October 12, 2025 • 33 mins
We head to the greater Wellington regional local election results on Wellington Mornings.
Nick Mills talks with the new mayor-elects of the greater Wellington region. He talks with Ken Laben - Hutt City, Anita Baker - Porirua City, Peri Zee - Upper Hutt and Janet Holborow - Kapiti.
They touch on the race has been, their hopes for their cities, how they will handle the councils, their thoughts on voter turnout and amalgamation of the councils as well as their top priorities for the next three years.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News talks'd B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We had Mayor elect of Hut City, Ken Laban in
the studio Hellofalloa.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Good morning, Nick. It wants to be with you and
your listeners.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
When I first heard that you had got the numbers,
I thought of one person, Passey Daniels.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
A very special man, a legend, a legendary member of
the hospitality industry here, but one of the probably I think,
the first Pacific Islander to own a business sending the
famous purple onion. Many of our older listeners tuning in
this morning would be would be familiar with and Uncle Pussy,
(00:54):
who just passed away not that long ago. The youngest
brother of my mother was from the same village in
some Moour, some Moore, of course, Nick, where your parents
taught for five years, not that long ago. And he's
a man who's memory and whose legacy both you and
I given our relationship with him, given minds of blood
(01:14):
relationship and yours as a friendship, his influence on my
life will never be forgotten.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
And what would he think right now?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
He would be very proud the area that he worked
in and of course, those were in the days where
you know the drag queens, they were all in closets.
In those days, they were looked down upon, some of
some of the treatment. It's a very far cry from
where we are today with our attitude towards LGBTQ and
(01:44):
more respect we have for more inclusive society that we
live in that wasn't like that in the nineteen seventies.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
And you can, I just interrupt there you were in
team policing at that period of time. Now for our
listeners that don't know what team policing were, they were
the toughest, hardest cops that they could find from anywhere
around the country, brought into a group of twelve of
them and they go from place to place sorting things out.
And you'd have to do that with the Pacific Island
(02:12):
community now, I know through my own experience that was
really really tough on you.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
It was especially some of those bars because those are
also nick Those were the days of ten o'clock closing,
where the culture was we would go everybody would go
out at ten o'clock at night. Then they would hit
to the clubs and then the clubs were closed in
the early hours of the morning and then they would
hit to the strip clubs. That was you know, I'm
not judging anybody. That was just the way of the world.
(02:39):
That was what was available in terms of our hospitality
options back in those days and the establishment of the
ten Policing Unit in the seventies. And there were bars
around Willington, as you know, Nick that were notorious for
its clientele, crime, crime, and most importantly at ten o'clock
at night, some of them weren't ready to leave.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
But what I'm trying to get to is this, you
were the first. You were the only Polinesian guy there.
Let's be real, they were. They were all big white
rugby locks and big tough guys.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
The Murray Pearce, Juard Wilkinson, Steve Hines. Yes, they were. Indeed,
there weren't a lot of Pacific Island. Wasn't many Pacific
Island in the police no period.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
So you're first in there, commentate TV commentary on Sky
you know, first Polynesian to make it bigger than that.
Now you've become the mayor of a city.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
It's been a very humbling journey. The support that's that
I've received, not only of it the course of the
campaign in the last couple of months. But you know,
most of the listeners will be very familiar with who
my family is, their work, their service and their commitment
to the community. And it's hard for me not to
not to have any of that impacting on me when
I when I grew up with all of that around me. So,
(03:56):
you know, service in the community, public service, that essentially
has been my life.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
And Winnie, we've got to mention Dame Winnie, your sister.
I mean, you know, that's been a She's been a
huge influence in your family.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
She has been the social conscience of the of the
Labor family and of course ten years and Helen Clark
government and a minister as well, Minister Pacific Island Affairs
and in the community and involuntary so she's made a
significant contribution to New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
What are you going to do differently in Hut City?
Do you like being called Hut City or is it Lowerhart?
To me, it's still lower Heart.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Yeah, most people, well we've known it longer as Lower
Hut have been. Hut City has come along more in
recent times. That balance between commercial and business success alongside
social connection cohesion something that we all strive.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
For Can the two run hand in hand? I mean
this is where I get frustrated. People think you're either
left or right. Can they work hand in hand? Can
we look after business so they are a success, but
look after those that need help.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Or those that need help, need housing and it's the
commercial developers that build houses. So understanding the connect between
the two is very important. Those that are in the
business and the hospitality area, if they want to succeed,
they need people and we need to create reasons and
genuine events that will bring people to the area where
the hospitality can thrive. And that's going to be a
(05:31):
very strong focus for me over the next three years.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
I do business with some people that are very big
business people in Haut City. They've always felt that the
council's reasonably problematic as well. Not quite as bad as Wellington,
but problematic. Don't want to say yes or want to
charge too much for rubbish collections or systems in place
when they want to build multi multi units.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
We have to be open for open for dialogue and
open for debate. We have to listen to people who
make significant contributions that can influence life and the heart
for the positive and we need to make sure that
we create the right environment. So if there is concerns
and if there is frustration with people dealing with counsels,
that will be something obviously, Nick I would need to
(06:18):
address early.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Are you going to be a guy that's going to
have his door open? Are you going to be you know,
happy for people to knock on your door and say,
can I need to talk to you about this? Are
you one of those guys?
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Nick? I can't unerring the bell. I am. I am
what I am. People have always had, People have always
had easy access to me, regardless of whether the Mayor's
doors opened or closed. People are always going to be
welcome and I'll be very happy to see them.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
What do you want your legacy to be? What do
you want? I mean, you've succeeded unlike a lot of people,
You've succeeded in everything that you've put your toes into.
What do you want to succeed with your legacy as
mayor of hutsiy.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I hope that when we look back on in three
years time, that will be able to say with some
certainty that individual and organization have been able to achieve
their potential under my leadership.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Are you excited.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
I'm very excited looking forward to the challenge.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Have you got a little plan in your mind? I
know you're a guy that has a list of things
that you want to achieve, but have you got your list?
Speaker 3 (07:20):
There is? But I need to consult with a few
of the few of the senior councilors as well. I
need to get some update of being away from the
Heart City Council table myself for a few years now,
so you know, there are some people and some policies
and some practices and procedures that I need to become
familiar with.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Have you looked at the council that you've got around
your table and said, yeah, I'm lucky I've got them. Yeah,
I've got them.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I'm okay, I'm very excited about You know, diversity inclusion
is something that we should celebrate, and we've certainly got
that on the Hut City Council where there you know,
we've got Indian, Chinese, three Maori, a tongue, and potentially
who's swinging with a majority of just one vote, so
we need to wait till the end of the day
where she's confirmed in a psalm or mayor and we've
(08:02):
got a very experienced mix of skills of both business
and community. So looking forward to being involved.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Do you think racism still exists.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
It's been tough if you're a Maori in New Zealand.
It's been tough to endure the changes that have come
about with this kind of far right agenda that's been
out there. And what's it, you know, the dismantling.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Of I'm talking more about Polynesia.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Uh, well, I think there's always going to be I
haven't encountered it myself, but you know, at the risk
of sounding ignorant, Nick, that doesn't mean that it's not
out there. There are challenges that people have to deal
with deal with every day. Some of it is institutionalized
and some of it has learned behavior.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, you've done it. You've beaten the odds. A lot
of people told me when I came out and said
you were going to win it, they said.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
You're an idiot.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Thanks, thanks for that. They definitely said, you know, that's
a pretty big move for the big move. I mean
it's a bogod city. I mean, you must be fair
a Polydesian, you know.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
It's right on that subject, But can I just take
one minute to acknowledge one Guppy and the Guppy family.
When I was a young police officer, Gupstead Colin was
charging the charge of the dog section. Senior rugby player,
referee and coach of the Upper Hot team. Gup himself
an enormous contribution as mayor and leader. He'd be very disappointed.
(09:32):
But if you're listening, congratulations on a wonderful legacy. If
I can achieve a small fraction of what you've done,
I can look back with pride, but all the very
best for the challenges that.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Lie here here for that, yes or no amalgamation supersity,
Eventually it's inevitable you think so, Yes, thank you very
much for coming in. T Telly Lover. Appreciate you. Appreciate
you as a friend, appreciate you as a person. I
appreciate what you've done for all the things that you've done,
whether it's sport, whether it's policing, whether it's just being
(10:04):
there for people when they've needed you. So good luck, Hope,
Thank you very much. I hope we speak more often.
A You're going to still be able to do the commentary.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Well, commentary is forty minutes each way, should be manageable.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Thank you. Appreciate it. Good luck as we go round
our little region. We wanted to speak to all the
mayors or mayors elect and we're now going to put
you to it. And Anita Baker is still in She's
still got a job. Good morning, Anita, Good morning, Makan.
Did I sound derogatory the way I said that? I
didn't mean to No, not at all.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
I don't mind.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Now this is your third term, it is my third term.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
I'm excited to keep going ahead, and I'm going ahead
with the same council, just one change, really because we
had one retirement and then one new person. So they've
re elected basically what we had, so it's really good.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
I've got a bone to pick with you. Sure you
had the third lowest turnout for election votes than anyone
in New.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Zealand, thirty nine point sixty nine.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
When did that go up this morning?
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Thirty nine point sixty nine.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
We got it from We got it from one News
that you were the third last at twenty five percent.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
They got it wrong. The results came in this morning,
so we did well.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
You did do well, and I'm an idiot, so I
got it wrong.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
You're not an idiot. It's just the results of the flow,
and that only came through it up as ten.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Okay, there you go. So what's going to be different
this year, this three years?
Speaker 4 (11:38):
I'm not sure it's different. It's more about affordability and
we're all struggling. Everybody is, so it's tightening belts, changing things,
doing things differently. I think my counselors need to get
out into the community and meet with residents more. You know,
I go out weekly and do my clinics. I think
we need to do that. So it's more of the
same in the sense that we've got a really good
counsel we don't have other politics that other regions have,
(12:02):
so it's more of just getting on with it.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I don't know whether you did it as a plan
or not, but you seem to be very pro business
as a mayor and as a counsel. I spoke to
someone and I mentioned it on the show a few
weeks ago that does business in Wellington and does business
partly Dour and when the question was asked, who's easier
to do business with, they burst into laughter. They just said,
(12:27):
it's not even it's just a stupid question.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
No.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
I had a few rules when I came in six
years ago and that was we are open for business
no matter what. So there's not a no, it's a yes.
How do we make things happen? And we have huge
growth in the business area and I think that's why
we've got a great economic development team and there's only
two of them. But it's how do we help? So
we have to say yes, not no.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
And how are you doing that?
Speaker 4 (12:54):
It's well, it's actually just about talking to people. So
I answer my own phone and my emails and it's
the same for the staff. It's how do they do
it to be here for business? And we have love
local that has grown and grown and grow, and Kaki
on the waterfront you know that has been built. There's
all those things and our business community are getting in
behind us, helping each other out. And it's about being
(13:16):
there to talk and be open. So if they ring
and they've got a problem, right, how do we fix it?
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Why are people so confident? And I went to that
food court you're talking about a couple of months ago,
very very big development for Pottydoer. How do people have
the confidence to do business?
Speaker 4 (13:34):
Well? He have always committed there and people know that
people in Potty do support local business. So there are
a lot of smaller ones and we do support it. Yes,
we've got our big ones obviously with whittakers and freemen
roofing and all the others. But small business does really
well because locals do support local And you know, our
village is absolutely booming.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
How much is transmission gully changed the outlook of pottydoer
and people doing business and Pottydoer the best.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Thing that ever happened to the city. We don't have
that highway zooming through the middle anymore. So once I've
said the villages are booming, the off remps into Wai
Tangadua have picked up. Those villages are growing. The more
business into the city and so that people can get
straight onto that ramp and onto TG It is the
best thing ever that road.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
And why do you think that you can do a
better job than you did last.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
Time, Well, you can always improve that. We know we
have to do things differently around consultation. We still have
to do better around what we do price wise. You
know we've got the new water intercoming, so rates have
to change around that. But actually we've got a tip
that needs work. We know that there's a lot of
costs up there, but we have to all tighten our belts.
(14:47):
And yes we've every one saying line by line, which
we've already done, but we have to do it again.
But we still need to have a center. You still
need to have events because you don't have a city
if you lose all your events. So we just have
to balance ourselves a bit better.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
When you were going into this election, what did you
say to yourself? I didn't quite achieve this. I really
want this extra term to achieve. What was that thing?
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Well, the one thing I've always wanted is affordable dry
home for people. And I know that's not council's business.
But KO have still got houses to build in the
east now christ Bishop said they are still coming. I
still want more housing. Our developers are doing more housing.
Plymit and Farms is going ahead. The one in Poker
to Obey is going ahead. So I still want a warm,
(15:33):
dry house for everybody, and that I know that's hard,
but I also wanted to balance with everything else and
to be the friendly city where you can just do
everything any Grihame's always very friendly.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
That development you talk of that's massive, isn't it? How
big is that? I mean it's hundreds of homes, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Oh yeah, it's thousands because there's forward developers of five developers,
so that's the next twenty thirty years building that you know,
and that means new schools and all those sorts of things.
So it's a planned development. But the first stage was
plmit and farms and the Geni and want a pooker obay,
so they started at each end. We've got Plassic in
the middle, so it's all going so we know that's
(16:11):
our future growth, so you know where it's coming from.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Now your people have voted. You asked the question at
the election whether they wanted an amalgamation of super City. Now,
I was told by an ex mayor of Wellington last
on Friday that everyone was going to vote against it.
What are you doing? Voted for it.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
We voted for it. Three hundred and twenty four said yes,
have the discussion and the HUT got it over the
line as well. So people want that discussion. They do
want change because the only way to try and reduce rates,
and amalgamation won't cut rates to start with it. It takes
ten years to get any rate down. But we all
need the same rules. Why should one developer building Wellington
(16:53):
or building the hut and build here, and they're all
different rules. We should all have the same district plan,
you know, all those little things. We're a tiny region.
We're the size of christ Church, for God's sake, with
four councils. So let's do it better for all those
people who want to do business.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Will you push that in the next term?
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Yeah, well absolutely, we have to have those talks. That
has to be at the mi Real Forum table.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Would you run for mayor of the super city?
Speaker 4 (17:16):
No?
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Why not?
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Too old? I'm sixty four. I think it needs to
be someone younger or someone who has a bit more dynamic.
I want, I want some use brought.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Back sixty four. You're a spring chicken.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
Well, I like to think I know when I've done enough,
and I love my city and I'm born and bred here,
but no, I don't want to do city.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Did you go to the wrestling on set? Did you
go to the wrestling on Saturday night?
Speaker 5 (17:44):
No?
Speaker 4 (17:44):
I didn't because we had the election at my place
and of course my husband got on to Greater Wellington,
so it was great excitement.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
What's portyrou going to look like in three years?
Speaker 4 (17:56):
Bigger and better, I'd like to think, and more open
for everything. We kept our Marty's seat by you know,
eleven hundred and seventy two votes. So what is a
diverse cultural place? You can come out lots of different foods, cultures, languages.
That's what's great about this city. And I'm hoping that
our harbor will continue to get healthy.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Thank you very much. I appreciate all you've always done
for the show. You've always been a person that says
yes and comes on and I think you do a
wonderful job at Polywirth. Congratulations and all the very best
for the next three years. Now. If there was a
shock over my dining table on Saturday night, it was
seeing that Wayne Guppy will no longer be mere of
(18:38):
Upper Heart. This is I thought this was the major
upset for a long I can't even remember an upset
as big as this, maybe when Tory Farno got into
Wellington the last elections. Perry z has now become mayor
elect Good morning, Perry, Good morning.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (18:57):
I'm great? Thanks, how are you feeling.
Speaker 5 (19:01):
Fantastic? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (19:03):
You went hard and you went early. Did you really
realistically think you had a chance?
Speaker 5 (19:09):
Absolutely? I mean, we knew it was going to be
a big challenge, you know, challenging that has served the
community for so long, and it is a really well
known name in the community. So also we have first
us to post another Heart, which is a really tough
type of election. So yeah, we went early for that
reason to make sure that, you know, I was talking
(19:32):
to lots and lots and lots of people on the
doors and at our events so that people got to
know me over the course of that year and a bit.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Over the past say ten or fifteen years, we've seen
Upper Hut really really developed. I have my part of
my families are from Upper Hut, so I spend a
bit of time there. It's really really developing, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
Absolutely. I mean, it's a really exciting time for Upper Heart.
We've had some some really great successes and I think
people are ready to build on those and see we
see some more changes. So it's a super exciting time
for Upperhart. It's an amazing place to live. We're getting
really good growth here, especially young families, which is fantastic
(20:18):
because it is an amazing place to live for a
young family.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
When you were talking to your people, what were they
saying that was wrong. What were they saying you had
to do to make a difference.
Speaker 5 (20:31):
And there's quite a number of things. I mean, people
are feeling left out of the council decision making processes,
things around transparency and accountability. We're troubling people. Understandably, they
want to see change in the city center. That's a
massive priority for me. That's the number one priority. We
need to make sure that the city center is a
(20:52):
place where families want to spend time, and currently it's
not that. So you know, there's a mix of the
way the council was operating and also physical changes in
the city that they want to see.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
High streets are tough, though, isn't it anywhere?
Speaker 4 (21:09):
Absolutely?
Speaker 5 (21:09):
Yeah, it's a massive project. We need to do it properly,
we need to do it slowly, we need to do
it with community, you know, bringing community on that whole journey.
So it's under no illusion. I work in this space,
so I'm under no illusion of how difficult those processes
can be and how you need to paste yourself.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Have you got people that are genuinely interested in actually
assisting you because you need developers, I mean, your you
are an engineer, that's your thing, So you know how
difficult it is. Have you got people that are talking
to you about getting involved and actually fixing the high street?
Speaker 5 (21:47):
Oh look, I mean I'm not an engineer. I do
work in I've worked in local government. My whole career
was originally an urban planner and then i went into transport,
into structure government relations. So I've worked across a lot
of areas in local goverm at. But I'm not an engineer.
Just to be clear, I've been talking. I've been talking
to a lot of people. I mean, the first most
important people to get on board are certainly the council
around the council table, and I'm you know, having meetings
(22:09):
with all of the councilors in the next few days,
and you know, certainly I'm really looking forward to working
with all of them. And I have been talking to businesses,
and I have been talking to architects and and developers
about what sorts of things we could be seeing in
Upper Heart. We've talked to urban economists, I've talked to
urban designers. We are thinking really broadly and making sure
(22:32):
we get good information even already just in the campaign,
but certainly we will need to continue to do that
so that we we you know, have a really good
vision for the city that people can get behind.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
What will you do differently than Wayne Guppy?
Speaker 5 (22:51):
wayIn has been here for a long time and you
know he uh has clearly you know, served the community
for a very long time. So first I just want
to acknowledge acknowledge that I think it's about building on
the things that he's done. There's certainly some things I
would do differently with the way you know, the For example,
(23:14):
a concrete example is I'm going to open up workshops
for the community, and that's something that hasn't been done
underwaying and that's something that it has upset the community
because they want to be seeing the discussion that counselors
are having.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
How big a deal is Brewtown and all the connections
n zaid cis all those sort of things, How big
a deal is that for your area?
Speaker 5 (23:41):
Well, you know, we've, as I said, we've had some
successes in their mathis and it's an exciting time for
other heart we need to also see those successes in
the public in the public realm. We have seen some,
but the community are asking for more.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
What are you looking for? What level are you looking
at increasing your rates or decreasing your rates by what
have you actually thought about that? I mean, I know
it was part of your you know your thing. Have
you have you looked at those What are you going
to try and get your rights to.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
There's no way that I'm going to give you a number.
It wouldn't be a wise thing to do, obviously, with
me being one vote around the council table.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Look, we must have been must have an ambition.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
Look, there have been decisions that have been made in
the council which have made it an extraormely tough financial situation,
I think more so than some of the other councils
in the region. Actually, there have been there has been
a delay in maintaining infrastructure in Upperhart for a long time,
and you know a lot of decisions were made in
a short succession of time for other capital projects which
(24:47):
weren't infrastructure, which has meant that you know, there's a
reasonable amount of debt there to sort out. So there's
no easy fix here. We need to prioritize the things
that are important. And certainly in my campaign, I haven't
made any massive promises aside from you know, the city
center as a priority. However, there is already funding tagged
(25:10):
in different parts of the long term plan for that,
and we can reallocate and sort of consolidate that. And
also it's about having a long term vision and actually
just getting some quick wins on the board and then
you know, doing that process over a longer period of time.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Andrew, Ken and Anita have all said yes to amalgamation
of super City.
Speaker 5 (25:31):
Your thoughts, I'm going to be the black sheep in
this one. So I think there's not a lot of
value for us and other heart to be having that
conversation until we know that there is a bipartisan agreement
from the government about the process. So I've been in it.
(25:52):
I've been in local government. I've been an officer in
local government when the amalgamation was proposed previously, and there
was a whole lot of time and angst spent over
that and it was ditched. And I think it is
it absolute risk for us to take our eye off
the ball with all of this other important all of
(26:12):
these other important things we need to focus on, to
take our eye off the ball if it's then going
to be ditched by a central government election at some point,
if the direction changes, So I would like to see
that agreement on the process at least by both parties.
And I would also like to see the agreement by
both parties on who's paying for managed retreat, because in
(26:35):
Upper Heart we don't have any coastlines and that is
going to be one of the most beneficial things for
us in terms of, you know, financial situation in the future,
because we won't be having to pay the same amount
as other councils might be for managed retreat over a
long period of time. And you know, that's quite far
into the future thinking, but that's the kind of thinking
(26:55):
that our community expect by their governance.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Roles Perry, thank you very much for your time. Perry's
Upper Heart wishing well. Wish you all the best of luck.
New mayor for Upper Hut, Perie Zay, We're going to
the Kapiti net tokpany. We don't often go out to
Kaperity too much, and I really want to actually make
special note of it today. Janet Holbra is the new mayor,
(27:21):
not the new mayor, the mayor that's been there a while.
She was a little bit nervous at coming on the
show because she wasn't sure that she was going to
win it because the numbers were tight. Janet, good morning and.
Speaker 6 (27:30):
Welcome, good morning, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Thank you for being on. Tell me do you feel
confident now? Are you okay? You've got the numbers.
Speaker 6 (27:38):
Yeah, it's looking pretty certain now. Yeah, I'm confident. Yeah,
I'm getting in touch with counselors and getting the team
together and yeah, getting going.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Really, how's your counsel table looking like.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
Well, we've got a.
Speaker 6 (27:52):
Lot of new counselors, six new counselors. One of those
is returning. We had a few people standing this time
who had kind of let counsel go and then decided
they wanted to come back. They must have just seen
how much fun we were having and wanted to join
us again. And one of those was elected to council
and other ones on one of our community boards. So
it's great to have people who you've met previously coming
(28:12):
back as well.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
So that's really really great.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Tell me, how has your area changed since Transmission Gully.
Speaker 6 (28:20):
Oh, it's just massive. So I don't know if you heard,
but Infrastructure New Zealand recently did a report on travel
times and the benefits of Transmission Gully and it was
great to be invited to be on a panel to
discuss that, and just it just really brought home there
huge changes that Transmission Gully has brought, safety improvements, people
(28:41):
getting home from work more quickly. It's it's the travel
north that's really made the difference for Carpety residents, and
it can be the difference between getting home and the
dark and still being able to go for a swim,
because you know, we're coastal community. So it's absolutely it's
absolutely fantastic what we have, what we've seen as well
as we've got high growth anyway in Carpety, we've got
a lot of development happening, a lot of intensification happening,
(29:03):
which is good but also a real challenge for our community.
But what we're seen with Transmission Gully is an acceleration
of that. So yeah, huge challenges with growth, but also
huge opportunities as well.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Do you also think that it's changed the perception of Capity.
I mean, sorry to say it, but it was looked
at as an old people's home for a long time,
wasn't it. You did all your business, had your life,
and then you bought out in Capity and went out
and retired out there. I reckon that's changed.
Speaker 6 (29:34):
Yeah, I remember the phrase God's waiting room was used
from time to time, but it's certainly not like that anymore.
It's seen as a really great place to bring up
your family, raise your kids. We've got more and more
young people wanting to stay too. That eighteen to twenty
five kind of age bracket still pretty low in that demographic,
(29:55):
but it's building. So yeah, so it is. I think
I think secrets out a little bit. People realized how
great company is.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Well, the weather's definitely better up there. I don't think
anyone would argue that talk to me about rates because
it seems to be that now never used to be.
But I'm getting a few niggles on the text machine
over a period of time about your rates going up
too much. What are you going to do to try
and alleviate that issue?
Speaker 6 (30:23):
Yeah, that was certainly one of the big issues during
the campaign, In fact, the biggest issue because during the
last long term planned two years ago, across the country,
we saw that massive rates hike that happened. I'll call
it a hike because that's what it was across the country,
and that was a big contributing factor to that was
the cancelation of the three Waters program and the replacement
(30:47):
with local water done well, so that impacted on a
lot of councils. What we're also seeing in Carpety is
is this growth that's happening and having to provide facilities
and infrastructure to deal with that growth. When we've got
development contributions and the government's talking about a levee system,
but still we've got to provide for this growing community
(31:10):
and also that changing demographics that you talked about. So
it's going to be really tough to keep those rates
rises down, but we're already working on it for next
time and we're looking at a lower rates rise than
we've predicted through the long term plan. And we're doing
that by reducing staff numbers, a little bit of finding efficiencies,
(31:31):
going for as much central government funding as we can,
working in partnership with the community to deliver facilities. For instance,
the Mahara Gallery, we only paid for a third of that.
Some came from central government and also community fundraising. And
we also worked in partnership with Coverty College to build
a performing arts center or they built it and we
contributed to it. And we have an agreement where there's
(31:53):
three hundred days of community access. So it's things like
that that will enable us to still deliver what our
community wants and needs, but not burdening the rate pay
with one hundred percent of that cost. So that's just
one of the ways.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Voter turn out throughout the country was low, but one
area that I thought wouldn't be low because you have
got a lot of retirees as Capiti, I thought you
al voter turn out would be better than it was.
Speaker 6 (32:16):
Yes, So if you yeah, yeah, it's always disappointing, isn't it.
They turnout in local government elections, and it's really good
that Local Government Usual has been doing some work around
that with the group that's been led by Nick Smith
to look at ways that we can improve the system
to encourage people to vote. Because the postal system, they
even had to extend it by I don't think it
(32:37):
was seven days this time to allow time for people
to post their ballots back, but we still had so
many people who just wanted to drop them in at
the council building. And people aren't used to using the
postal service anymore. So it's just an out of date
system that needs desperately to be overhauled. And there are
some recommendations in that lgnzed report around they looked at
(33:03):
littlectronic voting. The different The difficulty with that is secure
your reteave, I mean the postal valots or any more
secure man.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Janet. I'm going to make sure that we keep contact
with you a lot more because I'm mindful that we
haven't done enough with Kapitdi and I really do want
we really want to have more involvement with the people
of Kapadi. So congratulations on getting through again and we'll
talk soon. Yeah, thank you very much, Janet Holbrook. They're
mayor of Capitdi. That's it.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills. Listen live
to news talks It'd Be Wellington from nine to am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News talks'd B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We had Mayor elect of Hut City, Ken Laban in
the studio Hellofalloa.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Good morning, Nick. It wants to be with you and
your listeners.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
When I first heard that you had got the numbers,
I thought of one person, Passey Daniels.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
A very special man, a legend, a legendary member of
the hospitality industry here, but one of the probably I think,
the first Pacific Islander to own a business sending the
famous purple onion. Many of our older listeners tuning in
this morning would be would be familiar with and Uncle Pussy,
(00:54):
who just passed away not that long ago. The youngest
brother of my mother was from the same village in
some Moour, some Moore, of course, Nick, where your parents
taught for five years, not that long ago. And he's
a man who's memory and whose legacy both you and
I given our relationship with him, given minds of blood
(01:14):
relationship and yours as a friendship, his influence on my
life will never be forgotten.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
And what would he think right now?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
He would be very proud the area that he worked
in and of course, those were in the days where
you know the drag queens, they were all in closets.
In those days, they were looked down upon, some of
some of the treatment. It's a very far cry from
where we are today with our attitude towards LGBTQ and
(01:44):
more respect we have for more inclusive society that we
live in that wasn't like that in the nineteen seventies.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
And you can, I just interrupt there you were in
team policing at that period of time. Now for our
listeners that don't know what team policing were, they were
the toughest, hardest cops that they could find from anywhere
around the country, brought into a group of twelve of
them and they go from place to place sorting things out.
And you'd have to do that with the Pacific Island
(02:12):
community now, I know through my own experience that was
really really tough on you.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
It was especially some of those bars because those are
also nick Those were the days of ten o'clock closing,
where the culture was we would go everybody would go
out at ten o'clock at night. Then they would hit
to the clubs and then the clubs were closed in
the early hours of the morning and then they would
hit to the strip clubs. That was you know, I'm
not judging anybody. That was just the way of the world.
(02:39):
That was what was available in terms of our hospitality
options back in those days and the establishment of the
ten Policing Unit in the seventies. And there were bars
around Willington, as you know, Nick that were notorious for
its clientele, crime, crime, and most importantly at ten o'clock
at night, some of them weren't ready to leave.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
But what I'm trying to get to is this, you
were the first. You were the only Polinesian guy there.
Let's be real, they were. They were all big white
rugby locks and big tough guys.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
The Murray Pearce, Juard Wilkinson, Steve Hines. Yes, they were. Indeed,
there weren't a lot of Pacific Island. Wasn't many Pacific
Island in the police no period.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
So you're first in there, commentate TV commentary on Sky
you know, first Polynesian to make it bigger than that.
Now you've become the mayor of a city.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
It's been a very humbling journey. The support that's that
I've received, not only of it the course of the
campaign in the last couple of months. But you know,
most of the listeners will be very familiar with who
my family is, their work, their service and their commitment
to the community. And it's hard for me not to
not to have any of that impacting on me when
I when I grew up with all of that around me. So,
(03:56):
you know, service in the community, public service, that essentially
has been my life.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
And Winnie, we've got to mention Dame Winnie, your sister.
I mean, you know, that's been a She's been a
huge influence in your family.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
She has been the social conscience of the of the
Labor family and of course ten years and Helen Clark
government and a minister as well, Minister Pacific Island Affairs
and in the community and involuntary so she's made a
significant contribution to New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
What are you going to do differently in Hut City?
Do you like being called Hut City or is it Lowerhart?
To me, it's still lower Heart.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Yeah, most people, well we've known it longer as Lower
Hut have been. Hut City has come along more in
recent times. That balance between commercial and business success alongside
social connection cohesion something that we all strive.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
For Can the two run hand in hand? I mean
this is where I get frustrated. People think you're either
left or right. Can they work hand in hand? Can
we look after business so they are a success, but
look after those that need help.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Or those that need help, need housing and it's the
commercial developers that build houses. So understanding the connect between
the two is very important. Those that are in the
business and the hospitality area, if they want to succeed,
they need people and we need to create reasons and
genuine events that will bring people to the area where
the hospitality can thrive. And that's going to be a
(05:31):
very strong focus for me over the next three years.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
I do business with some people that are very big
business people in Haut City. They've always felt that the
council's reasonably problematic as well. Not quite as bad as Wellington,
but problematic. Don't want to say yes or want to
charge too much for rubbish collections or systems in place
when they want to build multi multi units.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
We have to be open for open for dialogue and
open for debate. We have to listen to people who
make significant contributions that can influence life and the heart
for the positive and we need to make sure that
we create the right environment. So if there is concerns
and if there is frustration with people dealing with counsels,
that will be something obviously, Nick I would need to
(06:18):
address early.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Are you going to be a guy that's going to
have his door open? Are you going to be you know,
happy for people to knock on your door and say,
can I need to talk to you about this? Are
you one of those guys?
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Nick? I can't unerring the bell. I am. I am
what I am. People have always had, People have always
had easy access to me, regardless of whether the Mayor's
doors opened or closed. People are always going to be
welcome and I'll be very happy to see them.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
What do you want your legacy to be? What do
you want? I mean, you've succeeded unlike a lot of people,
You've succeeded in everything that you've put your toes into.
What do you want to succeed with your legacy as
mayor of hutsiy.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I hope that when we look back on in three
years time, that will be able to say with some
certainty that individual and organization have been able to achieve
their potential under my leadership.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Are you excited.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
I'm very excited looking forward to the challenge.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Have you got a little plan in your mind? I
know you're a guy that has a list of things
that you want to achieve, but have you got your list?
Speaker 3 (07:20):
There is? But I need to consult with a few
of the few of the senior councilors as well. I
need to get some update of being away from the
Heart City Council table myself for a few years now,
so you know, there are some people and some policies
and some practices and procedures that I need to become
familiar with.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Have you looked at the council that you've got around
your table and said, yeah, I'm lucky I've got them. Yeah,
I've got them.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I'm okay, I'm very excited about You know, diversity inclusion
is something that we should celebrate, and we've certainly got
that on the Hut City Council where there you know,
we've got Indian, Chinese, three Maori, a tongue, and potentially
who's swinging with a majority of just one vote, so
we need to wait till the end of the day
where she's confirmed in a psalm or mayor and we've
(08:02):
got a very experienced mix of skills of both business
and community. So looking forward to being involved.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Do you think racism still exists.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
It's been tough if you're a Maori in New Zealand.
It's been tough to endure the changes that have come
about with this kind of far right agenda that's been
out there. And what's it, you know, the dismantling.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Of I'm talking more about Polynesia.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Uh, well, I think there's always going to be I
haven't encountered it myself, but you know, at the risk
of sounding ignorant, Nick, that doesn't mean that it's not
out there. There are challenges that people have to deal
with deal with every day. Some of it is institutionalized
and some of it has learned behavior.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, you've done it. You've beaten the odds. A lot
of people told me when I came out and said
you were going to win it, they said.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
You're an idiot.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Thanks, thanks for that. They definitely said, you know, that's
a pretty big move for the big move. I mean
it's a bogod city. I mean, you must be fair
a Polydesian, you know.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
It's right on that subject, But can I just take
one minute to acknowledge one Guppy and the Guppy family.
When I was a young police officer, Gupstead Colin was
charging the charge of the dog section. Senior rugby player,
referee and coach of the Upper Hot team. Gup himself
an enormous contribution as mayor and leader. He'd be very disappointed.
(09:32):
But if you're listening, congratulations on a wonderful legacy. If
I can achieve a small fraction of what you've done,
I can look back with pride, but all the very
best for the challenges that.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Lie here here for that, yes or no amalgamation supersity,
Eventually it's inevitable you think so, Yes, thank you very
much for coming in. T Telly Lover. Appreciate you. Appreciate
you as a friend, appreciate you as a person. I
appreciate what you've done for all the things that you've done,
whether it's sport, whether it's policing, whether it's just being
(10:04):
there for people when they've needed you. So good luck, Hope,
Thank you very much. I hope we speak more often.
A You're going to still be able to do the commentary.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Well, commentary is forty minutes each way, should be manageable.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Thank you. Appreciate it. Good luck as we go round
our little region. We wanted to speak to all the
mayors or mayors elect and we're now going to put
you to it. And Anita Baker is still in She's
still got a job. Good morning, Anita, Good morning, Makan.
Did I sound derogatory the way I said that? I
didn't mean to No, not at all.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
I don't mind.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Now this is your third term, it is my third term.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
I'm excited to keep going ahead, and I'm going ahead
with the same council, just one change, really because we
had one retirement and then one new person. So they've
re elected basically what we had, so it's really good.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
I've got a bone to pick with you. Sure you
had the third lowest turnout for election votes than anyone
in New.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Zealand, thirty nine point sixty nine.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
When did that go up this morning?
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Thirty nine point sixty nine.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
We got it from We got it from one News
that you were the third last at twenty five percent.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
They got it wrong. The results came in this morning,
so we did well.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
You did do well, and I'm an idiot, so I
got it wrong.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
You're not an idiot. It's just the results of the flow,
and that only came through it up as ten.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Okay, there you go. So what's going to be different
this year, this three years?
Speaker 4 (11:38):
I'm not sure it's different. It's more about affordability and
we're all struggling. Everybody is, so it's tightening belts, changing things,
doing things differently. I think my counselors need to get
out into the community and meet with residents more. You know,
I go out weekly and do my clinics. I think
we need to do that. So it's more of the
same in the sense that we've got a really good
counsel we don't have other politics that other regions have,
(12:02):
so it's more of just getting on with it.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I don't know whether you did it as a plan
or not, but you seem to be very pro business
as a mayor and as a counsel. I spoke to
someone and I mentioned it on the show a few
weeks ago that does business in Wellington and does business
partly Dour and when the question was asked, who's easier
to do business with, they burst into laughter. They just said,
(12:27):
it's not even it's just a stupid question.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
No.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
I had a few rules when I came in six
years ago and that was we are open for business
no matter what. So there's not a no, it's a yes.
How do we make things happen? And we have huge
growth in the business area and I think that's why
we've got a great economic development team and there's only
two of them. But it's how do we help? So
we have to say yes, not no.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
And how are you doing that?
Speaker 4 (12:54):
It's well, it's actually just about talking to people. So
I answer my own phone and my emails and it's
the same for the staff. It's how do they do
it to be here for business? And we have love
local that has grown and grown and grow, and Kaki
on the waterfront you know that has been built. There's
all those things and our business community are getting in
behind us, helping each other out. And it's about being
(13:16):
there to talk and be open. So if they ring
and they've got a problem, right, how do we fix it?
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Why are people so confident? And I went to that
food court you're talking about a couple of months ago,
very very big development for Pottydoer. How do people have
the confidence to do business?
Speaker 4 (13:34):
Well? He have always committed there and people know that
people in Potty do support local business. So there are
a lot of smaller ones and we do support it. Yes,
we've got our big ones obviously with whittakers and freemen
roofing and all the others. But small business does really
well because locals do support local And you know, our
village is absolutely booming.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
How much is transmission gully changed the outlook of pottydoer
and people doing business and Pottydoer the best.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Thing that ever happened to the city. We don't have
that highway zooming through the middle anymore. So once I've
said the villages are booming, the off remps into Wai
Tangadua have picked up. Those villages are growing. The more
business into the city and so that people can get
straight onto that ramp and onto TG It is the
best thing ever that road.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
And why do you think that you can do a
better job than you did last.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
Time, Well, you can always improve that. We know we
have to do things differently around consultation. We still have
to do better around what we do price wise. You
know we've got the new water intercoming, so rates have
to change around that. But actually we've got a tip
that needs work. We know that there's a lot of
costs up there, but we have to all tighten our belts.
(14:47):
And yes we've every one saying line by line, which
we've already done, but we have to do it again.
But we still need to have a center. You still
need to have events because you don't have a city
if you lose all your events. So we just have
to balance ourselves a bit better.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
When you were going into this election, what did you
say to yourself? I didn't quite achieve this. I really
want this extra term to achieve. What was that thing?
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Well, the one thing I've always wanted is affordable dry
home for people. And I know that's not council's business.
But KO have still got houses to build in the
east now christ Bishop said they are still coming. I
still want more housing. Our developers are doing more housing.
Plymit and Farms is going ahead. The one in Poker
to Obey is going ahead. So I still want a warm,
(15:33):
dry house for everybody, and that I know that's hard,
but I also wanted to balance with everything else and
to be the friendly city where you can just do
everything any Grihame's always very friendly.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
That development you talk of that's massive, isn't it? How
big is that? I mean it's hundreds of homes, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Oh yeah, it's thousands because there's forward developers of five developers,
so that's the next twenty thirty years building that you know,
and that means new schools and all those sorts of things.
So it's a planned development. But the first stage was
plmit and farms and the Geni and want a pooker obay,
so they started at each end. We've got Plassic in
the middle, so it's all going so we know that's
(16:11):
our future growth, so you know where it's coming from.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Now your people have voted. You asked the question at
the election whether they wanted an amalgamation of super City. Now,
I was told by an ex mayor of Wellington last
on Friday that everyone was going to vote against it.
What are you doing? Voted for it.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
We voted for it. Three hundred and twenty four said yes,
have the discussion and the HUT got it over the
line as well. So people want that discussion. They do
want change because the only way to try and reduce rates,
and amalgamation won't cut rates to start with it. It takes
ten years to get any rate down. But we all
need the same rules. Why should one developer building Wellington
(16:53):
or building the hut and build here, and they're all
different rules. We should all have the same district plan,
you know, all those little things. We're a tiny region.
We're the size of christ Church, for God's sake, with
four councils. So let's do it better for all those
people who want to do business.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Will you push that in the next term?
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Yeah, well absolutely, we have to have those talks. That
has to be at the mi Real Forum table.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Would you run for mayor of the super city?
Speaker 4 (17:16):
No?
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Why not?
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Too old? I'm sixty four. I think it needs to
be someone younger or someone who has a bit more dynamic.
I want, I want some use brought.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Back sixty four. You're a spring chicken.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
Well, I like to think I know when I've done enough,
and I love my city and I'm born and bred here,
but no, I don't want to do city.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Did you go to the wrestling on set? Did you
go to the wrestling on Saturday night?
Speaker 5 (17:44):
No?
Speaker 4 (17:44):
I didn't because we had the election at my place
and of course my husband got on to Greater Wellington,
so it was great excitement.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
What's portyrou going to look like in three years?
Speaker 4 (17:56):
Bigger and better, I'd like to think, and more open
for everything. We kept our Marty's seat by you know,
eleven hundred and seventy two votes. So what is a
diverse cultural place? You can come out lots of different foods, cultures, languages.
That's what's great about this city. And I'm hoping that
our harbor will continue to get healthy.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Thank you very much. I appreciate all you've always done
for the show. You've always been a person that says
yes and comes on and I think you do a
wonderful job at Polywirth. Congratulations and all the very best
for the next three years. Now. If there was a
shock over my dining table on Saturday night, it was
seeing that Wayne Guppy will no longer be mere of
(18:38):
Upper Heart. This is I thought this was the major
upset for a long I can't even remember an upset
as big as this, maybe when Tory Farno got into
Wellington the last elections. Perry z has now become mayor
elect Good morning, Perry, Good morning.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (18:57):
I'm great? Thanks, how are you feeling.
Speaker 5 (19:01):
Fantastic? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (19:03):
You went hard and you went early. Did you really
realistically think you had a chance?
Speaker 5 (19:09):
Absolutely? I mean, we knew it was going to be
a big challenge, you know, challenging that has served the
community for so long, and it is a really well
known name in the community. So also we have first
us to post another Heart, which is a really tough
type of election. So yeah, we went early for that
reason to make sure that, you know, I was talking
(19:32):
to lots and lots and lots of people on the
doors and at our events so that people got to
know me over the course of that year and a bit.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Over the past say ten or fifteen years, we've seen
Upper Hut really really developed. I have my part of
my families are from Upper Hut, so I spend a
bit of time there. It's really really developing, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
Absolutely. I mean, it's a really exciting time for Upper Heart.
We've had some some really great successes and I think
people are ready to build on those and see we
see some more changes. So it's a super exciting time
for Upperhart. It's an amazing place to live. We're getting
really good growth here, especially young families, which is fantastic
(20:18):
because it is an amazing place to live for a
young family.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
When you were talking to your people, what were they
saying that was wrong. What were they saying you had
to do to make a difference.
Speaker 5 (20:31):
And there's quite a number of things. I mean, people
are feeling left out of the council decision making processes,
things around transparency and accountability. We're troubling people. Understandably, they
want to see change in the city center. That's a
massive priority for me. That's the number one priority. We
need to make sure that the city center is a
(20:52):
place where families want to spend time, and currently it's
not that. So you know, there's a mix of the
way the council was operating and also physical changes in
the city that they want to see.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
High streets are tough, though, isn't it anywhere?
Speaker 4 (21:09):
Absolutely?
Speaker 5 (21:09):
Yeah, it's a massive project. We need to do it properly,
we need to do it slowly, we need to do
it with community, you know, bringing community on that whole journey.
So it's under no illusion. I work in this space,
so I'm under no illusion of how difficult those processes
can be and how you need to paste yourself.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Have you got people that are genuinely interested in actually
assisting you because you need developers, I mean, your you
are an engineer, that's your thing, So you know how
difficult it is. Have you got people that are talking
to you about getting involved and actually fixing the high street?
Speaker 5 (21:47):
Oh look, I mean I'm not an engineer. I do
work in I've worked in local government. My whole career
was originally an urban planner and then i went into transport,
into structure government relations. So I've worked across a lot
of areas in local goverm at. But I'm not an engineer.
Just to be clear, I've been talking. I've been talking
to a lot of people. I mean, the first most
important people to get on board are certainly the council
around the council table, and I'm you know, having meetings
(22:09):
with all of the councilors in the next few days,
and you know, certainly I'm really looking forward to working
with all of them. And I have been talking to businesses,
and I have been talking to architects and and developers
about what sorts of things we could be seeing in
Upper Heart. We've talked to urban economists, I've talked to
urban designers. We are thinking really broadly and making sure
(22:32):
we get good information even already just in the campaign,
but certainly we will need to continue to do that
so that we we you know, have a really good
vision for the city that people can get behind.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
What will you do differently than Wayne Guppy?
Speaker 5 (22:51):
wayIn has been here for a long time and you
know he uh has clearly you know, served the community
for a very long time. So first I just want
to acknowledge acknowledge that I think it's about building on
the things that he's done. There's certainly some things I
would do differently with the way you know, the For example,
(23:14):
a concrete example is I'm going to open up workshops
for the community, and that's something that hasn't been done
underwaying and that's something that it has upset the community
because they want to be seeing the discussion that counselors
are having.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
How big a deal is Brewtown and all the connections
n zaid cis all those sort of things, How big
a deal is that for your area?
Speaker 5 (23:41):
Well, you know, we've, as I said, we've had some
successes in their mathis and it's an exciting time for
other heart we need to also see those successes in
the public in the public realm. We have seen some,
but the community are asking for more.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
What are you looking for? What level are you looking
at increasing your rates or decreasing your rates by what
have you actually thought about that? I mean, I know
it was part of your you know your thing. Have
you have you looked at those What are you going
to try and get your rights to.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
There's no way that I'm going to give you a number.
It wouldn't be a wise thing to do, obviously, with
me being one vote around the council table.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Look, we must have been must have an ambition.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
Look, there have been decisions that have been made in
the council which have made it an extraormely tough financial situation,
I think more so than some of the other councils
in the region. Actually, there have been there has been
a delay in maintaining infrastructure in Upperhart for a long time,
and you know a lot of decisions were made in
a short succession of time for other capital projects which
(24:47):
weren't infrastructure, which has meant that you know, there's a
reasonable amount of debt there to sort out. So there's
no easy fix here. We need to prioritize the things
that are important. And certainly in my campaign, I haven't
made any massive promises aside from you know, the city
center as a priority. However, there is already funding tagged
(25:10):
in different parts of the long term plan for that,
and we can reallocate and sort of consolidate that. And
also it's about having a long term vision and actually
just getting some quick wins on the board and then
you know, doing that process over a longer period of time.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Andrew, Ken and Anita have all said yes to amalgamation
of super City.
Speaker 5 (25:31):
Your thoughts, I'm going to be the black sheep in
this one. So I think there's not a lot of
value for us and other heart to be having that
conversation until we know that there is a bipartisan agreement
from the government about the process. So I've been in it.
(25:52):
I've been in local government. I've been an officer in
local government when the amalgamation was proposed previously, and there
was a whole lot of time and angst spent over
that and it was ditched. And I think it is
it absolute risk for us to take our eye off
the ball with all of this other important all of
(26:12):
these other important things we need to focus on, to
take our eye off the ball if it's then going
to be ditched by a central government election at some point,
if the direction changes, So I would like to see
that agreement on the process at least by both parties.
And I would also like to see the agreement by
both parties on who's paying for managed retreat, because in
(26:35):
Upper Heart we don't have any coastlines and that is
going to be one of the most beneficial things for
us in terms of, you know, financial situation in the future,
because we won't be having to pay the same amount
as other councils might be for managed retreat over a
long period of time. And you know, that's quite far
into the future thinking, but that's the kind of thinking
(26:55):
that our community expect by their governance.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Roles Perry, thank you very much for your time. Perry's
Upper Heart wishing well. Wish you all the best of luck.
New mayor for Upper Hut, Perie Zay, We're going to
the Kapiti net tokpany. We don't often go out to
Kaperity too much, and I really want to actually make
special note of it today. Janet Holbra is the new mayor,
(27:21):
not the new mayor, the mayor that's been there a while.
She was a little bit nervous at coming on the
show because she wasn't sure that she was going to
win it because the numbers were tight. Janet, good morning and.
Speaker 6 (27:30):
Welcome, good morning, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Thank you for being on. Tell me do you feel
confident now? Are you okay? You've got the numbers.
Speaker 6 (27:38):
Yeah, it's looking pretty certain now. Yeah, I'm confident. Yeah,
I'm getting in touch with counselors and getting the team
together and yeah, getting going.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Really, how's your counsel table looking like.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
Well, we've got a.
Speaker 6 (27:52):
Lot of new counselors, six new counselors. One of those
is returning. We had a few people standing this time
who had kind of let counsel go and then decided
they wanted to come back. They must have just seen
how much fun we were having and wanted to join
us again. And one of those was elected to council
and other ones on one of our community boards. So
it's great to have people who you've met previously coming
(28:12):
back as well.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
So that's really really great.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Tell me, how has your area changed since Transmission Gully.
Speaker 6 (28:20):
Oh, it's just massive. So I don't know if you heard,
but Infrastructure New Zealand recently did a report on travel
times and the benefits of Transmission Gully and it was
great to be invited to be on a panel to
discuss that, and just it just really brought home there
huge changes that Transmission Gully has brought, safety improvements, people
(28:41):
getting home from work more quickly. It's it's the travel
north that's really made the difference for Carpety residents, and
it can be the difference between getting home and the
dark and still being able to go for a swim,
because you know, we're coastal community. So it's absolutely it's
absolutely fantastic what we have, what we've seen as well
as we've got high growth anyway in Carpety, we've got
a lot of development happening, a lot of intensification happening,
(29:03):
which is good but also a real challenge for our community.
But what we're seen with Transmission Gully is an acceleration
of that. So yeah, huge challenges with growth, but also
huge opportunities as well.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Do you also think that it's changed the perception of Capity.
I mean, sorry to say it, but it was looked
at as an old people's home for a long time,
wasn't it. You did all your business, had your life,
and then you bought out in Capity and went out
and retired out there. I reckon that's changed.
Speaker 6 (29:34):
Yeah, I remember the phrase God's waiting room was used
from time to time, but it's certainly not like that anymore.
It's seen as a really great place to bring up
your family, raise your kids. We've got more and more
young people wanting to stay too. That eighteen to twenty
five kind of age bracket still pretty low in that demographic,
(29:55):
but it's building. So yeah, so it is. I think
I think secrets out a little bit. People realized how
great company is.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Well, the weather's definitely better up there. I don't think
anyone would argue that talk to me about rates because
it seems to be that now never used to be.
But I'm getting a few niggles on the text machine
over a period of time about your rates going up
too much. What are you going to do to try
and alleviate that issue?
Speaker 6 (30:23):
Yeah, that was certainly one of the big issues during
the campaign, In fact, the biggest issue because during the
last long term planned two years ago, across the country,
we saw that massive rates hike that happened. I'll call
it a hike because that's what it was across the country,
and that was a big contributing factor to that was
the cancelation of the three Waters program and the replacement
(30:47):
with local water done well, so that impacted on a
lot of councils. What we're also seeing in Carpety is
is this growth that's happening and having to provide facilities
and infrastructure to deal with that growth. When we've got
development contributions and the government's talking about a levee system,
but still we've got to provide for this growing community
(31:10):
and also that changing demographics that you talked about. So
it's going to be really tough to keep those rates
rises down, but we're already working on it for next
time and we're looking at a lower rates rise than
we've predicted through the long term plan. And we're doing
that by reducing staff numbers, a little bit of finding efficiencies,
(31:31):
going for as much central government funding as we can,
working in partnership with the community to deliver facilities. For instance,
the Mahara Gallery, we only paid for a third of that.
Some came from central government and also community fundraising. And
we also worked in partnership with Coverty College to build
a performing arts center or they built it and we
contributed to it. And we have an agreement where there's
(31:53):
three hundred days of community access. So it's things like
that that will enable us to still deliver what our
community wants and needs, but not burdening the rate pay
with one hundred percent of that cost. So that's just
one of the ways.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Voter turn out throughout the country was low, but one
area that I thought wouldn't be low because you have
got a lot of retirees as Capiti, I thought you
al voter turn out would be better than it was.
Speaker 6 (32:16):
Yes, So if you yeah, yeah, it's always disappointing, isn't it.
They turnout in local government elections, and it's really good
that Local Government Usual has been doing some work around
that with the group that's been led by Nick Smith
to look at ways that we can improve the system
to encourage people to vote. Because the postal system, they
even had to extend it by I don't think it
(32:37):
was seven days this time to allow time for people
to post their ballots back, but we still had so
many people who just wanted to drop them in at
the council building. And people aren't used to using the
postal service anymore. So it's just an out of date
system that needs desperately to be overhauled. And there are
some recommendations in that lgnzed report around they looked at
(33:03):
littlectronic voting. The different The difficulty with that is secure
your reteave, I mean the postal valots or any more
secure man.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Janet. I'm going to make sure that we keep contact
with you a lot more because I'm mindful that we
haven't done enough with Kapitdi and I really do want
we really want to have more involvement with the people
of Kapadi. So congratulations on getting through again and we'll
talk soon. Yeah, thank you very much, Janet Holbrook. They're
mayor of Capitdi. That's it.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills. Listen live
to news talks It'd Be Wellington from nine to am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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