May 10, 2026 • 32 mins
Wellington City Mayor Andrew Little joins Nick Mills in the studio for May's monthly chat and takes your calls.
After multiple news stories about unrest between council executives and the council, Nick asks Mayor Little for his insight into the debates at the moment.
Mayor Little says a change of culture is needed and he is concerned officials don't realise that they aren't spending their own money, but that of the taxpayers.
Then onto amalgamation, Mayor Little shares the latest in talks and suggests eight councils could be involved.
Also on the agenda was Tiaki Wai water meter cost, the latest in chats between council and the entity and Golden Mile and Moa Point updates.
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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 sed B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Andrew Little joins making for in the studio for a
full hour. It feels to me, good morning, Andrew, good morning.
It feels to me that we're kind of a city
on the edge. We feel that we're coming right and
then something keeps banging us back. I mean that is
that a fair affection.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Yeah, that's certain of the sense I get. I mean
we've had some amazing things recently. You know, go to
the Warriors game, stadium packed out, I went to the Splittings,
one of the Splittings concerts last week. We had the
Pink Floored experience. You've got and Juliet amazing production on
wellingson at the moment you get out in about and
a lot of people buzzing around the street, but also
there are things holding us back. I think the fuel
crisis that cost the fuel and grown across the living
(00:53):
is still having an impact on people and the way
they spend the money. I think people, you know, people,
people want to enjoy what Wellington's got to offer, but
the sort of broader conditions is just holding people back.
About at the.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Moment, Yeah, and there seems to be a lot of
in a bickering between you know, the employees of the
Council and the Council's I want to start with the
one that really gets to me, because were you comfortable
with the senior council executives making a redundancy related decisions
without actually you knowing anything about it? Was that a
bit of a shop.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Yeah, I think that's two things there. I think yeah,
there was where the decision was a matter of how
it was made, and there was a decision that effects.
The law changed in Ferry this year so that if
you're honest an only come of two hundred thousand dollars plus,
you don't have an automatic right to the personal agreements
processes that are in the law. You can you can
(01:45):
continue to have that if you agree with your employer.
And so the senior leadership Tember of the Council talked
about it and they sort of agreed that the law
does protect our own ass really well that my concern
was technically legally it's correct, guse under the law it
says the chief executive of the Council is the employer
(02:07):
for all employees, and it was his decision and all
the rest of it. But it's the perception of self
interest that is what concerns me. Is the conversation I
had with that Prosser, and it looked like those affected
by a decision that could have could have gone a
different way making the decision for themselves.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
The issue that most people will say though, isn't this
should there be a system within the you know, between
you and the employees of no surprises. I mean you
would have seen this and thought I really should have
known about this.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yes, no, no, that is it. There's totally it. A
significant decision like that that certainly affected the senior leadership
team should actually have come to myself and the council
to make just to be absolutely clear and transparent about it,
that would have been the preferable course of action. So
that said, you know, of the decision itself. The weird
thing is the lord the law has written the way
(02:57):
it is the other the law that the council has
to be conscious of as the local government that says
that the council has to be a good employer. So
to the extent that the change, I.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Don't think that we're arguing about whether that amy is
personally I like probably you do feel if you there's
a grievance that should be heard, but it's actually not knowing.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Yeah, totally, that's it. I mean that you're right because
the other thing is that we want fear process. Right,
it's regardless of how seeing it, you're titless so to
due process, but an important decision like that should have
come to the full council to avoid the perception of
self interest?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Are we seeing too much of that at the moment?
Are we seeing self interest? I think you segued own
beautifully for me. Are we seeing self interest? I mean
this morning we pick up the paper and you've got
another member of the of your work staff having, you know,
side little crack at you, telling you to keep your
nose out.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah. Look, that's the I think we are. The Council
is undergoing a change, a bit of a culture change,
which is that you know, we are just not going
to keep spending money as if it's you know, it's
kind of going out of fashion type of thing. This
is money we have to raise from residents and rape payers,
so we've got to be careful stewards of it. So
there is a change happening, and I think some people
are finding that difficult. But we've got to keep going,
(04:09):
and we will keep going. And actually Met Mett is
very good on that. Met has been very good at
making sure something managed.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
There's an old saying, and I don't like him torupt
doing me. I can hear people yelling at the radio
to me to it. There's an old saying that the
proofs and the pudding now. And we've had this conversation
several times, how you're going to change the culture. But
every every week I pick up the paper or turn
my radio on and I hear another issue exactly the
same way. You've now got you know your your artwork,
(04:37):
at your new you know your new digs. I mean,
it just keeps going. And I don't want to absolve
themself a responsibility. Those decisions were decisions taken before and
all that sort of stuff. Look, I think progress is
being made. This was never going to change overnight or
even quickly. This is about constant reaffirmation of what the
principles are. And the principles are. We are an organization
(04:59):
that is saving money because we have to. We have
to reduce our spending, and we're going to carry on.
That's that's the line. We're taking that's we're going to
continue to do. Do you believe and it's previous council
and previous mayor that there is a culture that needs
to be changed within your your team.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
I think what I would say is what my perception
is that there are at some in some parts of
the Council that there wasn't a respect for the fact
that this is you know, this is not the o
own money. This is money we have to take from
rate payers and we've got a duty to be careful
about it. There was a sense that it's okay to
spend you know, money in certain wads. I think the
(05:42):
other thing that concerns me is when I look at
some of the contracting, so we can't accept quoted prices
rather than pushing back saying okay, can this be justified?
There's that sort of thing. So that's the stuff that
has to change as well. And we are making good
progress and that in that respect, to.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Be fair, there'll be once again listeners listening to it
and saying, well, it hasn't changed, because today's paper actually
tells us about a senior management person extremely soe saying
you know, you will spend money how we want to
spend money, mister little and don't keep your nose out
of it. Yeah, so that was back, and that was
back in that exchange with the comment was made just lately,
(06:21):
I mean.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
It was disclosed lately and it was And that was
that because I had intervened and said, oh, we're not
spending four hundred thousand dollars on that library, and there
was a bit of resistance to that. So that was
at the beginning of the year. But that's you know,
and There's been plenty more times when I've had to
intervene and say we're just not going to spend that money.
So people are people are getting the message slowly, but
(06:42):
they are getting.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
The message slowly. How slowly I don't like that. I
don't like the slowly because my rates go up quickly.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Yeah, but that's why. And so that's why we've had,
you know, that the group cheered by being multi the
Deputy Mayor, the Financial Review Working Group, and that that
work is still continuing. So we've done work that's having
an impact on next year's budget and that's the annual plan,
that's the constant out for consultation at the moment. But
that work has continued because we've got a year after
year we've got to look at cost savings and keep
(07:11):
those rate rate increases down and that's what we're doing.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Can you look me straight in the eye and say
you feel confident that you've got this under control or
is it just a work? And I mean, I understand,
I'm not having a crack at you. I understand you're
trying to clean it up and trying to sort it out.
But you know, this punt is out there that are
doing it really really tough, and they reliant on you.
They voted you and at record numbers to make a change,
and it seems to be a little bit slow.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Well, we're going at the pace that I would expect,
and culture change does take time. So no, we're not
there yet. We've still got plenty more to do. But
what I do and what I am confident of is
we have a good bunch of counselors who are helping
to drive that and we're making good progress.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Now. If I told you that I was with somebody
that was a real fan of yours going into the selection,
said he's going to sort it all out, and a
reasonably sized businessman and Warrington and he brought it up
not me on Sunday, and he said, I'm getting a
little bit concerned that we're not getting any action.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Okay, I'm not quite sure what the action is, I.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Mean action from the mayor, Like we're not we're not
getting the things that he promised it that were going
to happen.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Okay, again without without having hearing any specifics. But look,
there is a lot that is happening. As I say.
The first big thing was knowing that we've got the
budget coming up. So we've slashed several million dollars out
of the budget. We've got a proposed rate crease and
crease at the moment of seven point four percent compared
to the twelve point six percent proposed last year. We've
(08:37):
got action on things like we've got the review of
the Cambridge Terrace bus lane and things like that. So
we've got the review of some of the more controversial
the losses of parking spaces because of cycle lanes around
glen Ware Street. So we've got that underway. So no,
(08:58):
I'm underway. I mean, that's defense the tone. I mean,
that's probably the tone that I was getting at. But
we'll take a short break and come back. I really
want to get to the bottom of this amalgamations to
talk because it excites me, and I think it excites
a lot of Wellingtonians from the whole area. We've been
joined in the studio by Wellington mayor, not our mayor.
(09:18):
Not everyone listening's mayor, but Wellington's mare Andrew Little. It's
good to see you smiling, and let's talk about amalgamation.
Andrew Little. I think it's a great thing. How serious
are the discussions? What are you what's your gut telling
you now? Yeah, I think Look, we had a meeting
on Friday, the mayors in the region, and I think
like there is a commitment to it. I think the
(09:40):
certainly put it on a low hut and Wellington we
know we were keen to pull something together. Mayor pieris
from apart a little bit, a little bit more hesitant,
I think, and she's got her own issues to deal
with that there the wided upper meors. I think they've
come together. They've realized that even the three them coming
together can't do it effectively on their own. So they're
now looking back over the hell say maybe we need
(10:02):
to be maybe we need to be, you know, talking
with Wellington I think the other areas Cup of te
so meyor Jennet Hobbrow's she's got some thinking to do
there with her counsel about what they do. But even
I was talking to meyor Bernie Wandon from hoe Fenua
last week or a couple of weeks ago. He's very
keen to see what happens in Willington, but obviously his
(10:24):
relationship with company is absolutely crucial to that.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
I think we got some breaking news here, so this
could be this possibly could be bigger again than what
we've contemplated with the four in the basin.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Yeah, I just think that these are all the councils
of expression now and looking at what Willington's doing and saying, actually,
maybe this, this is something we shall be taking a
closer interest in. I put it at that sort of level.
I think that s a.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Vibe like from Wirapp because I always thought that was
the stumbling block and previous.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Yeah, I think there is always quite you can totally understand.
I've left, you know, I lived in Martinborough for three
years and know what the community is like and then
it's a very rural community, and I think there the
starting point is We're a rural community, why would we
hook up with a big urban metropolitan area. But what
they realize is that with a right power base of
roughly fifty thousand between the three councils, they can't do
(11:14):
all the things that they currently get from from, for example,
the Wellington Regional Council. And this is where Wellington City
actually does cross subsidize a lot about what happens in
the region, which is why, in my view, amalgamation makes sense.
If we're thinking we're promoting greater economic growth and initiatives
and all that sort of stuff, actually you've got to
do it on a region wide basis.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
So you thinky could be in their conversation as well. Well,
they happened because they are part of the Meal Forum.
So they turn up to the discussions. They are part
of the discussions we had both at the end of
last year and last week, so that part of it.
They know it, they see it.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
They have a view that they are not in a
position to sort of commit at the moment, but they're
part of the discussion.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
So this has come as a little bit of a
shock to me, the fact that it's gone way back
out to the way when it failed because I thought
it failed because it was too big. But I've got
this a little bit wrong. You think that it's still
a possibility of it being going back to the big,
grandiose scheme.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Well, I think what everybody's realizing now is with particularly
with the changes around the RMA and all the environmental
planning stuff, all that's going to be kind of rationalized
and the consistency is going to be required. So there
are some obvious things that that the councils are going
to have to drawin up to anyway, if we're going
to do things well and officially and cost effectively. And
then you get to the point, well, why wouldn't you
(12:36):
bring the organizations together? And going back to the point
I made before, there's a lot of that happens in
Wellington City that is of benefit to people who are
living in other council jurisdiction.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
So does that excite you the fact that we could
be like you know, Capity Coast, we could be Wi Rapper,
we could be all in one group. I mean we'd
be a big force.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Yeah. I think I think what comes with it is
that you've then got when you're engaging with central government,
you represent a lot more that the reason why Wayne
Brown gets kind of gets the audience that he does
is because he represents one point seven billion p Now,
I think the question a lot of people have as
a whole on local government's meant to be about local.
How local is this? And so whatever we do, we
have to think carefully about what representation looks like so
(13:16):
that people do feel as if they've got representatives who
are close to their communities. I think that's going to
be the challenge. The other is the government made the
announcement last week about three months to sort of put
in an expression of interest about what this could look like.
So that puts real pressure on everybody. And it may
well be that those who are kind of tentative or
thinking about it might get scared off because of the
(13:37):
time pressure. But but will work our way through it.
There's a lot more to go on. This will work
our way through and see what become you.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Know what it potentially gives the population of that of
that what do we call it super super city. We're
trying to avoid the language ship people got allergic to that,
but it's roughly it's just under six hundred thousand I
think at that point, Oh, so doesn't actually magnify it
too much, does it.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
It's well, if you think just the four ones that
we're coming together, that's roughly four hundre a thousand. I think.
Just then you get the wided upper councils Carpety and
forty Fenua came and it pushes up to close to
six hundred. It's interesting. I mean I sit on the
board of the Wellington Airport too, and they with their
new technology they've got in the runway now they can
(14:22):
take long haul flights. So they are pitching two airports
and they say they turn up to two airports in
Asian countries and they say they sort of google Wellington,
say oh, you're a population of two hundred or one thousand,
why why would that be a many interest to us?
They'd say, well, we're an airport that services a population
of actually over six hundred thousand. And suddenly the conversation changes.
So it's even things like that would make a difference.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
What was the vibe, What was the vibe was it?
Was it convivial?
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Oh, it was good, it was constructive. Yeah. We had
an external facilitator coming and so to help help the
discussion going. So no one felt as if any any
existing council was dominating, that was important. And I think
just seeing some of the that the conversations afterwards, people
are keen now to bring those conversations back their own
councils and really have a thorough look at what could happen.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
What's Perris Zay's issue. I mean, we've had her on
the show. She was great. She just said Upper Heart's
doing well on their own. Thanks, we don't need anyway else.
I mean, if it got to the wire wrapper and
you've went out to horror fit her, I mean, you
can't leave Upper Heart out, can you?
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Yeah? And I think that's the thing. I think the
question for Upper Heart is, you know, they've got some
big challenges. They've got a lot of work to do
to make that seaty climate resilient. They've got, you know,
landscape that is prone to slips and all that sort
of stuff. And look that they are very cost effective
at what they're doing at the moment, but they're not
doing everything they need to do to be a resilient
(15:44):
sett and of course they don't. There's a lot they're
not paying towards they get the benefit of as well too.
That Willington said he pays for So I think there's
like I get they're concern and they're concerned about that.
They are terrified they'll be a mess of hiking their rates.
I mean everybody is concerned about that anyway. But I think, look,
I think just a systematic working through the issues. I
think people have just got to see some good information
(16:06):
about what the benefits could be and then what a
structure of representation could be like that gives people assurance that.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
They're going to have a local voice. Now, I know
you're smart and pragmatic. So you would have actually left
that meeting and you would have sat down with a
notepad and made a couple of notes. What did you
what would what would those notes have been?
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Well, my thing I came away think you right lest
for Wellington said, we've got to get We've got to
get some good information out there. So my intention is
over the next two or three weeks is to is
to present a good you know, a good argument about
about the regional government's reform.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I think, do you think it would be an argument
whether we go the four or the eight?
Speaker 3 (16:46):
I think I think given what I know and the
discussions I've had, as Miror of Wellington, I think I'm
obliged to kind of lay out where the conversations have
got to do, what it looks like, what the possibilities
could be. I think the bottom line for me would
be before you Willington kind of metros. But but if others,
if it works for others to be part of the equation,
then we shouldn't we shouldn't deny that.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
So I'm getting that you're thinking four would be I mean,
let's face it, the four would be a lot easier,
a lot simpler, and lot cleaner. So four four is
the thing that you're sticking your hat onto. But if
the other group want to come and want to be
part of it, then you would look at it. Yeah, totally, yeah, yeah,
I mean the four because of the four councils willing
to on this side of the retakers if you like
(17:29):
past resolutions at the council saying yep, we're going to
explore it wide it up into two in fairness, and
but the other the other company in haven't haven't. But
the fact that they are talking in the way that
they are suggest to me that would be silly not
to think about what it could look like.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
If they were involved.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
You see, I got the cup was telling me as
a local talkback host, is that they Capany wouldn't want
to have a bar of us. You know, why are
Rappa want to be on their own and we're on
our own? And I thought, that's fine, that's every unhappy.
But if it could be a mega city, can we
call it a mega city, a mega area. We'll find
a name before the end of the show, then that
(18:07):
might be a good idea. Andrew Little, Wellington Mayor, Wellington
Mayor on our show Wellington Mornings. Why can't we just
put the Golden Mile to bed? Well, where are we
with it? I mean it's been going on, it's been
dragging on longer than the Red.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Yeah, it does feel a bit along along. I know
perhaps the friend you spoke to that was one of
the concerns. Look, we've known, we've commissioned the we've commissioned
the review and we're expecting it to come back in
June or so next month. So we get an idea
about that. I also know that you know there's there's
a group that's independently of the council keen to do
(18:41):
some work and involve the Council and kind of generally
sprucing up Courtney Place. So you know, I'm gonna meet
with them tonight so ken to see how that's going.
You know, the idea will be if we can kind
of fuse those things. The critical thing, the whole reason
for the Golden Mile review was it's at a cost
now that the council can't afford. We just cannot afford
an additional sixty million dollars. So we've got a lot
(19:02):
for options that that might be more suitable. But working
with working with building owners on Corny Place, for example,
at that end of the Golden Mark, there might be
a magic solution there. I really keen to explore if
there is one. Is the discussions going on for that? Yes, okay,
could you put your headphones on for a second, because
I've got Beryl.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Good morning, Beryl. You have a question for wanting to
maryor Andrew little.
Speaker 4 (19:24):
Yes, top of them wanting to answer and you Nick
now Andrew no offense, ton, but he's seen things in
the National answer when it comes to this amalgamation, and
he's entitled to his view. But what worries me, which
I'm sure a lot of people do too, if it
means the rates go down with their algamation. Well, that's fine.
(19:47):
I'm on the side of note. But my concern is that, well,
our rates go down, and do we have if we
take on PI and all the rest of that. Do
we have to pay whatever bill say, oh like start
owing money whatever money they are in the most councils
do and we having to take on their bowl And
(20:08):
does it mean that our rates going up or does
it mean our rates are coming down?
Speaker 5 (20:13):
Hi?
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Barrow, Look, that's absolutely the right question, and the only
reason you would do this is that you want to
keep rates under control. So for me, I think the
benefit of amalgamation is that you can streamline a whole
lot of processes and systems and functions that all the
councils are operating. You don't need multiple people all doing
the same thing five different ways across the region. And
(20:35):
that's the basis in which you would get cost savings.
So for me, this only makes sense if it means
that we get rates under control across the region.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
I mean, that's a great question from Barrow, and I'm
going to carry that on one step further. Is there
any one of the areas that would be more disadvantaged
than others by the amalgamation.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Well, I think that. I think that's what Perry is
concerned is because peris that are per Heart. Look, their
rates are at a sort of reasonably moderest modest level
compared to the rest of the region, and that possibility
is that their rates got kind of more than others.
And that's that's part of the work we have to
do to explore that see what underpins that. But I
think the benefit is that given all the other changes
(21:17):
the government is introducing, the changes that we will want,
by the way, in terms of resource management and all
those sorts of things, then there's such an opportunity there
to really sort of rationalize, consolidate and reduce the average
cost overall of running a whole bunch of services and functions.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
You didn't really answer the question for our listeners, though.
Is there anyone that I mean, I know it's early stages.
There anyone that you can see, you know, if I
was mayor of that place, you know, is it Upper Heart?
Is they the ones that would be the.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Most I think I think the smaller councilors probably are
because I think the realities and that's where I think
the wided upper councils are you know, they're saying, look,
we think if we are drawn together, there's there's a
whole hYP of stuff that we're currently doing that we
can do. Okay, it's the stuff that the Willington Regional
Council does on the environmental stuff, environmental enforcement and protection
(22:04):
and stuff they can afford, cannot have wanted to do.
And it tells you that right now it's Wellington City
residents who are cross subsidized and how much functions across
the region.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
So so you think we're Wellington's most disadvantage, Well, well,
we're disadvantaged at the moment because we actually ended up
picking up a holy becost that benefits others who are
not living in Well, it's a city, So can't we
just cut them off and say, well, if you're not
going to enjoy it and joy it up, well that
we're not paying for that stuff anymore.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Well, part of it doesn't thing. Let's look at the
cost of doing those things and let's say we can
kind of bring some of that cost down. But if
we're going to share it fairly across the region, it
maywell mean that that some some cities at the moment,
will pay a fraction more than what they're paying their rates.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
At the moment. Okay, potty doer. Anita Baker has always
been really pro this. She doesn't have the number of
rate payers, and she wants it really, I mean several
times has told me on the show she wants it.
Are they the ones that gained the most.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
Out of this? Yeah, that they will be, I think
for for Anita's from her point of view, she knows
that in you know, ten or so years time on
current trajectory put it to a starts to look really
really difficult in terms of financial sustainability. So she wants
something that's going to mean that they can shed cost,
(23:17):
but know that service is going to be picked up
because they've got a lot of work to do, particularly
on that environmental stuff and that climate resilience. So some
big challenges across the region that we're all going to
have to kind of share.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
And Okay, I want to go to that smelly, ugly
situation we've got at moer point. I want to do
that next. Let's have a quick break so I can
get spent a bit of time on that. It is
twenty two minutes to eleven you're with Andrew Little, Wellington Mayor.
We talk moa point, which is everyone in this area's problem.
I mean, it's not only the people who live in
(23:49):
Lyle Bay it's problem. It's the whole of the region's problem.
So we'll talk about that in a sec and good morning.
You have a question for Wellington Mayor Andrew Little.
Speaker 6 (23:59):
Yes I do. I rang and asked this question a
couple of weeks ago and me didn't answer it. He deflected.
So I'm hoping if I put it really, really clearly,
I might get an answer this time. With the new
water set up, our three rates on the rates we've
currently got stormwater, sewage and drinking, they are all going
(24:23):
over to the new rate, to the new billing system
with the total charges going over. Now, what new charges
is Wellington City Council going to be putting on our
rates and how much are they going to be or
are we just going to be left with the general
fee which is around four thousand. I don't want him
(24:46):
talking about metro water, which is what he did last time.
I want to know what is Wellington City Council going
to do with our rates bill? What are they getting
new charges?
Speaker 4 (24:56):
Are they going to put on.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
So you're a rates bill for the financial year starting
one July twenty six is and the budget for that
is under consultation at the moment. The proposal is that
those rates, current rates on average go up seven point
four percent, which includes current water charges and will include
water charges for next year. So Tiaki, why the bill
(25:23):
that they send households for water for the next financial
year will be the charge that is set through the
rates set and the annual plan we're doing at the moment.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
So we're not going to get any extra bill from water.
It will be part of seven point three percent more
and that's it, and they will build that separately. So
but I'm saying, if you can buy an A and
B the water and your normal rates, we're only going
up seven point five.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Set se point four percent.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
Yeah, correct, Okay, that's that's talking about Tiaki. Why we
had Tim Brown on the show talking, I mean, and
he's doing a great job for Valentonian's He said that
he can get the water metering done from an international
acclaimed company for about one hundred dollars per year per household,
(26:09):
and we are hearing in Wellington figures of five hundred
and ninety million dollars overall. I mean, how are you
feeling about it? Where are we at?
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (26:18):
And I think this is the big challenge we've got.
We've got because we've got the new water Organization out
to Yaquy set up under the current legislation, and a
lot of the decisions setting it up we're taken by
the last council because they had to under the timetable
set up. The reality is of the new arrangement is
that the one of the the main intentions of the
(26:38):
whole arrangement is to keep elected representatives at arm's length
from the decisions about water and investments and all that
sort of stuff. So that's what we're wrapping with. And
that's the reason why I got into a bit of
a tip with the Minister a couple of months ago
about getting the Commerce Commission involved, because I wasn't convinced
(26:59):
that the kind of price path that chaky Wi has
published and the price and they've got for installing water
metering bears any relation to kind of reality and I
wanted real hard examination of all the relevant information. It's
interesting Comm's Commission got involved. They initially were a bit reluctant.
We had a meeting with them a couple of weeks
ago and they said they realize now they have to
(27:21):
get involved, and they've now put up a proposal of
consulting on it at the moment to increase their powers
to provide much deeper examination of water organizations. They think
tiaki Wi is the kind of the first cab off
the rank. They're going to have to use these powers
for other water organizations as they can.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
I get a quick yes or no answer, do you
one hundred percent have faith in tiaki Way is going
to actually do the job in a fiscal prudent way.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
And fairness to them, though, they're grapped them with two things.
One is that you know they've inherited, as everybody did,
literally decades of under investment in the network. So there's
a lot of investment needed. And that was why, you know,
when I was in government with.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
It's not quite the answer of I'm saying it as
a rate payer, do you have confidence that they will
be able to do it?
Speaker 3 (28:06):
But what I'm telling you the reality they're facing is
they've got that, and then they've got the affordability question.
The reality is households are up to the gunnals now
with cost of living, and that's the pressure we're trying
to put on Tiaki. I say, you've got to be
a realistic. Households are not going to be able to
afford these these costs that you're talking about. So and
that's why we need really intense examination of what they're doing.
(28:28):
The Partners Committee, Chimedy Owners, we're trying to do that,
but the Commis Commission will have the powers to do
it in a way that as own as we don't.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
What about this Tim Brown organization where they're going to
be like a watchdog, Is that a good thing?
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Yeah? No, totally. I think your consumer organizations and someone
focused on water organizations is going to be.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
A good thing, a good useful thing to have really quickly,
because I've got to go to an air break. Mower
points starting to become a national embarrassment, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Well, it's happened, it's failed. We've got to get it fixed.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
It's still failing today.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Yeah yeah, yeah no, and it won't be fixed for
some months and we're still waiting for the timetable.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
On get this week. The report is.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
I don't I don't have a certainty about when that's
going to come through. But we do know, at least
willing to water knows there's a whole bunch of fixes
they can do that stops the discharge of raw surgeon
to cook straight. And that's I've said to them, that's
the urgent priority. Stop the discharge of raw surgeons to
cook straight. Timing on that I expect towards the end
(29:27):
of the year.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
End of the year.
Speaker 5 (29:30):
Right.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
We're going to finish the hour with a couple of
quick questions. Trevor, you have a question for Andrew.
Speaker 7 (29:34):
Little Yeah, not a question, just a compliment. Look, Andrew,
I just want to say, what a breath refresh here
you are.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Mate.
Speaker 7 (29:40):
I know the last mayor was elected in and that's
the lay it is. But you are you know, what
you deliver, the way you present is just just some
miles apart from what we are, from what we've got
and what I like about you, Andrews. You're putting our
city first and you do remind me a little bit.
You won't like this of a crusty old mayor up
in Auckland that has done wonders for his city because
(30:02):
he takes on government local groups and that too do
the best thing for his city, and I just reckon
if you keep that attitude Willington first, if you spend
the same amount of time with someone power, we will
see massive changes. You'll stand on a few toes and
upset a few people, but you will see massive changes
for our city, which I love and I've lived here
all my life.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Cheers, sirv I appreciate you your feedback. That's really enough to.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Hear what it was talking about, said doug By Robertson.
Was he talking about him or was he talking about
way he was talking about? Right, I was just taking
it very fun. Francis, you have a question? Could you
please be quick? Darling?
Speaker 3 (30:39):
Hello Francis, Oh you want me.
Speaker 4 (30:42):
To be quick?
Speaker 2 (30:42):
Yes? Yes, please?
Speaker 4 (30:44):
All right?
Speaker 5 (30:44):
I will, and thank you Andrew for being there, and
you know, I just to be able to chat with you.
Point the contract is I was going to email Neck
this week because in my research I went down. The
contractors said that they were sick of all the arguing
and going on between the council and themselves and they
were not going to put any money in until their
(31:05):
contractor over in the next few months.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
Is that right?
Speaker 3 (31:09):
Well, any money they've got is actually our money, so
at least when it comes to my point. In fact,
they had some money left over at the beginning of
the year. We told them to start using it to
repair Male Point, so it's not you know, anything they
do on that. It's got to have our decision anyway,
and we've been supporting them as much as we can.
At least I thought we had just to get on
with it, and I thought they had been there. You go,
(31:31):
there's the answer for that. So can I just quickly
just mention that I'm concerned that it's still going to
be another year more nearly six months before we have
some sort of closure on you know, Poohs and Wieze
going out five meters from the shore.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
No, I'm disappointed in that too. I'm not an engineer,
you know, others have looked at it. They've got to
do what they have to do. It is a big deal.
The other thing I'm adamant about, too, is that there's
no point in just sort of fixing up and putting
the back that it was. If there was a problem
with it, We've got to fix it up in a
way that means that there's even less chance of this
ever happening again, so that those are the those the
(32:07):
overarching sort of criteria We've got.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Quick answer, yes or no. Still enjoying the job, Yes,
more than being in government?
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Oh yeah, I think so. Actually when I think about
it lately, Yeah, enjoying it. Are enjoying it.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
We'll keep up, keep trying, and keep doing your best.
That's all we can ask for, and we appreciate Wellington
Me Andrew Little.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk sed B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Andrew Little joins making for in the studio for a
full hour. It feels to me, good morning, Andrew, good morning.
It feels to me that we're kind of a city
on the edge. We feel that we're coming right and
then something keeps banging us back. I mean that is
that a fair affection.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Yeah, that's certain of the sense I get. I mean
we've had some amazing things recently. You know, go to
the Warriors game, stadium packed out, I went to the Splittings,
one of the Splittings concerts last week. We had the
Pink Floored experience. You've got and Juliet amazing production on
wellingson at the moment you get out in about and
a lot of people buzzing around the street, but also
there are things holding us back. I think the fuel
crisis that cost the fuel and grown across the living
(00:53):
is still having an impact on people and the way
they spend the money. I think people, you know, people,
people want to enjoy what Wellington's got to offer, but
the sort of broader conditions is just holding people back.
About at the.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Moment, Yeah, and there seems to be a lot of
in a bickering between you know, the employees of the
Council and the Council's I want to start with the
one that really gets to me, because were you comfortable
with the senior council executives making a redundancy related decisions
without actually you knowing anything about it? Was that a
bit of a shop.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Yeah, I think that's two things there. I think yeah,
there was where the decision was a matter of how
it was made, and there was a decision that effects.
The law changed in Ferry this year so that if
you're honest an only come of two hundred thousand dollars plus,
you don't have an automatic right to the personal agreements
processes that are in the law. You can you can
(01:45):
continue to have that if you agree with your employer.
And so the senior leadership Tember of the Council talked
about it and they sort of agreed that the law
does protect our own ass really well that my concern
was technically legally it's correct, guse under the law it
says the chief executive of the Council is the employer
(02:07):
for all employees, and it was his decision and all
the rest of it. But it's the perception of self
interest that is what concerns me. Is the conversation I
had with that Prosser, and it looked like those affected
by a decision that could have could have gone a
different way making the decision for themselves.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
The issue that most people will say though, isn't this
should there be a system within the you know, between
you and the employees of no surprises. I mean you
would have seen this and thought I really should have
known about this.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yes, no, no, that is it. There's totally it. A
significant decision like that that certainly affected the senior leadership
team should actually have come to myself and the council
to make just to be absolutely clear and transparent about it,
that would have been the preferable course of action. So
that said, you know, of the decision itself. The weird
thing is the lord the law has written the way
(02:57):
it is the other the law that the council has
to be conscious of as the local government that says
that the council has to be a good employer. So
to the extent that the change, I.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Don't think that we're arguing about whether that amy is
personally I like probably you do feel if you there's
a grievance that should be heard, but it's actually not knowing.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Yeah, totally, that's it. I mean that you're right because
the other thing is that we want fear process. Right,
it's regardless of how seeing it, you're titless so to
due process, but an important decision like that should have
come to the full council to avoid the perception of
self interest?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Are we seeing too much of that at the moment?
Are we seeing self interest? I think you segued own
beautifully for me. Are we seeing self interest? I mean
this morning we pick up the paper and you've got
another member of the of your work staff having, you know,
side little crack at you, telling you to keep your
nose out.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah. Look, that's the I think we are. The Council
is undergoing a change, a bit of a culture change,
which is that you know, we are just not going
to keep spending money as if it's you know, it's
kind of going out of fashion type of thing. This
is money we have to raise from residents and rape payers,
so we've got to be careful stewards of it. So
there is a change happening, and I think some people
are finding that difficult. But we've got to keep going,
(04:09):
and we will keep going. And actually Met Mett is
very good on that. Met has been very good at
making sure something managed.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
There's an old saying, and I don't like him torupt
doing me. I can hear people yelling at the radio
to me to it. There's an old saying that the
proofs and the pudding now. And we've had this conversation
several times, how you're going to change the culture. But
every every week I pick up the paper or turn
my radio on and I hear another issue exactly the
same way. You've now got you know your your artwork,
(04:37):
at your new you know your new digs. I mean,
it just keeps going. And I don't want to absolve
themself a responsibility. Those decisions were decisions taken before and
all that sort of stuff. Look, I think progress is
being made. This was never going to change overnight or
even quickly. This is about constant reaffirmation of what the
principles are. And the principles are. We are an organization
(04:59):
that is saving money because we have to. We have
to reduce our spending, and we're going to carry on.
That's that's the line. We're taking that's we're going to
continue to do. Do you believe and it's previous council
and previous mayor that there is a culture that needs
to be changed within your your team.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
I think what I would say is what my perception
is that there are at some in some parts of
the Council that there wasn't a respect for the fact
that this is you know, this is not the o
own money. This is money we have to take from
rate payers and we've got a duty to be careful
about it. There was a sense that it's okay to
spend you know, money in certain wads. I think the
(05:42):
other thing that concerns me is when I look at
some of the contracting, so we can't accept quoted prices
rather than pushing back saying okay, can this be justified?
There's that sort of thing. So that's the stuff that
has to change as well. And we are making good
progress and that in that respect, to.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Be fair, there'll be once again listeners listening to it
and saying, well, it hasn't changed, because today's paper actually
tells us about a senior management person extremely soe saying
you know, you will spend money how we want to
spend money, mister little and don't keep your nose out
of it. Yeah, so that was back, and that was
back in that exchange with the comment was made just lately,
(06:21):
I mean.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
It was disclosed lately and it was And that was
that because I had intervened and said, oh, we're not
spending four hundred thousand dollars on that library, and there
was a bit of resistance to that. So that was
at the beginning of the year. But that's you know,
and There's been plenty more times when I've had to
intervene and say we're just not going to spend that money.
So people are people are getting the message slowly, but
(06:42):
they are getting.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
The message slowly. How slowly I don't like that. I
don't like the slowly because my rates go up quickly.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Yeah, but that's why. And so that's why we've had,
you know, that the group cheered by being multi the
Deputy Mayor, the Financial Review Working Group, and that that
work is still continuing. So we've done work that's having
an impact on next year's budget and that's the annual plan,
that's the constant out for consultation at the moment. But
that work has continued because we've got a year after
year we've got to look at cost savings and keep
(07:11):
those rate rate increases down and that's what we're doing.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Can you look me straight in the eye and say
you feel confident that you've got this under control or
is it just a work? And I mean, I understand,
I'm not having a crack at you. I understand you're
trying to clean it up and trying to sort it out.
But you know, this punt is out there that are
doing it really really tough, and they reliant on you.
They voted you and at record numbers to make a change,
and it seems to be a little bit slow.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Well, we're going at the pace that I would expect,
and culture change does take time. So no, we're not
there yet. We've still got plenty more to do. But
what I do and what I am confident of is
we have a good bunch of counselors who are helping
to drive that and we're making good progress.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Now. If I told you that I was with somebody
that was a real fan of yours going into the selection,
said he's going to sort it all out, and a
reasonably sized businessman and Warrington and he brought it up
not me on Sunday, and he said, I'm getting a
little bit concerned that we're not getting any action.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Okay, I'm not quite sure what the action is, I.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Mean action from the mayor, Like we're not we're not
getting the things that he promised it that were going
to happen.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Okay, again without without having hearing any specifics. But look,
there is a lot that is happening. As I say.
The first big thing was knowing that we've got the
budget coming up. So we've slashed several million dollars out
of the budget. We've got a proposed rate crease and
crease at the moment of seven point four percent compared
to the twelve point six percent proposed last year. We've
(08:37):
got action on things like we've got the review of
the Cambridge Terrace bus lane and things like that. So
we've got the review of some of the more controversial
the losses of parking spaces because of cycle lanes around
glen Ware Street. So we've got that underway. So no,
(08:58):
I'm underway. I mean, that's defense the tone. I mean,
that's probably the tone that I was getting at. But
we'll take a short break and come back. I really
want to get to the bottom of this amalgamations to
talk because it excites me, and I think it excites
a lot of Wellingtonians from the whole area. We've been
joined in the studio by Wellington mayor, not our mayor.
(09:18):
Not everyone listening's mayor, but Wellington's mare Andrew Little. It's
good to see you smiling, and let's talk about amalgamation.
Andrew Little. I think it's a great thing. How serious
are the discussions? What are you what's your gut telling
you now? Yeah, I think Look, we had a meeting
on Friday, the mayors in the region, and I think
like there is a commitment to it. I think the
(09:40):
certainly put it on a low hut and Wellington we
know we were keen to pull something together. Mayor pieris
from apart a little bit, a little bit more hesitant,
I think, and she's got her own issues to deal
with that there the wided upper meors. I think they've
come together. They've realized that even the three them coming
together can't do it effectively on their own. So they're
now looking back over the hell say maybe we need
(10:02):
to be maybe we need to be, you know, talking
with Wellington I think the other areas Cup of te
so meyor Jennet Hobbrow's she's got some thinking to do
there with her counsel about what they do. But even
I was talking to meyor Bernie Wandon from hoe Fenua
last week or a couple of weeks ago. He's very
keen to see what happens in Willington, but obviously his
(10:24):
relationship with company is absolutely crucial to that.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
I think we got some breaking news here, so this
could be this possibly could be bigger again than what
we've contemplated with the four in the basin.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Yeah, I just think that these are all the councils
of expression now and looking at what Willington's doing and saying, actually,
maybe this, this is something we shall be taking a
closer interest in. I put it at that sort of level.
I think that s a.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Vibe like from Wirapp because I always thought that was
the stumbling block and previous.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Yeah, I think there is always quite you can totally understand.
I've left, you know, I lived in Martinborough for three
years and know what the community is like and then
it's a very rural community, and I think there the
starting point is We're a rural community, why would we
hook up with a big urban metropolitan area. But what
they realize is that with a right power base of
roughly fifty thousand between the three councils, they can't do
(11:14):
all the things that they currently get from from, for example,
the Wellington Regional Council. And this is where Wellington City
actually does cross subsidize a lot about what happens in
the region, which is why, in my view, amalgamation makes sense.
If we're thinking we're promoting greater economic growth and initiatives
and all that sort of stuff, actually you've got to
do it on a region wide basis.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
So you thinky could be in their conversation as well. Well,
they happened because they are part of the Meal Forum.
So they turn up to the discussions. They are part
of the discussions we had both at the end of
last year and last week, so that part of it.
They know it, they see it.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
They have a view that they are not in a
position to sort of commit at the moment, but they're
part of the discussion.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
So this has come as a little bit of a
shock to me, the fact that it's gone way back
out to the way when it failed because I thought
it failed because it was too big. But I've got
this a little bit wrong. You think that it's still
a possibility of it being going back to the big,
grandiose scheme.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Well, I think what everybody's realizing now is with particularly
with the changes around the RMA and all the environmental
planning stuff, all that's going to be kind of rationalized
and the consistency is going to be required. So there
are some obvious things that that the councils are going
to have to drawin up to anyway, if we're going
to do things well and officially and cost effectively. And
then you get to the point, well, why wouldn't you
(12:36):
bring the organizations together? And going back to the point
I made before, there's a lot of that happens in
Wellington City that is of benefit to people who are
living in other council jurisdiction.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
So does that excite you the fact that we could
be like you know, Capity Coast, we could be Wi Rapper,
we could be all in one group. I mean we'd
be a big force.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Yeah. I think I think what comes with it is
that you've then got when you're engaging with central government,
you represent a lot more that the reason why Wayne
Brown gets kind of gets the audience that he does
is because he represents one point seven billion p Now,
I think the question a lot of people have as
a whole on local government's meant to be about local.
How local is this? And so whatever we do, we
have to think carefully about what representation looks like so
(13:16):
that people do feel as if they've got representatives who
are close to their communities. I think that's going to
be the challenge. The other is the government made the
announcement last week about three months to sort of put
in an expression of interest about what this could look like.
So that puts real pressure on everybody. And it may
well be that those who are kind of tentative or
thinking about it might get scared off because of the
(13:37):
time pressure. But but will work our way through it.
There's a lot more to go on. This will work
our way through and see what become you.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Know what it potentially gives the population of that of
that what do we call it super super city. We're
trying to avoid the language ship people got allergic to that,
but it's roughly it's just under six hundred thousand I
think at that point, Oh, so doesn't actually magnify it
too much, does it.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
It's well, if you think just the four ones that
we're coming together, that's roughly four hundre a thousand. I think.
Just then you get the wided upper councils Carpety and
forty Fenua came and it pushes up to close to
six hundred. It's interesting. I mean I sit on the
board of the Wellington Airport too, and they with their
new technology they've got in the runway now they can
(14:22):
take long haul flights. So they are pitching two airports
and they say they turn up to two airports in
Asian countries and they say they sort of google Wellington,
say oh, you're a population of two hundred or one thousand,
why why would that be a many interest to us?
They'd say, well, we're an airport that services a population
of actually over six hundred thousand. And suddenly the conversation changes.
So it's even things like that would make a difference.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
What was the vibe, What was the vibe was it?
Was it convivial?
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Oh, it was good, it was constructive. Yeah. We had
an external facilitator coming and so to help help the
discussion going. So no one felt as if any any
existing council was dominating, that was important. And I think
just seeing some of the that the conversations afterwards, people
are keen now to bring those conversations back their own
councils and really have a thorough look at what could happen.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
What's Perris Zay's issue. I mean, we've had her on
the show. She was great. She just said Upper Heart's
doing well on their own. Thanks, we don't need anyway else.
I mean, if it got to the wire wrapper and
you've went out to horror fit her, I mean, you
can't leave Upper Heart out, can you?
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Yeah? And I think that's the thing. I think the
question for Upper Heart is, you know, they've got some
big challenges. They've got a lot of work to do
to make that seaty climate resilient. They've got, you know,
landscape that is prone to slips and all that sort
of stuff. And look that they are very cost effective
at what they're doing at the moment, but they're not
doing everything they need to do to be a resilient
(15:44):
sett and of course they don't. There's a lot they're
not paying towards they get the benefit of as well too.
That Willington said he pays for So I think there's
like I get they're concern and they're concerned about that.
They are terrified they'll be a mess of hiking their rates.
I mean everybody is concerned about that anyway. But I think, look,
I think just a systematic working through the issues. I
think people have just got to see some good information
(16:06):
about what the benefits could be and then what a
structure of representation could be like that gives people assurance that.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
They're going to have a local voice. Now, I know
you're smart and pragmatic. So you would have actually left
that meeting and you would have sat down with a
notepad and made a couple of notes. What did you
what would what would those notes have been?
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Well, my thing I came away think you right lest
for Wellington said, we've got to get We've got to
get some good information out there. So my intention is
over the next two or three weeks is to is
to present a good you know, a good argument about
about the regional government's reform.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I think, do you think it would be an argument
whether we go the four or the eight?
Speaker 3 (16:46):
I think I think given what I know and the
discussions I've had, as Miror of Wellington, I think I'm
obliged to kind of lay out where the conversations have
got to do, what it looks like, what the possibilities
could be. I think the bottom line for me would
be before you Willington kind of metros. But but if others,
if it works for others to be part of the equation,
then we shouldn't we shouldn't deny that.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
So I'm getting that you're thinking four would be I mean,
let's face it, the four would be a lot easier,
a lot simpler, and lot cleaner. So four four is
the thing that you're sticking your hat onto. But if
the other group want to come and want to be
part of it, then you would look at it. Yeah, totally, yeah, yeah,
I mean the four because of the four councils willing
to on this side of the retakers if you like
(17:29):
past resolutions at the council saying yep, we're going to
explore it wide it up into two in fairness, and
but the other the other company in haven't haven't. But
the fact that they are talking in the way that
they are suggest to me that would be silly not
to think about what it could look like.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
If they were involved.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
You see, I got the cup was telling me as
a local talkback host, is that they Capany wouldn't want
to have a bar of us. You know, why are
Rappa want to be on their own and we're on
our own? And I thought, that's fine, that's every unhappy.
But if it could be a mega city, can we
call it a mega city, a mega area. We'll find
a name before the end of the show, then that
(18:07):
might be a good idea. Andrew Little, Wellington Mayor, Wellington
Mayor on our show Wellington Mornings. Why can't we just
put the Golden Mile to bed? Well, where are we
with it? I mean it's been going on, it's been
dragging on longer than the Red.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Yeah, it does feel a bit along along. I know
perhaps the friend you spoke to that was one of
the concerns. Look, we've known, we've commissioned the we've commissioned
the review and we're expecting it to come back in
June or so next month. So we get an idea
about that. I also know that you know there's there's
a group that's independently of the council keen to do
(18:41):
some work and involve the Council and kind of generally
sprucing up Courtney Place. So you know, I'm gonna meet
with them tonight so ken to see how that's going.
You know, the idea will be if we can kind
of fuse those things. The critical thing, the whole reason
for the Golden Mile review was it's at a cost
now that the council can't afford. We just cannot afford
an additional sixty million dollars. So we've got a lot
(19:02):
for options that that might be more suitable. But working
with working with building owners on Corny Place, for example,
at that end of the Golden Mark, there might be
a magic solution there. I really keen to explore if
there is one. Is the discussions going on for that? Yes, okay,
could you put your headphones on for a second, because
I've got Beryl.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Good morning, Beryl. You have a question for wanting to
maryor Andrew little.
Speaker 4 (19:24):
Yes, top of them wanting to answer and you Nick
now Andrew no offense, ton, but he's seen things in
the National answer when it comes to this amalgamation, and
he's entitled to his view. But what worries me, which
I'm sure a lot of people do too, if it
means the rates go down with their algamation. Well, that's fine.
(19:47):
I'm on the side of note. But my concern is that, well,
our rates go down, and do we have if we
take on PI and all the rest of that. Do
we have to pay whatever bill say, oh like start
owing money whatever money they are in the most councils
do and we having to take on their bowl And
(20:08):
does it mean that our rates going up or does
it mean our rates are coming down?
Speaker 5 (20:13):
Hi?
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Barrow, Look, that's absolutely the right question, and the only
reason you would do this is that you want to
keep rates under control. So for me, I think the
benefit of amalgamation is that you can streamline a whole
lot of processes and systems and functions that all the
councils are operating. You don't need multiple people all doing
the same thing five different ways across the region. And
(20:35):
that's the basis in which you would get cost savings.
So for me, this only makes sense if it means
that we get rates under control across the region.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
I mean, that's a great question from Barrow, and I'm
going to carry that on one step further. Is there
any one of the areas that would be more disadvantaged
than others by the amalgamation.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Well, I think that. I think that's what Perry is
concerned is because peris that are per Heart. Look, their
rates are at a sort of reasonably moderest modest level
compared to the rest of the region, and that possibility
is that their rates got kind of more than others.
And that's that's part of the work we have to
do to explore that see what underpins that. But I
think the benefit is that given all the other changes
(21:17):
the government is introducing, the changes that we will want,
by the way, in terms of resource management and all
those sorts of things, then there's such an opportunity there
to really sort of rationalize, consolidate and reduce the average
cost overall of running a whole bunch of services and functions.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
You didn't really answer the question for our listeners, though.
Is there anyone that I mean, I know it's early stages.
There anyone that you can see, you know, if I
was mayor of that place, you know, is it Upper Heart?
Is they the ones that would be the.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Most I think I think the smaller councilors probably are
because I think the realities and that's where I think
the wided upper councils are you know, they're saying, look,
we think if we are drawn together, there's there's a
whole hYP of stuff that we're currently doing that we
can do. Okay, it's the stuff that the Willington Regional
Council does on the environmental stuff, environmental enforcement and protection
(22:04):
and stuff they can afford, cannot have wanted to do.
And it tells you that right now it's Wellington City
residents who are cross subsidized and how much functions across
the region.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
So so you think we're Wellington's most disadvantage, Well, well,
we're disadvantaged at the moment because we actually ended up
picking up a holy becost that benefits others who are
not living in Well, it's a city, So can't we
just cut them off and say, well, if you're not
going to enjoy it and joy it up, well that
we're not paying for that stuff anymore.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Well, part of it doesn't thing. Let's look at the
cost of doing those things and let's say we can
kind of bring some of that cost down. But if
we're going to share it fairly across the region, it
maywell mean that that some some cities at the moment,
will pay a fraction more than what they're paying their rates.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
At the moment. Okay, potty doer. Anita Baker has always
been really pro this. She doesn't have the number of
rate payers, and she wants it really, I mean several
times has told me on the show she wants it.
Are they the ones that gained the most.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
Out of this? Yeah, that they will be, I think
for for Anita's from her point of view, she knows
that in you know, ten or so years time on
current trajectory put it to a starts to look really
really difficult in terms of financial sustainability. So she wants
something that's going to mean that they can shed cost,
(23:17):
but know that service is going to be picked up
because they've got a lot of work to do, particularly
on that environmental stuff and that climate resilience. So some
big challenges across the region that we're all going to
have to kind of share.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
And Okay, I want to go to that smelly, ugly
situation we've got at moer point. I want to do
that next. Let's have a quick break so I can
get spent a bit of time on that. It is
twenty two minutes to eleven you're with Andrew Little, Wellington Mayor.
We talk moa point, which is everyone in this area's problem.
I mean, it's not only the people who live in
(23:49):
Lyle Bay it's problem. It's the whole of the region's problem.
So we'll talk about that in a sec and good morning.
You have a question for Wellington Mayor Andrew Little.
Speaker 6 (23:59):
Yes I do. I rang and asked this question a
couple of weeks ago and me didn't answer it. He deflected.
So I'm hoping if I put it really, really clearly,
I might get an answer this time. With the new
water set up, our three rates on the rates we've
currently got stormwater, sewage and drinking, they are all going
(24:23):
over to the new rate, to the new billing system
with the total charges going over. Now, what new charges
is Wellington City Council going to be putting on our
rates and how much are they going to be or
are we just going to be left with the general
fee which is around four thousand. I don't want him
(24:46):
talking about metro water, which is what he did last time.
I want to know what is Wellington City Council going
to do with our rates bill? What are they getting
new charges?
Speaker 4 (24:56):
Are they going to put on.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
So you're a rates bill for the financial year starting
one July twenty six is and the budget for that
is under consultation at the moment. The proposal is that
those rates, current rates on average go up seven point
four percent, which includes current water charges and will include
water charges for next year. So Tiaki, why the bill
(25:23):
that they send households for water for the next financial
year will be the charge that is set through the
rates set and the annual plan we're doing at the moment.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
So we're not going to get any extra bill from water.
It will be part of seven point three percent more
and that's it, and they will build that separately. So
but I'm saying, if you can buy an A and
B the water and your normal rates, we're only going
up seven point five.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Set se point four percent.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
Yeah, correct, Okay, that's that's talking about Tiaki. Why we
had Tim Brown on the show talking, I mean, and
he's doing a great job for Valentonian's He said that
he can get the water metering done from an international
acclaimed company for about one hundred dollars per year per household,
(26:09):
and we are hearing in Wellington figures of five hundred
and ninety million dollars overall. I mean, how are you
feeling about it? Where are we at?
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (26:18):
And I think this is the big challenge we've got.
We've got because we've got the new water Organization out
to Yaquy set up under the current legislation, and a
lot of the decisions setting it up we're taken by
the last council because they had to under the timetable
set up. The reality is of the new arrangement is
that the one of the the main intentions of the
(26:38):
whole arrangement is to keep elected representatives at arm's length
from the decisions about water and investments and all that
sort of stuff. So that's what we're wrapping with. And
that's the reason why I got into a bit of
a tip with the Minister a couple of months ago
about getting the Commerce Commission involved, because I wasn't convinced
(26:59):
that the kind of price path that chaky Wi has
published and the price and they've got for installing water
metering bears any relation to kind of reality and I
wanted real hard examination of all the relevant information. It's
interesting Comm's Commission got involved. They initially were a bit reluctant.
We had a meeting with them a couple of weeks
ago and they said they realize now they have to
(27:21):
get involved, and they've now put up a proposal of
consulting on it at the moment to increase their powers
to provide much deeper examination of water organizations. They think
tiaki Wi is the kind of the first cab off
the rank. They're going to have to use these powers
for other water organizations as they can.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
I get a quick yes or no answer, do you
one hundred percent have faith in tiaki Way is going
to actually do the job in a fiscal prudent way.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
And fairness to them, though, they're grapped them with two things.
One is that you know they've inherited, as everybody did,
literally decades of under investment in the network. So there's
a lot of investment needed. And that was why, you know,
when I was in government with.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
It's not quite the answer of I'm saying it as
a rate payer, do you have confidence that they will
be able to do it?
Speaker 3 (28:06):
But what I'm telling you the reality they're facing is
they've got that, and then they've got the affordability question.
The reality is households are up to the gunnals now
with cost of living, and that's the pressure we're trying
to put on Tiaki. I say, you've got to be
a realistic. Households are not going to be able to
afford these these costs that you're talking about. So and
that's why we need really intense examination of what they're doing.
(28:28):
The Partners Committee, Chimedy Owners, we're trying to do that,
but the Commis Commission will have the powers to do
it in a way that as own as we don't.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
What about this Tim Brown organization where they're going to
be like a watchdog, Is that a good thing?
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Yeah? No, totally. I think your consumer organizations and someone
focused on water organizations is going to be.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
A good thing, a good useful thing to have really quickly,
because I've got to go to an air break. Mower
points starting to become a national embarrassment, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Well, it's happened, it's failed. We've got to get it fixed.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
It's still failing today.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Yeah yeah, yeah no, and it won't be fixed for
some months and we're still waiting for the timetable.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
On get this week. The report is.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
I don't I don't have a certainty about when that's
going to come through. But we do know, at least
willing to water knows there's a whole bunch of fixes
they can do that stops the discharge of raw surgeon
to cook straight. And that's I've said to them, that's
the urgent priority. Stop the discharge of raw surgeons to
cook straight. Timing on that I expect towards the end
(29:27):
of the year.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
End of the year.
Speaker 5 (29:30):
Right.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
We're going to finish the hour with a couple of
quick questions. Trevor, you have a question for Andrew.
Speaker 7 (29:34):
Little Yeah, not a question, just a compliment. Look, Andrew,
I just want to say, what a breath refresh here
you are.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Mate.
Speaker 7 (29:40):
I know the last mayor was elected in and that's
the lay it is. But you are you know, what
you deliver, the way you present is just just some
miles apart from what we are, from what we've got
and what I like about you, Andrews. You're putting our
city first and you do remind me a little bit.
You won't like this of a crusty old mayor up
in Auckland that has done wonders for his city because
(30:02):
he takes on government local groups and that too do
the best thing for his city, and I just reckon
if you keep that attitude Willington first, if you spend
the same amount of time with someone power, we will
see massive changes. You'll stand on a few toes and
upset a few people, but you will see massive changes
for our city, which I love and I've lived here
all my life.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Cheers, sirv I appreciate you your feedback. That's really enough to.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Hear what it was talking about, said doug By Robertson.
Was he talking about him or was he talking about
way he was talking about? Right, I was just taking
it very fun. Francis, you have a question? Could you
please be quick? Darling?
Speaker 3 (30:39):
Hello Francis, Oh you want me.
Speaker 4 (30:42):
To be quick?
Speaker 2 (30:42):
Yes? Yes, please?
Speaker 4 (30:44):
All right?
Speaker 5 (30:44):
I will, and thank you Andrew for being there, and
you know, I just to be able to chat with you.
Point the contract is I was going to email Neck
this week because in my research I went down. The
contractors said that they were sick of all the arguing
and going on between the council and themselves and they
were not going to put any money in until their
(31:05):
contractor over in the next few months.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
Is that right?
Speaker 3 (31:09):
Well, any money they've got is actually our money, so
at least when it comes to my point. In fact,
they had some money left over at the beginning of
the year. We told them to start using it to
repair Male Point, so it's not you know, anything they
do on that. It's got to have our decision anyway,
and we've been supporting them as much as we can.
At least I thought we had just to get on
with it, and I thought they had been there. You go,
(31:31):
there's the answer for that. So can I just quickly
just mention that I'm concerned that it's still going to
be another year more nearly six months before we have
some sort of closure on you know, Poohs and Wieze
going out five meters from the shore.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
No, I'm disappointed in that too. I'm not an engineer,
you know, others have looked at it. They've got to
do what they have to do. It is a big deal.
The other thing I'm adamant about, too, is that there's
no point in just sort of fixing up and putting
the back that it was. If there was a problem
with it, We've got to fix it up in a
way that means that there's even less chance of this
ever happening again, so that those are the those the
(32:07):
overarching sort of criteria We've got.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Quick answer, yes or no. Still enjoying the job, Yes,
more than being in government?
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Oh yeah, I think so. Actually when I think about
it lately, Yeah, enjoying it. Are enjoying it.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
We'll keep up, keep trying, and keep doing your best.
That's all we can ask for, and we appreciate Wellington
Me Andrew Little.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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