular time.
Joining us for Friday face Off. Couple of women this morning,
Wellington City Councilor Nikola Younger Mordan Nichola.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
Good morning, Nick. Thank you for that enthusiastic response to
having two fabulous women in the studio.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
You are too fabulous women. I could argue with that
and PSA National Secretary flir Fit Simon's morning flirt morning.
Can you lovely to see you too? Can you help
me keep her under will?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I will?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Could you keep her under control?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
And counsel at times?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (01:12):
Yeah, And we got along very well on council because
we thought something she says together quite successfully.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
But one of you is as far left as your
left hand can go. And one of you as far
right as the right hand can go, how do you
get on well?
Speaker 2 (01:24):
And this is local government as well. You have to
work with whoever's round the table. And Nichola is a
person of integrity and somebody who's actually easy to work
with because she says what she's She says what she says,
and she stands for what she stands for. But she's
got an open mind.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
And also very I haven't got a bucket here.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
By the way, She's ridiculously active on local issues and
I always thought that was the core job of a
city councilor if someone rings you and they've got a problem,
you deal with it. You don't as see politics, you
deal with it. And Nicola and I shared that view
of what representation is.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Can I remind you after the show because I've got
a problem with trying to get a counsel to do
a job for me, and it's going nowhere. I might
have to use your counsel influence. You think it can happen.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
But all I can do is, you know, I'm a voice.
I don't have any power other than the voice, but
certainly I like to get onto things.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Okay, my job, let's start with local elections less than
four months away? Can you believe that it's four months away?
Speaker 4 (02:14):
I mean ninety nine days?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Ninety nine and well to be exact. Nominations open today.
Have you enrolled?
Speaker 4 (02:22):
I know my son took my photograph because you have
to have a recent photograph. You took it in the
kitchen the other night. My nomination form is almost complete.
I just got to think, am I independent? Or am
I independent? Affordable rates? And my passport? Photograph or passport's
all done? And what's the other one to deposit? I'm
nearly there.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah, can somebody else pay your deposit? Or you have
to pay your deposit yourself.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
You paid us, but if you get over a certain
percentage of votes, you get it back. And I'm hoping
that I will get it back. That's what I'm working
on anyway.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
All right, there's never in my time, and correct me
and you guys are a lot more experienced in local
body elections than I'll ever be. Has there ever been
an election in this city where the results are so
obvious so early? Flair? I mean we almost no, it's
a coronation, not a vote, didn't it?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Absolutely not? And in this political environment, look what's happening
around the world. Andrew Little is rightly taking nothing for granted,
and I think that he's right to adopt that approach.
Ray Chung has been a very outspoken local ward counselor.
I understand that when he ran for that ward, he
door knocked every single house. He's a hard worker. He's
(03:29):
not someone to be underestimated. I admit Andrew Little is
absolutely the frontrunner.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
But if you're a gambling person, I know you probably not,
but you would you well, you are a gambling person,
would you go to the top and bet on anyone else?
But Andrew Little, come on, be honest.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
With me, No, I wouldn't. But I would also advise
him not to take anything for granted. People told me
I was a schiwin for wrong a tie. I took
nothing for granted, and that was the correct approach because
I've got no regrets.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
But also carry printing Ars is probably the most one
that took it for granted a little bit, didn't she.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
The local government is a bit of a lottery and
vote single transportable vote, anything can happen, and where those
second is the preferences go.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
So what I say to people is only put a
tick or put a number beside people you want to
see on council?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Why are we feeling so I want to use the
word over it already. I mean, for as long as
I've been doing this job, I've been copying it, the
hatred and you know, with the council and the mayors
and everything, and it suddenly we're four months away from
the election and everything everyone's uh, well.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Well, I think there's been a lot We've been waiting
for this election for almost three years, especially for the Meryalty.
It hasn't begun yet. I mean, if you're over it now,
I think it's going to be very interesting, very exciting,
and I think there could be a few dramas in
the election which will be make it interesting.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Bring it on, bring it on at full stand boring
right now.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
But the nominations only open today, so I don't think
it will get exciting until is it the first of
August when your nominations closed.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yah? So tell me, do you either of you think
they are a superstar? Hollywood superstar is going to stand?
Are we going to get somebody that stands.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
For what they have to be a Wellington resident?
Speaker 3 (05:11):
You know what I'm saying? I mean I remember talking
to Ian Castles once when I was thinking of running
for mayor many many years ago, and he said, Nick,
you've never been in all blacks, so don't even try.
So have we got an all black that's sitting out
there waiting to become No.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
And actually, if you look at people that move from
journalism or sports to politics, they actually often struggle.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
Because I was ast it's hard.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
It's a craft and it's hard, and going from having
no experience as a ward counselor or as a local
representative to running for mayor or going to parliament hasn't
played well for many people. So I don't think we'll
see that.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Well, you're just saying you're talking about you're talking Andrew
Little up. Now. He's never been on council before nobody.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
He has got a huge amount of political experience, including
in Wellington.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
And he understands governance.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Right. Is it a two horse race?
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Well, I think STV when the last time. I mean, look,
I don't know the STV, but if I was going
to put a bet on which I wouldn't know, it's
it's a two horse race.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Yeah, I think just by the way, you can't hear nodding.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
On Radio No, No, I do think it's a two
horse race. And look, rach Hung as much as I
think Andrew Dittle shouldn't underestimate him. He is a very bizarre,
erratic man, and he's got bizarre views on rates. He's
got bizarre views on a whole range of issues. I
think once Wellingtonians are exposed to him, they will realize
(06:31):
that he is a dangerous threat and not consistent with
what the city.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Now. We're all underestimating Carl Tekenbaker though, aren't we. I
mean he's none of those things, extremist things. And someone
said or not not someone said to me on Q
and A, the ex mayor of Masterton, who's very outspoke,
Tina Nixon said, anybody, anybody in New Zealand that promises
to lower rates, don't vote for them.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I think she's right. It's irresponsible. It is not the
what local government needs. Local government needs has got a
funding crisis and needs more investment. Promising lower rates without
a plan to get there is a consistent theme adopted
by right wing counselors and it's not only irresponsible, but
they can't even deliver it anyway.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
So but we can have we can have the aim
of affordable rates. And but that's by really looking at
what are our top priorities. Is the golden Male priority
for Walish and I don't believe it is. Is it
a priority?
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Why isn't someone out, Why aren't they coming out and
saying no, no, no to it? Then? I mean Andrew
Little hasn't come out and said no to it. He
has said he Carl has Carl deefn Barkeys.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
Look, the election campaign hasn't begun yet, but there are
lots of areas where we can cut expenditure, such as
the shipping organic waste up to the Hawks Bay by
diesel trucks because they've got no way to process it.
And a lot of people don't want it collected because
they use it for composting in their garden, you know,
and we can't collect it from apartments. It's nuts.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Nichola is wrong And as much as I have respect
for her approach to local government council, she could never
bring the type of initiatives that would reduce rates or
the rates increase to the council table. The right talk
a big game, they can't land it.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
So I mean there is some truth I have to
say and what first says, because the thing is that
you've got to get unanimity around the council table. And
the problem for a mayor is you could have you know,
you could have a mayor with all sorts of promises,
but unless they have the votes around the table, they
can't deliver it. But it depends on who's on console.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
So help me out here. Help me out here as
someone that has to get up at four thirty in
the morning five days a week and come to work
and try and create stories to people to listen to.
Do you reckon? There is going to be a genuine fight,
a genuine campaign between now and October. First, don't dodgy.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
People, head I'm being polite and agreeing with you, Nac.
I want to encourage the question. I think you're right
to be asking the question, and your job is to
make it interesting for people. And I really am interested
to get behind the headlines and get into the moral
integrity of these two individuals. What do they stand for?
What are their value?
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Why are you cutting Carl out?
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I haven't. I mean, he stood the Lampton ward and
you know, yes he came close, but he couldn't even
win the Lampton Ward. I think he's going to struggle
to win the mayoral team, but sure put him in there.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
But I really he has sort of done the disappearing
act to be fair, hasn't he.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Yeah, that's right. I could never get him to give
straight answers on anything. I could really understand what he
stood for. And he's also someone without any political experience,
which I think is dangerous that it doesn't work. But
your job is to make it interesting for us. But
I want to get behind and understand what really drives people,
what their values are, where the moral compassites on important issues.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Well, the last thing you're going to get is get
them to be honest on the shows.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
Well they should be. I mean, one of the reasons
flu M I get on with each other is we
both understand each other's sort of compasses, you know, like
we know and where this overlap, it's great, And where
there's no overlap, we can disagree, but we can still
be friends.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Now, I want to ask you because this is very
very important to me personally, and I said this yesterday
on the show, and I'm going to be quick because
I've got to go to an ad break. But what
about people that are sitting around that table on the council.
Should they be making decisions based on what's right for
Wellington or what's right for themselves. But should they actually
just because they used to getting one hundred grand a
(10:15):
year and getting paid, still put their names forward? Fleur?
What are you thinking?
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Well, I think as much as I didn't get on
with every counselor, all of them are there for the
best interester Wellington. They all do their very best. And actually,
when you compare their salaries to the people who report
to them, they're quite small in comparison.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
I was just meaning that on a basis of it,
it's a job, and they're doing it as a job,
namely two counselors that should not actually stand next time
that are thinking is standing?
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Do you think I'm mad to say to tell you why?
I'll tell you off air. I'm not going to tell
you on air. But I do believe that when we
become councilors, when we're sworn and we put an oath,
that we will put Wellington above all other things. And
that's where I think it's a real shame that we
have candidates are put up by political powers.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
I mean, don't give me names, give me numbers. Say
to me, I've got I think there's five people around
the table that are completely that are a complete waste
of time and shouldn't stand again.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
But they've been legitimately elected and you need to respect
that because we're a democracy.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
But this is the chance to us to re elect.
And if they're not doing the job, is there four
or five that you think, fleur that shouldn't be real?
Speaker 2 (11:17):
But I respect all of them. I think they all
come to work trying to do the best best for well.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Whore's your red scarf? Where's your red scarf today?
Speaker 4 (11:25):
She's much nicer than me.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Well, she's a unionist, of course.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
I would just let you know I used to belong
to trade union when as a journalist we had to
belong to the National Union of Journalists in Britain.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Might have been the story a few times.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Joined by Flurford Simon's and Nicolay Young. Statues, statues, statues,
statues everywhere. We've got a few people angry this weekend
when Wellington Central m P TAMMOTHA Ball wants some of
the city's statues pulled down, including the William Wakefield Momentum
at the on the Bank of the Basin Reserve, monument
on the Basin Reserve, Queen Victoria's statue on Kent Terrace
(11:59):
and Cambridge terrorists. Paul said, we shouldn't have statues of
thieving criminal colonials, colonial colonizers, colonies. Yeah, she doesn't want them.
What are you thinking on this one, Nikola Young Well.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
I think Tamitha should be focused on the big issues,
such as getting government support for wedding and projects, et cetera.
You know, I am a sixth generation Central Wellingtonian, which
is pretty unusual, and I'm really proud of our history
and I'm proud of the way the city was built,
and I think we should embrace our history, good and bad,
and learn from it, not just try and hide it.
You know, you can't get rid of things just because
(12:36):
social mores change. For example, Rome's Colosseum, you know, is
really a memorial or monument to the slavery of people
and the abuse of animals, and yet you know, we
think it's fantastic and we go and have a look
at it.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
We're in Rome. You know.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
I just think it's wrong to apply today's standards to
people who have two hundred years ago.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I think we need to clean them up a bit.
I mean, I'd like to talk to you about that,
because I went past the one down the road, the
Queen Victoria one. I thought, what a beautiful piece of artwork,
and it needs a little bit of love.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
It needs a little it needs more than rain.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
It needs more than rain, it little bit of love.
I've got a family connection there that's got something to
do with that, So I'll give them a yell. Okay, Fleur,
what are you thinking? Do you think that our local
MP should be concentrating on something more serious in this
or well?
Speaker 2 (13:18):
I think it's very on brand for Tim. I don't
think anyone should be surprised by this. It was very
much the sort of thing she raised when she was
a city councilor, and good on her. As a nation,
we are grappling with the violence and oppression of colonization,
and the future of statues that celebrate it in historically
troublesome ways is up for debate. It's up for discussion.
(13:40):
It's part of grappling with the history of.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Do we get rid of the coupaid beautiful coupe monument
that's been around forever? Do we get rid of that
as well there, but.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
We forced the discussion one of my favorite.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Do we get rid of that?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Well, we force the discussion. We have to. We have
to look at our colonial past and reckon with it.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
That's what I'm saying, you know, we accept good and
bad and learn from it.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
And what these would sort it out? These were built
by our ancestors. How do we actually just get rid
of them because we feel like it in our generation.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Well, they're not untouchable and sacred forever. If you look
at what happened with the fall of communism in Eastern Europe,
there was a whole lot of statues in some of
the countries there no no but in Hungary I visited
a place called Statue Pass brilliant piece. It's full of
all the monuments of Stalin and others.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
Would be a very small park in Wellington because like
we've got the Wakefield bird Bath.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
The point is what it symbolizes, which is you don't
ignore history. You grapple with it, You engage with it,
you debate it, you discuss it, you remember it. But
it doesn't mean that you all the people that you
thought were heroes of the past are still heroes in
the present.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
You know what, personally, I would have thought this is
to both of you. And I like Tammoth Paul, no
question about her. I think she's a very talented young
woman and I like her. She's got bigger eggs to fry. Absolutely,
we as a city, you've got bigger eggs to fry.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
But you know what it's like. It's also she'll say
all sorts of other things. This is the thing the
media pick up on. She's across everything.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
She wanted to go back to pre colonial housing. You know,
I think it was eighteen sixty eight when rapo were
made illegal because there was such a fire risk. That
was part of her anti heritage housing zone. I mean,
you know, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Do you think she's just not enjoying the media. But
like Chrisipkins did with me the other day, did you see.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
That I did you think I got plaid for it.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
I got blame for I got played for the lack
of reporting on ram raids. That hart happening my fault.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
You will give the media talk.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
You're a big boy. You can cope.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Thanks. Thanks. I don't like being called a big boy. Look,
I was going to have a break, but I'm not
uber paid one point two million in taxes in the
twenty twenty three financial years, sending most of its revenue
overseason into company service fees. Come on, Flir, tell me
what you think of this. I'm sure this is going
to fire you up and you will do more than
not during.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
I am fired up about Uber. Do not get me
started about them. It is a disgrace that they make
three hundred and sixty five million in revenue but reported
a profit for a four point six million and only
paid one point two million in tax. It is a
version of corporate welfare. The government needs to step up
and stop it. But instead what they are doing is
(16:16):
changing the law to make it easier for Uber to
exploit their drivers. We've had two court cases now maybe three,
which have found that Uber drivers are employees, not contractors.
That means they get rights like sick leave, rights like
God days. No, but they well the current law. These
test cases, one of them done by nicholas colleague counselor
(16:37):
Neurroed and abdur Rahman, who was an Uber driver and
took them to court and see, I'm very good counselor
he is, and a very good Uber driver, and he
said we should be treated better. We should have the
right to collective bargaining. We should have the right to
sick leave. The court agreed, but Uber is still fighting it.
But worse still, Brook van Valden is changing the law
to give Uber the ability to continue to exploit these drivers.
(16:58):
So not only are they not paying enough tax, but
they're getting our law change so that they can keep
exploiting their drivers.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Can I just ask you quickly why you know he's
a good Uber driver.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
I've driven with him many many times. He's teaching my
partner to drive as well.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
He's a great man and your partner to drive. What
if you've got a fourteen year old partner or something?
I mean, did you.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
Uber drivers are scored just as passengers are scored.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
You know, yes, yeah, I get it, I get it,
I get it. What do you think about the Uber situation?
I mean, it's morally wrong, so.
Speaker 4 (17:26):
I agree, I agree, you know, I think it's it
is outrageous they pay that little tax. But I would
say Uber has transformed transport, and especially you know for
women for example. You know, you know you can take
an Uber, you know who the driver is, and it's
really now part of the public transport system. All their software,
(17:46):
all their systems, et cetera, would developed overseas, so it's
not as if they've got any intellectual property here. But
I agree they should be paying a proper amount of tax.
And they're not the only All those multinationals are the same.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
And they gets one. The thing that gets me is
they say, well, we're paying GST. Well they're not paying GST.
The pool drive paying the GST, aren't they?
Speaker 2 (18:08):
And they're undermining other New Zealand businesses who are trying
to get ahead, and our public health and education systems
that desperately need more funding.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Right, how do you feel really quickly? Because I feel
strongly than this too that churches and sanitariums and or
I think we should have it straight across the board.
If you make a profit, you pay a text, whether
you're a church or ewhere you or I.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
Don't think, well there aren't many churches that make profits.
That when churches have businesses like sanitarium, I think they
should be paid full amount of tax like any other company.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Well, I've got property, huge multi billion dollar property holdings.
Churches I don't they so they can't you know, you
can No.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Look, I do think that the whole charity system has
to be looked at, because there are some really, really
good charities, but there are other ones that I think
are questionable.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Friday face off with Flurford Simon's and Nicolae Young there,
she's not nodding her head and smiling at the moment
with that rates cry.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
Okay, that's why I voted against the long term plan,
my approaches against the rates.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Okay, let's talk about the governments has seemingly opened the
door for possible partial privatization of the inter islander. But
while David Seymour loves the idea, Winston Peters, who opened
the door, closed it pretty damn quickly, he doesn't want
to do it. Flur tell me why do we not
want to talk about things like this? I mean, I
know that your union hat will prevent you from thinking that.
(19:27):
You know, private public partnerships could be a good thing,
but surely private enterprise can do better than the government department.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Well, no, I don't think that's right. And New Zealand
has a terrible history with privatization, and it's usually being
done without any electoral mandate, and it's usually meant that
taxpayers are worse off for it. And I totally agree
with Winston Peters on this, and he says it quite eloquently.
He says, if a third party's interested in acquiring public assets,
it's because they're of value and shouldn't be given up.
I couldn't say it more simply than that.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
But we don't make a profit out of it. We can't.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
It's a public service for the public good and if
private enterprise want it, they want it because it can
make money.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
But it's not a service. You never know if it's
going to go or not go. I mean, it's hopeless.
I think Kiwi Rail have been completely incompetent and as
an example of that, their plan for the two huge
mega fairies they were going to bring into the Inner Harbor,
so Darren Ponter, Labour Regional Council and I fought against that.
They're going to have these big ferries doing circles in
(20:26):
the middle of the Harvest. There'll be no kayaking, no
dragon boat racing. They wanted to build a flyover from
the stadium to the railway station so their trains would
go underneath. Kiwi Rail is just a disgrace. So I've
got no problem with privatization part privatization. It works for
their New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
I know the airfares, why but why don't we look
at the air New Zealand situation and say it's great
for tourism, it's great for our country. I mean, a
connection between the North and South Island done in the
same way. How can that not work.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Let's remember the background to in New Zealand. It was
a rescue package.
Speaker 4 (20:58):
What has been rescued twice and I do accept that.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
And actually what we should do is invest in the fairies,
make sure that they're operates well. And because if there's
a profit, it's at the expense of residents who are
going to be paying for it. So let's just invest
in it, make sure it's a public service. If it
does make money, that gets reinvested into more public services
instead of into the profits of corporate Dubai. And they
are interested because it makes money.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
This argument, we're going to have a little argument on
this one. Answer me this one. I want a really stylish,
well run ferry service that tourism will talk about. We'll
go back and have photos of remember when the inter
Island was the inter Islander, I mean it used to
be rall one a premium product. Tell me how a
government department can do that, Flir.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
I don't accept that public services means poor quality. As
soon as we accept that is the premise, you forgive
bad service. You forgive hospitals not being funded and school's
not being funded. Public services can be well funded. They
can be well run, and they should be because the
stakes are high. We rely on them well they need
to be. That's because this government's prioritized landlords and tobacco
(22:04):
companies over the public services that everyone.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
So they've only been in government for two years. I
don't think you can blame all the damage rebarkle of KiwiRail,
I mean absolute debarcle. But the other thing is, why
do we buy these old fairies that are cast off
from Europe? What about the one they send away to
be chopped into and extended. I mean, why don't we
buy decent purpose built fairies but not mega ones? But
(22:26):
plan Ahead I do agree, plan Ahead invest in them.
Have decent fairies. I don't really care who owns them
as long as they have a decent service. And we
don't have a decent.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
And a service that we can be proud of for
our tourism because we don't actually realize the extent of
our tourism dollar. I mean, it used to be our
biggest income in New Zealand, you know, far bagging in
the house, and now we seem to be not caring
about it. Flur forit. Simon's and Nikola Young they want
to talk about weddings. I want to talk about shoplifting.
But let's talk about weddings. Do you know that the
(22:57):
average cost of a wedding our flu You haven't been
married before, so.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
Shoplifting, you know.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
We'll come to that. The average cost of a wedding
is more than eighty thousand dollars.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Now I'm astonishing.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
It's stupid, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
Well.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
I have to say, as much as I'm not into weddings,
won't be getting married. I do love going to a
good wedding. A great party is fun and I will
never say no to a wedding invitation because that's so
much fun. Best nights have had out have been weddings.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
How could you say that? How could you say which
don't like marriage go to a wedding.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
I'm quite specific about it. I don't want to be
the center of attention. That's why I'm not married. I
don't like the whole everyone looking at you an address.
I can't think of anything worse.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
Union, next counselor, and you stood for the labor for wrong, retire,
but you don't want people looking at it.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
It's different, it's different. That kind of attention does to
think of anything worse just embarrassing, awkward, horrible. Wouldn't want
to do it. Love celebrating other people's love.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
What about the money? I mean, it's that's ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (23:54):
It is ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
And look, some of the best weddings I've been to
have been the sort of weddings where they say bring
a bottle of wine, or you bring a bottle of
wine to the engagement, or you bring some wine, bring
a plate, and you just have a big party and
a big.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
Night and in the corner of the garden of the
rose flying. How good is that?
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Great fun?
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Nikola, You've got the stern face on. So you disagree
with us.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
No, I completely agree. I loathe my big weddings. I
loathe them. I loathe all the fuss that goes into
a dress that they only going to wear once. I'd
lost loathe the whole thing about it. And I just
think the bigger the wedding, the shorter of the marriage.
And when I saw that be sauce wedding, I just
thought that was the most vulgar, appalling. But anyway, I've
(24:34):
never been to a wedding like that, but I just
would say. I mean, I had a very small wedding.
I had a dress that I could wear. It was
a floral dress that I wore out in the end.
And then when I turned sixty, I had a huge
party and I thought this is a low the fact
I had a very modest wedding. My daughter got married
in London, which I paid for and I was thinking,
(24:54):
oh god, but we had a very about thirty forty people.
We went to a restaurant afterwards. No champagne because I
hate champagne. We had jugs of vodka cocktails because it
was a Baltic restaurant. It was a lovely wed No stress.
These big weddings, the stress, the dramas, the makeup artists,
their hairdresser.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I mean it, I've seen that woman lose control. They
start out small and then people add on and it's sad.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
Can can I tell you, as a hospitality operator and
a caterer that I have never ever done a wedding
without there being a drama. Ever. Ever, there's always a
drama at a wedding anyway. Shoplifting government has announced a
new on the spot fine. I mean, I just don't
understand this. Why would you actually just give someone a fine?
(25:39):
It still relies on police having to have the resources
to respond when to retailer caused one point one, but fleur,
the idea of them writing out a ticket for shoplifting
to me lowers the extent of the crime.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
Yeah, I think it's very strange. It also seems to
be a way of getting around the underfunding of the police,
as you say, and we're seeing that in many different ways.
We're seeing police withdraw from mental health call outs because
they're under pressure, and this is another version of it.
I also just kind of worry about how it will
work in practice. Well, the police have a mobile if
post machine. And I also don't really like the precedent
(26:15):
of giving money over to the police. I just think
it sends the wrong message about how you deal with
this kind of behavior. And it's yeah, it's a slippery
slope if we're starting to pay the police.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Yeah, and it takes it away from that actually going
to court. We saw it with a local MP. You know,
not an MP going to court is a social sigma
against it. Getting a ticket. It's like a speeding ticket,
isn't it, Nickola?
Speaker 4 (26:38):
Well, I don't know. I've never had a speeding ticket.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Well, you probably don't drive, do you?
Speaker 4 (26:42):
Of course I drive, Yeah, I've got a GTA of
you know, turbo engined golf. I didn't drive very much
because I live on my Victoria. But I do make
cast thirteen years old because I didn't drive that much.
But shoplifting, you know, the thing is it affects us
all because it affects the price that we pay for
all the goods, and it's a scourge for the retailers
and can be quite scary for the people who work
(27:02):
in the shops. But I think you have to remember
a small number of people steal because they're desperate, but
others do it, you know, for the fun or because
they're going to set it on. I think the courts
are already clogged, but this is not the solution. It
just seems to me to be a very strange.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Does it seem to you like it seems to me
as a talkback host, they've been given the advice, you know,
the coalition has been given the advice, if you want
to get more popular, let's be tougher on crime. Monday, Sunday,
this Tuesday, this Wednesday, this every day this week we've
had a new crime one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
It's shallow, populous, tough on crime rhetoric. And actually what
we're seeing is police withdraw from mental health, health workers
and ed under incredible pressure. We've got a myth problem
which has become a crisis, and all of that is
being ignored at the expense of these shallow populist aiming
for the headline policies.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
I've got it quickly because I've been told to move
on before we go to hots and knots. Bedtime stories.
I love this story when I read it because I
was a great lion bed and read to my kids
and spend that time. It was love. Research on HarperCollins
reveals that parents are not enjoying reading to their children anymore. Nikola,
did you read to your kids? Is that lying in
(28:17):
bed reading?
Speaker 4 (28:19):
Absolutely? My parents did it for me, although they were
very keen for us to learn to read early so
we could self read. But I'm going to be with
my grandson and my daughter and son in law in
London next week. I can't wait to get into bed
with him and read stories. And I gather he's not
very keen on rolled dog because he finds the people
a bit ghastly. But he needs to get over that.
(28:40):
Come on, we were never allowed to read and blatten
his children. We were not allowed to AM's that's Seuss,
it was doctor No. We were told in a blighten moves.
My mother said, you're you're a good reader, and you've
got to read something more testing than that. But reading
is so important for children.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
Okay, fleir what I mean? You? I know that you
are that mum.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Absolutely, I'm that mum. We still read to our six
year old now eight year old every single night and
they are quite discerning though they don't like those older books.
They know what's hot now and they're into the current stories.
And one of the things I find frustrating about it
is they quite like that cartoon style of reading, which
I can't really get my head around. So I contract
that out to my partner.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
So so you read a page, they read a page.
You read a page.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Not as much actually, And I think that is a shame.
We need to move towards that model where they read
back to you.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
That's that's what my mum, did you know? And that's
how not that I'm the world's greatest reader, as any
listener would know of the show, but you know, that's
how I remember it. So that that valuable time, that
is just such valuable private ten minutes before they go
to sleep.
Speaker 4 (29:42):
It's quite nice when you see their eyes suddenly go
and have a glob of one.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Okay, no problem at all. Come on, who am I
going to go for a flur? Come on, give us
your hots.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
And not okay, I'll give you my hot. My hot
is Mary Disability Co Pupper Provider Co Puper Marty Disability Provided.
Speaker 4 (30:04):
Let me get this right.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
This week settled with its workers. We had a long
standing industrial dispute there. They were insisting on a ninety
day trial period. We eventually, after a lot of work,
a lot of public activism, got to a situation where
they didn't adopt a ninety day trial. They realized that
that wasn't the way to go for their workforce, and
we've ratified a collective agreement there.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
So that is my hot, great hot. If you've got
a not hot.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
She's so abraded.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
And it is on brand as well. And it is
the government's moves to effectively privatize meat inspection in this country,
and I don't think it's got the attention it deserves.
But the government do have plans to set up a
version of meat company inspection. At the moment, we have
independent meat inspection by a sure quality meat inspectors who
are well trained and who don't come under pressure from
(30:52):
the companies to let contaminated or disease meet through. And
we're really worried that this privatization model will not be
good for consumers or our markets.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
Here here on that one, Nikolaie Young, come on, give
us your hots and lots.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
Okay, it's boring hot. It is ninety nine days until
the elections. Please, people get out and vote. It's well,
it's hot for me. I mean ninety nine days time.
I could be unemployed. But people have to vote. They
cut when someone WANs to be about the council and
I said, did you vote, and they go, oh, it's
too busy. I said, well, don't complain.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
No, you can't complain.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
You've got to get out and vote. I'm not is
a little bit wacky. It used to be in Wellington
that people walk down the pavement and the footpath on
the left, and it was very it was very organized.
It's gone. People are all over the place now and
it's just such a shame because you have to be
far more careful now because someone could be coming straight
at you. What has happened?
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Keep left, good advice, keep right.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Brand I love it.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Those days are well and truly gone.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
It was only a couple of years ago, and I
think this is such a couple When I came back
from England, I thought this is so civilized, and it
was last year I noticed that it's gone.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
You obviously haven't been to Japan. Japan they do all
that sort of stuff twice. Well, you know how they
will be walks on the same pace you just like.
Thank you both so much for taking time out of
your very busy schedules. Flir for Simon's lovely to see
you again, Nichola Young, lovely to see you again. I
haven't seen you on Courtney Place for a while. You
keep left. If you see I'll keep the hell away
(32:22):
from it. I'll definitely keep I'll send.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
You the name of that Japanese restaurant on Inward Street
because it's really good and it's reasonably priced.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
I love a good Japanese. You gave me a good
Chinese one last time you were in, so I'll take
your advice.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
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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