July 17, 2025 • 31 mins
On Friday Faceoff this week, Nick was joined by ex-Wellington Mayor and Dot Loves Data director Justin Lester, and Raygun co-founder John-Daniel (JD) Trask.
They discussed the fallout over the past week from mayoral candidate Ray Chung's infamous email, the Prime Minister's latest criticisms of Wellington and how the city's thriving with a handful of top sporting events.
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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, Bin.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Faced off now reluctant to promote things too strongly, and
I promoted this particularly hour a little bit strongly earlier
in the show because I've got a couple of people
in here that i think will be very opinionated, We'll
be very honest, and I think we'll have an opinionated
and honest hour. So if you've please turn your radio
up a little bit, sit back, have a cup of
(00:34):
tea and have a listen. Former Wellington mayor and Dot
Loves Data director Justin Leicester, Good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Good morning neck.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
How are you very good?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Thank you, another beautiful day, great happy, always happy positive. Yeah,
very upbeat. Actually we'll talk about that shortly, okay.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Entrepreneur and Raygun co founder j D Trusk, JD, how
you doing? I mean every time you come on the show,
which is only once before, you get headlines all over
the country. You make news. So how are you feeling.
It's got some tippits for us today that's going to
generate a bit of interest.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Yeah, I say to the team when I was coming,
and I'll try and not get canceled this time and
see how we go. No, it's it's been really good
things Mack, and it's great to be back and busy.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We're busy. I mean, you're an international company, so you're
not reliant on people walking down the streets in Wellington.
I mean, how how's business been.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Yeah, it's been, it's been pretty good. So we Yeah,
we're ninety three percent of export based at Reagan. So
but we've actually launched a new company, Autohive, which is
at autohive dot com, which is an AI first company
to help SMBs all around the world start using the
cutting edge AI technology to help streamline their organizations.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Right, So they joined it and I will talk about
that a bit shortly. I want to start off with
the big story in local politics, big story of local news.
Over the last couple of weeks, the fallout seems to
continue day by day by the release of Ray Chunk's
email with the gossip about mea Torri Fano. Now, I
don't want to go into any of the gossip. I
(02:03):
don't want to go into the story. I don't want
to go into anything. He's lost. High profile backers interevended
together candidates of pulling out justin. I'm going to start
with you, can it the fall fallout slowed down? Can
he regain traction? Or is it all over? Red Rover?
Speaker 3 (02:22):
I was about to say exactly those words, It's all
over Red Rover, And I'll tell you why. So first
of all, any election campaign is a test of character,
and it's a test of character and public scrutiny and
the true character of an individual always comes out in
a campaign. They'll have upwards of forty plus public debates
(02:43):
and meetings with thousands of people from across Wellington and
you can't fudge it. People can see through your answers,
they can see through your body language and how you
engage with an audience. And so this character comes out.
And with Andrew Little, he's seeing a very safe, stable
pair of hands and experienced politician who knows what he's saying.
You know what not to say? With Ray, Ray's character
(03:05):
is coming out? Are weave it of an insights? I
was at the Local Government New Zealand conference last night
as a judge. They had their rewards. Ray was there,
hold of other people there, Tori was there and up
and down the country. So what everyone had to say
is what's up with Wellington. What's up with Ray Chang?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
What a disgrace.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
They are laughing about him across the local government sector.
We don't want the entire country to be laughing about
Wellington's potential candidates. We've had that for three years, even worse,
even worse so. But second of all, I also learned
there are ten public Code of conduct complaints against Ray
(03:49):
that will need to be investigated by the council. So
if members of the public ten different people have lodged
a Code of Conduct complaint, that's a potential mayor. Well
it can't be because you can't have this kind of
Shenanigan's going and day.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
And day out.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
So he's been exposed. He's not up to it and
it's all over.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Rover. Come on, JD. He tell me that he's got
a chance, tell me that he's still a legitimate candidate.
Tell me some good news.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Yeah, to be honest, like, I see that that email
was poor judgment. Absolutely no one's defending that that element
he shouldn't have sent, that that was done as you highlight,
the news keeps going. I think there's a very strong
narrative and I actually care more about the fact that
the rates are going through the roof and the poorest
in our local economy can't afford to live here, and that,
(04:35):
to me should be the real indictment on everybody, not
that somebody made some shitty, little gossipy comment in language.
But you know that I'd really trying to amplify this
story up to eleven, to keep this narrative, to keep
doing what we're doing now, and to be blunt, I
disagree with Justin on on Andrew Little you know I have.
(04:56):
You know, I think ham Sandwiches that could run the
place better than him. An experienced politician is not exactly
you know, a great accolade in my opinion, Can.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
I ask you before you jump there defend your red mate,
Can I just ask you a quick question there? Do
you believe that he can still Ray can still come through?
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Unfortunately? I suspect not, and I think it's really tarnished
some of the other folks that are actually possibly great
candidates in the Independent together sort of cohort.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
I think, you Reagan, they'll fall out and it'll all
fall out.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
And I think it'll probably already quick. Yeah, people are
all coming out of it. But you know it's like
I say, the real downside, and I think the goal
here is to sort of get hey, how about more
of the same rather than change?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
And I ask you one little more question, as I
interrupt you very rudely. There's been a lot of talk
in the street, people coming up to me and calling
it the Labor Party mafia. Yes do you believe in that?
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (05:55):
You really believe that the Labor Party is part of this?
Speaker 4 (05:57):
I believe.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
So.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
I think Wellington and I mean it's a government city, right,
so it's going to have much higher than most other
cities in terms of political alignment, and which side's going
to be bigger. It's going to be the one that
likes to take more money off you and get as
big as it possibly can, which is the Labor and
Green's kind of cohort. And we're experiencing the joy of
their policies in this city.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Oh, hang on, that doesn't even bear any symbols of truth.
And I'll tell you why, because I was Ziras in there,
and we had I think annual sort of three to
three point five percent rates increases over time because we
were prepared to make hard decisions. And to his credit,
he won an election, but on the promise of keeping
rates below two percent, and what were they? Fifteen percent,
(06:39):
twelve percent.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
That's because you spent no money, not at all.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
And he's been over thirty years and it was all.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
He voted inside your own check.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
You know, voted against the annual plan that I put
through because he said it was too expensive, so he
wanted to keep it lower. And it's been here for
thirty years, thirty years of spending no money. So let's
get facts into the equation. But what was the result
not two percent? Rates increases fourteen, fifteen, ten, because couldn't
make decisions. I don't want to put up car parking charges,
I don't want to put up swimming charge. I don't
(07:10):
want to put up any charges. But I haven't got
any actual targets in place, or opportunities for new revenue,
or haven't got a concept or a plan that I'm
going to enhance one povisibility to make more money. So
rates went up by double digits in every single year.
So to ray, how are you going to achieve zero rates?
(07:31):
It's not going to happen because if you talk to
him and actually have a good, long, engaging conversation, he's
got no clue how the council works. There is absolutely
no clue there. And I know this because I ran
against them, not in the same ward, but on the
successful on the successive times when he failed. He didn't
get elected to council because he doesn't stand up to scrutiny,
(07:54):
and he got in on the back of a mural
campaign where he did okay because no one knew who
he was or what he stood for.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
JD. You're sitting there, not in your head, not in agreements,
but you're just listening.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
What are you think to be honest, like, I take
the nuance view that we probably do need rate increases.
I just don't think the magnitude is sustainable. Yeah, I'm
not saying zero percent is the goal.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Impossible.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
No, But at the same time, you know the current
council that what's their tagline, it was the Prime is
not investing. That's why it's going through the roof. And
to be clear, I'm not having to go just to
you justin they always claim it goes right back through
all time. At the same time, the current Council is
sitting there saying, hey, we've got this lit up toilets
and stuff that we're spending money on you know, and
all these kind of crazy things. And you just know
(08:41):
what we're going to hear in another five or ten years,
which is they're still going up because the clowns that
are in today were still unable to control their spending.
And so that that's frustrating to me as a as
a local here in Wellington to see that.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
And you don't have any faith in Andrew Little.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Though, no do you.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I'm a host, you have no faith in it. We're
all to actually turn Wellington around.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Not really, I haven't actually seen any particularly great ideas
as say, I think he is standing there as a
quote unquote safe pair of hands.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
We need some change or the adult in the room
we can yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Well, and you know, I actually agree with David Seymour
when he says, you know, people should actually go and
look at what Andrew Little has achieved and they might
have a different opinion on how he's going to affect Wellington.
And as you say, you know, we should scrutinize these people,
and as you say, it is a test to character,
and as you note, maybe the media could have questioned
some of that character of Tories when she kept getting
(09:36):
in the paper but what they would do then, as
they would just write an article about how Tory's got
a new gym regime and Tory's turning herself around. And
I'm curious why the media is not talking about Ray
deciding to you know, start a new gym routine and
improve his life. Where is the scrutiny on both sides
of character?
Speaker 2 (09:54):
He has a point justin Andrew tell tell us why
Andrew Little. I mean, I know he's in the same
party you hold hands together, but you know, why is
he going to be so good for us?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
He will get the country to stop laughing at us
just because we want to be in the headlines for
the wrong reasons every single day. And that's what the
country is doing at the moment. They're laughing at Wellington unfortunately.
There's a good quote actually from a guy from christ
Church who had just moved from Wellington down to christ Church.
You see the difference down there is politics isn't sport?
Sport a sport? Wellington's well and conyans think politics are
(10:27):
sport and they love it. They love opinion, they love
debate and they love the jousting around the table. The
counselors love the jousting too. Unfortunately, life in the city
is not sport. We just want them to be safe,
as stable, progressive, open minded and to do their blooming job,
stop arguing with one another and with proper leadership that
(10:50):
we're not on you know, we're not being laughed at
for the wrong reasons. And the media every single day.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
What is it with people picking on Wellington Prime Minister
again use the issues around the Mayoralty race to blast
Wellington even referencing a street race from thirty years ago.
Either of you would even remember that this and five hundred,
this and mobile five hundred? Is it really helpful, jded
when the Prime Minister every time he gets a chance
(11:16):
seems to you know, it's like there's a crippled child
on the side of the road and he kicks it
as he walks past.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Yeah. I kind of personally take the view that once
you are the Prime minister, you kind of owe some
some dead of respect to the whole country and you
should be a little bit above that, you know, once
you're in the role. So I think it's a bit
disappointing to see and you know, maybe this sounds like
a bit of a flip from what we were just
talking about. But maybe that's to deflect from some of
(11:43):
his own performance.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Do you think that he's just think that I can
beg Wellington justin it's really easy to do and everyone
that's going to agree with me, and we know what
the situation in Wellington is.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
I think when you're the Prime Minister like j D,
you've got to be a diplomat, you've got to be
states person like So I disagree strongly he's acting like
a politician in this respect because that plays well around
the rest of the country. As we're mentioning off mentioning
off here people loved around the country to give Wellington
a good kicking because it's the capitals.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Have they always done that? I mean, I'm new to
this job, only be here for you. Did they do
it when you were mere?
Speaker 3 (12:20):
It depends where you are provincially, Yeah, because they're deeply
on farms rurally. Yes, because they're deeply suspicious of public
service and bureaucrats and being told what to do. So
they don't like that. I mean younger folk No, because
they love coming to Wellington because it's and people are visiting.
They really love it. But it's that notion of Wellington
telling them what to do, so that's an issue. Look
(12:41):
on a personal level, I got on really well with
Chris Luxon. He was the CEO of an airline and
we used to call him Air Auckland. We still up
publicly because we thought they weren't giving us a good deal.
It could give us a better deal. But he's a
really affable bloke. He's very smart and I like him
as an individual. As PM, please be a diplomat, please
(13:01):
be statesman like and stop kicking Wellington because it's it's
not a good look.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
He is running jad the country like a managing director,
which I personally don't have an issue with. I actually
quite like it. It's refreshing and you know that he's
making decisions based on the ramification of those decisions your thoughts.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
I just don't think they're moving generally quick enough, and
I think that to a degree, National in particular has
been a little tone deaf to some of the frustrations
of the people in the country, and I think you're
seeing that sort of show up in a few of
the polls around how some of the smaller parties are performing.
So there's this sense that we're running out of time.
On this current government. Have we seen enough positive change?
(13:43):
I don't think we have yet. Now this stuff does
take a little bit of time to bake. You know,
I'm not suggesting who is the party?
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Who is your party for business?
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Well, to be honest, I think it would be ACT.
And I know that saying that particularly here in Wellington.
You know, I might as well invite a lynch mob man,
but at the door.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
But even you know, I was talking to some friends
the other day and I think one thing that a
lot of people probably miss is actually ACT has made
quite a few small legislative tune ups. You know, things
like if you're on a pretty high salary, the ability
to bring pgs, you know, just changes around you know
that leave clause the other day where if you're part
(14:23):
time it shouldn't be ten days, you know, if you
work one day a week. Those sorts of things are
sensible little changes, and I think they actually are all occurring.
Under the main media narrative. We only see from ACT
the two big things that kind of are very divisive,
and I'll acknowledge that, but there's been a lot of
little tune ups that have actually been quite sensible. I
think under the covers.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
While we're talking politics and we're wearing off the script
a little bit, I'm gonna get told off from my ear.
I mean a couple of weeks ago, Stuart Nash came
out and said that he believes New Zealand First is
the new Labor Party, the Labor Party of the future.
And when I read it, I thought to myself, well,
they went down and kept the jobs and down South
and you know Shane Jones is fighting for the workers.
(15:05):
Could they possibly be seen as that?
Speaker 1 (15:08):
Not?
Speaker 3 (15:08):
Really, it's safe to say it's a little bit old labor, yes,
but it's probably not sane and rational thinking labor. And
to be fair, urban labor has probably gone a little
bit too far in some respects. So yeah, there's wings.
But remember at Labors of World Church, as is New
Zealand First. I think that has probably more to do
with Stuart contemplating a future in New Zealand First, which
(15:30):
has often been talked about, probably for a decade or so.
Unlock any Student's a good guy and he gets on
with the Zealand First quite well, so that's probably more
about him than it is about political parties.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Just a quick one before we go to the News
Ministry of Education will no longer build open plan classrooms,
bringing into what's once believed to be a fashionable approach
to teaching. And we're talking four hundred kids in a hallway,
like like a massive amount of classrooms with no walls,
you know, one group doing mass, the other group doing English. Janey,
what are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Smaller smaller sets of students to a teacher is always
a good thing, you know, right down to almost one
on one, as long as kids have social contact. So
I think it's smart to bring it down. I mean,
even if you look at it from a business lens.
We went through an experiment globally, you know, I've kind
of gone to open plan offices versus individual offices, and
it does seem that there's a tipping point, you know,
(16:23):
where it just becomes too unruly, it's not effective. So
it kind of makes sense, I think. And I can
imagine that the original driver was probably trying to manage
costs or you know, bring more people in at a
lower price and things like that, so I can understand
why it's there. I don't think it's that big of
a deal, you know, to sort of just say, how
can we improve the education outcomes, and this seems like
(16:44):
one one small way to help.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
I agree, just in your thoughts on it got kids
at that age, yes, hellolu.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
Yeah, what a sensible decision. Good on the government for
doing this. It was a failed experiment. I remember when
Hikia Parata introduced it way back when, probably on my
serial Advice saying, oh, we can save some money and
we don't think that slightly larger larger class sizes will
have a detrimental impact on kids. That advice was wrong.
(17:13):
I saw a great quote by a kid the other
day saying, learning maths in that environment is like trying
to teach maths to an assembly.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Well, that's what it is. It is it's ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
And so my own personal circumstances took my kids out
of a school where they were going to go that
had a model learning environment. So they're not going there
because I don't think it works, and I think that's
been proven how to be the case.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Right. I'm interested because JD we talked about it before
we did the story on the show, and I said,
I hate the environment of working in an office where
there's too our last studio, we had everyone everywhere it
was a horrible environment to work it. I mean you're
taking that on board as well.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
Yeah, we went from our prior office which was just
over the road here on Courtney Place, where we had
to move due to the homeless problem and people assaulting
our staff, which is just you know again Courtney placed problem.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
To a smallest like the Prime Minister.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
Well, no, I just want to acknowledge like this is
affecting businesses the decisions that the council makes on you
know here. But yeah, we moved to a space where
we tried to create more compartmentalization. Again, it's still fairly
open plan and there are people who like to chat
those that don't.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Something that's concerning me a little bit is that sixteen
percent of gen zs are out of work, with economist
Brad Olsen saying young workers are always the hardest hit
when the country's in a tough economy. The other end
of the scale, over fifty say they're overall over looked
for jobs because of their age. Is this purely economics
(18:46):
or do you think some employees are prejudiced against young
and old people? Justin start me up with us, get
me going. You've got all the facts in front of you.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Well, I had to chat to Brad this morning because
I saw this come through on the agenda and on
Brad happened to be at the airport and he was
at the conference last night. And yeah, first and first
off is how people are treating it so young people
because they're cheaper, less experienced, you know, they're losing their
jobs first and a difficult macro economic environment. And that's
(19:15):
probably not the most sensible thing to do, given all
of their capabilities and understanding of technology and how that's evolving.
And JD's got example of that. They are digital technological natives,
chat GPT second nature to them, So you've got to
be really careful. But this is it does bear out
over time. Who loses their jobs first young people and
(19:37):
then women, women, Young people and women's cod.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
About the stats are staying older as well.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Yeah, older, it's harder to find a job now to
get back into it, but that's normally because of new
technologies evolving and not having perhaps the technical skills or
the aptitude. Yes, you've got to be careful. I want
a good balance. I want a mixture of experience, a
mixture of youth, and that dynamism in the workplace, and
I think that holds you in good stead.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
JD. Is probably nobody over fifty working in your whole organization.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Well, thanks for saying I look young, but no, there
are we have some some folks that are a bit older.
That does skew young. I will agree with you.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
How young? I mean, are you looking after generations?
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Ye?
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Are you?
Speaker 4 (20:20):
We've got some gen z folks. We've got interns coming
in from university. We're actually between now and the end
of the year we'll bring on ten interns from the
local university to try and give them that first shot.
It's really important to me. We've always been longtime supporters
across Reaygun and our new business Auto Hive at trying
to support people into the industry. You know, we are
(20:41):
in the tech space. We pay well. You know, these
are the types of jobs who want to have, and
sometimes it's just getting that first thing on the CV
that says, hey, I've actually got a bit of experience
that suddenly those folks can really step up. Now. I
will say, my understanding is pretty fixed within the tech
bubble that I operate in, so I can only really
speak to that.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
And that's what you're hereful.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
Yeah, and a lot of a lot of the employers
aren't making highs. They're shrinking down a bit to see
the data calm numbers. They're one of our largest tech
employers in the country, you know. But I'm always proud
for every job we can create here in Wellington for
people I encourage you touched on AI earlier and you're
banging on because I'm actually seeing senior people are struggling
(21:24):
the slower to bring this stuff on Thyan not as creative.
And I see this in our own business, where you know,
somebody will say, hey, can we let's do this, and
I'll say we should do it in X y zed
way and some of these gen z folks will be like, well,
why don't we just do it this way? And it's like,
my gosh, that that will take one percent at the time.
And so they're really smart. They can really help businesses
actually optimize themselves with these new technologies, which is kind
(21:45):
of what we need.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Now. I've got to go to a break, but I
just we talked this morning. While we're talking about employment
and stuff. The numbers of the unemployment are scary. Yes,
four hundred thousand, yes, can we I mean can I
get a quick answer what you think we can do it?
Is it just the economy or is it we're doing
something wrong?
Speaker 4 (22:02):
It's not.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Unfortunately, it's been going up even in good times COVID,
when things are going really well post COVID and interest
rates are really low. I just don't understand that the
benefit numbers continue to go up. This is something that's
fundamentally systemically wrong in the New Zealand's economy, and I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
What it is.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
I tend to share that view, and I just encourage
folks to make the jobs. They keep expecting the government
to make the jobs. And it's like the government isn't
the replacement for your parents. Go and start something, Go
and offer some services, Go and do something to provide
value to your fellow man.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
Fantastic, great advice. Let's talk retail crime. The Government Retail
Crime Advisory Group makes me shatter a bit when I
read it out. Has spent five hundred thousand and just
three months with chairs Sonny Curlshaw, pocketing nearly one hundred
thousand dollars themself. Labour says Sonny was ringing them every day,
giving them the information, frequently offering the same service for free. Justin,
(22:58):
what are your thoughts on this?
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Look, it was a serious problem and remains a serious
problem in terms of the safety of retail operators particularly.
Remember it wasn't that long ago, I think in sandring
And a dairy worker was killed by someone wielding a knife,
So it's really important. I don't want to track from that. However,
this is just political optics to set up for an
(23:19):
advisory group. We're dealing with it. It doesn't help anything.
They didn't get the advice you're right for free because
somebody used to provide it through the media and would
often give it. So do we need to play them
half million dollars?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
And of course not.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
So let's get away from the optics. Let's get focused
on actually doing stuff.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Jad your thoughts.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
I agree with everything. Justin just said, you know, let's
get on and fix the problem rather than spin up
discussion groups and pretend we're working on it.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Yeah, we.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Do.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
We need advisory groups. Our advisory groups a good idea.
I mean, it costs us a lot of money. It's
basically consultant by numbers.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
Isn't it.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Sometimes it does help to have good information and if
you don't have good information by all means collector. But
once you've got it, to just get on with it.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
Yeah. Well, the consulting class are going to have a
fun next ten years with AI anyway, So let's see
how they go.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Okay, it's National Wills Week, right, you know what that means.
It means that the public trust show that fifty percent
of kiwis that don't have a will when they die.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
I mean that's incredible. No, that's actually fifty percent don't
have a will?
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Right now? How important is having a will? And do
we need more education on this? JD? I mean, you
know you're you're both reasonably young people.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
Yeah, I got a will sorted out, you know. I
obviously building a business there's a bit more complexity than
say just a house if I was to die, which
I plan not to. You know, it was a good
process to go through. You know, it's a confronting thing.
It's useful to take a minute to actually go through
and discuss this and have a think about where things
(24:52):
go and then put it in the drawer.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
You know.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
And there's the saying about shareholders agreements, and I think
it applies to wells, which is, you know, if you
have one you know, you may not really you know,
you don't really create any problems and if you don't
have one, you'll you'll wish you did, or your family
or wish you did.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
Have you updated George lately?
Speaker 4 (25:10):
I need to update mine. It is a few years
out of date now and the change for me was
having a child and he's just not really discussed in
there and at this point to be fairy so young
that shouldn't really be incorporated. But good to keep them fresh.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yeah, absolutely, just a lester. Have you got a will? Yes?
Speaker 1 (25:25):
I do.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
I got one with my wife and just a tip
for anybody it needs to get a will. Pop on
the Public Trust.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
It's free.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
They'll give you a will for free. Obviously you pay
for it when it's administered later on, but really great service,
a trusted institution to do it. I need to update
mine as well. It's been a few years and had
a couple of kids come along since. I might want
to reflect some of that. But yeah, it's good to
have it.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Okay. Last week all Blacks versus France. This week Wrexham
comes to town Wellington Saints play the final of the NBL.
Have to throw that in full house, sold out just
a leicster you as an ex mayor of Wellington. How
good is it to have events in the city. Love that.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
I was at the All Blacks. My kids were so excited.
They loved the ward for I was pumping, the stadium
was pumping, you know, businesses were busy, the vibe was fantastic.
Wrexham's here this week. Levy Cacce is signing for Rexham.
The rum and mir would have you believe. So it's good.
People love Wellington. The feedback I had from everyone visited
(26:24):
the French. I talked to dozens of French people. They
brought some color to the game as well.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
They loved the city.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
A couple who'd come up from Tiano. They're here and
working holidays and they want to move here now and
they're like, this is amazing. It's just like France with
better manners.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
They loved it. JD. Before they move, you'll give them
a bit.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
So it's great. So yet more of the same, please,
but can we please just stop bagging ourselves as a
city and including I've got something news talk and the Herald,
I'll talk about that, and what's hop that's.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Not that's part of your contract. You can't dock us
just an individual JD. What's your vibe? I mean it
just it helped. It wouldn't help your business one I
owed it, But the vibe of the city.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
It improves the vibe, which improves the city, which makes
it a better place to attract talent to it. So
it actually it helps indirectly. You know, as we talked
about earlier. I've got younger team iters. They love being
able to go out to things. I say, bring back
the sevens, bring back all that. The people who complained
about that, where are they now financially propping up this city?
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Yeah, exactly, Well, I you know what I I put
it down to I've got one minute before I got
to go. I put the sevens down straight to the police.
Just a new mayor around about the same time, the
police didn't want the sevens to go ahead. They didn't
want the extra work, they didn't want the hassle. The
police got rid of the sevens, didn't They.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
A combination that the police were probably a little bit
too harsh and the media and the media just told
the stories. It amplified the situations. It's just drunk and
debauchery and it's not there was an element of that
that most people just having good fun.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Yeah, internationally, internationally people come from all over the world
to have some good fun in the city.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
The Friday.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Lot there not okay, this is my all time favorite part,
just before lunchtime on a Friday, justin Leicester. I know
you're wound up about this, so I'm going to give
you the opportunity to go first of hots and knots.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Hot the All Blacks. Fantastic, wonderful experience. Absolutely loved it.
Rexam this weekend also brilliant and Livy Cacac Island Bay United,
Saint Patstown old boy. Rumor has it he's been signed
by Wrexham, so he's going to be an international superstar.
He'll be on Disney Plus hopefully and we'll kill it
over there. So well done. Libby his mum and dad
(28:42):
own labella. Not what an idiot?
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Gregor Paul of The Herald.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
Twelve hours before we host the All Blacks test comes
out and says Wellington doesn't deserve to host a test
ever again, no one ever has fun there. It's a
crap city, it's a crap stadium and the All Blacks
always lose. Twelve hours later, politely, elegantly. Wellington disproved him
entirely and completely. But what a stupid thing to say.
(29:10):
That's a lazy trope. It doesn't bear any resemblance to
the truth. People love the city, we love it. It's
hurtful and disrespectful. And yeah, that's my knot. Ah, there
you go, JD. Give us your hots and knots.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
I'll start with my not going back to the two
point three million dollar toilet. I'll call out Jordi Rodgers
on this our youthful green counselor who's now posting online
that the you know, people shouldn't attack it because it
was all for disabled people and it's that classic you know,
(29:44):
try to make you feel bad for questioning wasteful spend,
which I just think is appalling to see him use
disability in that way. And on the on the hot side,
I'm gonna I'll make it a bit personal and give
a call out to my dad, John Trusk. He turned
eighty yesterday. We brought him down here to to Wellington,
had a great feed here in the city, had a
great time, brought some friends in and just want to
(30:07):
say happy birthday, dad, thanks for everything.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
How good is it? To have a dad that turns eighty.
How I mean, lucky people are lucky to have a
dad to turn eighty, aren't they. I mean, I mean,
I know we're all living older, but that's nice, great story.
Appreciate you both coming and for the show. I really
really enjoyed it. I hope our listeners enjoyed it as
much as I enjoyed list sitting back and listening. Justin
(30:29):
Lester and j D Trusk, thank you very much. Have
a great weekend in Wellington. Go the Phoenix, Go the
Pulse on their semi final. They've got to beat They've
got a win to go the Saints from the grand final,
thirteenth national title, New Zealand's well Wellington's most successful sporting franchise.
Thank you, Thank you McK and guess what my lucky
(30:52):
number is? Do you know what my lucky number? Thirteen?
How cool? I won't be here on Monday, coops if
we lose, no, no, I'll be here. We'll be here.
Thank you. Thanks very much.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
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, Bin.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Faced off now reluctant to promote things too strongly, and
I promoted this particularly hour a little bit strongly earlier
in the show because I've got a couple of people
in here that i think will be very opinionated, We'll
be very honest, and I think we'll have an opinionated
and honest hour. So if you've please turn your radio
up a little bit, sit back, have a cup of
(00:34):
tea and have a listen. Former Wellington mayor and Dot
Loves Data director Justin Leicester, Good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Good morning neck.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
How are you very good?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Thank you, another beautiful day, great happy, always happy positive. Yeah,
very upbeat. Actually we'll talk about that shortly, okay.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Entrepreneur and Raygun co founder j D Trusk, JD, how
you doing? I mean every time you come on the show,
which is only once before, you get headlines all over
the country. You make news. So how are you feeling.
It's got some tippits for us today that's going to
generate a bit of interest.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Yeah, I say to the team when I was coming,
and I'll try and not get canceled this time and
see how we go. No, it's it's been really good
things Mack, and it's great to be back and busy.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We're busy. I mean, you're an international company, so you're
not reliant on people walking down the streets in Wellington.
I mean, how how's business been.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Yeah, it's been, it's been pretty good. So we Yeah,
we're ninety three percent of export based at Reagan. So
but we've actually launched a new company, Autohive, which is
at autohive dot com, which is an AI first company
to help SMBs all around the world start using the
cutting edge AI technology to help streamline their organizations.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Right, So they joined it and I will talk about
that a bit shortly. I want to start off with
the big story in local politics, big story of local news.
Over the last couple of weeks, the fallout seems to
continue day by day by the release of Ray Chunk's
email with the gossip about mea Torri Fano. Now, I
don't want to go into any of the gossip. I
(02:03):
don't want to go into the story. I don't want
to go into anything. He's lost. High profile backers interevended
together candidates of pulling out justin. I'm going to start
with you, can it the fall fallout slowed down? Can
he regain traction? Or is it all over? Red Rover?
Speaker 3 (02:22):
I was about to say exactly those words, It's all
over Red Rover, And I'll tell you why. So first
of all, any election campaign is a test of character,
and it's a test of character and public scrutiny and
the true character of an individual always comes out in
a campaign. They'll have upwards of forty plus public debates
(02:43):
and meetings with thousands of people from across Wellington and
you can't fudge it. People can see through your answers,
they can see through your body language and how you
engage with an audience. And so this character comes out.
And with Andrew Little, he's seeing a very safe, stable
pair of hands and experienced politician who knows what he's saying.
You know what not to say? With Ray, Ray's character
(03:05):
is coming out? Are weave it of an insights? I
was at the Local Government New Zealand conference last night
as a judge. They had their rewards. Ray was there,
hold of other people there, Tori was there and up
and down the country. So what everyone had to say
is what's up with Wellington. What's up with Ray Chang?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
What a disgrace.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
They are laughing about him across the local government sector.
We don't want the entire country to be laughing about
Wellington's potential candidates. We've had that for three years, even worse,
even worse so. But second of all, I also learned
there are ten public Code of conduct complaints against Ray
(03:49):
that will need to be investigated by the council. So
if members of the public ten different people have lodged
a Code of Conduct complaint, that's a potential mayor. Well
it can't be because you can't have this kind of
Shenanigan's going and day.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
And day out.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
So he's been exposed. He's not up to it and
it's all over.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Rover. Come on, JD. He tell me that he's got
a chance, tell me that he's still a legitimate candidate.
Tell me some good news.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Yeah, to be honest, like, I see that that email
was poor judgment. Absolutely no one's defending that that element
he shouldn't have sent, that that was done as you highlight,
the news keeps going. I think there's a very strong
narrative and I actually care more about the fact that
the rates are going through the roof and the poorest
in our local economy can't afford to live here, and that,
(04:35):
to me should be the real indictment on everybody, not
that somebody made some shitty, little gossipy comment in language.
But you know that I'd really trying to amplify this
story up to eleven, to keep this narrative, to keep
doing what we're doing now, and to be blunt, I
disagree with Justin on on Andrew Little you know I have.
(04:56):
You know, I think ham Sandwiches that could run the
place better than him. An experienced politician is not exactly
you know, a great accolade in my opinion, Can.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
I ask you before you jump there defend your red mate,
Can I just ask you a quick question there? Do
you believe that he can still Ray can still come through?
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Unfortunately? I suspect not, and I think it's really tarnished
some of the other folks that are actually possibly great
candidates in the Independent together sort of cohort.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
I think, you Reagan, they'll fall out and it'll all
fall out.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
And I think it'll probably already quick. Yeah, people are
all coming out of it. But you know it's like
I say, the real downside, and I think the goal
here is to sort of get hey, how about more
of the same rather than change?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
And I ask you one little more question, as I
interrupt you very rudely. There's been a lot of talk
in the street, people coming up to me and calling
it the Labor Party mafia. Yes do you believe in that?
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (05:55):
You really believe that the Labor Party is part of this?
Speaker 4 (05:57):
I believe.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
So.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
I think Wellington and I mean it's a government city, right,
so it's going to have much higher than most other
cities in terms of political alignment, and which side's going
to be bigger. It's going to be the one that
likes to take more money off you and get as
big as it possibly can, which is the Labor and
Green's kind of cohort. And we're experiencing the joy of
their policies in this city.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Oh, hang on, that doesn't even bear any symbols of truth.
And I'll tell you why, because I was Ziras in there,
and we had I think annual sort of three to
three point five percent rates increases over time because we
were prepared to make hard decisions. And to his credit,
he won an election, but on the promise of keeping
rates below two percent, and what were they? Fifteen percent,
(06:39):
twelve percent.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
That's because you spent no money, not at all.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
And he's been over thirty years and it was all.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
He voted inside your own check.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
You know, voted against the annual plan that I put
through because he said it was too expensive, so he
wanted to keep it lower. And it's been here for
thirty years, thirty years of spending no money. So let's
get facts into the equation. But what was the result
not two percent? Rates increases fourteen, fifteen, ten, because couldn't
make decisions. I don't want to put up car parking charges,
I don't want to put up swimming charge. I don't
(07:10):
want to put up any charges. But I haven't got
any actual targets in place, or opportunities for new revenue,
or haven't got a concept or a plan that I'm
going to enhance one povisibility to make more money. So
rates went up by double digits in every single year.
So to ray, how are you going to achieve zero rates?
(07:31):
It's not going to happen because if you talk to
him and actually have a good, long, engaging conversation, he's
got no clue how the council works. There is absolutely
no clue there. And I know this because I ran
against them, not in the same ward, but on the
successful on the successive times when he failed. He didn't
get elected to council because he doesn't stand up to scrutiny,
(07:54):
and he got in on the back of a mural
campaign where he did okay because no one knew who
he was or what he stood for.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
JD. You're sitting there, not in your head, not in agreements,
but you're just listening.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
What are you think to be honest, like, I take
the nuance view that we probably do need rate increases.
I just don't think the magnitude is sustainable. Yeah, I'm
not saying zero percent is the goal.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Impossible.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
No, But at the same time, you know the current
council that what's their tagline, it was the Prime is
not investing. That's why it's going through the roof. And
to be clear, I'm not having to go just to
you justin they always claim it goes right back through
all time. At the same time, the current Council is
sitting there saying, hey, we've got this lit up toilets
and stuff that we're spending money on you know, and
all these kind of crazy things. And you just know
(08:41):
what we're going to hear in another five or ten years,
which is they're still going up because the clowns that
are in today were still unable to control their spending.
And so that that's frustrating to me as a as
a local here in Wellington to see that.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
And you don't have any faith in Andrew Little.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Though, no do you.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I'm a host, you have no faith in it. We're
all to actually turn Wellington around.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Not really, I haven't actually seen any particularly great ideas
as say, I think he is standing there as a
quote unquote safe pair of hands.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
We need some change or the adult in the room
we can yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Well, and you know, I actually agree with David Seymour
when he says, you know, people should actually go and
look at what Andrew Little has achieved and they might
have a different opinion on how he's going to affect Wellington.
And as you say, you know, we should scrutinize these people,
and as you say, it is a test to character,
and as you note, maybe the media could have questioned
some of that character of Tories when she kept getting
(09:36):
in the paper but what they would do then, as
they would just write an article about how Tory's got
a new gym regime and Tory's turning herself around. And
I'm curious why the media is not talking about Ray
deciding to you know, start a new gym routine and
improve his life. Where is the scrutiny on both sides
of character?
Speaker 2 (09:54):
He has a point justin Andrew tell tell us why
Andrew Little. I mean, I know he's in the same
party you hold hands together, but you know, why is
he going to be so good for us?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
He will get the country to stop laughing at us
just because we want to be in the headlines for
the wrong reasons every single day. And that's what the
country is doing at the moment. They're laughing at Wellington unfortunately.
There's a good quote actually from a guy from christ
Church who had just moved from Wellington down to christ Church.
You see the difference down there is politics isn't sport?
Sport a sport? Wellington's well and conyans think politics are
(10:27):
sport and they love it. They love opinion, they love
debate and they love the jousting around the table. The
counselors love the jousting too. Unfortunately, life in the city
is not sport. We just want them to be safe,
as stable, progressive, open minded and to do their blooming job,
stop arguing with one another and with proper leadership that
(10:50):
we're not on you know, we're not being laughed at
for the wrong reasons. And the media every single day.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
What is it with people picking on Wellington Prime Minister
again use the issues around the Mayoralty race to blast
Wellington even referencing a street race from thirty years ago.
Either of you would even remember that this and five hundred,
this and mobile five hundred? Is it really helpful, jded
when the Prime Minister every time he gets a chance
(11:16):
seems to you know, it's like there's a crippled child
on the side of the road and he kicks it
as he walks past.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Yeah. I kind of personally take the view that once
you are the Prime minister, you kind of owe some
some dead of respect to the whole country and you
should be a little bit above that, you know, once
you're in the role. So I think it's a bit
disappointing to see and you know, maybe this sounds like
a bit of a flip from what we were just
talking about. But maybe that's to deflect from some of
(11:43):
his own performance.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Do you think that he's just think that I can
beg Wellington justin it's really easy to do and everyone
that's going to agree with me, and we know what
the situation in Wellington is.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
I think when you're the Prime Minister like j D,
you've got to be a diplomat, you've got to be
states person like So I disagree strongly he's acting like
a politician in this respect because that plays well around
the rest of the country. As we're mentioning off mentioning
off here people loved around the country to give Wellington
a good kicking because it's the capitals.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Have they always done that? I mean, I'm new to
this job, only be here for you. Did they do
it when you were mere?
Speaker 3 (12:20):
It depends where you are provincially, Yeah, because they're deeply
on farms rurally. Yes, because they're deeply suspicious of public
service and bureaucrats and being told what to do. So
they don't like that. I mean younger folk No, because
they love coming to Wellington because it's and people are visiting.
They really love it. But it's that notion of Wellington
telling them what to do, so that's an issue. Look
(12:41):
on a personal level, I got on really well with
Chris Luxon. He was the CEO of an airline and
we used to call him Air Auckland. We still up
publicly because we thought they weren't giving us a good deal.
It could give us a better deal. But he's a
really affable bloke. He's very smart and I like him
as an individual. As PM, please be a diplomat, please
(13:01):
be statesman like and stop kicking Wellington because it's it's
not a good look.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
He is running jad the country like a managing director,
which I personally don't have an issue with. I actually
quite like it. It's refreshing and you know that he's
making decisions based on the ramification of those decisions your thoughts.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
I just don't think they're moving generally quick enough, and
I think that to a degree, National in particular has
been a little tone deaf to some of the frustrations
of the people in the country, and I think you're
seeing that sort of show up in a few of
the polls around how some of the smaller parties are performing.
So there's this sense that we're running out of time.
On this current government. Have we seen enough positive change?
(13:43):
I don't think we have yet. Now this stuff does
take a little bit of time to bake. You know,
I'm not suggesting who is the party?
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Who is your party for business?
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Well, to be honest, I think it would be ACT.
And I know that saying that particularly here in Wellington.
You know, I might as well invite a lynch mob man,
but at the door.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
But even you know, I was talking to some friends
the other day and I think one thing that a
lot of people probably miss is actually ACT has made
quite a few small legislative tune ups. You know, things
like if you're on a pretty high salary, the ability
to bring pgs, you know, just changes around you know
that leave clause the other day where if you're part
(14:23):
time it shouldn't be ten days, you know, if you
work one day a week. Those sorts of things are
sensible little changes, and I think they actually are all occurring.
Under the main media narrative. We only see from ACT
the two big things that kind of are very divisive,
and I'll acknowledge that, but there's been a lot of
little tune ups that have actually been quite sensible. I
think under the covers.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
While we're talking politics and we're wearing off the script
a little bit, I'm gonna get told off from my ear.
I mean a couple of weeks ago, Stuart Nash came
out and said that he believes New Zealand First is
the new Labor Party, the Labor Party of the future.
And when I read it, I thought to myself, well,
they went down and kept the jobs and down South
and you know Shane Jones is fighting for the workers.
(15:05):
Could they possibly be seen as that?
Speaker 1 (15:08):
Not?
Speaker 3 (15:08):
Really, it's safe to say it's a little bit old labor, yes,
but it's probably not sane and rational thinking labor. And
to be fair, urban labor has probably gone a little
bit too far in some respects. So yeah, there's wings.
But remember at Labors of World Church, as is New
Zealand First. I think that has probably more to do
with Stuart contemplating a future in New Zealand First, which
(15:30):
has often been talked about, probably for a decade or so.
Unlock any Student's a good guy and he gets on
with the Zealand First quite well, so that's probably more
about him than it is about political parties.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Just a quick one before we go to the News
Ministry of Education will no longer build open plan classrooms,
bringing into what's once believed to be a fashionable approach
to teaching. And we're talking four hundred kids in a hallway,
like like a massive amount of classrooms with no walls,
you know, one group doing mass, the other group doing English. Janey,
what are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Smaller smaller sets of students to a teacher is always
a good thing, you know, right down to almost one
on one, as long as kids have social contact. So
I think it's smart to bring it down. I mean,
even if you look at it from a business lens.
We went through an experiment globally, you know, I've kind
of gone to open plan offices versus individual offices, and
it does seem that there's a tipping point, you know,
(16:23):
where it just becomes too unruly, it's not effective. So
it kind of makes sense, I think. And I can
imagine that the original driver was probably trying to manage
costs or you know, bring more people in at a
lower price and things like that, so I can understand
why it's there. I don't think it's that big of
a deal, you know, to sort of just say, how
can we improve the education outcomes, and this seems like
(16:44):
one one small way to help.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
I agree, just in your thoughts on it got kids
at that age, yes, hellolu.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
Yeah, what a sensible decision. Good on the government for
doing this. It was a failed experiment. I remember when
Hikia Parata introduced it way back when, probably on my
serial Advice saying, oh, we can save some money and
we don't think that slightly larger larger class sizes will
have a detrimental impact on kids. That advice was wrong.
(17:13):
I saw a great quote by a kid the other
day saying, learning maths in that environment is like trying
to teach maths to an assembly.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Well, that's what it is. It is it's ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
And so my own personal circumstances took my kids out
of a school where they were going to go that
had a model learning environment. So they're not going there
because I don't think it works, and I think that's
been proven how to be the case.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Right. I'm interested because JD we talked about it before
we did the story on the show, and I said,
I hate the environment of working in an office where
there's too our last studio, we had everyone everywhere it
was a horrible environment to work it. I mean you're
taking that on board as well.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
Yeah, we went from our prior office which was just
over the road here on Courtney Place, where we had
to move due to the homeless problem and people assaulting
our staff, which is just you know again Courtney placed problem.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
To a smallest like the Prime Minister.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
Well, no, I just want to acknowledge like this is
affecting businesses the decisions that the council makes on you
know here. But yeah, we moved to a space where
we tried to create more compartmentalization. Again, it's still fairly
open plan and there are people who like to chat
those that don't.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Something that's concerning me a little bit is that sixteen
percent of gen zs are out of work, with economist
Brad Olsen saying young workers are always the hardest hit
when the country's in a tough economy. The other end
of the scale, over fifty say they're overall over looked
for jobs because of their age. Is this purely economics
(18:46):
or do you think some employees are prejudiced against young
and old people? Justin start me up with us, get
me going. You've got all the facts in front of you.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Well, I had to chat to Brad this morning because
I saw this come through on the agenda and on
Brad happened to be at the airport and he was
at the conference last night. And yeah, first and first
off is how people are treating it so young people
because they're cheaper, less experienced, you know, they're losing their
jobs first and a difficult macro economic environment. And that's
(19:15):
probably not the most sensible thing to do, given all
of their capabilities and understanding of technology and how that's evolving.
And JD's got example of that. They are digital technological natives,
chat GPT second nature to them, So you've got to
be really careful. But this is it does bear out
over time. Who loses their jobs first young people and
(19:37):
then women, women, Young people and women's cod.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
About the stats are staying older as well.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Yeah, older, it's harder to find a job now to
get back into it, but that's normally because of new
technologies evolving and not having perhaps the technical skills or
the aptitude. Yes, you've got to be careful. I want
a good balance. I want a mixture of experience, a
mixture of youth, and that dynamism in the workplace, and
I think that holds you in good stead.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
JD. Is probably nobody over fifty working in your whole organization.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Well, thanks for saying I look young, but no, there
are we have some some folks that are a bit older.
That does skew young. I will agree with you.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
How young? I mean, are you looking after generations?
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Ye?
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Are you?
Speaker 4 (20:20):
We've got some gen z folks. We've got interns coming
in from university. We're actually between now and the end
of the year we'll bring on ten interns from the
local university to try and give them that first shot.
It's really important to me. We've always been longtime supporters
across Reaygun and our new business Auto Hive at trying
to support people into the industry. You know, we are
(20:41):
in the tech space. We pay well. You know, these
are the types of jobs who want to have, and
sometimes it's just getting that first thing on the CV
that says, hey, I've actually got a bit of experience
that suddenly those folks can really step up. Now. I
will say, my understanding is pretty fixed within the tech
bubble that I operate in, so I can only really
speak to that.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
And that's what you're hereful.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
Yeah, and a lot of a lot of the employers
aren't making highs. They're shrinking down a bit to see
the data calm numbers. They're one of our largest tech
employers in the country, you know. But I'm always proud
for every job we can create here in Wellington for
people I encourage you touched on AI earlier and you're
banging on because I'm actually seeing senior people are struggling
(21:24):
the slower to bring this stuff on Thyan not as creative.
And I see this in our own business, where you know,
somebody will say, hey, can we let's do this, and
I'll say we should do it in X y zed
way and some of these gen z folks will be like, well,
why don't we just do it this way? And it's like,
my gosh, that that will take one percent at the time.
And so they're really smart. They can really help businesses
actually optimize themselves with these new technologies, which is kind
(21:45):
of what we need.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Now. I've got to go to a break, but I
just we talked this morning. While we're talking about employment
and stuff. The numbers of the unemployment are scary. Yes,
four hundred thousand, yes, can we I mean can I
get a quick answer what you think we can do it?
Is it just the economy or is it we're doing
something wrong?
Speaker 4 (22:02):
It's not.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Unfortunately, it's been going up even in good times COVID,
when things are going really well post COVID and interest
rates are really low. I just don't understand that the
benefit numbers continue to go up. This is something that's
fundamentally systemically wrong in the New Zealand's economy, and I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
What it is.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
I tend to share that view, and I just encourage
folks to make the jobs. They keep expecting the government
to make the jobs. And it's like the government isn't
the replacement for your parents. Go and start something, Go
and offer some services, Go and do something to provide
value to your fellow man.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
Fantastic, great advice. Let's talk retail crime. The Government Retail
Crime Advisory Group makes me shatter a bit when I
read it out. Has spent five hundred thousand and just
three months with chairs Sonny Curlshaw, pocketing nearly one hundred
thousand dollars themself. Labour says Sonny was ringing them every day,
giving them the information, frequently offering the same service for free. Justin,
(22:58):
what are your thoughts on this?
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Look, it was a serious problem and remains a serious
problem in terms of the safety of retail operators particularly.
Remember it wasn't that long ago, I think in sandring
And a dairy worker was killed by someone wielding a knife,
So it's really important. I don't want to track from that. However,
this is just political optics to set up for an
(23:19):
advisory group. We're dealing with it. It doesn't help anything.
They didn't get the advice you're right for free because
somebody used to provide it through the media and would
often give it. So do we need to play them
half million dollars?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
And of course not.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
So let's get away from the optics. Let's get focused
on actually doing stuff.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Jad your thoughts.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
I agree with everything. Justin just said, you know, let's
get on and fix the problem rather than spin up
discussion groups and pretend we're working on it.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Yeah, we.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Do.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
We need advisory groups. Our advisory groups a good idea.
I mean, it costs us a lot of money. It's
basically consultant by numbers.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
Isn't it.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Sometimes it does help to have good information and if
you don't have good information by all means collector. But
once you've got it, to just get on with it.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
Yeah. Well, the consulting class are going to have a
fun next ten years with AI anyway, So let's see
how they go.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Okay, it's National Wills Week, right, you know what that means.
It means that the public trust show that fifty percent
of kiwis that don't have a will when they die.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
I mean that's incredible. No, that's actually fifty percent don't
have a will?
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Right now? How important is having a will? And do
we need more education on this? JD? I mean, you
know you're you're both reasonably young people.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
Yeah, I got a will sorted out, you know. I
obviously building a business there's a bit more complexity than
say just a house if I was to die, which
I plan not to. You know, it was a good
process to go through. You know, it's a confronting thing.
It's useful to take a minute to actually go through
and discuss this and have a think about where things
(24:52):
go and then put it in the drawer.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
You know.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
And there's the saying about shareholders agreements, and I think
it applies to wells, which is, you know, if you
have one you know, you may not really you know,
you don't really create any problems and if you don't
have one, you'll you'll wish you did, or your family
or wish you did.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
Have you updated George lately?
Speaker 4 (25:10):
I need to update mine. It is a few years
out of date now and the change for me was
having a child and he's just not really discussed in
there and at this point to be fairy so young
that shouldn't really be incorporated. But good to keep them fresh.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yeah, absolutely, just a lester. Have you got a will? Yes?
Speaker 1 (25:25):
I do.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
I got one with my wife and just a tip
for anybody it needs to get a will. Pop on
the Public Trust.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
It's free.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
They'll give you a will for free. Obviously you pay
for it when it's administered later on, but really great service,
a trusted institution to do it. I need to update
mine as well. It's been a few years and had
a couple of kids come along since. I might want
to reflect some of that. But yeah, it's good to
have it.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Okay. Last week all Blacks versus France. This week Wrexham
comes to town Wellington Saints play the final of the NBL.
Have to throw that in full house, sold out just
a leicster you as an ex mayor of Wellington. How
good is it to have events in the city. Love that.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
I was at the All Blacks. My kids were so excited.
They loved the ward for I was pumping, the stadium
was pumping, you know, businesses were busy, the vibe was fantastic.
Wrexham's here this week. Levy Cacce is signing for Rexham.
The rum and mir would have you believe. So it's good.
People love Wellington. The feedback I had from everyone visited
(26:24):
the French. I talked to dozens of French people. They
brought some color to the game as well.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
They loved the city.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
A couple who'd come up from Tiano. They're here and
working holidays and they want to move here now and
they're like, this is amazing. It's just like France with
better manners.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
They loved it. JD. Before they move, you'll give them
a bit.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
So it's great. So yet more of the same, please,
but can we please just stop bagging ourselves as a
city and including I've got something news talk and the Herald,
I'll talk about that, and what's hop that's.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Not that's part of your contract. You can't dock us
just an individual JD. What's your vibe? I mean it
just it helped. It wouldn't help your business one I
owed it, But the vibe of the city.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
It improves the vibe, which improves the city, which makes
it a better place to attract talent to it. So
it actually it helps indirectly. You know, as we talked
about earlier. I've got younger team iters. They love being
able to go out to things. I say, bring back
the sevens, bring back all that. The people who complained
about that, where are they now financially propping up this city?
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Yeah, exactly, Well, I you know what I I put
it down to I've got one minute before I got
to go. I put the sevens down straight to the police.
Just a new mayor around about the same time, the
police didn't want the sevens to go ahead. They didn't
want the extra work, they didn't want the hassle. The
police got rid of the sevens, didn't They.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
A combination that the police were probably a little bit
too harsh and the media and the media just told
the stories. It amplified the situations. It's just drunk and
debauchery and it's not there was an element of that
that most people just having good fun.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Yeah, internationally, internationally people come from all over the world
to have some good fun in the city.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
The Friday.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Lot there not okay, this is my all time favorite part,
just before lunchtime on a Friday, justin Leicester. I know
you're wound up about this, so I'm going to give
you the opportunity to go first of hots and knots.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Hot the All Blacks. Fantastic, wonderful experience. Absolutely loved it.
Rexam this weekend also brilliant and Livy Cacac Island Bay United,
Saint Patstown old boy. Rumor has it he's been signed
by Wrexham, so he's going to be an international superstar.
He'll be on Disney Plus hopefully and we'll kill it
over there. So well done. Libby his mum and dad
(28:42):
own labella. Not what an idiot?
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Gregor Paul of The Herald.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
Twelve hours before we host the All Blacks test comes
out and says Wellington doesn't deserve to host a test
ever again, no one ever has fun there. It's a
crap city, it's a crap stadium and the All Blacks
always lose. Twelve hours later, politely, elegantly. Wellington disproved him
entirely and completely. But what a stupid thing to say.
(29:10):
That's a lazy trope. It doesn't bear any resemblance to
the truth. People love the city, we love it. It's
hurtful and disrespectful. And yeah, that's my knot. Ah, there
you go, JD. Give us your hots and knots.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
I'll start with my not going back to the two
point three million dollar toilet. I'll call out Jordi Rodgers
on this our youthful green counselor who's now posting online
that the you know, people shouldn't attack it because it
was all for disabled people and it's that classic you know,
(29:44):
try to make you feel bad for questioning wasteful spend,
which I just think is appalling to see him use
disability in that way. And on the on the hot side,
I'm gonna I'll make it a bit personal and give
a call out to my dad, John Trusk. He turned
eighty yesterday. We brought him down here to to Wellington,
had a great feed here in the city, had a
great time, brought some friends in and just want to
(30:07):
say happy birthday, dad, thanks for everything.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
How good is it? To have a dad that turns eighty.
How I mean, lucky people are lucky to have a
dad to turn eighty, aren't they. I mean, I mean,
I know we're all living older, but that's nice, great story.
Appreciate you both coming and for the show. I really
really enjoyed it. I hope our listeners enjoyed it as
much as I enjoyed list sitting back and listening. Justin
(30:29):
Lester and j D Trusk, thank you very much. Have
a great weekend in Wellington. Go the Phoenix, Go the
Pulse on their semi final. They've got to beat They've
got a win to go the Saints from the grand final,
thirteenth national title, New Zealand's well Wellington's most successful sporting franchise.
Thank you, Thank you McK and guess what my lucky
(30:52):
number is? Do you know what my lucky number? Thirteen?
How cool? I won't be here on Monday, coops if
we lose, no, no, I'll be here. We'll be here.
Thank you. Thanks very much.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
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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