Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The issues, the interviews and the inside. Ryan Bridge you for
twenty twenty four on the early edition with Smith City,
New Zealand's furniture vents and a play at store News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
He'd be good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
It is six half to five News Talk Sai'd be
great to have you with me on this Thursday morning.
More transport trouble the City rail link. There's an update
on that this morning. We're going to talk to former
Transport Minister Morris Williamson about this. Also the cuts too
in New Zealand flights. David Seymour on the PPGA charter
schooled U tune the mood of the boardroom. We have
(00:36):
all the tea, all the goths on our politicians, plus
Mitch McCann in the US on the port strikes. Could
it hurt us?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
The agenda?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
It is Thursday, the third of October. Israel and his
bill are still going at it on the ground in
southern eleven and IDF says eight of its soldiers have died.
The U N Security Councils held in emergency meeting.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Say thing for the secession well steel. If he's in
Lebanon re elections, what's full.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Implementation of security CONCU resolutions.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Also in developments this morning, Israel has banned Antonio Guterres
from entering the country, saying he's too sympathetic to the terrorists.
Russian troops have taken control of Valladea, a city of
Ukraine has been defending since the start of the invasion
more than two years ago. It'll get Russian troops much
closer to other cities with connections to key regional transport
(01:29):
routes and help them advance north. So that is not
good for Ukraine. The death toll from Hurricane Helene has
climbed to one hundred and eighty overnight with search and
rescue if it's still underway.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
I don't have power, power, water, foods.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
There's no water, there's no internet, there's no food.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
And volunteers are now delivering supplies on horses and using
ATVs back home. Core Logics September House Value Index shows
another drop. Values were down half a percent last month.
Add that to the dayward trend, it's now reached a
total of four point seven percent down nationally since February
this year.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
The News you Need this Morning and the in depth
Analysis early edition with Ryan Bridge and FIS City New
Zealand's furniture beds and a flying store.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
News talks that'd be.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Should Air New Zealand prioritize profit or running half empty flights?
The so called social responsibility thing is wearing its head
again because in New Zealand is cutting services, not necessarily flights,
but capacity on a lot of routes, particularly regional routes
(02:37):
affecting mostly Queenstown, Dunedin Wellington. The reality is we don't
have the demand. And if we don't have the demand
on these routes, should we have the flights? I don't
think so. If we subsidize, and you know, continually subsidize
and try and prop up in New Zealand on flights
(02:57):
that aren't competitive, then we'll probably going to drive away
any potential competitors they might have, which is bad for
all of us. I just wonder what you think about this.
Nine two nine two is the number to text. What
are your thoughts? So the cuts to flights and capacity
Queenstown Dunedin, it means more than one hundred fewer seats
on some flights because they're changing the type of aircraft
(03:18):
that they use. Christ Church to New Plymouth that's been
reduced and of course we spoke yesterday about Invercargol to
Wellington being cut all together, which is a real shame
because you have to go through christ Church. Not that
there's anything wrong with christ Church, which just that it
takes you much longer to get to where you want
to go. Nine two nine two is the number. I'll
tell you what the mood of the boardroom is soon
the Herald's mood of the boardroom. And just nice to
(03:41):
see people ranked, isn't it, and who's done well and
who hasn't. I loved watching the debate yesterday with Tim
Walls and JD Evans, just because it was a lot
nicer and we're not used to nice debates. Really enjoyed it.
It was a good watch, a lot of back and
forth on policy, much more reasonable than the Trump Harris Show.
(04:02):
They had a good actually a good discussion about tariffs
and obviously Trump at al want the America first thing
manufacturing jobs. There was a lot they agreed on. The
moderators were annoying. I don't know if you watched it,
how did you find them that, Particularly at the start
when they were just trying to button all the time.
That was annoying. But that calmed down as well, so
(04:23):
it was actually quite enjoyable by the end. JD. Varance
was really quite clever on abortion. He sounded reasonable, and
his goal was to go in there and try and
be sound reasonable to suburban women because they're obviously a
flight risk for the Republicans. So will it shift the dial.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
No.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
But the most interesting bit, well, the best bit actually
was wolves spent some time in China. You'll probably know
that by now, and he says he was in Hong
Kong during the Tianeman Square massacre. Right. He says he
was in Hong Kong at the time, and then there's
a report saying actually he was in America, and he's
asked about this. He does a long, fumbly answer, and
(05:07):
then he's asked to clarify again, and that's when this happens.
Speaker 7 (05:11):
All I said on this was is I got there
that summer and misspoke on this, So I will just
that's what I've said. So I was in Hong Kong
and the democracy protest went in and from that I
learned a lot of what needed to be in governance.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
So you weren't in Hong Kong, It's not probably not
that important. But it just made for some really awkward
debate television. Twelve minutes after five, Brian Bridge, Right, I've
promised you the moud of the mood rather of the boardroom,
and we will get to that.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Next.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
We're going to speak to well, one of the guys
who's been getting it all together for print. It's out
in the Herald today if you want to go and
pick it up. Duncan Bridgeman, managing editor of Ends INNY Business,
is with us next.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Get ahead of the headlines, Ryan Bridge, you for twenty
twenty four on early edition with Smith City, New Zealand,
Furniture Beds and a playing store News talk zi'd be.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Fourteen after five. Rent Crewed futures are down slightly, around
two and a half percent. This on the back of
the news out of the Middle East. The S and
P five hundred, the Nasdaq and the Dow down slightly overnight,
but not a huge impact. Not a massive impact. War
in the Middle East, I suppose, not hugely shocking, though
there are some jitters over how Israel is going to
(06:38):
respond to that. We'll have more on that in the
next half hour of the program. Just gone quarter past five,
Ryan Bridge, Right now, to the juice, the mood of
the boardroom, How did our executive fear? This is basically
our business leaders judging our politicians, and we all love
a bit of that, don't we. Erica Stanford came out
on top at number one of the of the choices here,
(07:01):
four point zero one out of five, Simon Brown, Nichola Willis,
and Chris Bishop up there too. Luxon came in sixth,
Winston Peters seventh, David Seymour He's done in twelve, sandwiched
between Andrew Bailey and Simon Watts. Overall, the sentiment seems
to be quite good from our business leaders for the
direction that the government is taking. And we're going out
(07:23):
to Duncan Bridgman, who is the managing editor of nzenmy
Business for the mood of the boardroom. Dunkin, good morning, Oh,
good morning, Ryan, thanks for being with me. What is
the mood?
Speaker 6 (07:36):
Well, yeah, as you said, they have ranked the politicians
and that's one thing, but they've also given us an
insight into their own thinking around the economy, how they
think their business will fare themselves, and the general kind
of business environment. So there's one hundred and three chief
executives and a coupleoard shares involved in this, and we
(07:58):
go out to them in August and September with a
range of questions. As you touched on, we took they
gave us feedback on the cabinet the government's top ranked politicians,
and number one was Eric at Stanford as you mentioned that,
with the score of four point one out of five.
Now that means that very impressive is five and not
(08:23):
very impressive as one. So she's obviously scoring well and
the executives obviously liked what she's doing in the education
portfolio was obviously back to basics reforms that's happening. Where
Christopher Luxen as Prime Minister, came in at six with
three points seven three, so above average, but he is
(08:49):
ranked six in the cabinet, so you know we're looking
at that, and as you mentioned, there's some others in there,
Chris Bishop nicola Willis Judith Collins, all scoring well. So
it's a pretty positive look at the at the top cabinet, right.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Interesting the comments surrounding the saying the message seeming to
be time to focus on the future, a positive future
rather than just bashing labor. Kind of put that behind you.
Speaker 6 (09:18):
Yeah, definitely there was a theme that came through. We've
had a year now of a new government and yes
they've had to what they describe as unwind a lot
of things that were put in place. So the business
community is saying, right, you've done that. Now is time
to take some bold steps to really spurady the economic
(09:40):
growth that's needed. So I think there's definitely some uncertainty
there around the delivery that crystal Lux and his team
can can pull through. They're obviously making good headway on
some things, but then there's other constraints such the things
(10:01):
like cost blowouts and infrastructure projects are the big sort
of issues with Sdneden Hospital and of course the very
infrastructure problems. So yeah, there's a bit of uncertained whether
whether the delivery will come through there.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Yeah, absolutely, Duncan thank you very much for that. Dunkin Bridgeman,
who's the managing editor of NZ and ME Business, go
and pick up you copy the Herald this morning. It's
got the mood of the boardroom. If you are interested.
There's a huge well, it's quite thick. I could probably
make a sound if I dropped it on the desk.
It's in the Herald today, just gone nineteen minutes after five.
We're going to talk to David Seymour next. We'll ask
(10:39):
him about his result in this mood of the boardroom,
but also about the PPTA. They've done a bit of
a U tune on their charter school's position. We'll look
into that next on.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Your radio and online on iHeartRadio early edition with Ryan
Bridge and Smith City, New Zealand's Furniture Beds and applying
store News Talk zed be.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Twenty one after five news talks. They'd be great to
have your company this morning, nine two nine tours. The
number to text will get to your messages in just
a few seconds. The PPTA has done a bit of
a U turn on charter schools at their annual conference.
They're going to allow teachers who work in charter schools
future charter schools to still be members of the union. Also,
they are removing gender from their constitution, and they are
(11:23):
voting on becoming a peace organization with the ability to
lobby the government on foreign affairs of all things. David
Seymour is the Associate Education Minister, He's the guy behind
charter schools and he's with us this morning. Hi minister,
how are you?
Speaker 8 (11:37):
Oh? Good.
Speaker 6 (11:38):
Thanks, how are you.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
I'm well, thank you. Good to have you on the show.
I think it's the first time for well since I've
been on here.
Speaker 6 (11:43):
Anyway, let's think I believe it's taken this long.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
I know, I know, But here we are the PPTO.
What is this about. Do you think they're just trying
to make sure they've got enough members to pay their
subs and fees for their union.
Speaker 8 (11:58):
Well, I'm a bit puzzled by because the PPTA have
been really, really aggressive against charter schools, and I think
it's important to separate the everyday teacher that you know
and love from the union organizers in Wellington who take
the fees and do all the more political activism. It's
(12:19):
those organizers who have been so opposed to charter schools
for such a long time, and I think that probably
they're reading the tea leaves and saying, look, you know,
we spend over three hundred thousand dollars per citizen on
education in this country, and yet so many people come
(12:40):
out completely disengaged, without the most basic skills required to
navigate society in the twenty first century. So you know,
we've got to do something different. Charter schools are a
huge opportunity for those students, but they're also a massive
opportunity for teachers, because what we're basically saying is, look,
you know, get the children to attend and achieve, will
(13:03):
give you the money that we would have spent on
them at a traditional state school, but we'll give you
total flexibility about how you do it. And I see
that as a massive liberation for teachers.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
So we.
Speaker 8 (13:15):
Had to change your heart.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Maybe they feel the same way, and they are saying
it's because state schools will be able to convert into
charter schools. Do you think there'll be much of that happening?
Speaker 8 (13:25):
Yeah, I think there will. I mean it's a good
proposition for a state school. If you are getting the results,
or you believe you can get the results that you're
going to be contracted for student attendance and student achievement,
then basically you'll get given your money that you would
have got otherwise, but be given flexibility about how you
(13:46):
do it. So really, with charter schools, we're just saying
we're not going to meddle, we're not going to stipulate,
we're not going to tell you what to do or
how to do it. But what we are going to
do is give you your share of the education funding
you would have god anyway, and hold you accountable for
children showing up and at achieving, which I think is
a good proposition for people that have good ideas.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
Have you seen the mood of the boardroom? The hell's
mood of the boardroom this morning? It's got you way
down the list in terms of how you fed with
the CEOs and number twelve with a score of three
point four out of five. It's got you actually wedge
between Andrew Bailey and Simon Watts. Some of the comments
from them, a professional director said, you've become a bit
(14:28):
too extreme in your views. Maybe you're losing their support
of your supporters. Do you have any comment on that?
Have you seen that?
Speaker 8 (14:37):
No, I haven't seen it. I think they've published it
at five am and you have five clearly. But I'm
not surprised by that, because you know, one of the
things about me and ACT is that we're not afraid
to take positions that may be controversial if we think
that there is a need to do it. One of
(14:57):
the things I find about corporate New Zealand is that
they're pretty conservative. I'm pretty afraid of taking positions. So
when they say extreme that they're really saying, oh, we
don't like perhaps what you're saying about the role of
the Treaty of White Tongue that actually, I think our
society needs someone that says that. That would be my
(15:17):
guess about where they're coming from. That Actually, if you
look at what Actor is doing in terms of government
spending and reducing waste, what we're doing in terms of regulation,
then actually we're doing a lot that is good for
business and ultimately good for workers and good for customers.
But you know, I can understand that corporate in New
(15:39):
Zealand can be pretty conservative. When you start taking on
hard issues, there will be some of them that disagree
and that pulls your efforts down. So that doesn't surprise me.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
All Right, I'll let you go and read the read
the hero fold out. David, thank you very much for
coming on the show. I really appreciate it, and we
won't leave it too long before we have you back.
Thank you. That's David's or who's the EC party leader
of course, and the Associate Education when it's the coming
up next why they should leave Casey Costello alone.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
The early edition Full Show podcast on iHeartRadio power by
News Talks.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
AB.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
You're on News Talks. It be just gone twenty eight
minutes after five o'clock. This is what they're saying about
Casey Costello.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Resign, resign, resign, resign, resign.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Okay, we might have played it five times, but Eicheverel
says that she should resign along with the Health Coalitionale
Tedo or etc. But if hysteria over Casey Costello and smoking,
the real proof will be in the pudding. If smoking
rates come down, does it really matter how she did it?
And if it was a non tobacco company getting a
tax cut to provide these heat not burned the less
(16:43):
harmful than SIGGI products, would there be outrage or are
we being a bit blinded by the fact that it's
a multinational who is normally in the business of selling cigarettes.
Are we being rational about this isn't the ultimate goal
to reduce smoking? And if it is, shouldn't we wait
and see whether she's able to do that? Twenty minutes
(17:06):
after five year on News Talks, he'd be Marris Williamson
coming up after five point thirty. He's the former Transport minister,
so we'll ask him about in New Zealand, about the fairies,
but also the story out this morning on the city
rail Link. Once it's up and running, will they actually
run on time and at top speed? Interesting yarn this morning.
(17:26):
Stay with US.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
News and Views you trust to start your day.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
It's early edition with Ryan Bridge and Smith City, New
Zealand's furniture beds and a flying store.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
News Talk said, be.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Good morning. It is twenty four away from six year
old news Talk sai'd be Mitch McCann out of the
US in just a few moments. Big strikes, fifty thousand
members of the ports unions and the United States going
on strike. It will affect us, it will affect our exports.
We're going to talk transport, more transport trouble. We've had
the fairies, We've had the New Zealand flights. This morning
(18:06):
it's the trains in Auckland. It is really hard to
get around this little country of ours, isn't it. Marris
Williamson will tell us why he's former Transport Minister and
currently on council. Lots of your feedback coming in. Brendan
says in New Zealand should operate completely separately from a
government handout this after they cut some capacity on flights
(18:27):
and also some routes. On David Seymour, who we've just
had on the program, this is interesting because I think
it's quite telling. Seymour is the weak link in the coalition.
He's acting like you did during the election campaign when
he said he might sit on the cross benches. Remember
that that resulted in act vote dropping. Says this quite
astute listener. But you can ask please would you put
(18:50):
your name when you send it in a text? I
just like to know roughly who you are. Thank you,
Dan says morning love the show, just getting the cows
and Dan, thank you because you've put your in there.
Another says on Casey Costello. She is in the government.
She's got the job to get the smoking rates down.
She calls the shops Verril, that is Aisha Viral from
Labor needs to pull a hidden twenty two to six.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Ryan Bridge.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
She's got to our reporters around the country. Callum Proctor
is in Dunedin. Calum, first of all, a lot of
rain last night.
Speaker 9 (19:23):
Here's certainly a lot of rain and it's still falling
in duned and it's meant to get worse from here.
Though our heavy rain warnings sort of sets in later
today and overnight through into Friday, so close watch on
those on those.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
River and stream levels around the region. This morning, all right,
good to know Otaga University expanding into Queenstown.
Speaker 9 (19:43):
Yeah, looking at creating a permanent presence in the resort town.
This despite Queenstown having a real a short John howsing
average property values increased by fifty percent in the last
five years, tourism operators are having to purchase empty hotels
to How's workers in and now with university planning on
setting up shop, it could create extra pressure. Vice Chancellor
(20:04):
Grant Robertson says it would be irresponsible for them to
bring a large number of students to Queenstown and not
add to the housing stock there. He says they will
work with properly developers and look at accommodation options. The
Queenstown Mayor, Glenn Lewis, is excited at this news, seeing
university's long term strategic vision of growing a tech sector
in Queenstown come to life.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
A nice one. Thank you, Claire Schubert and christ Church.
This morning, Hey, clear, a bit of a fight over
those food trucks.
Speaker 10 (20:30):
Bit of a fight, all right, Ryan, Look, the Central
City business groups are pushing back on plans to or
request rather to allow food trucks on the Art Center
site is twelve hours a day, seven days per week.
The Arts Center is applying to allow thirty three food
trucks to do that. Christ Church City Council is assessing
that application, which the Central City Business Association says is
(20:52):
unfair on those that are paying in the city rates.
The association chair Annabel Turley, presented a petition to council
yesterday urging it to pull all funding of the Art Center.
She says it's a permanent encroachment on businesses that have
invested their blood, sweat and dollars into the city.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
All right, how's your weather going, Claire?
Speaker 9 (21:11):
Not as bad here.
Speaker 10 (21:12):
A bit of scattered rain about will ease this afternoon
and clear by evening. Southwesterly is turning easterly high of thirteen.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Nice one, Thank you. I'm on the side of the businesses,
by the way, I don't think the food truck It's
not fair to have the food trucks undercutting your year's
stores or your bricks and watar max Is and Wellington
max Good morning. What to do with pro Palestine graffiti.
Speaker 11 (21:32):
Yeah, good morning. Ethan Manera, reporter in our newsroom, asked
for city council correspondence regarding this increasing prevalence of pro
Palestine graffiti around the city, flags, slogans, etc. What it
shows is that councilors, the mayor even all weighing in
and no clear consensus at the mayor. For instance, some councilors,
(21:52):
Rebecca Matthews for instance, seem to be keen for some
of it to stay. Please don't paint over the flags
is the message. But then you've got I got some
high officials saying we still have to treat this stuff
like in the other graffiti, perhaps with more sensitivity. Though
also asked by a top official what if it were
an Israeli flag, he believed we should take essentially the
(22:13):
same approach this senior council official. And again at the
more extreme level, you've had red paint thrown across the
Israeli Embassy, Defense Force Office, Massy's art campus covered in
Palestine slogans at the university there reacted by immediately painting
over it. So a hot topic of discussion at the moment.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Yeah, it's really interesting what they're doing in New South
Wales with us. I'll explain it shortly, but you're with
a today mix.
Speaker 11 (22:38):
Some early rain easing this afternoon high of seventeen in
the city.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Thank you, Neighva's and Auckland. Good morning, Neva, good morning.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
I'm out of sorts today.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
What's wrong?
Speaker 8 (22:47):
Well?
Speaker 5 (22:48):
I started off, I weaned into the studio. This is
just before five o'clock to read the five o'clock news, obviously,
and I forgot my glasses, my reading glasses. So we're
in the car downstairs in the basement.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Can you see without them?
Speaker 5 (23:00):
No? I can't. It was about nine minutes to five,
okme rushing out of me. Do you think I have
time to go down in the lift and get my
glasses before I read Ryan's news. I went, plenty of time,
plenty of time, took my swipe card, forgot my car keys,
got down there, I went, oh my gosh. Then came
back up and I went, no, don't have.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Time, sweaty and blind correct Well, congregulation, Well the.
Speaker 5 (23:24):
Making some stuff up?
Speaker 9 (23:25):
No it wasn't.
Speaker 5 (23:25):
I wasn't making it up.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
But I was.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
You're a true professional. Hey, you tell me about the
Modotapo Island. It's pas three.
Speaker 5 (23:32):
Yes, I can see this story. So look, over the
past five months, the Department of Conservation tried multiple methods
this is to catch it's called the lone Norwegian rat.
And the Norwegian rat isn't from Norway. I just got
to tell you that because when I saw the story,
I went, what is it from Norway and they went, no,
it's not. But it was first spotted in late April
and then it was filmed stocking up on toxic baita
(23:53):
nearly August. But it hasn't been seen since. So you know,
they got a detection dog there they found nothing. So
DOC said, look, we can confidently say the rat is dead.
And so, just for those who want to know, apparently
it's not known why the brown red is called ratt
is norvigi kis the Norwegian rat because it didn't originate
from Norway. I would have done more research, but didn't
(24:13):
have time.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Without my glasses, it's sufficient information. How's the weather today, Well.
Speaker 5 (24:19):
We've had all that, you know, heavy rain, thunder and
you know those strong winds, but I can tell you
that there's going to be fine breaks developing this morning.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Seventeen's the high sounds good. Neva thank you for that.
I'll let you go and collect your glasses before you
read the six o'clock news. That's Neva and Auckland. It
is seventeen minutes away from six. Transport. Are lots of
good texts coming in on in New Zealand flights and
how much they're costing. You will get to those shortly soon.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
International Correspondence with Ends and Eye Insurance, Peace of mind
for New Zealand business.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
Fourteen away from six news talks. They'd be great to
have your company. The US President Joe Biden has just
said there'll be more sanctions to come on Iran. Mitch
McCann is our US correspondent is with us this morning. Hey, Mitch,
morning Ryan, how are you good. Thank you, Good to
have you on the show. Hey. The port strikes that
are going on in the US are going to impact
us here in New Zealand. Yeah, they certainly are.
Speaker 12 (25:13):
Fifty thousand members of America's largest port workers unions and
our own strike throughout US ports. They are demanding a
five dollars an hour increase and pay every year for
the next six years. They also want guarantees around automation
or semi automation because they want to keep their jobs
in the future. Wide a week here, well, this is
likely to cripple US ports on the East Coast and
(25:34):
New Zealand exporters are likely to be affected by congestion
and delays. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade at
Home advises exporters to stay in contact with their freight
companies to see what options are available for them, and
while the strike continues, to also keep in touch with
their US customers to inform them about potential delays in
the coming weeks.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Let's hope it doesn't push things too far. Let's go
to North Carolina. The death well, actually number of states
have been impacted by this and the death toll rising
from Hurricane Helen.
Speaker 12 (26:06):
Yeah, Ryan, the images coming out of some of these
states affected by Hurricane Helene are devastating. It's now the
second deadliest hurricane to hi the United States mainland in
fifty years, after Hurricane Katrina. The death told the stonern
stands at one hundred and eighty people. That's expected to rise.
The toll in North Carolina you just mentioned is ninety
one people. And Joe Biden, the President, has now approved
(26:28):
one thousand active duty soldiers to assist in the response
in North Carolina. This is obviously still developing. Many people
are still missing. In fact, as of last night in
the state of Tennessee, eighty five people still missing after
this deadly hurricane.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Mitch, thank you, Mitch mccanna, US correspondent with US this morning,
just gone at.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Twelve to six Bryan Bridge.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
More transport trouble today. Concerns from Wayne Brown that when
the City RAILNK opens this is the railway in Auckland
City in twenty twenty six, they won't run on time
because Kiwi Raw's tracks won't be sorted. In New Zealand,
regional fights, capacity have been cats, fairy problems on the
cook straight potholes on the road. How on earth are
we meant to get around this good country of ours?
(27:09):
Morris Williamson, former Transport Minister and Aukan City councilor with US. Morris,
good morning, good running. Are you confident when the City
rail Link opens the trains will run on time and
run at top speed?
Speaker 4 (27:22):
No?
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Why not?
Speaker 4 (27:25):
Well? The City Rail Link a story that just keeps
on giving in terms of it was originally going to
be two billion, then it was going to be four.
Currently it's five and a half. I'm told from some
insiders within Treasury you can add quite a bit onto
the five and a half when it's finally complete. The
opening date was twenty twenty one. We're up to twenty
(27:46):
twenty six now that's not necessarily when it will be running.
And then you've got all the impact on the roading network.
If you think of the number of level crossings in
the city, if you've got a high frequency of trains
using the network when it's all open, you're going to
have cars backed up to Africa sitting at level crossings
(28:07):
with the barriers down on, the bells ringing, and the
impact on the motor vehicle fleet will be horrendous as well.
So and then here we Rail say that some of
their network's not up to full speed usage. So even
though they closed our line out here, the Eastern Line
for all year to try and bring it up the scratch.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
So so if you're not confident, okay, not confident, if
you knew then what you know? Now? Should we have
ever done it? Or do you just have to wear
the stuff.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
I'm lucky enough to be in a position when the
National Party Caucus and I made sure they recorded it
at the time, I was one of the few voices
that said this is a nightmare, don't go near it.
Back in twenty fifteen, I think it was when it
was being proposed. The mayor at the time, Len Brown,
got to be careful with our Brown's hit. Len Brown
was all gung ho or I just knew that anyone
(28:58):
proposing something like a tunnel at two billion. My foolish
comment at the time was I think it'll be at
least twice that. Before it was that it's going to
be it's going to be three times out if not four.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Hey, just on Air New Zealand cutting some capacity in
some regional flights around New Zealand. Is that fair enough?
I mean they have to look at demand and make
business decisions, don't they.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
Correct If you want to do anything about providing a
social service, then I think that's the role of a
government to say we'll put a subsidy in place and
offer whoever wants to. There may be small regional airlines
that want to pick up that and run smaller planes
or whatever. But if you think about Air New Zealand,
it's a commercial business. It's got to sit there every day,
(29:43):
look at its load factors decide what its profitability is doing,
and it should not be in any way that have
been some social agency. Let's run a whole lot of
things that are lost just to be nice. That's ridiculous, Morris.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
We've got about sixty seconds left. I want your helicopter
view on transp in New Zealand, because you know, we
can potholes on the roads. We've got trains that won't
go fast enough, we've got planes that won't go anywhere,
fairies that are sitting there. Well, actually we don't have
the fairies even on order. What is the problem here.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
Well, there's one serious problem with New Zealand, and that
is we've got so few people. Five million isn't even
a modest city elsewhere. So the whole country is smaller
than Sydney, the whole country smaller than Melbourne population wise,
and yet we've got a sort of a champagne appetite
on a beer income. So people keep saying to me
when I was Minister these to say, I've just been
(30:37):
to Hong Kong and seen this fabulous underground rail network,
and I'd say, look, we can fix this easily. You
give me seven million people between Parnell and Ponsonby and
I'll give you a brilliant underground rail network, but we've
only got one and a half million in our entire
biggest city in China that's a village. So that's one
of our biggest problems. But I think also setting our
(30:58):
priorities in the right direction, I have to congratulate Simming
and Brown in terms of changing all of the ludicrous
blanket spleed reductions and the blankets sort of hot big
speed bumps that have been put on streets which were
not needed. No, and he not needed for anything.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
He you are joined this morning and congratulating him by
the CEOs of New Zealand who, in the mood of
the boardroom have given him almost a standing ovation. Maris,
thank you very much for being on the show. Morris Williamson,
who is the former National Party Transport Minister also Auckland
Counselor it is eight to six newstor very quickly, Luke says,
is it me? Or would New Zealand struggle to formulate
(31:36):
relations in a brothel?
Speaker 1 (31:39):
Ryan Bridge New for twenty twenty four on early edition
with Smith City, New Zealand's furniture beds and a playing store.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
News talk zibby.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Five away from six year on news talk ZIBB. Thank
you for all of your tech some really interesting ones
on in New Zealand which I have read, but I
don't have time to read out to you. Heather is
in the city Studia.
Speaker 13 (31:57):
You want to in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
So Ryan, my son's at Canterbury. It costs me more
to get him down there from Auckland than flying to Sydney.
That's our busiest domestic flight leg. How does a New
Zealand justify this? It's business?
Speaker 13 (32:09):
Do you want to hear my story about any news either?
So I haven't told somebody yet, so I hope they're
not listening right now. But they have a wedding this
weekend and I can't go, and it's in Palmester, North.
I really hope they're not listening. And I had booked
flights for the husband and I to go down. We're
going to leave the sun behind and stuff like that.
But now we have to take them down for whatever
it is and it's turned into the biggest cluster. But
(32:30):
because of that, I can't get my money back. And
it was an absolute arm and a leg. Now that's
my fault for not booking a refundable ticket. But whoever
books a refundable ticket?
Speaker 3 (32:39):
So you are going to the wedding, but you're not
going to the who We're not going to go? I
can't go? Well, why can't you go? Well, it's a long.
Speaker 13 (32:46):
Story, but who wants to go to a wedding when
you've got a todd leg You've got to go home
at five o'clock to feed the toddler and a motel
room because Ryan, there are no hotels.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
You know, I don't have a lot of sympathy for
you because if you didn't want that problem, don't have children.
Speaker 13 (33:00):
And also don't be pregnant at the wedding. You can't
even drink what I really would love to go and
watch absolutely everybody get.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Completely wasted, and they will be in the north, you know.
Speaker 13 (33:10):
You know classy joint.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
Hey, how's what's happening on the show today?
Speaker 13 (33:14):
Okay, listen, we're gonna I am so excited about talking
to the PPTA because they've done a complete reversal on
charter schools. They hate them, they hate them, but now
they're going to support the teachers working there.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
They want the subs, the fees from all the teachers.
Speaker 13 (33:29):
Yeah, because the teachers were like do I belong to
the union or do I get better money at the
charter school. So they were with us after seven and
John too good if she had after eight.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
Brilliant. Heather's with the next. I'll see tomorrow Friday, have
a great one.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
You alone. For more from news Talks, there'd be listen
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Live on air or online, and keep our shows with
you wherever you go with our podcasts on IR Radio.