April 6, 2026 • 33 mins
Nick is joined in the studio today by Wellington City Mayor Andrew Little for their monthly catchup.
Mayor Little takes questions from both Nick and our audience, on the progress in our city and council in April.
Starting with pressures in the city from the Iran War. Mayor Little discusses the potential for public transport cost deductions, and the other ways the CBD has been impacted from the fuel crisis.
Then onto rates - Little takes calls from the audience on commercial, property and water rates.
And then cost of Tiaki Wai, Wellington's new water entity taking over from July 1st - Little says he stills has not seen the evidence that our water payments will need to be up to nearly $7000 per household within 10 years. Nick and Little discuss this, how the transfer of power works and what needs to be done considering the cost to ratepayers.
Little gives an inquiry update for Moa Point, and elaborates on the cause - and that it still has not been fixed.
Plus, NZTA says Wellington will reach it's vision for Wellington in just 6 years. Nick asks Little whether he agrees and this could be reality - or is this still a vision?
Then after the drama surrounding the new WCC office building we ask the Mayor what he thinks of his new office.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from news Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Said, b well and to me, and Andrew Little joins
us and the studio joins us in the studio, me
and you anyone listening, and he will take your calls
and your questions and do his best to answer them.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Good morning, Andrew.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
How are you?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Four days off? Catch up? But a risk, get out
in the garden, do a few things.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Wasn't it great weekend for doing that? That's exactly what
I did.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
It was good. It was good to get out. We
actually did. My wife and I did a couple of
movies as well. There was one point on Sunday with
the packed up a wee bit, but look were a
pack up on Sunday? Yes, Dad, there was a rain
fellow where we were. Maybe it's on our house, I
don't know, but we found ourselves going to the movie
did we went? We went to ham Knit one one time,
and then we went to the one about the ten
(00:58):
or Iron Putty the next night about the Summer and
Tennis Singing. Both excellent movies with it good good job.
But you a movie guy. Yeah, we love movies. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
And I like the cinema experience too, Which one do
you go to? Weent to Penthouse, both of them? Actually
do you go? All right?
Speaker 2 (01:16):
That's a bit of warm up stuff, isn't it. We've
just talked about the effects.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
We call it the war effects.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Obviously President Trump's actions are having huge effects on New Zealand.
As mayor or Wellington, where's its biggest impact.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Obviously for the city council, that has some impact. A
large chunk of our vehicle fleet to diesel vehicles and
we've got a lot of electric cars, we've got a
lot of diesel and so that's going to push those
costs up. But what I'm acutely we're of is is
there's going to be quite significant impact on household budgets.
We know that it's not just the cost of petrol,
it's the cost of goods and services generally going to
(01:54):
go up. That's going to put pressure on things. So
from a council point of view, when we're both said
with its setting rates or setting prices of things, we
have to be conscious of that and we've got to
be thinking about things that we can do that don't
cost households, that alleviate their pressure on households, so very
much focusing on that. Expect to be in touch with
(02:16):
the Greater Wellington Regional Council about what we can do
to encourage public transports. See whether there's in they incentives
that we can put in place for that.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Who decides that? Who decided to just quickly? I want
I've got two questions, got one in my mind. Someone
actually text text earlier on and said they saw the
big double decker buses getting filled up with diesel. Can
you talk to the Greater Wellington Can you tell those
people maybe we could do single deck, you know, cut
the costs?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah, I think. I mean the thing A trunk of
the bus fleet diesel. A trunk of them are electric.
There is hybrids as well. The thing about it is
that although the cost of diesel and the bus goes up,
the more passengers go on, then you get to a
point where the extra passengers defray the cost of the
additional cost of diesel. So it's actually better. And if
(03:02):
people are looking ways to save on their own spending
on petrol, actuallyublic transport is not a bad option. We
just got to make sure there's enough capacity, that the
schedule is good and reliable, all that sort of stuff.
But actually I want to talk to the Wellington Regional
Council on what we can do to incentivize people to
get there. Can we you know, you look and I
think it's Victoria and Queensland both looking at free public
(03:24):
transport or discounts on public transport. Let's see what we
can do here for a city that has a lot
of public transport users.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Well, Victoria has already done it, haven't they. I've done
it free. So is it something that you are thinking
seriously about.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Yeah, Well, one of my campaign pages was to cap
the number of fares you buy in a week. So
once I paid for eight feares and a week, then
the rest of the week you get for free. So
I'm keen to see whether this might be an opportunity
to roll that out. So that's what I've been talking
to me.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
So you're not looking at actually doing saying okay for
the month of April, for the rest of April will
have free buses pre public transport.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
That's too far, that's too bigger ask expect. Look, let
me have a discussion with the regional Council. I expected, well,
I mean the public transport will lie a lot on
the subsidy that it gets from central government. Central government
is their message has been for the last couple of
years they want to see passengers paying more, so they're
not putting more money into public transport to subsidized fears.
(04:18):
So that's one of the hurdles we'd have to get over.
But it looks to me like I know that the
number of passengers in public transport have gone up in
the last sort of two or three weeks, and whether
the increased passengers and therefore the increased revenue is enough
to say, actually maybe we can afford some free fares
or some days when it's free and that sort of stuff.
So that's what I want to have to talk about.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So apart from the fuel crisis, nothing else is affecting
us just the I mean surely that it's affecting every
single business in Wellington.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
And it's only thing's confidence because people know that that
people are like the wallets are closing up, people being
very cautious, very careful that they want to spend a
lot of their discretionary sort of income as being sort
of held back at the moment, I think we're starting
to see. So that's a reality. So that's why. I
think anything that council does, it's trying to encourage people
(05:09):
to get out and about it's going to be stuff
that's free or isn't going to cost them a great deal.
So we've got to be thinking careful about that stuff.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
We talked before we went on out, and we both
we agreed with each other that a couple of weeks
ago it just felt like.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
We were we were all witting.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
You know, like it was all feeling a lot more
just buoyant and fantastic. People had smiles of their face
just in a weak Things can change, and it just,
you know, felt like it had just changed.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
But how do we get it back up? Yeah? I
appreciate that, and it is difficult, and I take my
hat off to protecting Nicola Willison. This government who's doing
it doing really good job keeping people informed about what's happening.
But men, you know, she's what does she do and
what does the government do? That's the situation that's beyond
their control. They've got to do what they can to
maintain confidence, keep people in forum. But the reality is
(05:58):
what is happening is going to have a massive impact
on pushing prices up, and people are naturally cautious when
that happens. Business therefore respond responds by saying, okay, well,
plans we might have had because of the confidence we
saw a couple of weeks ago, a couple of months ago,
we're going to hold back because we just don't know
what's going to happen. So that's the that's the flow
on effect of a situation like this. We we're just
(06:20):
gonna have to support each other through it. That's all
I can see.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
I was speaking to a property developer a couple of
weeks ago, and he said that he made an offer
like multimillion dollar off or on a building in one Inton,
and he said that he put a clause in there
because he wasn't settling for three or four months, that
if the situation gets worse, he could pull out. Now,
are you hearing similar stories?
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Yeah, I think there are. We are seeing more sort
of conditions added like that, people just reserving their right
for for big deals to pull out further down the
track before they sort of become and crystallized. So that's
that's again, that that caution that now I think we're
going to see in business that's gonna that just puts
off the golden days that we thought were on the horizon.
(07:03):
So it pushes them further back and we just can't
do another bad winter, can we. No, we don't know.
We can't that. There are some good things happening. We've
got you know, we've got Ultra this weekend the Ultra
Festival booked out, stick us sold out very quickly. We've
got I just saw some figures, massive increase in accommodation
bookings the next month compared to last April for Wellington.
(07:24):
So look, there's some there are some expressions of confidence
and some signs that there will be sort of more
cash going around the Wellerston economy. But we had a
we've had a good start this summer. We've just kind
of had a bit of a hiatus. We just hope
it doesn't last that long.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
How much are you in control of this? Sort's how
much are your buddies in the beehive and control of this?
Speaker 3 (07:44):
I don't think anybody really is. There's only one person
that's the person in the White House.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
I mean more like, how can we can we make
things better? We know the situation worldwide is pretty we
can't control that, but how can how can you and
central government together make life better and Willington.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
The best we can do is keep people informed and
respect the fact that the supporting pressure on households and
make sure the decisions that we've taken, the things that
we do aren't going to put further pressure on households,
create further uncertainty and make life generally more miserable. We've
got to be countersexical in that regard within our means.
(08:21):
But this is a thing we're all just going to
have to brace together and get through this. That's all
I can see.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Andrew Little taking your cause and Fergus has called up
Andrew to ask you a question.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Good morning, Fergus Money Andrew.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
I've just got a question about the business rates residential
differential in Wellington. I think it's around three point seven,
one of the highest in the country. I know you
mentioned that business is tough in Wellington. What are you
doing to support the businesses in Wellington through this especially
tougher time of the cautious spending of them all the Wellingtonians.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Yeah, so that's we've had a program for some months
now of cutting spending and council and that's leading to that.
We're in the process now I've said rates that apply
for the next financial year. I know the issue of
the commercial differential is very important to business. I've been
engaging with a Chamber of Commerce and others about it.
I am committed to seeing that reducing. It's unlikely we're
(09:19):
going to do that for the next financial year, but
I'll continue to work with the Offices of Counsel and
Counsel and getting that down. It is one of the
things we have to address if we want to make
Wellington more attractive for more businesses and more competitive.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
The problem is, and let's be really honest about this,
because I've got a foot in both camps here. As
soon as you take it, drop it on one, you're
going to the other. So there is really I mean,
I know and respect that you're trying to do something
with it, but you're in no man's We're all in
no man's lands right now, aren't we.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
But I think that's the point I think I made
in previous interviews is the first thing is to cut
counsel spending, to get the council spending under control, because
you're right, if whatever whatever is not paid for from
the commercial differential has to be READI tributed across residential.
And actually that's I mean, what's been happening in the
last however many years, ten to fifteen years, is that
more has been loaded onto business that would otherwise have
(10:15):
been paid by residential. So given that we are at
three point seven times, there does have to be a realignment.
We do have to bring that differential down and it
is going to put that those costs will be redistributed
back across to residential. But if we get counsel spending
under control, get it manageable and reasonable, I'm confident that
there is a reasonable path we can cut that the
(10:38):
result will be fair rates for business and fear rates
for residents.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Well, let's cut to that. Then let's go straight to
the chase. I mean, you've had that Deloitte's report for
six months now, you know longer you we all know
that you are intentionally wanting to drop the cost. When
are we going to see some significant costs. When are
we going to see some of those two hundred people
that or three hundred people that Deloitte's say we don't
need in the council. When are we going to start
(11:03):
seeing stuff that we can take?
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Yeah? Yeah, Well, we're always seeing a numbers reducing because
they've had the Council's had a sinking the policy for
some time. As as a result of the Financial Review
Working Group that's been led by Deputy Mayor Ben McNulty,
we've seen further work, quite significant work that is resulting
in work with the Council workforce. We are going to
(11:26):
have to address those issues. Do it would and it's
the Chief Executive the responsibility to differ.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
You're not quite cutting to my chase, though I'd love
to know when we're going to see it. Well.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
The Financial Review Working Group's work is it's in a
first phase of work that feeds into the next budget.
So the rates for next year, what were scheduled rates
of what twelve point seven percent are now down to
seven point four percent. That's entirely as a consequence of
that work. There's more work to do. I mean. One
of the things that the Delot report threw up cast
(12:00):
a light on was the very poor contract management process
because we're not negotiating tracks, we're renewing stuff, we're just
accepting the price that's offered. We've now got a whole
process now implemented where that isn't going to happen anymore.
We're going to bargain, we're going to negotiate, we're going
to get costs down. The chief executive is overseeing that work.
(12:20):
The chief executives required to put together a program of
work to respond to all of the issues in the
Deloit report. I'm expecting that sort of any time now.
So there's a range of stuff going on that is
about driving cost out of the council. It was never
going to happen in a month or even six months.
It's going to be a longer term process. But that
work as well underway as your.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
CEO and you are talking and get after the cleanings
story last week, I mean, you know, is that we're
okay again?
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Oh you know if I know, Look, we all got
matter is excellent. We have a good working relationship, an
excellent working relationship, and we deal with these issues. That
issue should have been dealt with it at the time,
at the end of last year, at surface now. But
he's in control of.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
That, okay, and wants to ask you a question.
Speaker 5 (13:06):
Good bye, Hello, Nick, how are you good?
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Dumb?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
A bit nervous about what you're going to ask Andrew though.
Speaker 5 (13:12):
Oh hey, thank you very much for those lovely Easter
barn buns. Everyone goes to Nana Bakery.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Now, now you've done the nice part. I don't I
know you. I know that are I'd be a little
bit nervous. Good morning, right, it shouldn't be.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
My brother was called Andrew. Now the rates. Looking at
my rates bill, I've got rates and a certain amount
of money four thousand, we'll say five five thousand to
round it off. Then under that I've got water, sewerage,
storm water, which is twenty one hundred. Now reading the
(13:48):
Metrowater website, which is very very clear, it actually has
a diagram so you can't misunderstand it. Those three water
associated costs go to Metro Water, which leaves that five
thousand dollars only going to Wellington City Council. We could
(14:10):
say parks, playgrounds, library, but I believe that they voted
to cut spending on some of those. But that leads
just that five thousand to go to Wellington City Council.
I just want to check that our rates increase of
seven point four percent is only on that five thousand
(14:31):
that they will be getting and not on the full amount,
in which case it won't be a seven point four percent.
It will be about a fifteen percent.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Now, no, but you've got that wrong. End the water
and cress will go from two thy one hundred to
that two thousand, four hundred and then and then the
rest is just on what goes to council. So for
the first year of the new water entity, the rate
is effectively set by council and all that will be
(14:59):
invoiced separately by the water company note which is called
Tiaki Why so that will be that cost there and
you might have seen consultation documents that taakua I put
out in the last few weeks projecting over the next
ten years that that cost will go up significantly. So
we're doing quite a bit of work at the moment
all the councils in Willington and with the Commerce Commission
(15:21):
to make sure that we get those costs under control too.
But the water costs will come out of your rates bill.
That'll be separately built. But we still have to keep
counsel spending under control, and that's what we're determined to do.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Can you just explain to me why we call it
Tayaku Way but our own voices from Metro Water and
if I'm looking to request to interview the people that
I requested a tour called metro Water. Is there any
confusion with that for people?
Speaker 3 (15:50):
I think originally it was called Metro Water when it
was when it was sort of first set up. I
understand the official name is tak Tiaku Way Limited or
Tiaku Way Metro Water Limited. But you might have to
talk to Tiaki wys less me clarify how they've done
the line.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
You put a stop on us talking to them if
you've put the clampers on that, haven't.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
You not to take No, no, no, everybody can talk
to anybody. We're just going to make sure that we're
all getting good information out at the right time. So
there's also Wellington Water. Wellington Water is again a separate
company that goes out of existence after the first of July.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
So when's that all finished? Is that all on target?
Everything's okay, they're going to hand over. We know where
we are with that.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Yeah, yeah, that's all. That's all good. I mean, I
think there's they're under pressure and there's a lot of work.
As I said with Tiaki why the new water entity
and all the councils of Wellington to make sure that's
set up goes smoothly, but also to deal with this
long term pricing issue because they are projecting that in
ten years time the average water bill for Wellington household
(16:52):
will be something like six thy eight hundred dollars. That
hasn't been justified to me and to other mayors. And
we're working with chaaku. Why with the help of the
comments Commissioner, I have to say, to make sure we
get a more realistic pricing.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Now, can I just ask you a quick question. This
is personal, but anyone could have rung up and asked
the same thing. When I look at my rates bill
over the last five years, right, and I did this
over the weekend for it, do you know my rates
bill has gone up double what my pay increase has Yeah,
just my rates. Yeah, it's not buying a pound of
butter or motilla.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
It doesn't surprise you. I think. I felt I've seen
the same thing often reflect and thing. You get the rates,
but you think, oh, just five years ago it didn't
wasn't anywhere like that, you know. So no, I see that,
And I think that's one of the things is with
the council just has to get spending under control. I
think you know that emblematic thing we had where there
(17:46):
was a budget for the celebrations for the opening of
the new library. You said it four hundred thousand dollars,
and I once I heard, I only found out by accident,
and I once I heard it, I said, that's just
we just can't do that. You just have to cut that.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
How quickly is that culture change which we all appreciated
by the way, I think people thought it should have been
a hell of a lot less and was. But I
know that you were to cut and slash, So we
appreciate that. But how long is it going to take
to the culture and that council know that this is
not the way it used to be. It's under this
a new sheriff in the town and he goes under
Andrew Little and this is not how he's going to
put up with it.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Yeah. Well, I hope the message is getting through. I
know that talking to again, talking to Ben mcnolt, we're
keen to do an exercise. Actually that augand council did
is pick pick some of the things where the cost
of bloomed right out of control and actually do a
public examination, not to not to sort of fingerpoint people,
but to say what about this process went wrong because
(18:38):
auckand Council told Ben when he was up there recently,
they said, we did that three times and that was it.
Never had a problem again. So I think it is
a bit about shining a light on these sorts of things,
finding out where the problems are inside the organization. I reckon,
if we do that, people see what has gone wrong,
what we have to do to fix it, We'll get
it fixed.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Can I put a private enterprise look at this? Put
the private enterprise glasses on and say to you, surely
the first thing that needs to happen when you're trying
to cut costs, you the CEO and the chief financial
officer that would take off a lot of the stuff
without even the CEO seeing it. Surely you should be
having this little quick coffee down at Mojo underneath your
(19:19):
officers and say, okay, this ain't going to happen anymore, guys.
The three of us need to work together and cut Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
So what the conversation I've had with the chief executive
and some of these executive leadership teen members is about
how the delegations are. I mean, for example, the budget
for the Tomatope opening, it's still not clear to me
who actually approved that, and I wouldn't have thought anybody
other than the chief executive should approve a budget at
that kind of size.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Do you know those numbers that do you know when
the CEO has to sign off? Is it at two
hundred grand or is it you know, half a million
dollars on a billion dollar company? It could be as
much as a quarter of a million dollars, couldn't it. Yeah,
But I know I don't have those figures. But that's
one of the things that I'm now looking at, is
how to wear those delegation thresholds set because I just think,
and this age four hundred thousand dollars, two hundred and
(20:08):
fifty thousand dollars is a big deal, and it should
have a level of seniority for sign off before it
goes any further.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Because you found it by chance. I was being told
I got a briefing about this is what's going to
happen during the opening. I thought, oh, that's interesting. How
much is that going to cost? And then they're presented
me with the budget and then you know, if I
hadn't said that that sounds expensive. You know, if I
hadn't had done that and then asked for the budget.
I wouldn't have known. Does it worry you?
Speaker 2 (20:34):
But I mean obviously you're going to annoy a few
people by making these their Does that kind of concern
you that you're going to have to be the big
bad wolf?
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Oh no, no it doesn't know. I had that. I've
had that feedback. You're you're digging in too deep, overstepping
your mark well Eastually, you know what, In the end,
I and other counselors are responsible and accountable to Wellingtonians
for the money that the council spends and to be fair,
no qualms about and to be fair, that's what you're
voted in on, when you're voted on being the adult
(21:02):
in the room.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
I'm going to cut costs so that becomes an unpopped
a situation. Say La v Andrew, someone's just texting and said, morning,
can you please ask the mayor why we can't have
a car park building or a temporary car park building
next to the Embassy Theater. Now, Miles Gaizy told us
about this on the show, and I couldn't believe that
(21:23):
that the owners of that building went to the council
and see can we put a temporary car park. Would
have thought, you know, you going to the movies, you
could have piked there.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
And obviously, yeah, that was raised with me in the
last couple of weeks. And look, I don't have an answer.
I get the point. It's an empty space there at
the moment, sitting there doing nothing. I don't know what
the longer term plans are. I'd like to think that
any space that's sitting there empty could be used, even
on a temporary basis. So let me follow that up.
In fact, what I'm going to have even brought a
(21:51):
pen of paper with me, so I'm going to note
that down and chase that up when I get back
to the office.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Surely you mate next door be able to write all
your notes down for you, wouldn't he?
Speaker 3 (21:58):
I like to do my own do your notes.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Someone's just texting a question that I was going to
ask you, but I'll ask it because it's a text
for little When will the completion of the full repairs
at male points, sirrich plant occur? And two what has
the council done to ensure such a disaster never occurs?
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Again? Good question, yeah know, very good questions on the
on the On the first point, Look, we don't have
an accurate timeline at the moment. We're waiting for Wellington
Water to complete its full assessment. They've pretty much assessed everything,
but one thing that they still haven't got certainty on.
Would partly answer the second question, which is may record.
(22:38):
There was a report that was released a couple of
weeks ago and identified there's a possible design floor in
the plant. At the moment, that's there's a whole bunch
of data and information and stuff that's gone off to
London to be sort of further.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Were you disappointed with the inquiry result?
Speaker 3 (22:53):
Well, that wasn't That was kind of a fluke that
that report was commissioned for one reason. But in doing
that report, the experts found us a potential cause. So
they've got to go back and down check is that
a poss Is that a likely cause? So that's going
to be another couple of weeks away once they do it.
If there is a design for I mean, I'm adamant
and I've set to one into water and Willington City
(23:16):
councilors agree with me. If there is anything that is
wrong with a plant that needs to be fixed to
prevent this happening again, we need to get that fixed.
We can't just.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Even if it's like twenty or thirty million dollars.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Yeah, the educations are that what we've the edications are
that to the extent there is a potential design for
it is inside the plant. It's not the plant, it's
not the buildings and all the rest of it. So
I think Willing to Water confirmed last week they don't
have to rebuild any of the buildings. It's putting a
lot of the equipment back in and then there is
this potential design flow that's about the channels that they
(23:48):
or the water goes through. That's what needs to be
looked at.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Well to Tiaki, why Metro Water once that those done
before they hand over, they well, they are.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
Involved at the moment anyway, and look, it has to
get fixed, you know. To go back to the answer
the first question, when do we expect it will be done? Look,
it is months away, but we'll hopefully have some certainty
in the next few weeks once the latest set of
reports are all done, dusted released. My thing is the
principle I'm working on is once reports are finalized, we
(24:18):
get them out, make them public as quickly as possible.
So expect to see some more reports in the next
few weeks. But the other thing I've said to well
into Water is this is urgent. This is urgent. Okay.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
Can I just quickly quickly ask you a question? So
I'm getting a very grumpy look from my producer. Could
it if we have like a really bad weather and
we always do it this time of the year and
one of even have that week where it just absolutely
peas down the whole time, is there a chance that
we could go back to having to set in the
sewer out five meters out that.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
That's always the backup. Yep, it is always the backup.
We're trying to avoid them. I know we could actually happen.
It could happen. Went into waters doing everything they can
to avoid that happening. That's part of this design floor
thing is that the channels that were there were designed
to take water I think four thousand liters a second,
and they haven't been doing that apparently, because that's kind
of air thing, air pocket that gets caught and puts
(25:10):
backward pressure and all that sort of stuff. So that's
the thing we have to get fixed. So there is
a risk that could happen. Until the thing gets properly
fixed yet time for a quick break.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
But I will finish by saying, this is that period
of time where we change seasons and we have that
really really rainy period in Wellington. I think White Tank
was that. Why any disaster was that aroundabout now? I
don't sure, but I always remember changing daylight saving a
lot of rain.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
So we could expect that. We have a call from George.
Speaker 6 (25:39):
Good morning, George, good morning, and good morning mister Law.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Good morning George.
Speaker 6 (25:43):
I've got a simple question. Yeah, the existing plant of
water system in Wellington, Upper Lower, et cetera is at
present owned that's the pipes and the machine, you know,
the pumping stations. The whole water system is owned by
the councils.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
That's correct, right now.
Speaker 6 (26:04):
I understand that all the transferred to the new water entity.
Is that correct?
Speaker 3 (26:10):
That's correct?
Speaker 6 (26:11):
So do they pay the councils for all that equipment
and everything that the present rate players have paid for.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
No, the councilors have to transfer the assets and they
also transfer any debt associated with those assets. So councilors
have borrowed two fund water services upgrades and stuff, they
get to transfer that debt as well, and All it
means is that the value of those assets come off
each council's balance sheet, but so does the debt, but
(26:41):
there's no price paid for it. There you go, George.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
Now someone's just texting a question that I was going
to ask as well. So let's take the Texas question. Hick,
could you please ask our maya. I am concerned that.
I am concerned when he hosts visitors in his new
office that he won't be able to showcase Wellington's beautiful
harbor when he has them in the office. So that's
the let's get that one out of the way.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
That's very nice of that person to say that, Yeah, look,
we've got the new officers. Some of us expressed internally
expressed concern about the facilities available to elected members. As mayor,
I host you know, all sorts of people. But the
reality is, having looked at it and seen it, I said,
that's as you've done. We're not spending any more money
or not. We're just going to have to live with it.
(27:27):
But it's interesting. I've had a series of questions. Actually
they've all come from one source, all in to me.
Are we the only ones concerned?
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (27:36):
Inside me is very concerned about it. Know, I appreciate
the concern.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
And the well, there was a boy in cot. There
was a boycott of the opening ceremony, wasn't it?
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Well, the not sure it was a boy. I don't know.
I can't can't explain for others. I just had a
particularly busy with.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Do you know exactly what was going on? Come on,
don't look at me, don't look sideways at me on
that one.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
Now, look, it is what it is. We've got new
officers and elected members. We've got our space. We'll just
continue to work there. But I just thought, if we
want to, you know, particularly mire of a capital city.
You're entertaining diplomats and overseas guests and all the rest
of it, it'd be got to have a place where
you can actually show visitors the harbor escape and all
(28:17):
that sort of stuff. We won't be able to do that,
but anyway, too bad. Life goes on and we've got
a counsel to run.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
Now.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
I love this.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
They all saying that it's the putting right that counts.
Right now, you wouldn't remember, okay, So why can't you
put it right? You're the mirror of the city. The
people are behind you. They know that you've asked me,
you've got to have a better office and looking out
to a car pack. We all get it, So why
can't you just put it right?
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Well, because the budget for the fed out was forty
odd million dollars at a time, we are just trying
to save every dollar we can. I cannot justify spending
any more money. It'll be it'll be good for me
in the space and all the rest of it, but
we cannot justify that at this point. So I'm saying
that's we're not doing it. You did.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
You did throw the court toys out of the court. Later,
you got a bit shady, did you. I gave my feedback,
you got a bit shaddy.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Good on.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
That's why it's it's he's got the bully of the story.
That's why we're running with it. We heard your flex
the muscles, you threw the dumbbells around.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
I gave my feedback. But I also said at the
time I gave my feedback that it was disappointing. That
kind of is what it is. But we're not spending
in adamant, We're not spending any money. I will live
with what it is. So with the other counselors, and
we'll focus on what we have to do as counselors
making good decisions for the city. Yeah, and tighten the
belt and tighten the bill.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Wanting to me Andrew Little in the studio for his
monthly catch up with us, Let's talk about the big
article and the post this weekend that said that n
z TA reckons that they could get this whole roading
thing in the Double Tunnel and get us open and
running in six years now. When I saw that, I
got excited. I thought maybe I'd still be alive.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Yeah, I've seen various sort of periods of time they
say they will take to do it. I think the
main thing from my point of view is still there's
still issues about the design. We've got to get that right.
But also whatever period of time it's going to cause
the least disruption possible, it is going to be disruptive.
These sorts of big infrastructure projects always are so to
some extent, we're all going to have to look through that.
(30:14):
But we do you know, we don't want it dragging
out year after year. So so do you reckon.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
We'll have it signed off ready to go within the ship.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Well, my last conversation with the Minister Chris pecial was
he was referring it to fast track and he wanted it.
He said, shovels in the ground by the end of
the year. I think that might be a little ambitious,
but at least at least things signed off and approval
given from you, because it's all in central government's hands
by the end of the year. I think that would
(30:43):
give certainty to people and people can start planning planning
around that.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Unlike unlike your officers, do you get the final say
on this. No, no, we have no saying it whatsoever.
Well we get we get consulted on it, and we've
certainly been given feedback. And I know a lot of Willingtonians.
I know the councilors on in the eastern Ward, the
three councilors there, Johnny Osbourne, Sam ma'brian and Carl Tiefenbaker
have been giving feedback. They got pretty clear message from
(31:07):
a lot of the constituents that people are concerned about it,
particularly that area around Moxham Avenue. We do want to
see the final design take that stuff into account, but
in the end these are decisions of central government. It's NZTA.
They will make the final decisions. We've just got to
get the best we can out of it. Talking about
shovels in the ground. The Mayfair development's now gone to
(31:28):
an appeal. I've only got a minute, but I find
this disgusting that residents can stop it. You know what
will in to needs is cranes in the air. That's
what we need to see that this is a great development.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Yeah. I mean we're trying to encouraging developers for the
more accommodation and and high density accommodation. This is one
of those I get. I get the local residents. You know,
there's a very narrow little pathway that the trucks have
to go up and down. I know some of the
residents up and down that pathway, that driveway are very concerned.
There's young families up there that's got to be sorted out.
(32:00):
You would think that they might be able to have
a facilitated discussion with the developer try and work out
some of them.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
I think you could you something to help that. It's
me could you get them together a bit? But everyone's
got their rights, No one's twisted.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Yeah, I understand that there has been a bit of
engagement and it's gone through the processes and people are
exercising their legal rights. I have said to the developer
if there's anything I can do, my office can do
to try and get a dialogue going between the various parties.
I'm happy to do that. At the moment, it's tied
up in legal proceedings, so look, we'll see where that goes.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Forty percent of them already sold, They've got contracts coming out.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
There a zoo. They want to get it built, and
you know it's going to happen.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
It's whether it costs the developer and the residents a
whole lot of money.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
As the cost. Do you appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
Andrew Little, thanks for coming in, appreciate your time. I
know you're a very busy person. Thanks for sticking to
your contract unofficial contract with zib for though they were
the only ones anyone trying to get you a better
office and we're getting picked on.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
That's not very fun. I'm very thankful to me and
the INTERSTID.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
It's showing hopefully we will get we will get the
new officers for you.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks. It'd be Welling from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from news Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Said, b well and to me, and Andrew Little joins
us and the studio joins us in the studio, me
and you anyone listening, and he will take your calls
and your questions and do his best to answer them.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Good morning, Andrew.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
How are you?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Four days off? Catch up? But a risk, get out
in the garden, do a few things.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Wasn't it great weekend for doing that? That's exactly what
I did.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
It was good. It was good to get out. We
actually did. My wife and I did a couple of
movies as well. There was one point on Sunday with
the packed up a wee bit, but look were a
pack up on Sunday? Yes, Dad, there was a rain
fellow where we were. Maybe it's on our house, I
don't know, but we found ourselves going to the movie
did we went? We went to ham Knit one one time,
and then we went to the one about the ten
(00:58):
or Iron Putty the next night about the Summer and
Tennis Singing. Both excellent movies with it good good job.
But you a movie guy. Yeah, we love movies. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
And I like the cinema experience too, Which one do
you go to? Weent to Penthouse, both of them? Actually
do you go? All right?
Speaker 2 (01:16):
That's a bit of warm up stuff, isn't it. We've
just talked about the effects.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
We call it the war effects.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Obviously President Trump's actions are having huge effects on New Zealand.
As mayor or Wellington, where's its biggest impact.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Obviously for the city council, that has some impact. A
large chunk of our vehicle fleet to diesel vehicles and
we've got a lot of electric cars, we've got a
lot of diesel and so that's going to push those
costs up. But what I'm acutely we're of is is
there's going to be quite significant impact on household budgets.
We know that it's not just the cost of petrol,
it's the cost of goods and services generally going to
(01:54):
go up. That's going to put pressure on things. So
from a council point of view, when we're both said
with its setting rates or setting prices of things, we
have to be conscious of that and we've got to
be thinking about things that we can do that don't
cost households, that alleviate their pressure on households, so very
much focusing on that. Expect to be in touch with
(02:16):
the Greater Wellington Regional Council about what we can do
to encourage public transports. See whether there's in they incentives
that we can put in place for that.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Who decides that? Who decided to just quickly? I want
I've got two questions, got one in my mind. Someone
actually text text earlier on and said they saw the
big double decker buses getting filled up with diesel. Can
you talk to the Greater Wellington Can you tell those
people maybe we could do single deck, you know, cut
the costs?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah, I think. I mean the thing A trunk of
the bus fleet diesel. A trunk of them are electric.
There is hybrids as well. The thing about it is
that although the cost of diesel and the bus goes up,
the more passengers go on, then you get to a
point where the extra passengers defray the cost of the
additional cost of diesel. So it's actually better. And if
(03:02):
people are looking ways to save on their own spending
on petrol, actuallyublic transport is not a bad option. We
just got to make sure there's enough capacity, that the
schedule is good and reliable, all that sort of stuff.
But actually I want to talk to the Wellington Regional
Council on what we can do to incentivize people to
get there. Can we you know, you look and I
think it's Victoria and Queensland both looking at free public
(03:24):
transport or discounts on public transport. Let's see what we
can do here for a city that has a lot
of public transport users.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Well, Victoria has already done it, haven't they. I've done
it free. So is it something that you are thinking
seriously about.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Yeah, Well, one of my campaign pages was to cap
the number of fares you buy in a week. So
once I paid for eight feares and a week, then
the rest of the week you get for free. So
I'm keen to see whether this might be an opportunity
to roll that out. So that's what I've been talking
to me.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
So you're not looking at actually doing saying okay for
the month of April, for the rest of April will
have free buses pre public transport.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
That's too far, that's too bigger ask expect. Look, let
me have a discussion with the regional Council. I expected, well,
I mean the public transport will lie a lot on
the subsidy that it gets from central government. Central government
is their message has been for the last couple of
years they want to see passengers paying more, so they're
not putting more money into public transport to subsidized fears.
(04:18):
So that's one of the hurdles we'd have to get over.
But it looks to me like I know that the
number of passengers in public transport have gone up in
the last sort of two or three weeks, and whether
the increased passengers and therefore the increased revenue is enough
to say, actually maybe we can afford some free fares
or some days when it's free and that sort of stuff.
So that's what I want to have to talk about.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So apart from the fuel crisis, nothing else is affecting
us just the I mean surely that it's affecting every
single business in Wellington.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
And it's only thing's confidence because people know that that
people are like the wallets are closing up, people being
very cautious, very careful that they want to spend a
lot of their discretionary sort of income as being sort
of held back at the moment, I think we're starting
to see. So that's a reality. So that's why. I
think anything that council does, it's trying to encourage people
(05:09):
to get out and about it's going to be stuff
that's free or isn't going to cost them a great deal.
So we've got to be thinking careful about that stuff.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
We talked before we went on out, and we both
we agreed with each other that a couple of weeks
ago it just felt like.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
We were we were all witting.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
You know, like it was all feeling a lot more
just buoyant and fantastic. People had smiles of their face
just in a weak Things can change, and it just,
you know, felt like it had just changed.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
But how do we get it back up? Yeah? I
appreciate that, and it is difficult, and I take my
hat off to protecting Nicola Willison. This government who's doing
it doing really good job keeping people informed about what's happening.
But men, you know, she's what does she do and
what does the government do? That's the situation that's beyond
their control. They've got to do what they can to
maintain confidence, keep people in forum. But the reality is
(05:58):
what is happening is going to have a massive impact
on pushing prices up, and people are naturally cautious when
that happens. Business therefore respond responds by saying, okay, well,
plans we might have had because of the confidence we
saw a couple of weeks ago, a couple of months ago,
we're going to hold back because we just don't know
what's going to happen. So that's the that's the flow
on effect of a situation like this. We we're just
(06:20):
gonna have to support each other through it. That's all
I can see.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
I was speaking to a property developer a couple of
weeks ago, and he said that he made an offer
like multimillion dollar off or on a building in one Inton,
and he said that he put a clause in there
because he wasn't settling for three or four months, that
if the situation gets worse, he could pull out. Now,
are you hearing similar stories?
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Yeah, I think there are. We are seeing more sort
of conditions added like that, people just reserving their right
for for big deals to pull out further down the
track before they sort of become and crystallized. So that's
that's again, that that caution that now I think we're
going to see in business that's gonna that just puts
off the golden days that we thought were on the horizon.
(07:03):
So it pushes them further back and we just can't
do another bad winter, can we. No, we don't know.
We can't that. There are some good things happening. We've
got you know, we've got Ultra this weekend the Ultra
Festival booked out, stick us sold out very quickly. We've
got I just saw some figures, massive increase in accommodation
bookings the next month compared to last April for Wellington.
(07:24):
So look, there's some there are some expressions of confidence
and some signs that there will be sort of more
cash going around the Wellerston economy. But we had a
we've had a good start this summer. We've just kind
of had a bit of a hiatus. We just hope
it doesn't last that long.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
How much are you in control of this? Sort's how
much are your buddies in the beehive and control of this?
Speaker 3 (07:44):
I don't think anybody really is. There's only one person
that's the person in the White House.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
I mean more like, how can we can we make
things better? We know the situation worldwide is pretty we
can't control that, but how can how can you and
central government together make life better and Willington.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
The best we can do is keep people informed and
respect the fact that the supporting pressure on households and
make sure the decisions that we've taken, the things that
we do aren't going to put further pressure on households,
create further uncertainty and make life generally more miserable. We've
got to be countersexical in that regard within our means.
(08:21):
But this is a thing we're all just going to
have to brace together and get through this. That's all
I can see.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Andrew Little taking your cause and Fergus has called up
Andrew to ask you a question.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Good morning, Fergus Money Andrew.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
I've just got a question about the business rates residential
differential in Wellington. I think it's around three point seven,
one of the highest in the country. I know you
mentioned that business is tough in Wellington. What are you
doing to support the businesses in Wellington through this especially
tougher time of the cautious spending of them all the Wellingtonians.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Yeah, so that's we've had a program for some months
now of cutting spending and council and that's leading to that.
We're in the process now I've said rates that apply
for the next financial year. I know the issue of
the commercial differential is very important to business. I've been
engaging with a Chamber of Commerce and others about it.
I am committed to seeing that reducing. It's unlikely we're
(09:19):
going to do that for the next financial year, but
I'll continue to work with the Offices of Counsel and
Counsel and getting that down. It is one of the
things we have to address if we want to make
Wellington more attractive for more businesses and more competitive.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
The problem is, and let's be really honest about this,
because I've got a foot in both camps here. As
soon as you take it, drop it on one, you're
going to the other. So there is really I mean,
I know and respect that you're trying to do something
with it, but you're in no man's We're all in
no man's lands right now, aren't we.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
But I think that's the point I think I made
in previous interviews is the first thing is to cut
counsel spending, to get the council spending under control, because
you're right, if whatever whatever is not paid for from
the commercial differential has to be READI tributed across residential.
And actually that's I mean, what's been happening in the
last however many years, ten to fifteen years, is that
more has been loaded onto business that would otherwise have
(10:15):
been paid by residential. So given that we are at
three point seven times, there does have to be a realignment.
We do have to bring that differential down and it
is going to put that those costs will be redistributed
back across to residential. But if we get counsel spending
under control, get it manageable and reasonable, I'm confident that
there is a reasonable path we can cut that the
(10:38):
result will be fair rates for business and fear rates
for residents.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Well, let's cut to that. Then let's go straight to
the chase. I mean, you've had that Deloitte's report for
six months now, you know longer you we all know
that you are intentionally wanting to drop the cost. When
are we going to see some significant costs. When are
we going to see some of those two hundred people
that or three hundred people that Deloitte's say we don't
need in the council. When are we going to start
(11:03):
seeing stuff that we can take?
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Yeah? Yeah, Well, we're always seeing a numbers reducing because
they've had the Council's had a sinking the policy for
some time. As as a result of the Financial Review
Working Group that's been led by Deputy Mayor Ben McNulty,
we've seen further work, quite significant work that is resulting
in work with the Council workforce. We are going to
(11:26):
have to address those issues. Do it would and it's
the Chief Executive the responsibility to differ.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
You're not quite cutting to my chase, though I'd love
to know when we're going to see it. Well.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
The Financial Review Working Group's work is it's in a
first phase of work that feeds into the next budget.
So the rates for next year, what were scheduled rates
of what twelve point seven percent are now down to
seven point four percent. That's entirely as a consequence of
that work. There's more work to do. I mean. One
of the things that the Delot report threw up cast
(12:00):
a light on was the very poor contract management process
because we're not negotiating tracks, we're renewing stuff, we're just
accepting the price that's offered. We've now got a whole
process now implemented where that isn't going to happen anymore.
We're going to bargain, we're going to negotiate, we're going
to get costs down. The chief executive is overseeing that work.
(12:20):
The chief executives required to put together a program of
work to respond to all of the issues in the
Deloit report. I'm expecting that sort of any time now.
So there's a range of stuff going on that is
about driving cost out of the council. It was never
going to happen in a month or even six months.
It's going to be a longer term process. But that
work as well underway as your.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
CEO and you are talking and get after the cleanings
story last week, I mean, you know, is that we're
okay again?
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Oh you know if I know, Look, we all got
matter is excellent. We have a good working relationship, an
excellent working relationship, and we deal with these issues. That
issue should have been dealt with it at the time,
at the end of last year, at surface now. But
he's in control of.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
That, okay, and wants to ask you a question.
Speaker 5 (13:06):
Good bye, Hello, Nick, how are you good?
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Dumb?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
A bit nervous about what you're going to ask Andrew though.
Speaker 5 (13:12):
Oh hey, thank you very much for those lovely Easter
barn buns. Everyone goes to Nana Bakery.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Now, now you've done the nice part. I don't I
know you. I know that are I'd be a little
bit nervous. Good morning, right, it shouldn't be.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
My brother was called Andrew. Now the rates. Looking at
my rates bill, I've got rates and a certain amount
of money four thousand, we'll say five five thousand to
round it off. Then under that I've got water, sewerage,
storm water, which is twenty one hundred. Now reading the
(13:48):
Metrowater website, which is very very clear, it actually has
a diagram so you can't misunderstand it. Those three water
associated costs go to Metro Water, which leaves that five
thousand dollars only going to Wellington City Council. We could
(14:10):
say parks, playgrounds, library, but I believe that they voted
to cut spending on some of those. But that leads
just that five thousand to go to Wellington City Council.
I just want to check that our rates increase of
seven point four percent is only on that five thousand
(14:31):
that they will be getting and not on the full amount,
in which case it won't be a seven point four percent.
It will be about a fifteen percent.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Now, no, but you've got that wrong. End the water
and cress will go from two thy one hundred to
that two thousand, four hundred and then and then the
rest is just on what goes to council. So for
the first year of the new water entity, the rate
is effectively set by council and all that will be
(14:59):
invoiced separately by the water company note which is called
Tiaki Why so that will be that cost there and
you might have seen consultation documents that taakua I put
out in the last few weeks projecting over the next
ten years that that cost will go up significantly. So
we're doing quite a bit of work at the moment
all the councils in Willington and with the Commerce Commission
(15:21):
to make sure that we get those costs under control too.
But the water costs will come out of your rates bill.
That'll be separately built. But we still have to keep
counsel spending under control, and that's what we're determined to do.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Can you just explain to me why we call it
Tayaku Way but our own voices from Metro Water and
if I'm looking to request to interview the people that
I requested a tour called metro Water. Is there any
confusion with that for people?
Speaker 3 (15:50):
I think originally it was called Metro Water when it
was when it was sort of first set up. I
understand the official name is tak Tiaku Way Limited or
Tiaku Way Metro Water Limited. But you might have to
talk to Tiaki wys less me clarify how they've done
the line.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
You put a stop on us talking to them if
you've put the clampers on that, haven't.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
You not to take No, no, no, everybody can talk
to anybody. We're just going to make sure that we're
all getting good information out at the right time. So
there's also Wellington Water. Wellington Water is again a separate
company that goes out of existence after the first of July.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
So when's that all finished? Is that all on target?
Everything's okay, they're going to hand over. We know where
we are with that.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Yeah, yeah, that's all. That's all good. I mean, I
think there's they're under pressure and there's a lot of work.
As I said with Tiaki why the new water entity
and all the councils of Wellington to make sure that's
set up goes smoothly, but also to deal with this
long term pricing issue because they are projecting that in
ten years time the average water bill for Wellington household
(16:52):
will be something like six thy eight hundred dollars. That
hasn't been justified to me and to other mayors. And
we're working with chaaku. Why with the help of the
comments Commissioner, I have to say, to make sure we
get a more realistic pricing.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Now, can I just ask you a quick question. This
is personal, but anyone could have rung up and asked
the same thing. When I look at my rates bill
over the last five years, right, and I did this
over the weekend for it, do you know my rates
bill has gone up double what my pay increase has Yeah,
just my rates. Yeah, it's not buying a pound of
butter or motilla.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
It doesn't surprise you. I think. I felt I've seen
the same thing often reflect and thing. You get the rates,
but you think, oh, just five years ago it didn't
wasn't anywhere like that, you know. So no, I see that,
And I think that's one of the things is with
the council just has to get spending under control. I
think you know that emblematic thing we had where there
(17:46):
was a budget for the celebrations for the opening of
the new library. You said it four hundred thousand dollars,
and I once I heard, I only found out by accident,
and I once I heard it, I said, that's just
we just can't do that. You just have to cut that.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
How quickly is that culture change which we all appreciated
by the way, I think people thought it should have been
a hell of a lot less and was. But I
know that you were to cut and slash, So we
appreciate that. But how long is it going to take
to the culture and that council know that this is
not the way it used to be. It's under this
a new sheriff in the town and he goes under
Andrew Little and this is not how he's going to
put up with it.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Yeah. Well, I hope the message is getting through. I
know that talking to again, talking to Ben mcnolt, we're
keen to do an exercise. Actually that augand council did
is pick pick some of the things where the cost
of bloomed right out of control and actually do a
public examination, not to not to sort of fingerpoint people,
but to say what about this process went wrong because
(18:38):
auckand Council told Ben when he was up there recently,
they said, we did that three times and that was it.
Never had a problem again. So I think it is
a bit about shining a light on these sorts of things,
finding out where the problems are inside the organization. I reckon,
if we do that, people see what has gone wrong,
what we have to do to fix it, We'll get
it fixed.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Can I put a private enterprise look at this? Put
the private enterprise glasses on and say to you, surely
the first thing that needs to happen when you're trying
to cut costs, you the CEO and the chief financial
officer that would take off a lot of the stuff
without even the CEO seeing it. Surely you should be
having this little quick coffee down at Mojo underneath your
(19:19):
officers and say, okay, this ain't going to happen anymore, guys.
The three of us need to work together and cut Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
So what the conversation I've had with the chief executive
and some of these executive leadership teen members is about
how the delegations are. I mean, for example, the budget
for the Tomatope opening, it's still not clear to me
who actually approved that, and I wouldn't have thought anybody
other than the chief executive should approve a budget at
that kind of size.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Do you know those numbers that do you know when
the CEO has to sign off? Is it at two
hundred grand or is it you know, half a million
dollars on a billion dollar company? It could be as
much as a quarter of a million dollars, couldn't it. Yeah,
But I know I don't have those figures. But that's
one of the things that I'm now looking at, is
how to wear those delegation thresholds set because I just think,
and this age four hundred thousand dollars, two hundred and
(20:08):
fifty thousand dollars is a big deal, and it should
have a level of seniority for sign off before it
goes any further.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Because you found it by chance. I was being told
I got a briefing about this is what's going to
happen during the opening. I thought, oh, that's interesting. How
much is that going to cost? And then they're presented
me with the budget and then you know, if I
hadn't said that that sounds expensive. You know, if I
hadn't had done that and then asked for the budget.
I wouldn't have known. Does it worry you?
Speaker 2 (20:34):
But I mean obviously you're going to annoy a few
people by making these their Does that kind of concern
you that you're going to have to be the big
bad wolf?
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Oh no, no it doesn't know. I had that. I've
had that feedback. You're you're digging in too deep, overstepping
your mark well Eastually, you know what, In the end,
I and other counselors are responsible and accountable to Wellingtonians
for the money that the council spends and to be fair,
no qualms about and to be fair, that's what you're
voted in on, when you're voted on being the adult
(21:02):
in the room.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
I'm going to cut costs so that becomes an unpopped
a situation. Say La v Andrew, someone's just texting and said, morning,
can you please ask the mayor why we can't have
a car park building or a temporary car park building
next to the Embassy Theater. Now, Miles Gaizy told us
about this on the show, and I couldn't believe that
(21:23):
that the owners of that building went to the council
and see can we put a temporary car park. Would
have thought, you know, you going to the movies, you
could have piked there.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
And obviously, yeah, that was raised with me in the
last couple of weeks. And look, I don't have an answer.
I get the point. It's an empty space there at
the moment, sitting there doing nothing. I don't know what
the longer term plans are. I'd like to think that
any space that's sitting there empty could be used, even
on a temporary basis. So let me follow that up.
In fact, what I'm going to have even brought a
(21:51):
pen of paper with me, so I'm going to note
that down and chase that up when I get back
to the office.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Surely you mate next door be able to write all
your notes down for you, wouldn't he?
Speaker 3 (21:58):
I like to do my own do your notes.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Someone's just texting a question that I was going to
ask you, but I'll ask it because it's a text
for little When will the completion of the full repairs
at male points, sirrich plant occur? And two what has
the council done to ensure such a disaster never occurs?
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Again? Good question, yeah know, very good questions on the
on the On the first point, Look, we don't have
an accurate timeline at the moment. We're waiting for Wellington
Water to complete its full assessment. They've pretty much assessed everything,
but one thing that they still haven't got certainty on.
Would partly answer the second question, which is may record.
(22:38):
There was a report that was released a couple of
weeks ago and identified there's a possible design floor in
the plant. At the moment, that's there's a whole bunch
of data and information and stuff that's gone off to
London to be sort of further.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Were you disappointed with the inquiry result?
Speaker 3 (22:53):
Well, that wasn't That was kind of a fluke that
that report was commissioned for one reason. But in doing
that report, the experts found us a potential cause. So
they've got to go back and down check is that
a poss Is that a likely cause? So that's going
to be another couple of weeks away once they do it.
If there is a design for I mean, I'm adamant
and I've set to one into water and Willington City
(23:16):
councilors agree with me. If there is anything that is
wrong with a plant that needs to be fixed to
prevent this happening again, we need to get that fixed.
We can't just.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Even if it's like twenty or thirty million dollars.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Yeah, the educations are that what we've the edications are
that to the extent there is a potential design for
it is inside the plant. It's not the plant, it's
not the buildings and all the rest of it. So
I think Willing to Water confirmed last week they don't
have to rebuild any of the buildings. It's putting a
lot of the equipment back in and then there is
this potential design flow that's about the channels that they
(23:48):
or the water goes through. That's what needs to be
looked at.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Well to Tiaki, why Metro Water once that those done
before they hand over, they well, they are.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
Involved at the moment anyway, and look, it has to
get fixed, you know. To go back to the answer
the first question, when do we expect it will be done? Look,
it is months away, but we'll hopefully have some certainty
in the next few weeks once the latest set of
reports are all done, dusted released. My thing is the
principle I'm working on is once reports are finalized, we
(24:18):
get them out, make them public as quickly as possible.
So expect to see some more reports in the next
few weeks. But the other thing I've said to well
into Water is this is urgent. This is urgent. Okay.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
Can I just quickly quickly ask you a question? So
I'm getting a very grumpy look from my producer. Could
it if we have like a really bad weather and
we always do it this time of the year and
one of even have that week where it just absolutely
peas down the whole time, is there a chance that
we could go back to having to set in the
sewer out five meters out that.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
That's always the backup. Yep, it is always the backup.
We're trying to avoid them. I know we could actually happen.
It could happen. Went into waters doing everything they can
to avoid that happening. That's part of this design floor
thing is that the channels that were there were designed
to take water I think four thousand liters a second,
and they haven't been doing that apparently, because that's kind
of air thing, air pocket that gets caught and puts
(25:10):
backward pressure and all that sort of stuff. So that's
the thing we have to get fixed. So there is
a risk that could happen. Until the thing gets properly
fixed yet time for a quick break.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
But I will finish by saying, this is that period
of time where we change seasons and we have that
really really rainy period in Wellington. I think White Tank
was that. Why any disaster was that aroundabout now? I
don't sure, but I always remember changing daylight saving a
lot of rain.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
So we could expect that. We have a call from George.
Speaker 6 (25:39):
Good morning, George, good morning, and good morning mister Law.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Good morning George.
Speaker 6 (25:43):
I've got a simple question. Yeah, the existing plant of
water system in Wellington, Upper Lower, et cetera is at
present owned that's the pipes and the machine, you know,
the pumping stations. The whole water system is owned by
the councils.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
That's correct, right now.
Speaker 6 (26:04):
I understand that all the transferred to the new water entity.
Is that correct?
Speaker 3 (26:10):
That's correct?
Speaker 6 (26:11):
So do they pay the councils for all that equipment
and everything that the present rate players have paid for.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
No, the councilors have to transfer the assets and they
also transfer any debt associated with those assets. So councilors
have borrowed two fund water services upgrades and stuff, they
get to transfer that debt as well, and All it
means is that the value of those assets come off
each council's balance sheet, but so does the debt, but
(26:41):
there's no price paid for it. There you go, George.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
Now someone's just texting a question that I was going
to ask as well. So let's take the Texas question. Hick,
could you please ask our maya. I am concerned that.
I am concerned when he hosts visitors in his new
office that he won't be able to showcase Wellington's beautiful
harbor when he has them in the office. So that's
the let's get that one out of the way.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
That's very nice of that person to say that, Yeah, look,
we've got the new officers. Some of us expressed internally
expressed concern about the facilities available to elected members. As mayor,
I host you know, all sorts of people. But the
reality is, having looked at it and seen it, I said,
that's as you've done. We're not spending any more money
or not. We're just going to have to live with it.
(27:27):
But it's interesting. I've had a series of questions. Actually
they've all come from one source, all in to me.
Are we the only ones concerned?
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (27:36):
Inside me is very concerned about it. Know, I appreciate
the concern.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
And the well, there was a boy in cot. There
was a boycott of the opening ceremony, wasn't it?
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Well, the not sure it was a boy. I don't know.
I can't can't explain for others. I just had a
particularly busy with.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Do you know exactly what was going on? Come on,
don't look at me, don't look sideways at me on
that one.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
Now, look, it is what it is. We've got new
officers and elected members. We've got our space. We'll just
continue to work there. But I just thought, if we
want to, you know, particularly mire of a capital city.
You're entertaining diplomats and overseas guests and all the rest
of it, it'd be got to have a place where
you can actually show visitors the harbor escape and all
(28:17):
that sort of stuff. We won't be able to do that,
but anyway, too bad. Life goes on and we've got
a counsel to run.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
Now.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
I love this.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
They all saying that it's the putting right that counts.
Right now, you wouldn't remember, okay, So why can't you
put it right? You're the mirror of the city. The
people are behind you. They know that you've asked me,
you've got to have a better office and looking out
to a car pack. We all get it, So why
can't you just put it right?
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Well, because the budget for the fed out was forty
odd million dollars at a time, we are just trying
to save every dollar we can. I cannot justify spending
any more money. It'll be it'll be good for me
in the space and all the rest of it, but
we cannot justify that at this point. So I'm saying
that's we're not doing it. You did.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
You did throw the court toys out of the court. Later,
you got a bit shady, did you. I gave my feedback,
you got a bit shaddy.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Good on.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
That's why it's it's he's got the bully of the story.
That's why we're running with it. We heard your flex
the muscles, you threw the dumbbells around.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
I gave my feedback. But I also said at the
time I gave my feedback that it was disappointing. That
kind of is what it is. But we're not spending
in adamant, We're not spending any money. I will live
with what it is. So with the other counselors, and
we'll focus on what we have to do as counselors
making good decisions for the city. Yeah, and tighten the
belt and tighten the bill.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Wanting to me Andrew Little in the studio for his
monthly catch up with us, Let's talk about the big
article and the post this weekend that said that n
z TA reckons that they could get this whole roading
thing in the Double Tunnel and get us open and
running in six years now. When I saw that, I
got excited. I thought maybe I'd still be alive.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Yeah, I've seen various sort of periods of time they
say they will take to do it. I think the
main thing from my point of view is still there's
still issues about the design. We've got to get that right.
But also whatever period of time it's going to cause
the least disruption possible, it is going to be disruptive.
These sorts of big infrastructure projects always are so to
some extent, we're all going to have to look through that.
(30:14):
But we do you know, we don't want it dragging
out year after year. So so do you reckon.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
We'll have it signed off ready to go within the ship.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Well, my last conversation with the Minister Chris pecial was
he was referring it to fast track and he wanted it.
He said, shovels in the ground by the end of
the year. I think that might be a little ambitious,
but at least at least things signed off and approval
given from you, because it's all in central government's hands
by the end of the year. I think that would
(30:43):
give certainty to people and people can start planning planning
around that.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Unlike unlike your officers, do you get the final say
on this. No, no, we have no saying it whatsoever.
Well we get we get consulted on it, and we've
certainly been given feedback. And I know a lot of Willingtonians.
I know the councilors on in the eastern Ward, the
three councilors there, Johnny Osbourne, Sam ma'brian and Carl Tiefenbaker
have been giving feedback. They got pretty clear message from
(31:07):
a lot of the constituents that people are concerned about it,
particularly that area around Moxham Avenue. We do want to
see the final design take that stuff into account, but
in the end these are decisions of central government. It's NZTA.
They will make the final decisions. We've just got to
get the best we can out of it. Talking about
shovels in the ground. The Mayfair development's now gone to
(31:28):
an appeal. I've only got a minute, but I find
this disgusting that residents can stop it. You know what
will in to needs is cranes in the air. That's
what we need to see that this is a great development.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Yeah. I mean we're trying to encouraging developers for the
more accommodation and and high density accommodation. This is one
of those I get. I get the local residents. You know,
there's a very narrow little pathway that the trucks have
to go up and down. I know some of the
residents up and down that pathway, that driveway are very concerned.
There's young families up there that's got to be sorted out.
(32:00):
You would think that they might be able to have
a facilitated discussion with the developer try and work out
some of them.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
I think you could you something to help that. It's
me could you get them together a bit? But everyone's
got their rights, No one's twisted.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Yeah, I understand that there has been a bit of
engagement and it's gone through the processes and people are
exercising their legal rights. I have said to the developer
if there's anything I can do, my office can do
to try and get a dialogue going between the various parties.
I'm happy to do that. At the moment, it's tied
up in legal proceedings, so look, we'll see where that goes.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Forty percent of them already sold, They've got contracts coming out.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
There a zoo. They want to get it built, and
you know it's going to happen.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
It's whether it costs the developer and the residents a
whole lot of money.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
As the cost. Do you appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
Andrew Little, thanks for coming in, appreciate your time. I
know you're a very busy person. Thanks for sticking to
your contract unofficial contract with zib for though they were
the only ones anyone trying to get you a better
office and we're getting picked on.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
That's not very fun. I'm very thankful to me and
the INTERSTID.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
It's showing hopefully we will get we will get the
new officers for you.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks. It'd be Welling from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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