May 14, 2026 • 32 mins
It's Friday Faceoff - Nick Mills is joined by former Wellington City Mayor Dame Kerry Prendergast and broadcaster and journalist Mark Sainsbury.
Prendergast discusses the success of the Phoenix Women's team who are preparing for their first grand final ever against Melbourne City tomorrow night.
Then the panel debate shutting the Kāpiti Airport. Would it be better if property developers took over?
Mayor Wayne Brown says we've spent $3 million bringing "tattooed pom" Robbie Williams to our shores for two concerts - the Eden Park show is not selling well. Should we be more selective with acts using the fund?
Golden Mile review panel is costing ratepayers $400,000 and have fronted the council to share their methodology.
What do we do with the Golden Mile? Should the review be scrapped?
And onto immigration. Paul Spoonley says it is not a political priority for everyday Kiwis. Prendergast and Sainsbury list their election priorities and how we should plan for successful immigration policy.
Then we hear the panel's hots and nots.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from news Talk, said B. Leading the Capital's conversation Wellington
Mornings with Nick Mills and Wellington Airport's bag stores and
big Brands at the Airport Retail Park in lyle B.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
News Talk said B.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Wellington's official week interview. It's Friday Fasar with Kudovic Property
Management a better rental experience for all.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Visit Kudovic dot Cote on ins.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Head dozen started by.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
It's Friday based off now. Mark Sainsbury, who is joining us,
has just had a little bit of an issue in
his life. Not you know, he's okay, everything's okay, but
he's running a little bit late, Grace says his will,
but flustered. Now I've known Mark Sainsbury since he was
twenty one years old, and I've never ever seen him flustered.
(01:01):
Kerry Prendergard, Dame Carrey Prindigarth, have you ever seen him flustered?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I haven't either. But as we get a older, we
get a bit more flustered. So maybe he's just he's
just realizing that he's not a spring chicken anymore.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
You know that. I'm just going to ask you that
because that happened to me this morning. A little thing,
little thing came across my text this morning before the show,
and I sort of started getting quite dark about it.
Thirty years ago I would have laughed at it. Is
it as you get older things affect you more?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
I think you do this anxiety can creep up a bit,
a bit more paranoid. We shouldn't because life's too short.
We should be making the most of it. So we'll
be really nice to him when it comes, and we
might give.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Them heart Curious because you've got a medical background. Is
it as you get older your emotions are stronger.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
I don't know that they're necessarily stronger. We get more
set in our ways as we get older, which is
always a problem.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
But does pain hurt? Just like little things upset you
more as you get older, I feel that they are
with me.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I do believe that as we get older, little things
take on a bigger proportion in our lives than they
used to.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
And this she should have been the complete opposite, shouldn't.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
They Well, when you're busy raising children and working, you know,
working really hard, perhaps they're not as big in our
minds as they are when there's just you and your
wife at home and something small and that's you know,
you've got nothing else to worry about, okay, like a
paper cut.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Thank you, thank you for that logic. Just quickly before
Mark arrives Wellington Woman's Phoenix team. You've been an advocate
for women doing well and then whatever they do for
your whole life, so this would excite you.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
It's amazing, it's wonderful. So I used to be on
the Phoenix board. I was think I was on there
five or six years when they were talking about setting
up a woman's team. It is amazing that now we
have not just an amazing women's team, but we're in
the final. So go, you've got to win this weekend,
but just to get there as phenomenal. But the coach
(03:01):
is amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Well, I just described her to you. I said that
she's a forty year old version of Dame Kerrey Printergard.
She is like you. You just want to be around her,
you know. We talked about it on the sports segment
just before. You know, I didn't want her to leave
the studio because I was I was the radiance I
was feeding off. I love that. I mean, I don't
(03:22):
often get that but I love it when you get.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Couts across when you see her interviewed, and when you
see her on the field. She is just you know,
energy on steroids. And her team will do anything for her.
I understand. And they've certainly performed to date, and let's
hope they perform this weekend.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
The games at six o'clock tomorrow night. Will you be
watching it? You and Rex be watching it?
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah? How good?
Speaker 3 (03:44):
It'll be amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I wonder how the owners are going over? Do you
think the owners will go? I know, I know that
you're personally friends with the owner.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I know and I know that the owner is going over. O.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Good on him, good on it. And I think that
we should have a shout out to him, right because
I know he and I know that I've had a
crack at him a few times saying that, you know,
not spending enough money. Well, I have crack it. I
have a crack at you. Have you got upset me enough?
Speaker 3 (04:09):
But you know so I can tell you for people
where we're talking about Rob Morrison, Lloyd Morrison, when he
was very unwell said to his brother, You've got to
save the phoenix. This was in the days of Terry
Sarah pisas you've got to save the Phoenix and Rob,
to his credit, did he set up a board and
(04:31):
they continue to support the Phoenix and now the women's
team and in the academy. He needs a shout out
because he does not just say he's involved, of course
with infantur, with Morrison and co. And at weekends he's
out and they're wrong or wrong? Is he is catching
possums to make sure the kiwi's over there, don't get
(04:52):
interrupted by possums. He's an amazing guy.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Yeah, I've never met him. I've tried to get him
on the show, but I've never met him, so I'd
like to meet him. But yes, I mean all credit
to him at a time like this because he is
behind the scenes. Harry isn't. He doesn't like me. He's
not out there shaking ads with tea boy do you
think of He's just.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
He's one of these people who believes in doing stuff
for the right reason.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Good job, good job there, Rob Morrison. Big shout out
for him and his organization and everyone that's part of
the Phoenix Woman's team. Take a short break. Mark Sainsbury's
in the house will start in a second with him
as well Friday face off with Dame Kerrey Prenagast and
now Mark Sainsbury. Good morning, Mark, Good morning Nick. How
(05:33):
are you?
Speaker 4 (05:33):
I'm good, And I just want to make a fulsome
apology because when you're your producer rating, I said on
the Dog's Sick, I'm held up. No, it's worse than that.
I'm such a political tragic. I've been up since the
early has it this morning watching the UK and the
race over where the Star is going to be dumped,
and I just completely got absorbed in it and then
suddenly realized the time.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
My gut feeling is he's not going to get dumped?
Is he going to get dump?
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Look not at them? I look, it's such a saying
he's got the numbers. But once that starts, once you
start getting undermine, it's just you never really recover, you know.
I mean, look you look at Helen Clark, who different
she was in opposition. They tried to get Ridvan, she
hung on and got there.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Yeah, Churchill, he was in the wilderness for a while
when he came back.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
But there's just that dissatisfaction, even just feeling just so grumpy,
and there's instead of coming it from all sides.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
So what you're admitting is you're a bit forgetful.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
You're cheapest. Don't stand on that. What are they coming
to this room for?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Well, I just say I've known you for probably forty
five years, and I've never seen you stressed or upset
or emotion. But I did ask Dame about this. Does
little things affect you more as you get older?
Speaker 4 (06:45):
Look, I think it's something you got to really watch
for and start getting agitated over things that don't really
meet it. You used to watch other people, you know,
you used to see your parents when you're growing up.
I'm never going to be like that, you know whatever,
And you catch yourself out doing it sometimes I think, minute,
I've got a little bit of tiny bit of use.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
It wouldn't normally affect me at all. This morning, before
the show does started getting all upset about it. I
thinking of myself, what the hell's going on? Right? Let's talk.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
You're just a new age men, that's all Cavity company.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
What did you say?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Nothing?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
What did you say?
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Well, you called yourself a new age man.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
I didn't call myself a new age guy. I wouldn't
be so presumptive.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
No, I want to talk about Cavity.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Yes, please, What do you think about the airport? I
mean these developers want to want to change the zoning
so they can make it industrial and domestic proper.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Really is regional New Zealand at the moment is really
hurting with the lack of flights. There's lots of airports
around the country that have been closed in New Zealand,
Scottishes with its engines, it's scott issues with fuel. It
can't afford to keep servicing regional airline. I mean Kai
Tire is closed. They really think New Zealand's going to
(07:57):
service Cavity when it's an hour from an international airport
called Wellington.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
But why does a service from the air Yes, it does,
it does. You're right, every day flives up and in
the morning it comes back.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
In fact, Jim Bolger's funerals that day of that absolutely
horrendous weather that came in, which there lies another tale.
But in any case, a lot of the people who
came got out by flying from Carpety to Auckland.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
But that's the small regional service rather than then and
then you when there's no competition. It's very expensive, isn't
it So?
Speaker 2 (08:27):
So I mean, what do you what's your view? Let
it go and let it let it be. You'd let
it go?
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Mark Sainsbury, what do you think? I'd love to keep it.
But this has got I mean, I'm just this is
like deja vus. How many times have we debated it
used to be huge.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
And it's gradually had its edge as chomped off by developers.
So I think, I mean, the reality is Wellington Airports
so close, They've invested so much in those recent ends.
I would just let Cavity go.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Wow, well, I'm not picking up the bill, you know,
So I guess it's I would like to see it stay.
But I think I acknowledge Garry's greater, greater knowledge on
this is the fact that if it just can't be
sustainable anymore, and the and the but against that, you've
got us going to major I only got two. The
major airlines are just ignoring the regions.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
I mean, I can't afford to service the regions.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
What about it as a backup?
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Is it a public good? Should a region be entitled
to some sort of people? And it's growing all the time.
I mean it's not It's the same size as rot
Rua or Nelson Now.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Capity, yes, but also doesn't get the airline services.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
I don't think that that's the debate. The debate is
whether they should keep the airport there for emergencies or
weather conditions or stuff like that. An earthquake in Wellington.
There's a lot of reasons why you could look at it.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
There is an airport at Palmerston, and of course we've
got the defense airport. I mean, New Zealand's tiny. The
problem we've got is that it's long and narrow, and
that creates some major issue for well ferry servicing the
Two Islands, rail and of course airlines. We all want
(10:10):
a hospital, we all want our own airline. We just
can't afford them with five million people, right.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Warren Buffett once said, I remember reading the thing. He
said he used to have a special eight hundred number
called do not buy airline, and whenever he was temped
to invest in an airline, look at us advice. Do
not buy airline because no one ever makes any money
out of it.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
It's how you turn an a set into a liability
if you own unfortunately. Yeah, yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
Yeah, let's move on.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Twenty billion at least for Auckland Harbor crossing second, it
seems to be going ahead. A lot of publicity not
advertising about it. Chris Bishop's been up there promoting it.
Obviously it's an election year and obviously they want the numbers.
We here and Wellington. Kerry's laughing because we both got
the news at the same time. We here at Wellington
have gone very quiet. We haven't heard anything about the
(11:00):
second Mount Victoria Tunnel. Did you know? Did you know
that Kerry wanted to wanted to one up meet today? Right?
Speaker 4 (11:07):
So you still have her on, Nick, I do, and
you still have her on.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
She wanted to tell the story kill.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
So I read the topics and I thought, well, I
had thought that the Mount Victoria Tunnel had gone quite
because they were sorting out their user pays policy. So
it's going to go ahead, but let's sort out what
the user pays policy. So I texted Chris Bishop this morning,
the Honorable Chris Bishop, to say was I right? And
he said, no, it's all go, Kerry, So there you go,
(11:35):
Mount all go.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
But I stole her thunder a little bit. She's looking
at me very strangely because we had Chris Bishop on
the show, of course, and of course I asked them
exactly the same question.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
And I hope he said to you. Kerry has already
asked me that this morning.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
I tell you it's really annoying. He knows someone who
works at transit. And I was saying that we're talking
about this about a week ago, and I saying, this
is never going to happen, and they said it is.
They said it is really, really.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Absolutely going to And as for the Auckland, I mean,
when you've got the Maya saying it's in the wrong place,
I mean, that's just going to slow things down, isn't it.
It's not confused Wellington, isn't it. Yes, I have what
do you thinkure way back well he was at university
with my husband. I think he can be crass, and
I think he can be objectionable, but I don't think
(12:25):
anyone can doubt he's in there for Wellington, for Auckland,
for Auckland, and he doesn't like Wellington. And I get
a weeny bit upset when he confuses is Wellington the
city with government which Aucklands always do. They always sold
well Wellington makes that decision, and it used to mean
that they, in my view, they were having a go
(12:47):
at Wellington city. He is, he said this morning in
the Baby he represents a third of the population and
the government should listen to him. He's got his own minister.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Mark Sainsbury. Have you met him.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
He used to be on the board. I think he
was deputy chair at one stage of TV and ZED
And I remember once Richard harml I got dispatched down
the department was having a board me the ed. We
were sent down as the talent or whatever you talk
to them. I meet this guy, Wayne Brown who's started.
We spent the entire conversation talking about surfing. He loves surfing,
goes out surfing all the time, you know, And he's
always been He's always had exactly the same attitude. Look,
(13:22):
you know, I'm an engineer. I know these things and
data dale and away and go, and so, you know,
never frightened to have an opinion.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
So that I'm a bit impressed. So you were Nana's talent.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
I'm saying, that's right, that's that terrible phrase. But yes,
not for long though.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Carey, while we're talking about Wayne Brown, I mean that
whole government fund for bringing shows and entertainment things to
Wayne Brown's jumped up and down about that. Hasn't he
He said that we're spending three million dollars to get quetude.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
I love it. He certainly knows how to get publicity.
He's upset that he didn't get the money for a
sale GP J sale GP and the number he wanted
was five million. And presumably there is a whole department
who does the cost benefit and decide it wasn't worth it,
whereas bringing Robbie Williams here was and they were going
(14:14):
to more than just Sortland, but to christ Church.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
So yeah, but the thing is Mark Sainsbury and this
is the facts of it. Christ Church is selling very
well with Robbie Williams because here's a new stadium. Now
we all know what we used to have. We used
to have twenty five thousand to the Hurricanes when Westpac
is it was called then First Open, right, we remember
those days, glory days. That's what's happening at christ Church.
If they had me us three playing ten guitars, would
(14:37):
probably get a decent crowd down there. But doubt Auckland sounding.
Auckland selling terribly. It's not a big deal. And have
they made a mistake on this?
Speaker 4 (14:47):
Well, he used to be such a big drawer card,
wasn't he Robbie Williams. And the other thing is that
I didn't quite work out how they do the money
on this, because part of this debate has been going
on a week ater this has been that dold Tait
you know what she was playing in Singapore, that's Taylor
swift By the.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Dollar's got them five years.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
So that's the sort of thing that it sort of
made me sort of paused to think.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
But if you think about that, right, and I thought
about that last night, knowing we were doing about in
the show, right, Singapore's right in the middle of everywhere.
I mean, you know they would have been doing Singapore,
bang on to Bangkok and then onto summer in China
into whatever. You know. Really, I mean we're at the
bottom edd of.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
The the mission, you know, to bring you know, Rod
Stewart here, it's a couple of million to bring the
whole It's not just Rod, it's everything that supports them.
And when you're in Singapore and you go to one
venue and you can bring all these people from the
region and you don't have to set up once, that's
very different to bring it to New Zealand, which is
(15:48):
a lot further away and you have to set it
up over to venues.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I mean, but that's the question. How would you feel
if this fund was used to bring somebody like Rod
Stewart to New Zealand? Would you think that would be okay?
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Do you?
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:02):
But as long as he went around New Zealand and
played in Auckland and maybe at the Mission and Wellington
and christ Church? Why not? Am I that old?
Speaker 2 (16:10):
No? No, no? Isn't it the promoter's risk and reward
to do that rather than us as sex? Because how
long has.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
This been happening? I mean people used to bring out people,
used to bring out stars all the time. They visit
here and do tours and whatevern.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
And now you can't afford to Look what happened in
the Wellington Festival. It's tough Taranaki, it's tough Mission these
The cost to bring these international stars to New Zealand
has risen so much. The ticket price just doesn't cover
the cost.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
It should be a little bit more selective of who
we bring in. Probably bring in new talent that's got current.
I mean, I can't. I think it's two thousand and
maybe even two thousands since the last Robbie Williams hit,
I mean that's that's twenty six years ago and we're bringing.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
But they've sold out the christ Church Stadium. Well there
must be people that are interested and they're prepared to pay.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
The ticket bright, but Eden parks as dear as a doornail.
That's not even moving, because I mean I did try
and explain to you that I think that just stayed
there as fully up through the whole procedure because of
what you did.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
And of course it will have an impact on our
own stadium as well. It's new and bright and shiny,
and the government's poured lots of money into it, as
has christ and they want to see things there to
make use of it.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Someone suggest this, Sorry, it's a bit of a tenent.
Someone suggested to me the other day. And you'll know this.
They can't retrofit a roof to Henry Stadium, can they. No,
that's just not possible.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
It's possible, possible at a cost, but the strength thing
that will be required to hold it up would be massive,
so it's not worth it. You never get a return.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
This person's idea was like a giant helium balloon that
you've just sort of float on and.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
That's been talked about a lot too, like like a
canvassy thing that yeah, suction, yeah, but like the new
petrol thing. Did you see that petrol holding thing an Auckland,
You don't know the new drug and that works the
same way as it fills up, it's empty and as
it fills up, the roof comes up with it as
it fills up. So when it's three quarters fall, this
is the big diesel holding tanks in Auckland that they
(18:16):
point reinstating.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
It's not Aukland with the greatest respect. It's actually from Garray, but.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
They didn't have a pipeline.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
It's up north somewhere cheap as having a crack today?
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Who you had a crack at me? Oh?
Speaker 4 (18:33):
Is it lucky? I'm here to mediate this.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Carry Prinder, gust Dame Carrey Print of US and Mark
Sainsbury in the studio. It's Friday, face off. We didn't
actually mention whether we'd be happy we're paying for this
twenty billion dollars second crossing. Is it our responsibility, the
whole in New Zealand's responsibility to pay for that.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
It is a third of the population. It is the
economic powerhouse for New Zealand. You have to be able
to get people to and from their place of work,
whether it's public transfert or private cars. We're wasting too
much time sitting in cars or in public transport that
can't get anywhere. So yes, a taxpayer should be helping funded.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
Yeah, I'm afraid, I mean as much as it cuts,
but it is. It is the economic power. It's the
survival or success of Aukland effects the rest.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
Of us so and it's State Highway one.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
It's an everyone's interest. Yes, and as long as say.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Same as they will pay for our tunneling to.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
As long as that's consusject.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
A lot of people were texting me saying, why are
you moaning about that they paid for transmission gully.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Yeah, right, the state highway they are responsible for stake.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
It changed my tune on it talking about state highway
something you know a little bit about carry and mark
because you lived in the city for so damn long.
The Golden Mile Panel has fronted to the council to
talk about the methodology and the impartiality and the objectiveness. God,
that's three big words, aren't they in their review process.
This is the new review costing four hundred thousand dollars
(19:59):
on the Golden Mile, so we have another review.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Ah.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
So the mayor I think quite rightly called them out
for their lack of impartiality and said they were going
beyond their terms of reference and making perhaps political commentary.
Their review hasn't finished yet, it's due in June. But yes,
four hundred thousand. Chris Wilkinson's a good guy. But there
(20:25):
was the accusation that there were organizations on the review
panel that have been involved with Let's get Wellington moving,
which was known to not get Wellington moving, but to
stop it or slow it down. How can a project
that was going to originally I think cost seventy eight
million go to two twenty million. It's unbelievable in the city.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
It's a year and a half later, so it's going
to go up from there.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
Of course the city can't afford it, so what can
they afford? What can they do? Courtney Place is critical.
Something needs to happen. It needs tidying up. There's a
group that I'm now involved with that's involved with the
private sector about making sure the edges are safe and clean,
that the heritage buildings are up graded. They want to
a private public partnership with the City Council.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Is this the Willis Bond initiative?
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Yes, it's great and building owners are really keen, and
I think if they're going to invest in their buildings
and they're asking the city to do their share in
terms of tidying it up and making it again a
draw card, a safe place for all Wellingtonians to go to,
I think it's great.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Mart I looked at your face when I read that
out and you were not happy.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
No. I mean it's just is there a single project
that has happened in Wellington over the last six years
that hasn't gone over budget?
Speaker 2 (21:43):
I mean, do we just have Taquina never went over budget?
Speaker 3 (21:47):
I believe, No, it didn't go over budget. It came
in I think on time and on budget. It just
hasn't delivered on its original business.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
And I believe maybe I didn't. I don't know this
for facts, but I'm getting into my ear that the
library did as well. Did it.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
I'm not sure about the library.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
No, I'm not sure about the library either.
Speaker 4 (22:05):
I mean, okay, so the one, the one definite project
that came in under budget isn't very useful.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Well, No, we are getting conventions in Wellington. They've got
that big space downstairs. They've got to keep trying to
attract things that will get Wellingtonians to turn out and
look at them. So there's a and the system is
coming and the Sistine Chapel.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
Did you go to that susteine check id? Was it
worth it? I thought it was great because I put
up I thought I'm going along to basically go and look.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
It didn't feel like it.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
But when you go to the Sustin Chapel itself, you
don't get to stay very long, and you don't get
to really stand and understand all the features you're looking at.
The plus about that where you were able to spend
some time looking at every piece and it was interpreted
for you. So it is tough, and it's tough at
the moment. You know the domestic which is.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
My gold and I'm coming well, I want to know
whether you want what you want to do with the
Golden mar Do you want to to scrap it and
walk away?
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Oh? Look, I think that they can't afford to do
the whole Golden mile. I think that's clear. I think
the numbers are the effort not to go ahead and
do the whole lot. I think the numbers are there
for them to do something with Courtney place.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Mark, you know, outside the beautiful work that Rex did,
Rex Nichols did on the front of the Embassy Theater
carry and rexted, which is beautiful and I walk past
it every day protest that whole development costs. You know
what I call the Tory Farno Corner now where they
started the Golden Mile, that was the very start of it.
Twenty five million for that little area.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Are are you including though all the road changes are
or just the planter boxes outside Capitol.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
And that's the road changes and stuff, But there's nothing
there was it really.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Be fair well lights and yeah they did dig up
the road. But everything costs. It's unbelievable, particularly if it's
not achieving what it was meant to achieve. So it's
a waste of money.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
And I think, particularly at this I think everyone and
you'd notice and can scape, everyone is feeling it the moment,
you know it is. Things are tighter I think than
they've sort of ever been, and so people are sort
of sitting at home trying to juggle their home finances
and then they have a look at something like this oh,
here's the scene that's getting out of control. On the
council spent you know, how many, how much.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
I'm a great believer and in times when the economy
is down that that is when local government and central
government should spend. But it should do it with a
proper business case, and it should come in under budget,
not over budget.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
We believe that Grace has done the research. The library
came in on time and on budget.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
There we go, we go, well done, Grace.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
We've got the facts. But I mean, twenty five million
dollars your front doors, in the front of the embassy,
at least you look at it and go fantastic. Great,
you look out the front, you say, what's changed twenty
five dollars. I've got to go. I've got to go.
You can have your point, But I'm not saying that
just because you're here, because I said it when I
was talking about it during the week. Everyone's saying Mark
Sainsbury and Dame Carey Prindegarsen this udio for Friday, face off,
(25:07):
everybody's saying that that that immigration is not a big
deal at this coming election. Well apparently, I mean, I
think from my people that ideal it is Paul Spooney
came out and went public and said it's not in
the top ten of priority for New Zealander's. Mark says,
we're coming into an election, where do you put immigration
on your list of concerns.
Speaker 4 (25:27):
I think it's low, and now I think it might
as we get closer to the election. Once it's whence
some gets started. I mean, I've got a lot of
respect fro undering Paul Spoonley journalistically for probably forty odd years.
He is the absolute expert in terms of looking at
demographics and attitudes and different things. So if he says, look,
this isn't ranking there at the moment, I certainly would
(25:47):
believe him. But you just got to look around the world.
Immigration is just about anywhere you go to, what is
the one polarizing issue, it's immigration. So if it's not
at the moment, and I think you're saying health is
the big issue, is that ye Carey was just I mean.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
We'd understand that, we'd how we'd go health, education, police,
we do it.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
It's such a hot button issues starting it, and it's
sort of tension all sorts of things that you look
at this, all the stuff over the recent Indian free
trade agreement, you know, which a lot of the industries
are saying this is a fantastic but it still came
back to, you know, crew jokes about Indians and buttered
chicken and that sort of stuff.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
So what we've got is the honorable Winston Peters. This
is one of his planks and he's guaranteed to get
votes because of it. New Zealand's population is not We're
not replacing a population. The fertility is too low. We
have to have immigration, whether it's fifty thousand or one
hundred thousand people, to keep our population stable. These New
(26:43):
New Zealanders are often they are so productive, they work
so hard. I'm involved with a rest home industry and
about half of our registered nurses are from India and
from Philippines. The Philippines, they're fantastic nurses. We need Our
seasonal work is tourism. We need migration. They've got this
new investor package now they're bringing people a few bank
(27:05):
ten million here. We need migrants. We are too far
away for boats to arrive. We're very lucky and Europe
is face like a completely different situation where people arriving
with no support and no help on to shores in
the UK and around Europe. So we need to invite
(27:26):
the very best migrants in New Zealand. Absolutely support them.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Do either of you know because I've did the research, well,
we did the research how these New Zealanders are living
out in New Zealand right now? Do you know where
it is?
Speaker 3 (27:39):
At a million?
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Yeah? Do you realize that's twenty percent of our population.
So all those things that you just said, which I
totally agree with that no one could argue with them.
Wouldn't they be a little slightly appeased of Kiwis wanted to.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Live here, but we I lived in England for two
years as one of my husband and he was bonded.
He came back. We came back. Most New Zealanders we
live so far away. We go overseas to get some experience.
If our families here, we come back, it's great.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
I just agree with it.
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Immigration is a competitive industry. I mean, the migrant, the
people we're looking for we all want. What we want
is we want the best quality immigrants coming in. People
going to bring skills and various things to hear and
it's you know, we're competing with Australia. We're competing with
European countries or the US. You know people Canada and
(28:31):
quite often you'd find people who did come here would
have been looking at going to several places and they
end up here. So we've got to make it attractive, Nick.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
What the what with all the utmost respect to you, Dan,
is that when you were the years that you went
into do oe, we did that. We didn't go to
Australia for a couple of years. We went to Europe
or England for a couple of years for our oe.
Now what's the problem that we have now or the issue?
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Not?
Speaker 2 (28:55):
The problem is that people are going to Australia and
they're not coming back and they won't come back.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Well famously there's the expression that it raises the both countries,
but I won't repeat that. I read the story about
the police. There are large numbers, and I guess what's
disappointing is we do the training and they don't get
bonded and they disappear straight away, and they disappear northern territories.
They get more money, warmer, better lifestyle, they've got family
(29:21):
over there and if we need to look at rebonding.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Well, I said that on this you must have been
listening to the show earlier the week.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Because everything you say, I said exactly.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
The same thing. If we bonded nurses, if we bonded teachers,
and we bonded police, at least we'd get them for
a while, you know.
Speaker 4 (29:38):
And the other issue, though, is you get there was
certainly a catchment of immigrants who come here. They get
residency straight across the Testament as soon as they can,
as soon as they can, and we like it or not,
this is seen by some as a stepping stone to
getting too hots and knots coming up the don't carry
(30:02):
printer of gus.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Let's start with you, because you've seeing reasonably fired up
this morning. What's your hots and lots? Please?
Speaker 3 (30:09):
So my heart is this year it's a one hundred
year anniversary that the Hikatier was built in Scotland and
it came out to New Zealand one hundred years.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
It's the crane.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Yeah, it's the only steam driven barge with a crane
on it that's still working in the world. It's down
on the waterfront. Please have a look. It's fantastic. Last
night it was launched. They need a fundraising. It needs
to get down to Christ's church to have its hull
repaired and painted and brought back. So one hundred years
(30:44):
and just seen you mention it before the embassies. One
hundred years old this year. Two amazing heritage items in Wellington.
What's not I'm sure the same as everyone, the fuel
crissis and what's it doing to unemployment and inflation in
New Zealand?
Speaker 2 (30:58):
Tough, tough, very tough, Mike says, for your hots and nots.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
Well, I'll start with the hots. And this is quite
an unusual one because I tuned into Parliament the other
night and we were watching the departure of Judith Collins
and I thought she actually gave a bloody good speech.
At the look she's she's a very polarizing person, you know,
but she's really funny on a one on one personal level.
(31:22):
She's actually very funny, very entertaining and everything like that,
whereas the old sort of you know, crusher Colins thing.
So I actually thought there was quite a good bookend
for her to the.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Final day to day too.
Speaker 4 (31:33):
Yeah, yesterday, David Seymour's on my not hot list. He's
just adding to this. What I think is seems to
be very much a sort of politically focused attack on
the media. I think it was disgraceful that TV and
Z left Mikey Sherman in the in the lurch as
they did issues. I mean, I've looked at some of
the stuff issues with but I do not that seemed
(31:55):
jem firing. It was motivated by political appeasement because they
the powers that be, weren't sort of happy. And then
you had David Seymour basically start talking about what they're
going to do to our n Z. They've got to
understand and the relationship have. They are not a management
role over arin Z, and there's the board there to
do that. And I just think it's it seems to
be an increasingly vocal attack on freedom of the speech,
(32:20):
on freedom of speech and on the media. Yeah, it's
media can really pass people off at times. You know,
all of us have done that, and all of us
been on the receiving end, but it seems to be
a concerted campaign. Great to have you both at Go
the Phoenix, Go to the Phoenix. Lovely to have you
both and it's such such refreshing to have you both,
(32:40):
and I have utmost respect for both of you.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
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. Leading the Capital's conversation Wellington
Mornings with Nick Mills and Wellington Airport's bag stores and
big Brands at the Airport Retail Park in lyle B.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
News Talk said B.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Wellington's official week interview. It's Friday Fasar with Kudovic Property
Management a better rental experience for all.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Visit Kudovic dot Cote on ins.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Head dozen started by.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
It's Friday based off now. Mark Sainsbury, who is joining us,
has just had a little bit of an issue in
his life. Not you know, he's okay, everything's okay, but
he's running a little bit late, Grace says his will,
but flustered. Now I've known Mark Sainsbury since he was
twenty one years old, and I've never ever seen him flustered.
(01:01):
Kerry Prendergard, Dame Carrey Prindigarth, have you ever seen him flustered?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I haven't either. But as we get a older, we
get a bit more flustered. So maybe he's just he's
just realizing that he's not a spring chicken anymore.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
You know that. I'm just going to ask you that
because that happened to me this morning. A little thing,
little thing came across my text this morning before the show,
and I sort of started getting quite dark about it.
Thirty years ago I would have laughed at it. Is
it as you get older things affect you more?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
I think you do this anxiety can creep up a bit,
a bit more paranoid. We shouldn't because life's too short.
We should be making the most of it. So we'll
be really nice to him when it comes, and we
might give.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Them heart Curious because you've got a medical background. Is
it as you get older your emotions are stronger.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
I don't know that they're necessarily stronger. We get more
set in our ways as we get older, which is
always a problem.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
But does pain hurt? Just like little things upset you
more as you get older, I feel that they are
with me.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I do believe that as we get older, little things
take on a bigger proportion in our lives than they
used to.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
And this she should have been the complete opposite, shouldn't.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
They Well, when you're busy raising children and working, you know,
working really hard, perhaps they're not as big in our
minds as they are when there's just you and your
wife at home and something small and that's you know,
you've got nothing else to worry about, okay, like a
paper cut.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Thank you, thank you for that logic. Just quickly before
Mark arrives Wellington Woman's Phoenix team. You've been an advocate
for women doing well and then whatever they do for
your whole life, so this would excite you.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
It's amazing, it's wonderful. So I used to be on
the Phoenix board. I was think I was on there
five or six years when they were talking about setting
up a woman's team. It is amazing that now we
have not just an amazing women's team, but we're in
the final. So go, you've got to win this weekend,
but just to get there as phenomenal. But the coach
(03:01):
is amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Well, I just described her to you. I said that
she's a forty year old version of Dame Kerrey Printergard.
She is like you. You just want to be around her,
you know. We talked about it on the sports segment
just before. You know, I didn't want her to leave
the studio because I was I was the radiance I
was feeding off. I love that. I mean, I don't
(03:22):
often get that but I love it when you get.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Couts across when you see her interviewed, and when you
see her on the field. She is just you know,
energy on steroids. And her team will do anything for her.
I understand. And they've certainly performed to date, and let's
hope they perform this weekend.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
The games at six o'clock tomorrow night. Will you be
watching it? You and Rex be watching it?
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah? How good?
Speaker 3 (03:44):
It'll be amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I wonder how the owners are going over? Do you
think the owners will go? I know, I know that
you're personally friends with the owner.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I know and I know that the owner is going over. O.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Good on him, good on it. And I think that
we should have a shout out to him, right because
I know he and I know that I've had a
crack at him a few times saying that, you know,
not spending enough money. Well, I have crack it. I
have a crack at you. Have you got upset me enough?
Speaker 3 (04:09):
But you know so I can tell you for people
where we're talking about Rob Morrison, Lloyd Morrison, when he
was very unwell said to his brother, You've got to
save the phoenix. This was in the days of Terry
Sarah pisas you've got to save the Phoenix and Rob,
to his credit, did he set up a board and
(04:31):
they continue to support the Phoenix and now the women's
team and in the academy. He needs a shout out
because he does not just say he's involved, of course
with infantur, with Morrison and co. And at weekends he's
out and they're wrong or wrong? Is he is catching
possums to make sure the kiwi's over there, don't get
(04:52):
interrupted by possums. He's an amazing guy.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Yeah, I've never met him. I've tried to get him
on the show, but I've never met him, so I'd
like to meet him. But yes, I mean all credit
to him at a time like this because he is
behind the scenes. Harry isn't. He doesn't like me. He's
not out there shaking ads with tea boy do you
think of He's just.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
He's one of these people who believes in doing stuff
for the right reason.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Good job, good job there, Rob Morrison. Big shout out
for him and his organization and everyone that's part of
the Phoenix Woman's team. Take a short break. Mark Sainsbury's
in the house will start in a second with him
as well Friday face off with Dame Kerrey Prenagast and
now Mark Sainsbury. Good morning, Mark, Good morning Nick. How
(05:33):
are you?
Speaker 4 (05:33):
I'm good, And I just want to make a fulsome
apology because when you're your producer rating, I said on
the Dog's Sick, I'm held up. No, it's worse than that.
I'm such a political tragic. I've been up since the
early has it this morning watching the UK and the
race over where the Star is going to be dumped,
and I just completely got absorbed in it and then
suddenly realized the time.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
My gut feeling is he's not going to get dumped?
Is he going to get dump?
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Look not at them? I look, it's such a saying
he's got the numbers. But once that starts, once you
start getting undermine, it's just you never really recover, you know.
I mean, look you look at Helen Clark, who different
she was in opposition. They tried to get Ridvan, she
hung on and got there.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Yeah, Churchill, he was in the wilderness for a while
when he came back.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
But there's just that dissatisfaction, even just feeling just so grumpy,
and there's instead of coming it from all sides.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
So what you're admitting is you're a bit forgetful.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
You're cheapest. Don't stand on that. What are they coming
to this room for?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Well, I just say I've known you for probably forty
five years, and I've never seen you stressed or upset
or emotion. But I did ask Dame about this. Does
little things affect you more as you get older?
Speaker 4 (06:45):
Look, I think it's something you got to really watch
for and start getting agitated over things that don't really
meet it. You used to watch other people, you know,
you used to see your parents when you're growing up.
I'm never going to be like that, you know whatever,
And you catch yourself out doing it sometimes I think, minute,
I've got a little bit of tiny bit of use.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
It wouldn't normally affect me at all. This morning, before
the show does started getting all upset about it. I
thinking of myself, what the hell's going on? Right? Let's talk.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
You're just a new age men, that's all Cavity company.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
What did you say?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Nothing?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
What did you say?
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Well, you called yourself a new age man.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
I didn't call myself a new age guy. I wouldn't
be so presumptive.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
No, I want to talk about Cavity.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Yes, please, What do you think about the airport? I
mean these developers want to want to change the zoning
so they can make it industrial and domestic proper.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Really is regional New Zealand at the moment is really
hurting with the lack of flights. There's lots of airports
around the country that have been closed in New Zealand,
Scottishes with its engines, it's scott issues with fuel. It
can't afford to keep servicing regional airline. I mean Kai
Tire is closed. They really think New Zealand's going to
(07:57):
service Cavity when it's an hour from an international airport
called Wellington.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
But why does a service from the air Yes, it does,
it does. You're right, every day flives up and in
the morning it comes back.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
In fact, Jim Bolger's funerals that day of that absolutely
horrendous weather that came in, which there lies another tale.
But in any case, a lot of the people who
came got out by flying from Carpety to Auckland.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
But that's the small regional service rather than then and
then you when there's no competition. It's very expensive, isn't
it So?
Speaker 2 (08:27):
So I mean, what do you what's your view? Let
it go and let it let it be. You'd let
it go?
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Mark Sainsbury, what do you think? I'd love to keep it.
But this has got I mean, I'm just this is
like deja vus. How many times have we debated it
used to be huge.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
And it's gradually had its edge as chomped off by developers.
So I think, I mean, the reality is Wellington Airports
so close, They've invested so much in those recent ends.
I would just let Cavity go.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Wow, well, I'm not picking up the bill, you know,
So I guess it's I would like to see it stay.
But I think I acknowledge Garry's greater, greater knowledge on
this is the fact that if it just can't be
sustainable anymore, and the and the but against that, you've
got us going to major I only got two. The
major airlines are just ignoring the regions.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
I mean, I can't afford to service the regions.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
What about it as a backup?
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Is it a public good? Should a region be entitled
to some sort of people? And it's growing all the time.
I mean it's not It's the same size as rot
Rua or Nelson Now.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Capity, yes, but also doesn't get the airline services.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
I don't think that that's the debate. The debate is
whether they should keep the airport there for emergencies or
weather conditions or stuff like that. An earthquake in Wellington.
There's a lot of reasons why you could look at it.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
There is an airport at Palmerston, and of course we've
got the defense airport. I mean, New Zealand's tiny. The
problem we've got is that it's long and narrow, and
that creates some major issue for well ferry servicing the
Two Islands, rail and of course airlines. We all want
(10:10):
a hospital, we all want our own airline. We just
can't afford them with five million people, right.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Warren Buffett once said, I remember reading the thing. He
said he used to have a special eight hundred number
called do not buy airline, and whenever he was temped
to invest in an airline, look at us advice. Do
not buy airline because no one ever makes any money
out of it.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
It's how you turn an a set into a liability
if you own unfortunately. Yeah, yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
Yeah, let's move on.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Twenty billion at least for Auckland Harbor crossing second, it
seems to be going ahead. A lot of publicity not
advertising about it. Chris Bishop's been up there promoting it.
Obviously it's an election year and obviously they want the numbers.
We here and Wellington. Kerry's laughing because we both got
the news at the same time. We here at Wellington
have gone very quiet. We haven't heard anything about the
(11:00):
second Mount Victoria Tunnel. Did you know? Did you know
that Kerry wanted to wanted to one up meet today? Right?
Speaker 4 (11:07):
So you still have her on, Nick, I do, and
you still have her on.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
She wanted to tell the story kill.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
So I read the topics and I thought, well, I
had thought that the Mount Victoria Tunnel had gone quite
because they were sorting out their user pays policy. So
it's going to go ahead, but let's sort out what
the user pays policy. So I texted Chris Bishop this morning,
the Honorable Chris Bishop, to say was I right? And
he said, no, it's all go, Kerry, So there you go,
(11:35):
Mount all go.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
But I stole her thunder a little bit. She's looking
at me very strangely because we had Chris Bishop on
the show, of course, and of course I asked them
exactly the same question.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
And I hope he said to you. Kerry has already
asked me that this morning.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
I tell you it's really annoying. He knows someone who
works at transit. And I was saying that we're talking
about this about a week ago, and I saying, this
is never going to happen, and they said it is.
They said it is really, really.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Absolutely going to And as for the Auckland, I mean,
when you've got the Maya saying it's in the wrong place,
I mean, that's just going to slow things down, isn't it.
It's not confused Wellington, isn't it. Yes, I have what
do you thinkure way back well he was at university
with my husband. I think he can be crass, and
I think he can be objectionable, but I don't think
(12:25):
anyone can doubt he's in there for Wellington, for Auckland,
for Auckland, and he doesn't like Wellington. And I get
a weeny bit upset when he confuses is Wellington the
city with government which Aucklands always do. They always sold
well Wellington makes that decision, and it used to mean
that they, in my view, they were having a go
(12:47):
at Wellington city. He is, he said this morning in
the Baby he represents a third of the population and
the government should listen to him. He's got his own minister.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Mark Sainsbury. Have you met him.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
He used to be on the board. I think he
was deputy chair at one stage of TV and ZED
And I remember once Richard harml I got dispatched down
the department was having a board me the ed. We
were sent down as the talent or whatever you talk
to them. I meet this guy, Wayne Brown who's started.
We spent the entire conversation talking about surfing. He loves surfing,
goes out surfing all the time, you know, And he's
always been He's always had exactly the same attitude. Look,
(13:22):
you know, I'm an engineer. I know these things and
data dale and away and go, and so, you know,
never frightened to have an opinion.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
So that I'm a bit impressed. So you were Nana's talent.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
I'm saying, that's right, that's that terrible phrase. But yes,
not for long though.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Carey, while we're talking about Wayne Brown, I mean that
whole government fund for bringing shows and entertainment things to
Wayne Brown's jumped up and down about that. Hasn't he
He said that we're spending three million dollars to get quetude.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
I love it. He certainly knows how to get publicity.
He's upset that he didn't get the money for a
sale GP J sale GP and the number he wanted
was five million. And presumably there is a whole department
who does the cost benefit and decide it wasn't worth it,
whereas bringing Robbie Williams here was and they were going
(14:14):
to more than just Sortland, but to christ Church.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
So yeah, but the thing is Mark Sainsbury and this
is the facts of it. Christ Church is selling very
well with Robbie Williams because here's a new stadium. Now
we all know what we used to have. We used
to have twenty five thousand to the Hurricanes when Westpac
is it was called then First Open, right, we remember
those days, glory days. That's what's happening at christ Church.
If they had me us three playing ten guitars, would
(14:37):
probably get a decent crowd down there. But doubt Auckland sounding.
Auckland selling terribly. It's not a big deal. And have
they made a mistake on this?
Speaker 4 (14:47):
Well, he used to be such a big drawer card,
wasn't he Robbie Williams. And the other thing is that
I didn't quite work out how they do the money
on this, because part of this debate has been going
on a week ater this has been that dold Tait
you know what she was playing in Singapore, that's Taylor
swift By the.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Dollar's got them five years.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
So that's the sort of thing that it sort of
made me sort of paused to think.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
But if you think about that, right, and I thought
about that last night, knowing we were doing about in
the show, right, Singapore's right in the middle of everywhere.
I mean, you know they would have been doing Singapore,
bang on to Bangkok and then onto summer in China
into whatever. You know. Really, I mean we're at the
bottom edd of.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
The the mission, you know, to bring you know, Rod
Stewart here, it's a couple of million to bring the
whole It's not just Rod, it's everything that supports them.
And when you're in Singapore and you go to one
venue and you can bring all these people from the
region and you don't have to set up once, that's
very different to bring it to New Zealand, which is
(15:48):
a lot further away and you have to set it
up over to venues.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I mean, but that's the question. How would you feel
if this fund was used to bring somebody like Rod
Stewart to New Zealand? Would you think that would be okay?
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Do you?
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:02):
But as long as he went around New Zealand and
played in Auckland and maybe at the Mission and Wellington
and christ Church? Why not? Am I that old?
Speaker 2 (16:10):
No? No, no? Isn't it the promoter's risk and reward
to do that rather than us as sex? Because how
long has.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
This been happening? I mean people used to bring out people,
used to bring out stars all the time. They visit
here and do tours and whatevern.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
And now you can't afford to Look what happened in
the Wellington Festival. It's tough Taranaki, it's tough Mission these
The cost to bring these international stars to New Zealand
has risen so much. The ticket price just doesn't cover
the cost.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
It should be a little bit more selective of who
we bring in. Probably bring in new talent that's got current.
I mean, I can't. I think it's two thousand and
maybe even two thousands since the last Robbie Williams hit,
I mean that's that's twenty six years ago and we're bringing.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
But they've sold out the christ Church Stadium. Well there
must be people that are interested and they're prepared to pay.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
The ticket bright, but Eden parks as dear as a doornail.
That's not even moving, because I mean I did try
and explain to you that I think that just stayed
there as fully up through the whole procedure because of
what you did.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
And of course it will have an impact on our
own stadium as well. It's new and bright and shiny,
and the government's poured lots of money into it, as
has christ and they want to see things there to
make use of it.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Someone suggest this, Sorry, it's a bit of a tenent.
Someone suggested to me the other day. And you'll know this.
They can't retrofit a roof to Henry Stadium, can they. No,
that's just not possible.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
It's possible, possible at a cost, but the strength thing
that will be required to hold it up would be massive,
so it's not worth it. You never get a return.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
This person's idea was like a giant helium balloon that
you've just sort of float on and.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
That's been talked about a lot too, like like a
canvassy thing that yeah, suction, yeah, but like the new
petrol thing. Did you see that petrol holding thing an Auckland,
You don't know the new drug and that works the
same way as it fills up, it's empty and as
it fills up, the roof comes up with it as
it fills up. So when it's three quarters fall, this
is the big diesel holding tanks in Auckland that they
(18:16):
point reinstating.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
It's not Aukland with the greatest respect. It's actually from Garray, but.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
They didn't have a pipeline.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
It's up north somewhere cheap as having a crack today?
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Who you had a crack at me? Oh?
Speaker 4 (18:33):
Is it lucky? I'm here to mediate this.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Carry Prinder, gust Dame Carrey Print of US and Mark
Sainsbury in the studio. It's Friday, face off. We didn't
actually mention whether we'd be happy we're paying for this
twenty billion dollars second crossing. Is it our responsibility, the
whole in New Zealand's responsibility to pay for that.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
It is a third of the population. It is the
economic powerhouse for New Zealand. You have to be able
to get people to and from their place of work,
whether it's public transfert or private cars. We're wasting too
much time sitting in cars or in public transport that
can't get anywhere. So yes, a taxpayer should be helping funded.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
Yeah, I'm afraid, I mean as much as it cuts,
but it is. It is the economic power. It's the
survival or success of Aukland effects the rest.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
Of us so and it's State Highway one.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
It's an everyone's interest. Yes, and as long as say.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Same as they will pay for our tunneling to.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
As long as that's consusject.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
A lot of people were texting me saying, why are
you moaning about that they paid for transmission gully.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Yeah, right, the state highway they are responsible for stake.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
It changed my tune on it talking about state highway
something you know a little bit about carry and mark
because you lived in the city for so damn long.
The Golden Mile Panel has fronted to the council to
talk about the methodology and the impartiality and the objectiveness. God,
that's three big words, aren't they in their review process.
This is the new review costing four hundred thousand dollars
(19:59):
on the Golden Mile, so we have another review.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Ah.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
So the mayor I think quite rightly called them out
for their lack of impartiality and said they were going
beyond their terms of reference and making perhaps political commentary.
Their review hasn't finished yet, it's due in June. But yes,
four hundred thousand. Chris Wilkinson's a good guy. But there
(20:25):
was the accusation that there were organizations on the review
panel that have been involved with Let's get Wellington moving,
which was known to not get Wellington moving, but to
stop it or slow it down. How can a project
that was going to originally I think cost seventy eight
million go to two twenty million. It's unbelievable in the city.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
It's a year and a half later, so it's going
to go up from there.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
Of course the city can't afford it, so what can
they afford? What can they do? Courtney Place is critical.
Something needs to happen. It needs tidying up. There's a
group that I'm now involved with that's involved with the
private sector about making sure the edges are safe and clean,
that the heritage buildings are up graded. They want to
a private public partnership with the City Council.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Is this the Willis Bond initiative?
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Yes, it's great and building owners are really keen, and
I think if they're going to invest in their buildings
and they're asking the city to do their share in
terms of tidying it up and making it again a
draw card, a safe place for all Wellingtonians to go to,
I think it's great.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Mart I looked at your face when I read that
out and you were not happy.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
No. I mean it's just is there a single project
that has happened in Wellington over the last six years
that hasn't gone over budget?
Speaker 2 (21:43):
I mean, do we just have Taquina never went over budget?
Speaker 3 (21:47):
I believe, No, it didn't go over budget. It came
in I think on time and on budget. It just
hasn't delivered on its original business.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
And I believe maybe I didn't. I don't know this
for facts, but I'm getting into my ear that the
library did as well. Did it.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
I'm not sure about the library.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
No, I'm not sure about the library either.
Speaker 4 (22:05):
I mean, okay, so the one, the one definite project
that came in under budget isn't very useful.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Well, No, we are getting conventions in Wellington. They've got
that big space downstairs. They've got to keep trying to
attract things that will get Wellingtonians to turn out and
look at them. So there's a and the system is
coming and the Sistine Chapel.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
Did you go to that susteine check id? Was it
worth it? I thought it was great because I put
up I thought I'm going along to basically go and look.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
It didn't feel like it.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
But when you go to the Sustin Chapel itself, you
don't get to stay very long, and you don't get
to really stand and understand all the features you're looking at.
The plus about that where you were able to spend
some time looking at every piece and it was interpreted
for you. So it is tough, and it's tough at
the moment. You know the domestic which is.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
My gold and I'm coming well, I want to know
whether you want what you want to do with the
Golden mar Do you want to to scrap it and
walk away?
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Oh? Look, I think that they can't afford to do
the whole Golden mile. I think that's clear. I think
the numbers are the effort not to go ahead and
do the whole lot. I think the numbers are there
for them to do something with Courtney place.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Mark, you know, outside the beautiful work that Rex did,
Rex Nichols did on the front of the Embassy Theater
carry and rexted, which is beautiful and I walk past
it every day protest that whole development costs. You know
what I call the Tory Farno Corner now where they
started the Golden Mile, that was the very start of it.
Twenty five million for that little area.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Are are you including though all the road changes are
or just the planter boxes outside Capitol.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
And that's the road changes and stuff, But there's nothing
there was it really.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Be fair well lights and yeah they did dig up
the road. But everything costs. It's unbelievable, particularly if it's
not achieving what it was meant to achieve. So it's
a waste of money.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
And I think, particularly at this I think everyone and
you'd notice and can scape, everyone is feeling it the moment,
you know it is. Things are tighter I think than
they've sort of ever been, and so people are sort
of sitting at home trying to juggle their home finances
and then they have a look at something like this oh,
here's the scene that's getting out of control. On the
council spent you know, how many, how much.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
I'm a great believer and in times when the economy
is down that that is when local government and central
government should spend. But it should do it with a
proper business case, and it should come in under budget,
not over budget.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
We believe that Grace has done the research. The library
came in on time and on budget.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
There we go, we go, well done, Grace.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
We've got the facts. But I mean, twenty five million
dollars your front doors, in the front of the embassy,
at least you look at it and go fantastic. Great,
you look out the front, you say, what's changed twenty
five dollars. I've got to go. I've got to go.
You can have your point, But I'm not saying that
just because you're here, because I said it when I
was talking about it during the week. Everyone's saying Mark
Sainsbury and Dame Carey Prindegarsen this udio for Friday, face off,
(25:07):
everybody's saying that that that immigration is not a big
deal at this coming election. Well apparently, I mean, I
think from my people that ideal it is Paul Spooney
came out and went public and said it's not in
the top ten of priority for New Zealander's. Mark says,
we're coming into an election, where do you put immigration
on your list of concerns.
Speaker 4 (25:27):
I think it's low, and now I think it might
as we get closer to the election. Once it's whence
some gets started. I mean, I've got a lot of
respect fro undering Paul Spoonley journalistically for probably forty odd years.
He is the absolute expert in terms of looking at
demographics and attitudes and different things. So if he says, look,
this isn't ranking there at the moment, I certainly would
(25:47):
believe him. But you just got to look around the world.
Immigration is just about anywhere you go to, what is
the one polarizing issue, it's immigration. So if it's not
at the moment, and I think you're saying health is
the big issue, is that ye Carey was just I mean.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
We'd understand that, we'd how we'd go health, education, police,
we do it.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
It's such a hot button issues starting it, and it's
sort of tension all sorts of things that you look
at this, all the stuff over the recent Indian free
trade agreement, you know, which a lot of the industries
are saying this is a fantastic but it still came
back to, you know, crew jokes about Indians and buttered
chicken and that sort of stuff.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
So what we've got is the honorable Winston Peters. This
is one of his planks and he's guaranteed to get
votes because of it. New Zealand's population is not We're
not replacing a population. The fertility is too low. We
have to have immigration, whether it's fifty thousand or one
hundred thousand people, to keep our population stable. These New
(26:43):
New Zealanders are often they are so productive, they work
so hard. I'm involved with a rest home industry and
about half of our registered nurses are from India and
from Philippines. The Philippines, they're fantastic nurses. We need Our
seasonal work is tourism. We need migration. They've got this
new investor package now they're bringing people a few bank
(27:05):
ten million here. We need migrants. We are too far
away for boats to arrive. We're very lucky and Europe
is face like a completely different situation where people arriving
with no support and no help on to shores in
the UK and around Europe. So we need to invite
(27:26):
the very best migrants in New Zealand. Absolutely support them.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Do either of you know because I've did the research, well,
we did the research how these New Zealanders are living
out in New Zealand right now? Do you know where
it is?
Speaker 3 (27:39):
At a million?
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Yeah? Do you realize that's twenty percent of our population.
So all those things that you just said, which I
totally agree with that no one could argue with them.
Wouldn't they be a little slightly appeased of Kiwis wanted to.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Live here, but we I lived in England for two
years as one of my husband and he was bonded.
He came back. We came back. Most New Zealanders we
live so far away. We go overseas to get some experience.
If our families here, we come back, it's great.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
I just agree with it.
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Immigration is a competitive industry. I mean, the migrant, the
people we're looking for we all want. What we want
is we want the best quality immigrants coming in. People
going to bring skills and various things to hear and
it's you know, we're competing with Australia. We're competing with
European countries or the US. You know people Canada and
(28:31):
quite often you'd find people who did come here would
have been looking at going to several places and they
end up here. So we've got to make it attractive, Nick.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
What the what with all the utmost respect to you, Dan,
is that when you were the years that you went
into do oe, we did that. We didn't go to
Australia for a couple of years. We went to Europe
or England for a couple of years for our oe.
Now what's the problem that we have now or the issue?
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Not?
Speaker 2 (28:55):
The problem is that people are going to Australia and
they're not coming back and they won't come back.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Well famously there's the expression that it raises the both countries,
but I won't repeat that. I read the story about
the police. There are large numbers, and I guess what's
disappointing is we do the training and they don't get
bonded and they disappear straight away, and they disappear northern territories.
They get more money, warmer, better lifestyle, they've got family
(29:21):
over there and if we need to look at rebonding.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Well, I said that on this you must have been
listening to the show earlier the week.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Because everything you say, I said exactly.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
The same thing. If we bonded nurses, if we bonded teachers,
and we bonded police, at least we'd get them for
a while, you know.
Speaker 4 (29:38):
And the other issue, though, is you get there was
certainly a catchment of immigrants who come here. They get
residency straight across the Testament as soon as they can,
as soon as they can, and we like it or not,
this is seen by some as a stepping stone to
getting too hots and knots coming up the don't carry
(30:02):
printer of gus.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Let's start with you, because you've seeing reasonably fired up
this morning. What's your hots and lots? Please?
Speaker 3 (30:09):
So my heart is this year it's a one hundred
year anniversary that the Hikatier was built in Scotland and
it came out to New Zealand one hundred years.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
It's the crane.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Yeah, it's the only steam driven barge with a crane
on it that's still working in the world. It's down
on the waterfront. Please have a look. It's fantastic. Last
night it was launched. They need a fundraising. It needs
to get down to Christ's church to have its hull
repaired and painted and brought back. So one hundred years
(30:44):
and just seen you mention it before the embassies. One
hundred years old this year. Two amazing heritage items in Wellington.
What's not I'm sure the same as everyone, the fuel
crissis and what's it doing to unemployment and inflation in
New Zealand?
Speaker 2 (30:58):
Tough, tough, very tough, Mike says, for your hots and nots.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
Well, I'll start with the hots. And this is quite
an unusual one because I tuned into Parliament the other
night and we were watching the departure of Judith Collins
and I thought she actually gave a bloody good speech.
At the look she's she's a very polarizing person, you know,
but she's really funny on a one on one personal level.
(31:22):
She's actually very funny, very entertaining and everything like that,
whereas the old sort of you know, crusher Colins thing.
So I actually thought there was quite a good bookend
for her to the.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Final day to day too.
Speaker 4 (31:33):
Yeah, yesterday, David Seymour's on my not hot list. He's
just adding to this. What I think is seems to
be very much a sort of politically focused attack on
the media. I think it was disgraceful that TV and
Z left Mikey Sherman in the in the lurch as
they did issues. I mean, I've looked at some of
the stuff issues with but I do not that seemed
(31:55):
jem firing. It was motivated by political appeasement because they
the powers that be, weren't sort of happy. And then
you had David Seymour basically start talking about what they're
going to do to our n Z. They've got to
understand and the relationship have. They are not a management
role over arin Z, and there's the board there to
do that. And I just think it's it seems to
be an increasingly vocal attack on freedom of the speech,
(32:20):
on freedom of speech and on the media. Yeah, it's
media can really pass people off at times. You know,
all of us have done that, and all of us
been on the receiving end, but it seems to be
a concerted campaign. Great to have you both at Go
the Phoenix, Go to the Phoenix. Lovely to have you
both and it's such such refreshing to have you both,
(32:40):
and I have utmost respect for both of you.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
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
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Bleep! with Ana Navarro
Fear thrives in silence and confusion. Ana Navarro rejects both. Her voice is an antidote to today’s chaos. Her new podcast, Bleep! with Ana Navarro, takes on today’s most pressing issues with the voices most connected to it: decision-makers, political leaders, cultural shapers, and people on the frontlines of the story. The conversations acknowledge the emotions we all feel—despair, sadness, fear— but emerge with knowledge, perspective, and hope. The belief is simple: fearless dialogue can transform fear into courage, and courage into change. When fear dominates the headlines, this show digs deeper. Because information, debate, and conversation don’t just ease fear, they give us power to shape the future.
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.