December 18, 2025 • 30 mins
Nick Mills wraps the year with former Wellington Mayor Dame Kerry Prendergast and legendary broadcaster and journalist Mark Sainsbury.
Are we in for a positive turn around with the new GDP growth? They face off live at Prefab, about the outlook going into the new year.
Prendergast and Sainsbury then face off on the issues of the week, including the council’s sludge levy mistake. What do they think of it? Should there be penalties? As well as the new merger MCERT and subsequent job losses, McSkimming’s sentence, Avatar, James Cameron’s worries for our film industry and the Phoenix –how are we looking, and what do our guests think of Nick’s idea to move the team to Christchurch.
Then it’s Christmas time! What are Sainsbury and Prendergast doing for the holidays plus they give their highlights and lowlights for the year.
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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 FASAR with Coudovic Property Management, a better rental experience
for all. Visit Kudovic dot code on its head.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
It's seven minutes past eleven. That means it's Friday face
off time. Because it's Friday, We've got former willing to
mayor Dame Carey Prinagast with us. Good morning Carrie, you
as always as always, it's lovely. So you do I
have to call you Dame Carey or can I just
call you curriyoo tickety boom, tickety boom, tickety I like.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
To call her Dame Carey.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Wow, you're different.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, she said, Oh, you can't call me carry.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
That's because you didn't give row up on TAWA.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Legendary broadcaster and journalist Mark Sainsbury, Good morning and welcome morning.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
And very honored to be here on your birthday, Very
on it.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I kept that very quietly. I'm going to kill Piney.
I want to start off with something that annoyed to
hell out of me during the week, and this forum
is to discuss things that we discussed during the week
that upset our listeners and upset me. The dreaded sludge levy.
The councilor made another mistake their finances, and now we'll
(01:30):
have two extra add ons to next year's rates bills,
the sludge levy that was undercharged due to human error,
and the council need to find the money. Kerry prindagars
that wouldn't happen under your watch.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Well, I hope it never happened under my watch, and
I certainly don't remember that happening. What I do like
about this is that the mayor has fronted it. He said,
we're going to fix it. It's not going to happen again.
But how do you explain it's a human area era
GST inclusive rather than exclusive. What I couldn't understand is
(02:04):
how the head of Finance could say and be quoted
as saying that they couldn't possibly explain the legal advice.
That meant they couldn't find it from savings within council
and they're going to have to add it on to
everyone's bill. It just doesn't make sense.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
What no tell me you're an next mayor tell us
whether she could have told us or not.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
It doesn't sound like she said the legal advice was
so complicated she couldn't possibly explain it. So that is disappointing.
This problem has been besieged. This slush been besieged with problems.
It started off at two hundred million, it's now up
at nearly five hundred and.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Eleven half a billion dollar.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
How could it blow out so bad? And I'm hoping
under this new leadership, both the chief executive and a
new mayor, we're going to start seeing some cost control
proper business cases so we don't get these sorts of
things happening again.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Market. Market's all very well, and our listeners were very
strong on me because I said exactly what Carry says
good on the new mayor fronting it and taking it
on the chin, but a couple of Texas and a
couple of caller says, well, that doesn't pay it for them.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
No, And look, I mean, I'm with Carrie. I just
could not believe this, and I was dying to come
on this morning, so I wanted to hear from Carrie.
How often does this happen? Is this just something? Oh yeah,
other accounting era we do this all the time. But
it sounds not and especially as say the thing went
from two hundred to five hundred million dollars, you would
think you'd be even more careful with the detail on
(03:31):
how you were doing it and how you're implementing it.
And the bit that got me the most was the
head of Fire, the Chief Financial Officer also saying clearly
it's our era, so we're not going to be charging
penalties on this particular component. Gee, this have a round
of applause to the Wellington City Council.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
I think with the rates and creases we've seen the
last few years, those proposed to have this added on,
and yes for residential rate pairs, but for the commercial
rate pairs as well. This is really tough for everybody
and we weren't expecting it, absolutely no warning.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
And we didn't like the whole idea of the Rolls
Royce slugs unit that we had to get. We didn't
get just a sludge unit. We got the very very flashes,
the very very greenest and we were world leaders, Carrie.
Do we give a damn whether we're world leaders.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Not particularly, we want something that works, that comes in
on budget and under and on scope, not overscope and
over budget. Which is what exactly this has happened.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
We've just had the Finance Minister Nikola Willis on the show.
You know we're celebrating. I mean I think people should
celebrate the GDP numbers going up. You know, things are
looking good. I mean what does that reflect Well, how
does that reflect on everyday New Zealanders?
Speaker 4 (04:44):
The GDP going up. It's like a little green shoot.
It's fantastic and what it means is it will give
everyone a bit of confidence. Hopefully. It means they're going
to spend a bit of money, they're going to employ somebody,
they might buy something, and their confidence will go because
it's sure lacking at the moment. So I think this
is a great green shoot and let's hope it grows
(05:04):
into a big tree.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
It's almost timing to, isn't it. The sun starts shining mark,
we start feeling better about ourselves. We're looking getting ready
for the Christmas break. Just this week we get this news.
Now I've got a conspiracy theorist, but it makes me
do it does make me think.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Well, look, yeah, it's come sending for the government's coming
the right time. This Evan's going well, when's are going
to happen. When's are going to happen. You know, you
gave all these tax cuts to your mates earlier on
and we can't afford to do the sort of sensual work. Okay,
you know where that. But we've got to see some
things start to happen and all the sort of green
shoots business. You know, I've got a mate's and finance
and he said, well, it's almost the start of the
(05:44):
little tips of the green shoots are coming out. But
as we've talked about, it is all about confidence. If
people feel better and think things are going better, and
as care is, as they start spending money to start
and all these things get on a roll. But we've
been just been so bad and willington to share, you know,
just been everyone's been feeling down positive and even look
(06:05):
even in my business, you know, I mean, I've had
this terrible year for me, but already I've got bookings
the next year or conferences and things starting to happen,
and people with new ideas that wanting to develop. You
can sense already that it will be whether it's down
to the government or it's just the way things are going,
but things I think are going to improve next year.
And we've all got to be positive about it, you know.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
And then that's exactly what I said to the minister herself.
I said, you know, last year you told me that
it was going to be better this year, and I
had I believed you. I wanted to believe you. But
when she said the same thing to me again, I
believed her. Why am I believing her now?
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Well, because we've been through a lot of pain in
New Zealand last year. This year it's got to start turning.
And I think they're doing a lot to try and
improve the economy. It's their number one thing. Let's hope
that the screenshooters that say it grows bigger. It has
to turn around. We've been through a really difficult economic
period and Wellington worse than most. In fact, this week
(07:05):
we've seen that the business confidence around the country, especially
in auckland's doing really well. Wellington is still languishing. So
Wellingtonians get out there take this as a sign. Start
spending money, Go to go out for dinner, spend a
little bit of money and start thinking next she is
going to be better.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
What do you say to those people, Mark that don't
have that money that Carrie's talking about and I totally
agree with her and I support what she's trying to do.
But there's a lot of people out there that this
Christmas is going to be really tough.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I was just thinking about that, you know, as carry
was saying, and yes, you want things to be positive,
but for some people it's not. They've lost their job,
you know.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Or they're worried about losing their job. The next topic
I want to talk about. There could be a lot
more job losses.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
That's job so you're we've got the public servants and
those sort of things, so you know, they're then having
to compete for jobs, and that puts that fear if
you're going into Christmas inning am I going to have
a job? And then you haven't got all these commitments
for mortgage, you know, the banks are still on your back.
You know, that doesn't sort of it doesn't help. So
he's still got all your outgoings. So yeah, for some,
but it's always the way, isn't it. Some sectors of
our society and doing it a lot harder than others.
(08:07):
I mean, I've been to a couple of things around
this Christinas for people having a great old time. They
thought it was gain gang busters, but they are the minority.
So I always think we judge our society on how
you look after the weakest and the most vulnerable, the
ones that need help, the ones that need help, And
I think that's going to be the challenge next year.
I firmly believe things are going to get better. It's
how we scoop up those who have been left in
(08:27):
the weight.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yes, and that kind of concerns me, Kiriri. Does it
concern you?
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Of course it concerns me. It should concern every New Zealander.
We want to look after our most vulnerable. We're not
a good society if not everybody as little is rising
with a rising time, so I would hope that everybody's
going to feel a bit of this.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Now you work with a lot of organizations. You're on
the board of a lot of organizations, big organizations. Are
they all saying the same thing that we might have
bottomed out and we might be coming right. I mean,
what's the mood of the boardroom.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Probably what you just said, that there is a feeling
things are going to improve. Let me give you the
example of the ballet we've just done, a Nutcracker. It's
the first time that we have ever set a budget
for ticket sales of more than two million. We actually
set it for three million and we've surpassed that. So
around the country we beat the budget, including in Wellington.
(09:22):
So we took that as a sign that things are
starting to prove. People were buying tickets to go to
the ballet.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
And let's be fair, Carrie, and I want to be
really fair. The people that are doing it tough aren't
buying tickets to the ballet.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Well some of them are, and they're taking their grandchildren.
And I would hope that you thought about that as well.
But okay, three million dollars out of this economy to
take people to the ballet. I chair Wellington Opera. We've
had the biggest sales ever pre Christmas on any opera.
Our sales in Oceania we're doing okay, People's houses are
(09:59):
starting to move. I think things are starting to move.
I really believe that.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
In case you know, I run a thing called Men's Health,
weare I was going to ask you, and look, the
Master Builders have sponsored us ever since the started, had
been our own sponsor, and it's always been a struggle
trying to and I the one thing I loathe and
hate and you'll be used to this care. We're having
to go and ask people for money. You know, it's
a terrible thing both we all have to do it.
Believe in the cause. Really back. Now we've got some
I can't say anything yet, but a big corporate you know,
(10:26):
Big New Zealand corporate. Why can't you tell her who
was saying because it's not sort of signed and sealed,
the big bars SESTA, but they're saying hate. We really
liked this idea. We want to do something in the community,
and we're now looking at gearing up next year into
doing that sort of stuff. So to me, that's a
sign that things it does.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
And I chair the Tourism Industry Association, so twelve hundred members,
so everything to do with tourism, from air New Zealand
and Tourism New Zealand down the smallest Airbnb and all
that industry is feeling very positive about the summer. So
I've got my fingers crossed.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Friday faced off Dame Kerrey Prenegast and journalist and legend
broadcaster Mark Saint's former willing to meet. Dame Kerry Prendergast
joins us in broadcaster and journalist Mark Sainsbury for our
final Friday face off. National has announced a merger of
some huge departments, basically creating this thing called m Sir,
(11:21):
the Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport. It's a
merger of four ministries plus the local government Internal Affairs
kerry print of Gas. You've had a lot to do
with government departments in your lifetime. What do you think?
Is this a good idea? Is it too big? What
will get lost?
Speaker 4 (11:37):
I think what we've got now is a huge cabinet
and there's a lot of ministries, so this is about
stopping the duplication, the crossovers, all of those things. Every
time you think you're going to do something here, you've
got to consult this ministry or this ministry. So that
means there's a lot of people working in the back
developing policy and spending time working with other ministries. So
(12:00):
I agree this is about a rationalization. According to the
Minister this morning's paper, it's not going to be about
job losses. But I do feel for the uncertainty for
all the staff working in those current ministries now, especially
just before Christmas. I think that he's made a commitment
that he wants it up and running by July. The
thing about this one, our government's made a decision. They
(12:21):
have to do it quickly. It's not fair to drag
it out for the people, the emotional toll on the
people that work in those different areas.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Mark, we know Kerry can try and tell us that
there's not going to be job losses. She's going to
have her blue hat on that she wanders the streets with.
You're unfair, but true, so true. I mean there's going
to be job losses. And there's a lot of people
freaking out going into Christmas thinking, gosh, what am I
going to do?
Speaker 3 (12:45):
I mean, because otherwise what he's saying there's not going
to be. They're going to try and rationalize the saying
that all these sort of too much back off of stuff,
all these different departments, and you can bind them all
and we get so the idea. I guess what they're afterwards.
They want things to work better instead of things going
through multiple layers and off to someone else that's consultation
and off here and back.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Silo. They call it silo.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
They want to try and just smooth it all out.
But there's gonna be child losses. I don't know why
they say that they was trying to sort of hose
it down, but maybe that's what it has to be.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
Maybe it's about the people in the back offices that
are doing all that duplication and consulting actually going to
be frontline staff growing our economy.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Here are you.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Almost you almost seen in a straight face. Are usually
almost said it with a straight face.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Oh, she's gonna apply for one of those jobs.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
I'm gonna have a glass of water with that one, Mark.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
I mean, come on, well, I believe that. I think
this is about rationalization. There is too much duplication. That's
a waste of everybody's effort in time.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
I don't think there's any question about that. But just
come out and say it. Just come out and say
we've got too many people working for the government. This
new ministry is going to cut another five hundred or
another thousand.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
You see, you're starting a rumor it's gonna have twelve
hundred people, and there's currently twelve hundred people across those ministries.
That's one for one.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Well, I won't start a rumor, but I will definitely
I think you owe me a coffee from about three
years ago from a bet we had, But I don't
think there's going to be some job lossing somewhere along
the line.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Yeah, it's going to mean look if restructuring. I mean,
I don't know how many times you go through when
it was at TV and STEAD. I think we were
restructured during my time. And they'll change the name. There's
been more money on changing all the fonts and everything
on the LL some of us, some of us do.
But it's interesting it's sort of changed, I mean so much.
(14:33):
I was actually just Yeah, you talk about what's fit
for purpose. So they're looking at all this. What they
want is things to want business to work through, things,
less at hassles. But I can remember Rodney Hyde going
we're going to get rid of the rama when they
came in in a coalition government. God only thirty years
ago and nothing happened.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Hey, but we've got a new rama now we're going
through a consultation. It needs to happen because the impact
on business of the rules on the current one is impossible.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Can I just quickly ask you both before we go.
I don't want to get into this too much because
we've already talked about it in sport, but there seems
to be a real problem with the Phoenix in Wellington
at the moment. What is it five wins out of
thirty games. I mean they've just been taken over completely
by Auckland. Kira, you look almost distraught when I'm giving
you those results.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
No, I know about the results. I was on the
Phoenix board for the first few years. It's tough. It's
tough for Wellington. I'm not a believer that you blame
the coach. I do think the owner of Auckland Football
has stolen some of our best people. And it's tough
when you every time you get a star and you
pull a team together and someone poaches them. There are
(15:43):
a group of business people and Wellingtonian's behind the Phoenix
who've just got to make sure we continue to support
them even when times are tough.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Bill Bohley, you know who owns AC. I know quite well.
I've done for the number of years. But he did
the same thing. He got into ice hockey, you know
in Nevada, started the team. They nearly won the Standing
Cup in their first year. So he does the thing
with a just put so much resources and they get this.
There's such a vibe around that awkful team. You look
at even goes to the games and they're enjoying themselves.
(16:14):
And if you look at the home games for the Phoenix,
it's depressing. Why would you want to go along?
Speaker 4 (16:19):
You come on? It used to be like that and
Wellington so they first started and it was like that,
full stadiums.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
It was fantastic, like that Ethnic Park too, But we
don't have Ethnic Park anymore.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
Care but we've got the sky Stadium.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
So I think you've got to make it more attractive.
These all sorts of things with performance as well. No, look,
we're terrible, aren't we. We don't like supporting a losing team.
You have a team we just which were terrible.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
But you know what, if it was exciting and it
was a night out and the crowd got in an
open an atmosphere, we would get into it. We'd say
next time, there's.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Got to be a reason to go.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I gave it.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
All those things cost money, so Wellingtonians, you've got to
support it to give the owners and the management the
confidence you're going to turn out to pay the bills.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Can it turn around? Can Can you both say look
me straight in the eye and say you think it's
going to turn around.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Believe it can be turned around. I believed in the
passion of the others it can be.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
But I think it's a big ars anyway. You're taking
them the christ chitch anyway.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
Don't start that rumor what a terrible thing.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
What I just said that they would probably get bigger
crowds and be more receptive and people would get off
their backsides on a new stadium in a city that's
going places. Is that not the truth?
Speaker 3 (17:27):
I was the piney calling you out. All right, well,
but you've got to save yourself, okay, for them, for
the Phoenix, ask the question would they be better off
in christ Church as well? And TONI to go down there.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Carry's about to hit you.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
I'm not going to hit you. I think what no,
I think, Valentine is when you have something really good,
you've got to continue to support it. You can't take
things for granted. Please get out and support them.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
But we are, we are at the moment they carry out,
we are taking we are taking it for granted.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Right Friday, face off with Dame Carey Prendergast and journalist
and good guy well into good Mark Sainsbury. Let's talk
about something that a lot of listeners didn't agree with
me this week. This week I said miss Gimmings' sentence
to sentence was which was nine months home detention. I
thought was fair and reasonable. Very very few listeners, very
(18:22):
very few texts agreed with me. I'll start with you, Kerry.
Is this simply fair or unfair?
Speaker 4 (18:28):
I think it's unfair. I think there is a greater
standard when you stand for public office, or you're in
the police or any of those services where you are
giving back to the public. And I think he should
have got a custodial sentence. And I appreciate there could
have been a risk so that I had to put
him in detention, you know, solitary confinement, and it would
(18:49):
have cost us a lot, but he should have the
privileges of being at home in his own home taken
away from him. I think he has abused the trust
for the police and now that has a ripple on
effect and other policemen are being heckled because of him,
and I think that's really said we have to trust
our police force. This is not America, this is not Canada,
(19:11):
this is not the UK. Policemen in New Zealand are
our trusted advisors. Security looking after us, and he's taken
a lot of that away for a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
We're coming to you live from Prefab and Mark Sainsbury,
We've got to have a bit of a reality check
here now. I don't know the last time that Dame
Carey Prina Gas has been to a prison. And as
much as I love you, I'm not putting it. I'm
visiting or had to look at it. That's not a
place you can put an ex high profile cop and
expect I know, I know, I know he.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Shouldn't have done it, but I mean, is it a
death sentence? I mean, you know, come on, Mark, Yeah,
look I do agree with you on this. I mean,
there's no way they could put him into a prison.
He would have been dead meat. I'd have to be
watching him. This sill one hundred percent of the time.
And the problem is no one, no one has any
sympathy for anyone involved, especially in kiddy pawn and beastiality.
(20:04):
It just it just goes so much. But the guy
is I mean, I still come back to this. Here
is a senior senior peace officer using his work phone
and his work computer. The guy is, Look, I just
I just can't understand that anyone in the right state
of mind could do that. But I think you have
to look at has he got a life sentence already? Well,
he is absolutely shafted is in terms of his community,
(20:28):
his family, in terms of job. Who's going to employ
this guy? Ever? Again? You know, once you're you know,
said that the four is really quite, you know, stupendous.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
It's still going to be at home and the comfort
of his home, having a bear at night, having nice
meals cook for him. He is not going to have
to suffer like the poor kids that he was accessing
on his phone.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
How do you know he's not going to cook his
own meal?
Speaker 4 (20:54):
All right? Well, I know he has a big community supports.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Does Rex not cook his own meals?
Speaker 4 (21:01):
I cook my husband his meals, of course I do.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
But doesn't I have thought you were a bit fard
vigudar there, But.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Doesn't this can we want punishment? That's what you're saying, Kerry,
is that you don't feel he's been punished enough for
what he did.
Speaker 4 (21:14):
And he should have known better. He was at the
top of the police force. He knew absolutely what he
was doing and he should have known better. And now
he gets to sit at home for nine months. It's
not punishment.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
Well, I mean I thought about that over the weekend.
If I was locked up in my house and I
love my home. I love my home, But if I
was locked up on me the whole time, I would
do it tough. But I mean, it's not prison, and
I'm not don't look at me like that. You know
it's not prison, I know, but it's still you've still
got no freedom.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
It is. It is the soft option. I mean, okay,
no soft option.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Fuck.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
And the circumstances that if the first thing that goes
against the judge that left the way up is did
it did it warrant sort of more? Or it's the
risk of then if he goes into you become unmanageable.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Can I just finish the segment by saying a doctor
in capity who fondle people and kids, he got ten
months home detention as well. So I mean, listen, let's
let's get real on it. Take a short break. We're
coming to you live. The last show of the year
on Wellington Mornings is coming to you Live from Prefab Caf.
(22:21):
We're doing the Friday face off with Dame Carey Prenagaust
and Mark Sainsbury. When we come back, I want to
ask them about the importance of Avatar. How big a
deal was having that premiere in Wellington last week, Kid
Dame Carey, Printagaust and Mark Sainsbury joining us for Friday
Face Off, the final run of the year and we're
coming to you live from Prefab Now. The buzz is
(22:44):
really going. It's full and it feels like Christmas time.
People are wearing Christmas hats, people have got celebrations, They've
got little presents in passing to everyone. Everyone's in a
good mood. Deal seems to be a lot of love
in the crowd. And talking about good mood and a
lot of love in the crowd. Avatars per Year was amazing.
On the weekend carry Printgath I'm gonna come to you first,
Mark on this one because I know you're a bit
(23:05):
of a movie guy. James Cameron was there. It was
just an amazing show. Wellington felt like it was alive.
It felt like Wellington again.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
A little bit of Hollywood comes to Wellington. They love it,
you know, and it really was a buzz around the place.
We all over the weekend. I had friends who went
to the who went to the you know and had
a great time.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Did you miss the cut?
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Oh look I gave my seat up to someone more
deserving that Okay, yeah, but it did. It brings that
everyone loves that sort of Hollywood sparkle and everything like that.
It's a question of can we sustain it?
Speaker 2 (23:39):
And that's my concern carry because James Cameron did a
really amazing interview with Max Tolan and told Max that
you know, there might not be another one. You know,
the money's not there and the government is not sure
whether they're giving a love. What is your view on it?
Speaker 4 (23:54):
So I used to chair the Film Commissioner, did it
for six years, so I know a lot about this.
And the reality is that in other countries they give
discounts much bigger rebates than we do. So for example, Ireland,
the UK, Australia equivalent about forty percent. We give twenty five.
We cannot mix it with the other people. And if
(24:15):
you you know, happing to make a film, less people
are going to movies, so you're trying to cut costs,
you're going to choose a country where they're going to
give you a bigger rebate. And New Zealand has to
decide because the reality is the big end of town
when they come from offshore, they bring expertise and they
teach New Zealanders. So it works both ways. It sustains
(24:36):
our film industry during the wintertime when the big end
of town's not here, if that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Absolutely, And I can only remember a couple of years
ago where I was talking to a senior person from
wetter over a coffee and he said there was at
that stage three thousand people in Wellington from overseas. Now
that's not people looking for a job. That's not people
actually applying for job. That's high end, high intelligent, high
professional people in an industry and we can't afford.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Not to have that.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
And while they're here and work king they are training
New Zealanders. So the economic benefit is huge. So this government,
if you want films being made in New Zealand, you've
got to match the beg end of town.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
I mean, carry's quite right on that. My daughter's from
the film industry. Now, she went up to Auckland when
they were making that, you know, the Lord of the
Rings t series, and suddenly they did the first one
and then the Brett said, okay, we can give you
a bigger subsidy than you're getting there. They shifted the
whole production, the whole thing lost, and lots of people
had moved up. Lot of creatives in Wellington had moved
up to Auckland thinking that it's seven years work here.
(25:37):
It was great and relocating and they were left high
and dry. So the sad fact of the matter is
we have to compete. So someone else is offering forty percent,
we want that work here. We've got to match it.
I mean, the other on one hand, we have this
beautiful country. People love coming out here, but for the
big stars, it's still a long way away and you've
got a compensation. They do love it though they do
love it. They do love it, but it can it's
(25:58):
sort of not like you can just sort of whip facts,
so I think. And the other thing is we're going
to look at the long term future for film gaming
is the big area gaming is bigger than the film
industry and we and.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
We are very good at that is very big in
Wellington and this crossover, those creatives crossover, so we have
to sustain both industries.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
There take a short break the Friday fat than okay,
Mark Sainsbury it's got to be about the year, so
once your real, real hot and not for the year.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
I'll start with the knot neck. I mean, I think
that almost a year as the not. We just got
so down, so depressed, so dark the middle of that winter.
I remember the moment of standing the Woolves car park
with my barber Mark and Kilbernie and another mate in
the middle of it, going We're moving to Australia. You
just felt everything was on the was on the was
(26:54):
on the down. And I'll tell you what's restored my
As we said, things are starting to get better. But
I think keep thing of Biddy Harford, who were on
the tea among a hospice, such a good person, and
they were so so many brilliant people in this town,
in our wider area, and I had sadly, I had
a friend Ruth Tracy, who died in the hospice. She
(27:14):
had cancer, and I just looked at those wonderful volunteers
and the people who did stuff and restored my faith
in humanity. There are good people out there, There are
carrying people out there who've got a great community. And
I want to finish the yet just thinking of those
people and the good that they did for others, and
I think that's a positive way to go into the
next year.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Kerry prenagats, you look a little bit emotional. Go on,
give us your highlight and low light for the year.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
I'm going to set off the low light as well,
and I'm going to talk about an international one, and
that is the rise of hatred in the world. And
that was played out in Bonda last week, but it's
played out in America and other places in Europe. People
are being radicalized, sometimes online, sometimes by going to the Philippines,
(28:00):
and it is just unbelievable. They're not first generation. Some
of these people their second and third. For some reason,
they get radicalized. It's about hate and they do the
most enious crime. So I feel for everybody in the world,
and particularly our cousins in Australia with what they're going
through at the moment. And my good is we have
(28:21):
a new mayor and this city has got to improve.
We've had three terms one term mayors. This guy Andy Little,
it's got to get better for Wellington and already I'm
hearing nothing but positive things about him. In fact, I
told him yesterday he's doing a great job. He's got
a great chief executive and I think we're going to
see Wellington take off under his leadership.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Okay, and funny because I had the new CEO, Matt
Prosser on the show. Really good guy, really really good guy.
In fact, I almost want to ring him up and
go and have a beer with him. He's that good
a guy. And I saw him at the Premier year
as well, shook his hand. I mean, I really like him.
I think I got to get a good vibe of him.
Tell me just really quickly because we've got to go.
But what do you want from Christmas? Mark? What are
(29:07):
you hoping from from Christmas? I mean, it is Christmas time,
it's our final show.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Oh look, it's just it's been a hell of a year.
We're just We've got a whole bunch of different friends
and orphans and various others coming under Christmas. You worn't
want to have a bit of joy, just enjoy ourselves,
sort of stop all the worries, stopp all the negativity
and just relish each other's company.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
That's what I want from Christmas this year, Dame Carrey Prinagas,
what do you want from Christmas?
Speaker 4 (29:29):
It's about family? Seeing all of our family. My daughters
arrived from Germany with her partner. Everybody's going to be around.
It's playing Christmas carols. I spry all the time. It
doesn't matter which one I cry. It's about eating and
drinking and being the family that's got Christmas is oh and.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
You guys are family to me, so thank you for
coming and sharing your very valuable time on our last
show live a previous almost a tradition. We did it
last year too, didn't.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
We We did, we did.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
It's great yea and the great year. It's such a
tight shift. And again you Nick, great job, love your
interviews this year, love talking you're talking to the chief executive.
Speaker 4 (30:06):
A happy birthday and happy birthday from me as well.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
And here's a large present that Kerry and I just
chipped into, which is called love.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
That's all I need, all I need in my time
of life is love.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
It's all I need 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 FASAR with Coudovic Property Management, a better rental experience
for all. Visit Kudovic dot code on its head.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
It's seven minutes past eleven. That means it's Friday face
off time. Because it's Friday, We've got former willing to
mayor Dame Carey Prinagast with us. Good morning Carrie, you
as always as always, it's lovely. So you do I
have to call you Dame Carey or can I just
call you curriyoo tickety boom, tickety boom, tickety I like.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
To call her Dame Carey.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Wow, you're different.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, she said, Oh, you can't call me carry.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
That's because you didn't give row up on TAWA.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Legendary broadcaster and journalist Mark Sainsbury, Good morning and welcome morning.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
And very honored to be here on your birthday, Very
on it.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I kept that very quietly. I'm going to kill Piney.
I want to start off with something that annoyed to
hell out of me during the week, and this forum
is to discuss things that we discussed during the week
that upset our listeners and upset me. The dreaded sludge levy.
The councilor made another mistake their finances, and now we'll
(01:30):
have two extra add ons to next year's rates bills,
the sludge levy that was undercharged due to human error,
and the council need to find the money. Kerry prindagars
that wouldn't happen under your watch.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Well, I hope it never happened under my watch, and
I certainly don't remember that happening. What I do like
about this is that the mayor has fronted it. He said,
we're going to fix it. It's not going to happen again.
But how do you explain it's a human area era
GST inclusive rather than exclusive. What I couldn't understand is
(02:04):
how the head of Finance could say and be quoted
as saying that they couldn't possibly explain the legal advice.
That meant they couldn't find it from savings within council
and they're going to have to add it on to
everyone's bill. It just doesn't make sense.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
What no tell me you're an next mayor tell us
whether she could have told us or not.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
It doesn't sound like she said the legal advice was
so complicated she couldn't possibly explain it. So that is disappointing.
This problem has been besieged. This slush been besieged with problems.
It started off at two hundred million, it's now up
at nearly five hundred and.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Eleven half a billion dollar.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
How could it blow out so bad? And I'm hoping
under this new leadership, both the chief executive and a
new mayor, we're going to start seeing some cost control
proper business cases so we don't get these sorts of
things happening again.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Market. Market's all very well, and our listeners were very
strong on me because I said exactly what Carry says
good on the new mayor fronting it and taking it
on the chin, but a couple of Texas and a
couple of caller says, well, that doesn't pay it for them.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
No, And look, I mean, I'm with Carrie. I just
could not believe this, and I was dying to come
on this morning, so I wanted to hear from Carrie.
How often does this happen? Is this just something? Oh yeah,
other accounting era we do this all the time. But
it sounds not and especially as say the thing went
from two hundred to five hundred million dollars, you would
think you'd be even more careful with the detail on
(03:31):
how you were doing it and how you're implementing it.
And the bit that got me the most was the
head of Fire, the Chief Financial Officer also saying clearly
it's our era, so we're not going to be charging
penalties on this particular component. Gee, this have a round
of applause to the Wellington City Council.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
I think with the rates and creases we've seen the
last few years, those proposed to have this added on,
and yes for residential rate pairs, but for the commercial
rate pairs as well. This is really tough for everybody
and we weren't expecting it, absolutely no warning.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
And we didn't like the whole idea of the Rolls
Royce slugs unit that we had to get. We didn't
get just a sludge unit. We got the very very flashes,
the very very greenest and we were world leaders, Carrie.
Do we give a damn whether we're world leaders.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Not particularly, we want something that works, that comes in
on budget and under and on scope, not overscope and
over budget. Which is what exactly this has happened.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
We've just had the Finance Minister Nikola Willis on the show.
You know we're celebrating. I mean I think people should
celebrate the GDP numbers going up. You know, things are
looking good. I mean what does that reflect Well, how
does that reflect on everyday New Zealanders?
Speaker 4 (04:44):
The GDP going up. It's like a little green shoot.
It's fantastic and what it means is it will give
everyone a bit of confidence. Hopefully. It means they're going
to spend a bit of money, they're going to employ somebody,
they might buy something, and their confidence will go because
it's sure lacking at the moment. So I think this
is a great green shoot and let's hope it grows
(05:04):
into a big tree.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
It's almost timing to, isn't it. The sun starts shining mark,
we start feeling better about ourselves. We're looking getting ready
for the Christmas break. Just this week we get this news.
Now I've got a conspiracy theorist, but it makes me
do it does make me think.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Well, look, yeah, it's come sending for the government's coming
the right time. This Evan's going well, when's are going
to happen. When's are going to happen. You know, you
gave all these tax cuts to your mates earlier on
and we can't afford to do the sort of sensual work. Okay,
you know where that. But we've got to see some
things start to happen and all the sort of green
shoots business. You know, I've got a mate's and finance
and he said, well, it's almost the start of the
(05:44):
little tips of the green shoots are coming out. But
as we've talked about, it is all about confidence. If
people feel better and think things are going better, and
as care is, as they start spending money to start
and all these things get on a roll. But we've
been just been so bad and willington to share, you know,
just been everyone's been feeling down positive and even look
(06:05):
even in my business, you know, I mean, I've had
this terrible year for me, but already I've got bookings
the next year or conferences and things starting to happen,
and people with new ideas that wanting to develop. You
can sense already that it will be whether it's down
to the government or it's just the way things are going,
but things I think are going to improve next year.
And we've all got to be positive about it, you know.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
And then that's exactly what I said to the minister herself.
I said, you know, last year you told me that
it was going to be better this year, and I
had I believed you. I wanted to believe you. But
when she said the same thing to me again, I
believed her. Why am I believing her now?
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Well, because we've been through a lot of pain in
New Zealand last year. This year it's got to start turning.
And I think they're doing a lot to try and
improve the economy. It's their number one thing. Let's hope
that the screenshooters that say it grows bigger. It has
to turn around. We've been through a really difficult economic
period and Wellington worse than most. In fact, this week
(07:05):
we've seen that the business confidence around the country, especially
in auckland's doing really well. Wellington is still languishing. So
Wellingtonians get out there take this as a sign. Start
spending money, Go to go out for dinner, spend a
little bit of money and start thinking next she is
going to be better.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
What do you say to those people, Mark that don't
have that money that Carrie's talking about and I totally
agree with her and I support what she's trying to do.
But there's a lot of people out there that this
Christmas is going to be really tough.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I was just thinking about that, you know, as carry
was saying, and yes, you want things to be positive,
but for some people it's not. They've lost their job,
you know.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Or they're worried about losing their job. The next topic
I want to talk about. There could be a lot
more job losses.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
That's job so you're we've got the public servants and
those sort of things, so you know, they're then having
to compete for jobs, and that puts that fear if
you're going into Christmas inning am I going to have
a job? And then you haven't got all these commitments
for mortgage, you know, the banks are still on your back.
You know, that doesn't sort of it doesn't help. So
he's still got all your outgoings. So yeah, for some,
but it's always the way, isn't it. Some sectors of
our society and doing it a lot harder than others.
(08:07):
I mean, I've been to a couple of things around
this Christinas for people having a great old time. They
thought it was gain gang busters, but they are the minority.
So I always think we judge our society on how
you look after the weakest and the most vulnerable, the
ones that need help, the ones that need help, And
I think that's going to be the challenge next year.
I firmly believe things are going to get better. It's
how we scoop up those who have been left in
(08:27):
the weight.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yes, and that kind of concerns me, Kiriri. Does it
concern you?
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Of course it concerns me. It should concern every New Zealander.
We want to look after our most vulnerable. We're not
a good society if not everybody as little is rising
with a rising time, so I would hope that everybody's
going to feel a bit of this.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Now you work with a lot of organizations. You're on
the board of a lot of organizations, big organizations. Are
they all saying the same thing that we might have
bottomed out and we might be coming right. I mean,
what's the mood of the boardroom.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Probably what you just said, that there is a feeling
things are going to improve. Let me give you the
example of the ballet we've just done, a Nutcracker. It's
the first time that we have ever set a budget
for ticket sales of more than two million. We actually
set it for three million and we've surpassed that. So
around the country we beat the budget, including in Wellington.
(09:22):
So we took that as a sign that things are
starting to prove. People were buying tickets to go to
the ballet.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
And let's be fair, Carrie, and I want to be
really fair. The people that are doing it tough aren't
buying tickets to the ballet.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Well some of them are, and they're taking their grandchildren.
And I would hope that you thought about that as well.
But okay, three million dollars out of this economy to
take people to the ballet. I chair Wellington Opera. We've
had the biggest sales ever pre Christmas on any opera.
Our sales in Oceania we're doing okay, People's houses are
(09:59):
starting to move. I think things are starting to move.
I really believe that.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
In case you know, I run a thing called Men's Health,
weare I was going to ask you, and look, the
Master Builders have sponsored us ever since the started, had
been our own sponsor, and it's always been a struggle
trying to and I the one thing I loathe and
hate and you'll be used to this care. We're having
to go and ask people for money. You know, it's
a terrible thing both we all have to do it.
Believe in the cause. Really back. Now we've got some
I can't say anything yet, but a big corporate you know,
(10:26):
Big New Zealand corporate. Why can't you tell her who
was saying because it's not sort of signed and sealed,
the big bars SESTA, but they're saying hate. We really
liked this idea. We want to do something in the community,
and we're now looking at gearing up next year into
doing that sort of stuff. So to me, that's a
sign that things it does.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
And I chair the Tourism Industry Association, so twelve hundred members,
so everything to do with tourism, from air New Zealand
and Tourism New Zealand down the smallest Airbnb and all
that industry is feeling very positive about the summer. So
I've got my fingers crossed.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Friday faced off Dame Kerrey Prenegast and journalist and legend
broadcaster Mark Saint's former willing to meet. Dame Kerry Prendergast
joins us in broadcaster and journalist Mark Sainsbury for our
final Friday face off. National has announced a merger of
some huge departments, basically creating this thing called m Sir,
(11:21):
the Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport. It's a
merger of four ministries plus the local government Internal Affairs
kerry print of Gas. You've had a lot to do
with government departments in your lifetime. What do you think?
Is this a good idea? Is it too big? What
will get lost?
Speaker 4 (11:37):
I think what we've got now is a huge cabinet
and there's a lot of ministries, so this is about
stopping the duplication, the crossovers, all of those things. Every
time you think you're going to do something here, you've
got to consult this ministry or this ministry. So that
means there's a lot of people working in the back
developing policy and spending time working with other ministries. So
(12:00):
I agree this is about a rationalization. According to the
Minister this morning's paper, it's not going to be about
job losses. But I do feel for the uncertainty for
all the staff working in those current ministries now, especially
just before Christmas. I think that he's made a commitment
that he wants it up and running by July. The
thing about this one, our government's made a decision. They
(12:21):
have to do it quickly. It's not fair to drag
it out for the people, the emotional toll on the
people that work in those different areas.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Mark, we know Kerry can try and tell us that
there's not going to be job losses. She's going to
have her blue hat on that she wanders the streets with.
You're unfair, but true, so true. I mean there's going
to be job losses. And there's a lot of people
freaking out going into Christmas thinking, gosh, what am I
going to do?
Speaker 3 (12:45):
I mean, because otherwise what he's saying there's not going
to be. They're going to try and rationalize the saying
that all these sort of too much back off of stuff,
all these different departments, and you can bind them all
and we get so the idea. I guess what they're afterwards.
They want things to work better instead of things going
through multiple layers and off to someone else that's consultation
and off here and back.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Silo. They call it silo.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
They want to try and just smooth it all out.
But there's gonna be child losses. I don't know why
they say that they was trying to sort of hose
it down, but maybe that's what it has to be.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
Maybe it's about the people in the back offices that
are doing all that duplication and consulting actually going to
be frontline staff growing our economy.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Here are you.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Almost you almost seen in a straight face. Are usually
almost said it with a straight face.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Oh, she's gonna apply for one of those jobs.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
I'm gonna have a glass of water with that one, Mark.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
I mean, come on, well, I believe that. I think
this is about rationalization. There is too much duplication. That's
a waste of everybody's effort in time.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
I don't think there's any question about that. But just
come out and say it. Just come out and say
we've got too many people working for the government. This
new ministry is going to cut another five hundred or
another thousand.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
You see, you're starting a rumor it's gonna have twelve
hundred people, and there's currently twelve hundred people across those ministries.
That's one for one.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Well, I won't start a rumor, but I will definitely
I think you owe me a coffee from about three
years ago from a bet we had, But I don't
think there's going to be some job lossing somewhere along
the line.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Yeah, it's going to mean look if restructuring. I mean,
I don't know how many times you go through when
it was at TV and STEAD. I think we were
restructured during my time. And they'll change the name. There's
been more money on changing all the fonts and everything
on the LL some of us, some of us do.
But it's interesting it's sort of changed, I mean so much.
(14:33):
I was actually just Yeah, you talk about what's fit
for purpose. So they're looking at all this. What they
want is things to want business to work through, things,
less at hassles. But I can remember Rodney Hyde going
we're going to get rid of the rama when they
came in in a coalition government. God only thirty years
ago and nothing happened.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Hey, but we've got a new rama now we're going
through a consultation. It needs to happen because the impact
on business of the rules on the current one is impossible.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Can I just quickly ask you both before we go.
I don't want to get into this too much because
we've already talked about it in sport, but there seems
to be a real problem with the Phoenix in Wellington
at the moment. What is it five wins out of
thirty games. I mean they've just been taken over completely
by Auckland. Kira, you look almost distraught when I'm giving
you those results.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
No, I know about the results. I was on the
Phoenix board for the first few years. It's tough. It's
tough for Wellington. I'm not a believer that you blame
the coach. I do think the owner of Auckland Football
has stolen some of our best people. And it's tough
when you every time you get a star and you
pull a team together and someone poaches them. There are
(15:43):
a group of business people and Wellingtonian's behind the Phoenix
who've just got to make sure we continue to support
them even when times are tough.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Bill Bohley, you know who owns AC. I know quite well.
I've done for the number of years. But he did
the same thing. He got into ice hockey, you know
in Nevada, started the team. They nearly won the Standing
Cup in their first year. So he does the thing
with a just put so much resources and they get this.
There's such a vibe around that awkful team. You look
at even goes to the games and they're enjoying themselves.
(16:14):
And if you look at the home games for the Phoenix,
it's depressing. Why would you want to go along?
Speaker 4 (16:19):
You come on? It used to be like that and
Wellington so they first started and it was like that,
full stadiums.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
It was fantastic, like that Ethnic Park too, But we
don't have Ethnic Park anymore.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
Care but we've got the sky Stadium.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
So I think you've got to make it more attractive.
These all sorts of things with performance as well. No, look,
we're terrible, aren't we. We don't like supporting a losing team.
You have a team we just which were terrible.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
But you know what, if it was exciting and it
was a night out and the crowd got in an
open an atmosphere, we would get into it. We'd say
next time, there's.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Got to be a reason to go.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I gave it.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
All those things cost money, so Wellingtonians, you've got to
support it to give the owners and the management the
confidence you're going to turn out to pay the bills.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Can it turn around? Can Can you both say look
me straight in the eye and say you think it's
going to turn around.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Believe it can be turned around. I believed in the
passion of the others it can be.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
But I think it's a big ars anyway. You're taking
them the christ chitch anyway.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
Don't start that rumor what a terrible thing.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
What I just said that they would probably get bigger
crowds and be more receptive and people would get off
their backsides on a new stadium in a city that's
going places. Is that not the truth?
Speaker 3 (17:27):
I was the piney calling you out. All right, well,
but you've got to save yourself, okay, for them, for
the Phoenix, ask the question would they be better off
in christ Church as well? And TONI to go down there.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Carry's about to hit you.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
I'm not going to hit you. I think what no,
I think, Valentine is when you have something really good,
you've got to continue to support it. You can't take
things for granted. Please get out and support them.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
But we are, we are at the moment they carry out,
we are taking we are taking it for granted.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Right Friday, face off with Dame Carey Prendergast and journalist
and good guy well into good Mark Sainsbury. Let's talk
about something that a lot of listeners didn't agree with
me this week. This week I said miss Gimmings' sentence
to sentence was which was nine months home detention. I
thought was fair and reasonable. Very very few listeners, very
(18:22):
very few texts agreed with me. I'll start with you, Kerry.
Is this simply fair or unfair?
Speaker 4 (18:28):
I think it's unfair. I think there is a greater
standard when you stand for public office, or you're in
the police or any of those services where you are
giving back to the public. And I think he should
have got a custodial sentence. And I appreciate there could
have been a risk so that I had to put
him in detention, you know, solitary confinement, and it would
(18:49):
have cost us a lot, but he should have the
privileges of being at home in his own home taken
away from him. I think he has abused the trust
for the police and now that has a ripple on
effect and other policemen are being heckled because of him,
and I think that's really said we have to trust
our police force. This is not America, this is not Canada,
(19:11):
this is not the UK. Policemen in New Zealand are
our trusted advisors. Security looking after us, and he's taken
a lot of that away for a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
We're coming to you live from Prefab and Mark Sainsbury,
We've got to have a bit of a reality check
here now. I don't know the last time that Dame
Carey Prina Gas has been to a prison. And as
much as I love you, I'm not putting it. I'm
visiting or had to look at it. That's not a
place you can put an ex high profile cop and
expect I know, I know, I know he.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Shouldn't have done it, but I mean, is it a
death sentence? I mean, you know, come on, Mark, Yeah,
look I do agree with you on this. I mean,
there's no way they could put him into a prison.
He would have been dead meat. I'd have to be
watching him. This sill one hundred percent of the time.
And the problem is no one, no one has any
sympathy for anyone involved, especially in kiddy pawn and beastiality.
(20:04):
It just it just goes so much. But the guy
is I mean, I still come back to this. Here
is a senior senior peace officer using his work phone
and his work computer. The guy is, Look, I just
I just can't understand that anyone in the right state
of mind could do that. But I think you have
to look at has he got a life sentence already? Well,
he is absolutely shafted is in terms of his community,
(20:28):
his family, in terms of job. Who's going to employ
this guy? Ever? Again? You know, once you're you know,
said that the four is really quite, you know, stupendous.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
It's still going to be at home and the comfort
of his home, having a bear at night, having nice
meals cook for him. He is not going to have
to suffer like the poor kids that he was accessing
on his phone.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
How do you know he's not going to cook his
own meal?
Speaker 4 (20:54):
All right? Well, I know he has a big community supports.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Does Rex not cook his own meals?
Speaker 4 (21:01):
I cook my husband his meals, of course I do.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
But doesn't I have thought you were a bit fard
vigudar there, But.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Doesn't this can we want punishment? That's what you're saying, Kerry,
is that you don't feel he's been punished enough for
what he did.
Speaker 4 (21:14):
And he should have known better. He was at the
top of the police force. He knew absolutely what he
was doing and he should have known better. And now
he gets to sit at home for nine months. It's
not punishment.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
Well, I mean I thought about that over the weekend.
If I was locked up in my house and I
love my home. I love my home, But if I
was locked up on me the whole time, I would
do it tough. But I mean, it's not prison, and
I'm not don't look at me like that. You know
it's not prison, I know, but it's still you've still
got no freedom.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
It is. It is the soft option. I mean, okay,
no soft option.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Fuck.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
And the circumstances that if the first thing that goes
against the judge that left the way up is did
it did it warrant sort of more? Or it's the
risk of then if he goes into you become unmanageable.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Can I just finish the segment by saying a doctor
in capity who fondle people and kids, he got ten
months home detention as well. So I mean, listen, let's
let's get real on it. Take a short break. We're
coming to you live. The last show of the year
on Wellington Mornings is coming to you Live from Prefab Caf.
(22:21):
We're doing the Friday face off with Dame Carey Prenagaust
and Mark Sainsbury. When we come back, I want to
ask them about the importance of Avatar. How big a
deal was having that premiere in Wellington last week, Kid
Dame Carey, Printagaust and Mark Sainsbury joining us for Friday
Face Off, the final run of the year and we're
coming to you live from Prefab Now. The buzz is
(22:44):
really going. It's full and it feels like Christmas time.
People are wearing Christmas hats, people have got celebrations, They've
got little presents in passing to everyone. Everyone's in a
good mood. Deal seems to be a lot of love
in the crowd. And talking about good mood and a
lot of love in the crowd. Avatars per Year was amazing.
On the weekend carry Printgath I'm gonna come to you first,
Mark on this one because I know you're a bit
(23:05):
of a movie guy. James Cameron was there. It was
just an amazing show. Wellington felt like it was alive.
It felt like Wellington again.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
A little bit of Hollywood comes to Wellington. They love it,
you know, and it really was a buzz around the place.
We all over the weekend. I had friends who went
to the who went to the you know and had
a great time.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Did you miss the cut?
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Oh look I gave my seat up to someone more
deserving that Okay, yeah, but it did. It brings that
everyone loves that sort of Hollywood sparkle and everything like that.
It's a question of can we sustain it?
Speaker 2 (23:39):
And that's my concern carry because James Cameron did a
really amazing interview with Max Tolan and told Max that
you know, there might not be another one. You know,
the money's not there and the government is not sure
whether they're giving a love. What is your view on it?
Speaker 4 (23:54):
So I used to chair the Film Commissioner, did it
for six years, so I know a lot about this.
And the reality is that in other countries they give
discounts much bigger rebates than we do. So for example, Ireland,
the UK, Australia equivalent about forty percent. We give twenty five.
We cannot mix it with the other people. And if
(24:15):
you you know, happing to make a film, less people
are going to movies, so you're trying to cut costs,
you're going to choose a country where they're going to
give you a bigger rebate. And New Zealand has to
decide because the reality is the big end of town
when they come from offshore, they bring expertise and they
teach New Zealanders. So it works both ways. It sustains
(24:36):
our film industry during the wintertime when the big end
of town's not here, if that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Absolutely, And I can only remember a couple of years
ago where I was talking to a senior person from
wetter over a coffee and he said there was at
that stage three thousand people in Wellington from overseas. Now
that's not people looking for a job. That's not people
actually applying for job. That's high end, high intelligent, high
professional people in an industry and we can't afford.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Not to have that.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
And while they're here and work king they are training
New Zealanders. So the economic benefit is huge. So this government,
if you want films being made in New Zealand, you've
got to match the beg end of town.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
I mean, carry's quite right on that. My daughter's from
the film industry. Now, she went up to Auckland when
they were making that, you know, the Lord of the
Rings t series, and suddenly they did the first one
and then the Brett said, okay, we can give you
a bigger subsidy than you're getting there. They shifted the
whole production, the whole thing lost, and lots of people
had moved up. Lot of creatives in Wellington had moved
up to Auckland thinking that it's seven years work here.
(25:37):
It was great and relocating and they were left high
and dry. So the sad fact of the matter is
we have to compete. So someone else is offering forty percent,
we want that work here. We've got to match it.
I mean, the other on one hand, we have this
beautiful country. People love coming out here, but for the
big stars, it's still a long way away and you've
got a compensation. They do love it though they do
love it. They do love it, but it can it's
(25:58):
sort of not like you can just sort of whip facts,
so I think. And the other thing is we're going
to look at the long term future for film gaming
is the big area gaming is bigger than the film
industry and we and.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
We are very good at that is very big in
Wellington and this crossover, those creatives crossover, so we have
to sustain both industries.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
There take a short break the Friday fat than okay,
Mark Sainsbury it's got to be about the year, so
once your real, real hot and not for the year.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
I'll start with the knot neck. I mean, I think
that almost a year as the not. We just got
so down, so depressed, so dark the middle of that winter.
I remember the moment of standing the Woolves car park
with my barber Mark and Kilbernie and another mate in
the middle of it, going We're moving to Australia. You
just felt everything was on the was on the was
(26:54):
on the down. And I'll tell you what's restored my
As we said, things are starting to get better. But
I think keep thing of Biddy Harford, who were on
the tea among a hospice, such a good person, and
they were so so many brilliant people in this town,
in our wider area, and I had sadly, I had
a friend Ruth Tracy, who died in the hospice. She
(27:14):
had cancer, and I just looked at those wonderful volunteers
and the people who did stuff and restored my faith
in humanity. There are good people out there, There are
carrying people out there who've got a great community. And
I want to finish the yet just thinking of those
people and the good that they did for others, and
I think that's a positive way to go into the
next year.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Kerry prenagats, you look a little bit emotional. Go on,
give us your highlight and low light for the year.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
I'm going to set off the low light as well,
and I'm going to talk about an international one, and
that is the rise of hatred in the world. And
that was played out in Bonda last week, but it's
played out in America and other places in Europe. People
are being radicalized, sometimes online, sometimes by going to the Philippines,
(28:00):
and it is just unbelievable. They're not first generation. Some
of these people their second and third. For some reason,
they get radicalized. It's about hate and they do the
most enious crime. So I feel for everybody in the world,
and particularly our cousins in Australia with what they're going
through at the moment. And my good is we have
(28:21):
a new mayor and this city has got to improve.
We've had three terms one term mayors. This guy Andy Little,
it's got to get better for Wellington and already I'm
hearing nothing but positive things about him. In fact, I
told him yesterday he's doing a great job. He's got
a great chief executive and I think we're going to
see Wellington take off under his leadership.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Okay, and funny because I had the new CEO, Matt
Prosser on the show. Really good guy, really really good guy.
In fact, I almost want to ring him up and
go and have a beer with him. He's that good
a guy. And I saw him at the Premier year
as well, shook his hand. I mean, I really like him.
I think I got to get a good vibe of him.
Tell me just really quickly because we've got to go.
But what do you want from Christmas? Mark? What are
(29:07):
you hoping from from Christmas? I mean, it is Christmas time,
it's our final show.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Oh look, it's just it's been a hell of a year.
We're just We've got a whole bunch of different friends
and orphans and various others coming under Christmas. You worn't
want to have a bit of joy, just enjoy ourselves,
sort of stop all the worries, stopp all the negativity
and just relish each other's company.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
That's what I want from Christmas this year, Dame Carrey Prinagas,
what do you want from Christmas?
Speaker 4 (29:29):
It's about family? Seeing all of our family. My daughters
arrived from Germany with her partner. Everybody's going to be around.
It's playing Christmas carols. I spry all the time. It
doesn't matter which one I cry. It's about eating and
drinking and being the family that's got Christmas is oh and.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
You guys are family to me, so thank you for
coming and sharing your very valuable time on our last
show live a previous almost a tradition. We did it
last year too, didn't.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
We We did, we did.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
It's great yea and the great year. It's such a
tight shift. And again you Nick, great job, love your
interviews this year, love talking you're talking to the chief executive.
Speaker 4 (30:06):
A happy birthday and happy birthday from me as well.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
And here's a large present that Kerry and I just
chipped into, which is called love.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
That's all I need, all I need in my time
of life is love.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
It's all I need 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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