May 6, 2026 • 21 mins
For Politics Thursday Nick is joined by Labour's Ginny Andersen and National's Tim Costley to talk about the top issues in the beehive this week.
Starting with the new test for citizenship in New Zealand. Our panel give their question ideas and their thoughts on the introduction of the test, which follows the lead of Australia.
And amalgamation is coming. The Government has given a three-month ultimatum for councils to amalgamate on their own terms.
Costley shares what this would look like for Kapiti - and the thoughts he's hearing from the community, and Andersen for the Hutt. And is three months to sort a blend of potentially four councils enough for Wellington?
And after his interview with health expert Dr Ezekiel Emanuel, Nick asks the panel for their thoughts on more bipartisanship for health. Then the panel get heated over the best ways to fund the NZ health system.
Plus, unemployment numbers are down, yet experts are predicting it's going to get worse - what are our politicians going to do about it?
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks ed B, focusing in on the issues
that matter politics Thursday on Wellington Mornings News Talks ed B,
Let's shine, Can you make your decision?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Of ya?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Talking about New Zealand the music month. Nice to have
a bit of that and here in the background, Jinny
Anderson and Tim Costley join us.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Good morning to you both.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Good morning, Jenny, Good morning new Good morning Tim.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
How you doing, Tim?
Speaker 5 (00:48):
Yes, good morning for both of you. Bill Well, thank
you very good.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
What are you doing? What are you doing this morning? Tim?
What are you doing today? Just rec this week? So
what are you doing?
Speaker 6 (00:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (00:57):
Well, I have a mix of things. I'm meeting some
people and community groups and also constituents in the office.
I'm also at visiting a range of businesses and groups.
And then after this I'm playing dress ups. I'm dressing
up like a firefighters, putting on all their and walking
up a large number of steps.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Okay, you really had me going then when you said
you're doing dress up? But Jinny Andison, what are you
dressing up as this afternoon?
Speaker 4 (01:24):
What are you doing today?
Speaker 6 (01:26):
Tonight? Tonight? Neck, I'm going to be just myself. So yeah,
I've got lots.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Of meetings with different groups in and around education, so
whether it's teachers, parents, or or sort of people advocating
for students. He's been a lot of buzz around this
new curriculum which is largely brought in from overseas and
lacking and Kiwi content. So there's lots of people up
in arms about what this will mean for the future
of education for key we kids.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Okay here talking about Kiwi content. There's going to be
a new test to become a citizen in New Zealand,
multiple choice fifteen questions. You've got to get seventy five
percent right or you cannot become a Key tim A
lot of people are saying it's just a bit of
election airing, just trying to get some coverage.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
What's your view on it?
Speaker 5 (02:14):
Yeah, I mean I say, look, they've had this for
years in Australia, in the UK. It doesn't seem to
be terrible. I think it matters that you get the
right questions. I'd be I'd like to see them and
make sure we get those right. I think having a
bar to become a KEII citizen is a good thing,
just the detail also matters that we that we know that.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Okay, what's one of your questions, Tim, one of my questions,
what would you have on that?
Speaker 4 (02:37):
You know?
Speaker 5 (02:38):
Oh, you've caught me off. God, I haven't thought about that.
I'm not the guard running the test. I don't know that.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Yeah, I mean you must.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
You're a key, we and you got your fellow key.
Is this some question you would like to ask him
to make sure you feel confided?
Speaker 5 (02:51):
Is what is founder and document of New Zealand? I
think you would ask. I think you would ask what
is the significance of the ant day? I don't know?
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Is very good question, that's too, very good questions.
Speaker 6 (03:03):
Jinny funny that that's funny.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
That is that because it's not in there. The treaty
is not in there at all. So you would have
thought that, you know, the basic idea of two people
respecting each other and working together would be the basis
of how we all kind of treat each other as
a platform. But the treaty is completely devoid in any
of that staff which is well, they.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Haven't even done it yet. It's not coming into next year,
so they haven't done it. They have done the questions
yet have.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
They no, but they they have missed out the treaty
from what we've seen all that all the grounds have
got so far. So it's human rights, full of rights,
not all our criminal senses, voting rights, democratic principles, structure
of government. Those are the things that are going to
be You have to get seventy five per seen of
all those sorts of things. But there's nothing in there
about the Treaty of White Tonguey. And you would have
(03:47):
think that that's kind of an important part of being
a ken We.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
I would have thought that would be in there, and
it will be in there.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
When it comes out. Yeah, let's see it when it
comes out.
Speaker 6 (03:55):
It's not And everything in there it's not.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
It's not a mere honey.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Give me a couple of your questions you'd have there.
Make you feel better about your your fellow Kiwi.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
I like the idea of like the treaty being a
partnership and what's based on respect of each other, and
so understanding that that sort of basic idea behind it,
and how that creates kind of the basis of how
we all treat each other in New Zealand, no matter
where we come from. And I think that kind of
builds the kind of community where people respect each other
and are allowed to be themselves but still get on
(04:27):
and have a good community.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Does Labor support this idea? Does Labour think this is
a good idea.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
We think sort of strengthening the citizenship process by having
a values New Zealand values component, we've got no problem.
Speaker 6 (04:40):
But the acts of admission of the treaty shows.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
That there's a bit of a bias there and we
would like to see the treaty is Parker.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
I'm sure that we can fix the fine print.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
But you like the idea of a basic seventy five
percent pass and a test like they're having Canada and
Australia and those sort of places.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Well, well, I reckon we should make it compulsory for
members of Parliament to get over seventy five before they
get in as well. If we're going to have it
for people get in the country, surely MP should.
Speaker 6 (05:07):
Have to do that test as well.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
I reckon that MP should have to do school sert,
you know, before they go on there. That's what i'd
like to see, Tim, Do you think it's going to
go ahead? What's your what's your gut telling you?
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Yeah? Yeah, I think it is okay, all.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Right, let's talk of malgamation. Seeing you're so both it's
so so excited about the test malgamotion Bishop, and what's
have given three months ultimatum to amalgamate or will do
it for you? I is three months enough time? If
this time runs out, what will happen? Come on, Tim,
tell me what you're thinking of this one.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
Yeah, I think this is great, right because what we've
heard is from councils, and Wellington's a great example were
they've been saying, we want to do this, but we
need your help, we need to do it faster, and
they want to it before they get into the next
round of long term plans. They don't want to do
a ten year plan for a council that's not going
to exist. So they've actually been saying, can you please
help us to move faster. There's other regions around the
(06:01):
country as well, and so here's an option, so you
can take this headstart pathway if that what you want
to do. And I think we're going to see that
all the indications seeing that Wellington are up for that.
Other councilors around the country may take the existing part.
But look, this is a great opportunity for our region
to get ahead. The writing seems all but on the wall,
(06:22):
but that's where our councils and our community want to go.
So yeah, this is this is a great note.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Tim.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Can you explain how work and Capity, that's your area,
how would it happen there? Who were you Amalgamite was
in the Capity area.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
Yeah, I've been chatting to all the local mayors and
community obviously. So there's an option for cup Te right.
One option is they look to the south and they say, well,
we want to stick with Wellington because that's where they've
been part of as a region under the regional council.
But the other option based on a bit of geography
and a bit of looking to the future, as you say, well,
actually we're not sure about some of their water issues
(06:55):
and we might look to hort of Fenera. Ho to Fenera.
I want to look to the south. With the new
expressway that National has already started construction on the new
electric trains we funded that are connecting hot of Fenera
and Carpety sort of makes sense maybe that that that
that would want to be one region and I can
see a strong agement why Hoda, Fenner and Carpetee might
join together as.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
Part of this.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Isn't that absolute common sense? Put the four basin ones
in Wellington into one and then have company because that's
the fastest growing area in the region anyway, Let them
go and build and get stronger on their own.
Speaker 5 (07:26):
Yeah, I think it makes a lot of sense. That's
certainly the direction of travel that they've been going on
for quite some time, and with the connectivity that's coming
in place, So I think that exciting. Here. It's the
area I represent, so of course I love it because
that's why I chose to live here. But I think
it's a great option. And look in the future, if
things change, there's always an option for a Carpety to
(07:48):
have another conversation. We're talking years down the track with Wellington,
but I think for now that's where it could end up.
But hey, look it'll be interesting to see what other locals.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
J Jinny Upper Hup mayor piriy Zar says that they
are on the fence about joining with the Huts and
Pottida and Wellington. I mean, it's your thoughts, that's your area,
what's your what's your gut telling you?
Speaker 6 (08:10):
Yeah, my prediction is that before the election.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
This is going to get messy because there might be
some areas that are clean cut, but there will be
a whole bunch of areas where there's not a clear decision.
And I don't know if it's going to resolve itself quickly.
So I think it's positive that they haven't been consulted,
But I reckon going to see far more twists and
turns for the government, and you're going to see the
government blaming councils like they had before. Really we should
(08:35):
have a government that properly funds councils to deliver the
services that they require.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Gen you take the political you know, cap off this
a little bit, and just as a local person, don't
you think it would make things better for the region?
And I'm just asking you the question. My view is
pretty out there and clear. To join forces and have
one you know one you know Lower Hut, Upper Hut
Potator in Warrington as one council.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Absolutely, there's some real benefits there and economies of scale.
And when we would prepare water reforms across the country,
we had initially you know, there were three big areas.
Because the bigger you have it, the more cost savings
you get, But the key problem we're going to see
is some of those smaller communities where their rating base
isn't sufficient to cover some of the infrastructure they require.
Speaker 6 (09:22):
That's still going to be a problem. And while it's
great that you know the government's.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Saying it will just cap breaks or do things like that,
it still doesn't fix that problem that there's insufficient rating
base to fix some of these things that needs.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
You didn't really give me an idea.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
I just was asking you personally, as a rate payer
and living in the heart, whether you think it's a
good idea.
Speaker 6 (09:42):
Yeah, I thought it a yes. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
My view is that the more common that lowers the
cost per per person to pay, so that the smaller
the areas, the higher the cost. So if those efficiencies
can be driven, then that's got to be a one
for people who are really struggling with the cost of living.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Right now, right, we'll take a quick break and be
back with Jenny Anderson. Sorry, Tim, did you want to
quickly say.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
Something just Oh?
Speaker 5 (10:04):
No, I was encouraging here, Jenny s because I heard
that yesterday Chris Hapkins came out and said he wouldn't
support this. He doesn't support the policy and we just
actually need to get this country moving forward. And I
don't know why he's saying later aren't going to support it,
but Genny are saying they are.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
You know what the problem is, I think is that
upper heart. There's an issue with upper heart.
Speaker 6 (10:21):
But carry on, Jenny, Well, I think the problem is
you nailed it. He's a problem with upper hearts.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
That the fact that they've got a three month window
for the whole country to come in. We think that's
going to be problematic. So as counsels can resolve it,
good on them. We're really skeptical whether they can manage
to do that in the time that the government's given them.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Politics Thursday, Jenny Anderson, Tim Costy. Yesterday we had the
world health policy expert, doctor Zekiel Manuel on the show.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
He said, we need.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
More agreement between parties as a three year election cycle
and switching is not good for a health system. Tim,
isn't that a really good idea to actually leave health
alone so that we can actually plan for a future
with health.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
Well, I wish that our health target's got left alone
because they plummeted under the last Labor government. They're improving
now there's a they've got thrown out the window. But
I guess that's part of the point, right as political parties,
you know, are going to have their own view and
they're going to have different approaches to how they do things.
I back out our approach because the numbers show that
(11:28):
it's improving getting here of people in our community. But
you know, in some kind of utopian world show, we'd
all disagree on everything. But I guess this is the.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Real I think you're making a little bit too much
of a light of this. I mean, this is people's health.
Surely we should have a plan that doesn't get interrupted
just because of politics and an election cycle.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Jinny, I agree, and I kind of think my view
education falls into that as well and potentially rhades transport.
There's some really core, fundamental things that our country needs
to keep going irrespective of who.
Speaker 6 (12:03):
The government is.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
And I think people key Wes get really frustrated when these.
Speaker 6 (12:07):
Issues get politicized and just.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Get delayed or we fall behind the rest of the
world because politics are being played.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
So I think, what what the important.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Thing is that Treasury advised that a multi year approach
to health funding to give more certainty to the sector,
and we.
Speaker 6 (12:24):
Agree with it.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
I mean Tim the skuy is a world expert, you
know on sports. He was part of the Biden and Health.
Sorry sorry I said support health, but he was with Biden,
he was Obama. I mean, the sky is real and
he's actually offered. He spoke he met the health minister
Simeon Brown in Auckland when he was here or he's
still here, and said he would help. Wouldn't it be
(12:48):
good to get some advice like that.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
It's always it's always good to hear the perspectives and
hear the advice. I mean they haven't delivered that in
the administrations he worked in to be fair, right, so
it's good. Look, I agree with what Jennison in a
couple of places. One she said that, you know, we
don't want to see delayeds, we don't want to see
standards dropping. But that's exactly why we've had to change
things in both health and education. Because health was plagued
with delays and I can read you the stats if
(13:12):
you really want them, but we've all experienced them. Our
education system was not achieving for our children. That's why
we have to change. The characters sit there and if
you want to see biopartisanship. Yeah, there are areas that
we've tried and we've agreed on. Look at the city
infrastructure plan and Barbara Edmunds from Labor came and wrote
the foeword to the document and the data announced. It
got really positive feedback. The problem was the during next
(13:33):
day Chris Hopkins came out and started bagging it. So
you know, it's a great theory and it's easy to
sit here in an interview and say, yeah, we'll all
agree with each other, but then you eventually got to
sign up and follow through. So we need Labor and
not go and cancel the roads like they did last time.
We need them not to remove the health targets. They've
actually got to sign up to some stuff and stick
with it.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
Ginny.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
The other thing Szekiel said, which I made a little
bit of sense to me when I started thinking about it,
he said, we also need to fund health separate from
the budget.
Speaker 6 (14:02):
Yeah, yeah, have you heard that before?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Has anyone talked about that before?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Yeah, I have heard that before, but we haven't proposed
removing it completely from the edge and your budget. What
we have proposed is to ringfence that money that we
would that would be generated from a kepital games tax
and that would just go to health.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
And initially that would pay for every keywee to get
three free GP visits per year.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
But over time, is that capital gains tax accruise more
that would be infenced and put just towards health because
we know health is a core area and we think
that primary health you're going to see your doctor is
the way you prevent more people going to hospital and
prevent our longer term problem.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
The time we're talking about a separate budget for health,
what are your thoughts on that.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Yeah, there's a fundamental question of where does it come
from then if it's not coming from the government, which
is everything they've found us through the budget. But I
think there's a deeper question here.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Right which I think I think what he's meaning it is.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Of long term funding. Certainty of long term funding. Isn't
that as our government spends more than the labor one
before it, the labor one spent more than the national
one before it. In terms of health budgets, this is populations.
The issue. The issue is how you use the budget,
how you focus the health system to actually deliver it results.
I don't think it's spending. That is the issue we have.
(15:23):
It is actually about delivering tangible results for patients. And
that's where I think National have a difference in approach
to labor and one that has worked, that has seen
ed wait times increase significantly, you know, improved significantly, that
has seen cancer who's cancer treatments improved, that have seen
child immunizations increase, that have seen the number of elective
surgeries increase. That's what actually matters. It's about results, not
(15:45):
just spending.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
In isolation, Ginny, I want to ask you about that
employment afford People can't afford to want to say one thing,
but people can't afford to go to the doctor.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
And that's what's happened under National. Some areas one hundred dollars,
one hundred dollars.
Speaker 5 (15:58):
To go to see your childhood. That is free, free
electal surgery. It's frant there is it cost ASAE.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
No, I'm not talking about I'm talking about primary care
to prevent illness. Having access to free primary care is
the best way to get our health system back under control.
And unfortunately that's what National doesn't realize. People should be
able to get that primary healthcare as early as possible
and under the cost of living. We've seen increases to
GPCs that people quite simply can't afford, and it means
(16:31):
small health problems unfortunately become big ones that cost.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
All of us more unemployment, and some people will have
as whether those gps come from we've proposed, you know,
we've got this student medical school and Whitehadow, which labor
have been pretty lukewarm on. We don't think that you
should be funding free appointments for those that can afford
to pay. It just puts pressure on the health system.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I just wonder where these you know, you think it
should be free to go to the hospital.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
So it's free to go to the hospital, but not
free to go to the doctor. Why does that mean?
Why is it free for.
Speaker 5 (17:00):
Where are your doctors coming?
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, Let's go
back and our corners. I mean, tim of the system
is so good. Why have I been on a waiting
list for fourteen months for an operation?
Speaker 5 (17:14):
It's a question, Well, I can I can give you
the stats that show that. First, you know, I went
and met Rosemary life.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
I just want to dance. I just want a clear answer.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
Because the system is so there, We're not at one
hundred percent. We're at ninety seven point three percent before
Labor came in. They dropped next, and that is the
reason we are playing catch up. I'm forty percent of
people that needed that elective surgery that didn't get it.
But that's massive, right from ninety seven percent under national
down to sixty two percent under labor, and now we're
playing catch up. Yeah, it's back up into the mid sixties.
(17:46):
Now we're funding elective surgeries through private clinics as well
to help people catch up. But we are playing catch
up in years of neglect.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Fourteen months right the point, Giny, and that must mean
I'm in the bottom three percent because I haven't had
my operation yet, you reckon.
Speaker 6 (18:02):
Yeah, I think it's quite a few in that bottom
three percent. Oregents.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Look, were forty percent in that bottom three percent under labor.
I mean that's the problem, right, if you take yours
a lot with the GP going to help met with
his operation, is it?
Speaker 6 (18:15):
No?
Speaker 3 (18:16):
No, it's not going to help you. I'm on the
bottom three percent. I'm not feeling very not very happy
about that.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Tim. I'm wonder if you can make a couple of vocals.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Unemployment numbers have decreased, yet the experts are saying we
haven't passed the worst of it yet due to the
fuel crisis. Now, Tim, this was good news, but it
was pre the war, wasn't it.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
Yeah, Yeah, that's absolutely right. I agree with everything you're saying.
You know, everything showed that we're sort of turned the corner,
we're heading the right to reach in. Yeah, it's you know,
we take step by step progress. But it will be
interesting to see in three months time what the impact
is that. You know, petrol price surged initially, it's come down,
Like I noticed that the petrol pumping is that it's
fifty percent, so it's fifty cents cheaper than it was
(18:58):
a couple of weeks ago. That's good, but it's still
over three dollars and it's still having a real impact
on people. Great that we've got the supply a sure
with the new deal to p and work with Singapore,
but it's going to have some kind of impact and
we'll be monitoring that closely. Is that most photos in
the extree months till we get those stats out.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Ji, do you think it's going to get worse?
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Well, I hope for people that I see in the
Wellington region who are just struggling was either one income
or know and come.
Speaker 6 (19:27):
I hope for those people that gets worse.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
But let's not forget that that National campaigned on one
big thing last selection, and that was to fix the economy,
to make things better, and they have absolutely failed on that.
We've got Wellington's unemployment.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
Rate at a record high.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
It's the highest it's been in over a decade, and
Auckland's unemployment rate is the highest in twelve years.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
And it's people who are already doing it tough that
are harder done under this.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
So we want to see.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Less liquidations, record numbers of liquidations, and that's not even
including what e McCain and all those plant closures that
we've seen around the country. So we want to see
New Zealand business is back to grow and create good
jobs so people can stay here in New Zealand and
build a future here.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Tim, do you think they're going to get worse these numbers?
I mean this is pre the war. I mean things
are going to things have changed again. I mean I'm
not there's no fault on anyone here, but things have
definitely changed again, haven't they.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
Yeah, Look, it's not been helpful what trunsmit Ouch on Iran.
But what I think is my gut field says, it's
not going to We're not going to say basically plumbing
or get worse. I just think it's going to slow
the progress for a few months before it sort of
can start to accelerate again. As I walked around and
visited a number of shops down put up on your
Beach yesterday, the consistence. Some of them said, look, this
(20:45):
is actually better than last year, but some said that
it has just slowed up in the last month. It
just feels like people their impression was it's not that
they don't have the money, they're just not confident to
spend it because they're not sure what's going to happen.
They just want to make sure everything settles down for
a bit before they are sort of willing to go
out and you know, take the next step. So I
think this is going to slow progress other than set
(21:07):
it backwards.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
We couldn't go backwards again, could we. Tim Costly and
Ginny Anderson thank you very much. Enjoy the rest of
the week off and get ready for next week and
full of tech mode.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
It is 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 Talks ed B, focusing in on the issues
that matter politics Thursday on Wellington Mornings News Talks ed B,
Let's shine, Can you make your decision?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Of ya?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Talking about New Zealand the music month. Nice to have
a bit of that and here in the background, Jinny
Anderson and Tim Costley join us.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Good morning to you both.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Good morning, Jenny, Good morning new Good morning Tim.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
How you doing, Tim?
Speaker 5 (00:48):
Yes, good morning for both of you. Bill Well, thank
you very good.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
What are you doing? What are you doing this morning? Tim?
What are you doing today? Just rec this week? So
what are you doing?
Speaker 6 (00:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (00:57):
Well, I have a mix of things. I'm meeting some
people and community groups and also constituents in the office.
I'm also at visiting a range of businesses and groups.
And then after this I'm playing dress ups. I'm dressing
up like a firefighters, putting on all their and walking
up a large number of steps.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Okay, you really had me going then when you said
you're doing dress up? But Jinny Andison, what are you
dressing up as this afternoon?
Speaker 4 (01:24):
What are you doing today?
Speaker 6 (01:26):
Tonight? Tonight? Neck, I'm going to be just myself. So yeah,
I've got lots.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Of meetings with different groups in and around education, so
whether it's teachers, parents, or or sort of people advocating
for students. He's been a lot of buzz around this
new curriculum which is largely brought in from overseas and
lacking and Kiwi content. So there's lots of people up
in arms about what this will mean for the future
of education for key we kids.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Okay here talking about Kiwi content. There's going to be
a new test to become a citizen in New Zealand,
multiple choice fifteen questions. You've got to get seventy five
percent right or you cannot become a Key tim A
lot of people are saying it's just a bit of
election airing, just trying to get some coverage.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
What's your view on it?
Speaker 5 (02:14):
Yeah, I mean I say, look, they've had this for
years in Australia, in the UK. It doesn't seem to
be terrible. I think it matters that you get the
right questions. I'd be I'd like to see them and
make sure we get those right. I think having a
bar to become a KEII citizen is a good thing,
just the detail also matters that we that we know that.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Okay, what's one of your questions, Tim, one of my questions,
what would you have on that?
Speaker 4 (02:37):
You know?
Speaker 5 (02:38):
Oh, you've caught me off. God, I haven't thought about that.
I'm not the guard running the test. I don't know that.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Yeah, I mean you must.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
You're a key, we and you got your fellow key.
Is this some question you would like to ask him
to make sure you feel confided?
Speaker 5 (02:51):
Is what is founder and document of New Zealand? I
think you would ask. I think you would ask what
is the significance of the ant day? I don't know?
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Is very good question, that's too, very good questions.
Speaker 6 (03:03):
Jinny funny that that's funny.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
That is that because it's not in there. The treaty
is not in there at all. So you would have
thought that, you know, the basic idea of two people
respecting each other and working together would be the basis
of how we all kind of treat each other as
a platform. But the treaty is completely devoid in any
of that staff which is well, they.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Haven't even done it yet. It's not coming into next year,
so they haven't done it. They have done the questions
yet have.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
They no, but they they have missed out the treaty
from what we've seen all that all the grounds have
got so far. So it's human rights, full of rights,
not all our criminal senses, voting rights, democratic principles, structure
of government. Those are the things that are going to
be You have to get seventy five per seen of
all those sorts of things. But there's nothing in there
about the Treaty of White Tonguey. And you would have
(03:47):
think that that's kind of an important part of being
a ken We.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
I would have thought that would be in there, and
it will be in there.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
When it comes out. Yeah, let's see it when it
comes out.
Speaker 6 (03:55):
It's not And everything in there it's not.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
It's not a mere honey.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Give me a couple of your questions you'd have there.
Make you feel better about your your fellow Kiwi.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
I like the idea of like the treaty being a
partnership and what's based on respect of each other, and
so understanding that that sort of basic idea behind it,
and how that creates kind of the basis of how
we all treat each other in New Zealand, no matter
where we come from. And I think that kind of
builds the kind of community where people respect each other
and are allowed to be themselves but still get on
(04:27):
and have a good community.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Does Labor support this idea? Does Labour think this is
a good idea.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
We think sort of strengthening the citizenship process by having
a values New Zealand values component, we've got no problem.
Speaker 6 (04:40):
But the acts of admission of the treaty shows.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
That there's a bit of a bias there and we
would like to see the treaty is Parker.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
I'm sure that we can fix the fine print.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
But you like the idea of a basic seventy five
percent pass and a test like they're having Canada and
Australia and those sort of places.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Well, well, I reckon we should make it compulsory for
members of Parliament to get over seventy five before they
get in as well. If we're going to have it
for people get in the country, surely MP should.
Speaker 6 (05:07):
Have to do that test as well.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
I reckon that MP should have to do school sert,
you know, before they go on there. That's what i'd
like to see, Tim, Do you think it's going to
go ahead? What's your what's your gut telling you?
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Yeah? Yeah, I think it is okay, all.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Right, let's talk of malgamation. Seeing you're so both it's
so so excited about the test malgamotion Bishop, and what's
have given three months ultimatum to amalgamate or will do
it for you? I is three months enough time? If
this time runs out, what will happen? Come on, Tim,
tell me what you're thinking of this one.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
Yeah, I think this is great, right because what we've
heard is from councils, and Wellington's a great example were
they've been saying, we want to do this, but we
need your help, we need to do it faster, and
they want to it before they get into the next
round of long term plans. They don't want to do
a ten year plan for a council that's not going
to exist. So they've actually been saying, can you please
help us to move faster. There's other regions around the
(06:01):
country as well, and so here's an option, so you
can take this headstart pathway if that what you want
to do. And I think we're going to see that
all the indications seeing that Wellington are up for that.
Other councilors around the country may take the existing part.
But look, this is a great opportunity for our region
to get ahead. The writing seems all but on the wall,
(06:22):
but that's where our councils and our community want to go.
So yeah, this is this is a great note.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Tim.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Can you explain how work and Capity, that's your area,
how would it happen there? Who were you Amalgamite was
in the Capity area.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
Yeah, I've been chatting to all the local mayors and
community obviously. So there's an option for cup Te right.
One option is they look to the south and they say, well,
we want to stick with Wellington because that's where they've
been part of as a region under the regional council.
But the other option based on a bit of geography
and a bit of looking to the future, as you say, well,
actually we're not sure about some of their water issues
(06:55):
and we might look to hort of Fenera. Ho to Fenera.
I want to look to the south. With the new
expressway that National has already started construction on the new
electric trains we funded that are connecting hot of Fenera
and Carpety sort of makes sense maybe that that that
that would want to be one region and I can
see a strong agement why Hoda, Fenner and Carpetee might
join together as.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
Part of this.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Isn't that absolute common sense? Put the four basin ones
in Wellington into one and then have company because that's
the fastest growing area in the region anyway, Let them
go and build and get stronger on their own.
Speaker 5 (07:26):
Yeah, I think it makes a lot of sense. That's
certainly the direction of travel that they've been going on
for quite some time, and with the connectivity that's coming
in place, So I think that exciting. Here. It's the
area I represent, so of course I love it because
that's why I chose to live here. But I think
it's a great option. And look in the future, if
things change, there's always an option for a Carpety to
(07:48):
have another conversation. We're talking years down the track with Wellington,
but I think for now that's where it could end up.
But hey, look it'll be interesting to see what other locals.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
J Jinny Upper Hup mayor piriy Zar says that they
are on the fence about joining with the Huts and
Pottida and Wellington. I mean, it's your thoughts, that's your area,
what's your what's your gut telling you?
Speaker 6 (08:10):
Yeah, my prediction is that before the election.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
This is going to get messy because there might be
some areas that are clean cut, but there will be
a whole bunch of areas where there's not a clear decision.
And I don't know if it's going to resolve itself quickly.
So I think it's positive that they haven't been consulted,
But I reckon going to see far more twists and
turns for the government, and you're going to see the
government blaming councils like they had before. Really we should
(08:35):
have a government that properly funds councils to deliver the
services that they require.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Gen you take the political you know, cap off this
a little bit, and just as a local person, don't
you think it would make things better for the region?
And I'm just asking you the question. My view is
pretty out there and clear. To join forces and have
one you know one you know Lower Hut, Upper Hut
Potator in Warrington as one council.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Absolutely, there's some real benefits there and economies of scale.
And when we would prepare water reforms across the country,
we had initially you know, there were three big areas.
Because the bigger you have it, the more cost savings
you get, But the key problem we're going to see
is some of those smaller communities where their rating base
isn't sufficient to cover some of the infrastructure they require.
Speaker 6 (09:22):
That's still going to be a problem. And while it's
great that you know the government's.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Saying it will just cap breaks or do things like that,
it still doesn't fix that problem that there's insufficient rating
base to fix some of these things that needs.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
You didn't really give me an idea.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
I just was asking you personally, as a rate payer
and living in the heart, whether you think it's a
good idea.
Speaker 6 (09:42):
Yeah, I thought it a yes. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
My view is that the more common that lowers the
cost per per person to pay, so that the smaller
the areas, the higher the cost. So if those efficiencies
can be driven, then that's got to be a one
for people who are really struggling with the cost of living.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Right now, right, we'll take a quick break and be
back with Jenny Anderson. Sorry, Tim, did you want to
quickly say.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
Something just Oh?
Speaker 5 (10:04):
No, I was encouraging here, Jenny s because I heard
that yesterday Chris Hapkins came out and said he wouldn't
support this. He doesn't support the policy and we just
actually need to get this country moving forward. And I
don't know why he's saying later aren't going to support it,
but Genny are saying they are.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
You know what the problem is, I think is that
upper heart. There's an issue with upper heart.
Speaker 6 (10:21):
But carry on, Jenny, Well, I think the problem is
you nailed it. He's a problem with upper hearts.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
That the fact that they've got a three month window
for the whole country to come in. We think that's
going to be problematic. So as counsels can resolve it,
good on them. We're really skeptical whether they can manage
to do that in the time that the government's given them.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Politics Thursday, Jenny Anderson, Tim Costy. Yesterday we had the
world health policy expert, doctor Zekiel Manuel on the show.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
He said, we need.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
More agreement between parties as a three year election cycle
and switching is not good for a health system. Tim,
isn't that a really good idea to actually leave health
alone so that we can actually plan for a future
with health.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
Well, I wish that our health target's got left alone
because they plummeted under the last Labor government. They're improving
now there's a they've got thrown out the window. But
I guess that's part of the point, right as political parties,
you know, are going to have their own view and
they're going to have different approaches to how they do things.
I back out our approach because the numbers show that
(11:28):
it's improving getting here of people in our community. But
you know, in some kind of utopian world show, we'd
all disagree on everything. But I guess this is the.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Real I think you're making a little bit too much
of a light of this. I mean, this is people's health.
Surely we should have a plan that doesn't get interrupted
just because of politics and an election cycle.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Jinny, I agree, and I kind of think my view
education falls into that as well and potentially rhades transport.
There's some really core, fundamental things that our country needs
to keep going irrespective of who.
Speaker 6 (12:03):
The government is.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
And I think people key Wes get really frustrated when these.
Speaker 6 (12:07):
Issues get politicized and just.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Get delayed or we fall behind the rest of the
world because politics are being played.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
So I think, what what the important.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Thing is that Treasury advised that a multi year approach
to health funding to give more certainty to the sector,
and we.
Speaker 6 (12:24):
Agree with it.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
I mean Tim the skuy is a world expert, you
know on sports. He was part of the Biden and Health.
Sorry sorry I said support health, but he was with Biden,
he was Obama. I mean, the sky is real and
he's actually offered. He spoke he met the health minister
Simeon Brown in Auckland when he was here or he's
still here, and said he would help. Wouldn't it be
(12:48):
good to get some advice like that.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
It's always it's always good to hear the perspectives and
hear the advice. I mean they haven't delivered that in
the administrations he worked in to be fair, right, so
it's good. Look, I agree with what Jennison in a
couple of places. One she said that, you know, we
don't want to see delayeds, we don't want to see
standards dropping. But that's exactly why we've had to change
things in both health and education. Because health was plagued
with delays and I can read you the stats if
(13:12):
you really want them, but we've all experienced them. Our
education system was not achieving for our children. That's why
we have to change. The characters sit there and if
you want to see biopartisanship. Yeah, there are areas that
we've tried and we've agreed on. Look at the city
infrastructure plan and Barbara Edmunds from Labor came and wrote
the foeword to the document and the data announced. It
got really positive feedback. The problem was the during next
(13:33):
day Chris Hopkins came out and started bagging it. So
you know, it's a great theory and it's easy to
sit here in an interview and say, yeah, we'll all
agree with each other, but then you eventually got to
sign up and follow through. So we need Labor and
not go and cancel the roads like they did last time.
We need them not to remove the health targets. They've
actually got to sign up to some stuff and stick
with it.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
Ginny.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
The other thing Szekiel said, which I made a little
bit of sense to me when I started thinking about it,
he said, we also need to fund health separate from
the budget.
Speaker 6 (14:02):
Yeah, yeah, have you heard that before?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Has anyone talked about that before?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Yeah, I have heard that before, but we haven't proposed
removing it completely from the edge and your budget. What
we have proposed is to ringfence that money that we
would that would be generated from a kepital games tax
and that would just go to health.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
And initially that would pay for every keywee to get
three free GP visits per year.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
But over time, is that capital gains tax accruise more
that would be infenced and put just towards health because
we know health is a core area and we think
that primary health you're going to see your doctor is
the way you prevent more people going to hospital and
prevent our longer term problem.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
The time we're talking about a separate budget for health,
what are your thoughts on that.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Yeah, there's a fundamental question of where does it come
from then if it's not coming from the government, which
is everything they've found us through the budget. But I
think there's a deeper question here.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Right which I think I think what he's meaning it is.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Of long term funding. Certainty of long term funding. Isn't
that as our government spends more than the labor one
before it, the labor one spent more than the national
one before it. In terms of health budgets, this is populations.
The issue. The issue is how you use the budget,
how you focus the health system to actually deliver it results.
I don't think it's spending. That is the issue we have.
(15:23):
It is actually about delivering tangible results for patients. And
that's where I think National have a difference in approach
to labor and one that has worked, that has seen
ed wait times increase significantly, you know, improved significantly, that
has seen cancer who's cancer treatments improved, that have seen
child immunizations increase, that have seen the number of elective
surgeries increase. That's what actually matters. It's about results, not
(15:45):
just spending.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
In isolation, Ginny, I want to ask you about that
employment afford People can't afford to want to say one thing,
but people can't afford to go to the doctor.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
And that's what's happened under National. Some areas one hundred dollars,
one hundred dollars.
Speaker 5 (15:58):
To go to see your childhood. That is free, free
electal surgery. It's frant there is it cost ASAE.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
No, I'm not talking about I'm talking about primary care
to prevent illness. Having access to free primary care is
the best way to get our health system back under control.
And unfortunately that's what National doesn't realize. People should be
able to get that primary healthcare as early as possible
and under the cost of living. We've seen increases to
GPCs that people quite simply can't afford, and it means
(16:31):
small health problems unfortunately become big ones that cost.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
All of us more unemployment, and some people will have
as whether those gps come from we've proposed, you know,
we've got this student medical school and Whitehadow, which labor
have been pretty lukewarm on. We don't think that you
should be funding free appointments for those that can afford
to pay. It just puts pressure on the health system.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I just wonder where these you know, you think it
should be free to go to the hospital.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
So it's free to go to the hospital, but not
free to go to the doctor. Why does that mean?
Why is it free for.
Speaker 5 (17:00):
Where are your doctors coming?
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, Let's go
back and our corners. I mean, tim of the system
is so good. Why have I been on a waiting
list for fourteen months for an operation?
Speaker 5 (17:14):
It's a question, Well, I can I can give you
the stats that show that. First, you know, I went
and met Rosemary life.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
I just want to dance. I just want a clear answer.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
Because the system is so there, We're not at one
hundred percent. We're at ninety seven point three percent before
Labor came in. They dropped next, and that is the
reason we are playing catch up. I'm forty percent of
people that needed that elective surgery that didn't get it.
But that's massive, right from ninety seven percent under national
down to sixty two percent under labor, and now we're
playing catch up. Yeah, it's back up into the mid sixties.
(17:46):
Now we're funding elective surgeries through private clinics as well
to help people catch up. But we are playing catch
up in years of neglect.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Fourteen months right the point, Giny, and that must mean
I'm in the bottom three percent because I haven't had
my operation yet, you reckon.
Speaker 6 (18:02):
Yeah, I think it's quite a few in that bottom
three percent. Oregents.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Look, were forty percent in that bottom three percent under labor.
I mean that's the problem, right, if you take yours
a lot with the GP going to help met with
his operation, is it?
Speaker 6 (18:15):
No?
Speaker 3 (18:16):
No, it's not going to help you. I'm on the
bottom three percent. I'm not feeling very not very happy
about that.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Tim. I'm wonder if you can make a couple of vocals.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Unemployment numbers have decreased, yet the experts are saying we
haven't passed the worst of it yet due to the
fuel crisis. Now, Tim, this was good news, but it
was pre the war, wasn't it.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
Yeah, Yeah, that's absolutely right. I agree with everything you're saying.
You know, everything showed that we're sort of turned the corner,
we're heading the right to reach in. Yeah, it's you know,
we take step by step progress. But it will be
interesting to see in three months time what the impact
is that. You know, petrol price surged initially, it's come down,
Like I noticed that the petrol pumping is that it's
fifty percent, so it's fifty cents cheaper than it was
(18:58):
a couple of weeks ago. That's good, but it's still
over three dollars and it's still having a real impact
on people. Great that we've got the supply a sure
with the new deal to p and work with Singapore,
but it's going to have some kind of impact and
we'll be monitoring that closely. Is that most photos in
the extree months till we get those stats out.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Ji, do you think it's going to get worse?
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Well, I hope for people that I see in the
Wellington region who are just struggling was either one income
or know and come.
Speaker 6 (19:27):
I hope for those people that gets worse.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
But let's not forget that that National campaigned on one
big thing last selection, and that was to fix the economy,
to make things better, and they have absolutely failed on that.
We've got Wellington's unemployment.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
Rate at a record high.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
It's the highest it's been in over a decade, and
Auckland's unemployment rate is the highest in twelve years.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
And it's people who are already doing it tough that
are harder done under this.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
So we want to see.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Less liquidations, record numbers of liquidations, and that's not even
including what e McCain and all those plant closures that
we've seen around the country. So we want to see
New Zealand business is back to grow and create good
jobs so people can stay here in New Zealand and
build a future here.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Tim, do you think they're going to get worse these numbers?
I mean this is pre the war. I mean things
are going to things have changed again. I mean I'm
not there's no fault on anyone here, but things have
definitely changed again, haven't they.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
Yeah, Look, it's not been helpful what trunsmit Ouch on Iran.
But what I think is my gut field says, it's
not going to We're not going to say basically plumbing
or get worse. I just think it's going to slow
the progress for a few months before it sort of
can start to accelerate again. As I walked around and
visited a number of shops down put up on your
Beach yesterday, the consistence. Some of them said, look, this
(20:45):
is actually better than last year, but some said that
it has just slowed up in the last month. It
just feels like people their impression was it's not that
they don't have the money, they're just not confident to
spend it because they're not sure what's going to happen.
They just want to make sure everything settles down for
a bit before they are sort of willing to go
out and you know, take the next step. So I
think this is going to slow progress other than set
(21:07):
it backwards.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
We couldn't go backwards again, could we. Tim Costly and
Ginny Anderson thank you very much. Enjoy the rest of
the week off and get ready for next week and
full of tech mode.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
It is for more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills.
Listen live to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine
am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Bleep! with Ana Navarro
Fear thrives in silence and confusion. Ana Navarro rejects both. Her voice is an antidote to today’s chaos. Her new podcast, Bleep! with Ana Navarro, takes on today’s most pressing issues with the voices most connected to it: decision-makers, political leaders, cultural shapers, and people on the frontlines of the story. The conversations acknowledge the emotions we all feel—despair, sadness, fear— but emerge with knowledge, perspective, and hope. The belief is simple: fearless dialogue can transform fear into courage, and courage into change. When fear dominates the headlines, this show digs deeper. Because information, debate, and conversation don’t just ease fear, they give us power to shape the future.
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.