August 6, 2025 • 7 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Conor English from Silvereye communications joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
The latest report into our grocery sector found the duopoly continues to be highly lucrative, and Kiwis are paying the 5th highest prices in the OECD. Are we sick of all the talk about this? Can we expect the Government to do something?
The Government is set to scrap the fuel tax and replace it with road user charges for everyone. Will this change really make it fairer for all drivers?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
On the huddle with us this evening. Connor English of
Silver Eye Communications, Jack Tame, host of Q and A
and Saturday Mornings on z B. Hi you two, I'm well,
thank you Jack. Are you like me? I am sick
of talking about this. I just want to know what
she's announcing.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Ah, so sick of talking about her. I mean, like you,
does you know he's doing an earnest job there? But
I think he I think he kind of summed everything
up with the second or third sentence he gave you,
which was he doesn't have the tools to address the
major issues in the short term. I mean it comes
down to the government, right, I think I think the
(00:33):
report today kind of shows the government what most of
us already knew. There might have been a few marginal improvements,
but there's still a distinct lack of competition in the space.
It'll be fascinating to see what Nicola Wis does decide
to do, because I'm sure she's got all sorts of
pretty connected you know, companies and people speaking in her ear.
But you know, you can imagine, given the price of
(00:55):
groceries at the moment, it's you know, it would potentially
be a pretty pop of a political move. If she
were to take a big step in trying to address
problem like what well, like some sort of structure separation,
you reckon.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
You reckon, that would be popular.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Uh well, if it could be proven that it would
lead to greater competition. And this is I mean that
the proof of the pudding is always in the eating right,
So that might be that might be a potentially difficult cell.
But I think anything that was that was shown to
make more of an impact than just annualized reporting on
the on the margins relative to other OECD countries, I
(01:33):
think would probably be welcome. Booed. There's some numbers in
that thing today. Absolutely astonishment so that five billion dollars
is being paid in rebates and discounts and promotional payments
by suppliers to system markets. I mean there is a
fantastic figure. And you can see how that sort of
thing locks out smaller players. But yeah, I mean it's
(01:54):
it's these things are always delicate question.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Let's give let's go Connor. Connor, if Jack is right
that it's going to be something popular, something big like
that is popular that is devastating for investor confidence in
this country, isn't it?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Well, maybe But what the government's got to do is
deal with is cost of living in crisis that we're
all dealing with. And you know groceries as a crucial
area that Eve New Zealand is affected by every day.
It's the same in the energy sector. You know, energy
prices are through the roof. Grocery prices feel like that
through the roof. The report might be saying our flattening
(02:34):
off for whatever, the margins are flattening off, but we
are still a very expensive country to buy some taket,
to have some dinner.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
So do you think if she was to announce something
as big as that, you would you give her a
round of applause for it.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Well, we've run with the current model for the last
fifty years and everyone seems to be complaining about the
price of groceries. So what do you do that's different
and that is significant. So you know, governments do restructure
industries from time to time. We saw it in the
dairy sector with the formation of Fonterra. We've seen it
in other sectors. They're doing it in the health sector,
(03:08):
they're doing it in the education sector. Why wouldn't you
look at the grocery sector and say the energy sector
when they are things that are making a real difference
in people's lives.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Well, maybe because you'd freak everybody out and they wouldn't
put any money into the country. Right, you're back on
the huddle with Jack Tame and Connor English. Jack, what
do you think about it this side idea of ditching
the petrol tax and moving to rucks.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Yeah, no problem with it personally, It's not going to
make much of a difference in our household. It was
probably just a case of when rather than although I
think one thing to give a close eye on is
whether or not this ends up being revenue neutral in
the long term. For anyone who's followed some of the
challenges in the infrastructure space, basically the way we fund
(03:50):
most roads is through the Land Transport Fund, which comes
from the UIXIS tax, but that hasn't been enough for
some of the projects in recent years, so the government's
been topping it up with capital allocations and increasingly with
some of the big roading projects that this government is prioritizing.
It's very hard to see how even with TOLD and
the Land Transport Fund, they're going to get anywhere near
(04:11):
the money they need to fund some of those projects.
So I think the question over time is whether or
not we all end up paying much more with rucks
than we were with excise taxes in order to fund
some of the stuff.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I reckon Connor. Enforcement is going to be the big
problem here because already people muck around with the rucks
and they don't pay them, and it's apparently it's tens
of thousands of people who just don't bother to do it.
So if this is across the whole roading community, the
whole motoring community, it'll be massive, won't it.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Look, I know that there's a lot of technology solutions
you can bring to be in now that'll simplify the
administration of it as well as the enforcement of it.
So I think that, you know, technology will solve all
that problem. I would imagine probably.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
So do you think, Connor that we go for the
bike the cyclists as well, check a little ruck on them?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Well, I guess, and theory they wear out the roads
as well, don't they. But you know, maybe maybe they
should get a rebake because you might be a bit
healthier because they do a bit more exercisele a reckon Jack.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
You go to the electric scooters and the bikes.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
You know what, I reckon? I reckon, I reckon. We
want to see devise as many people to cycle as possible,
because every person who cycles instead of driving makes the
congestion that much better for you getting to work. Who's
you hither? Duplicity?
Speaker 1 (05:25):
You think I don't ride a bike?
Speaker 2 (05:27):
No, I think you ride a bike for sometimes, Queen,
I'm using the queen us the queen.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
I think you make a good point hither though, that
there is a lot of cycle lanes in New Zealand,
and I'm not sure that the cyclists are paying for
those being paid, you know, just because Jack.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Wants a freebe Jackson like pays except for me.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
The thing is, though, guys, we want to get people
out of cars and onto bikes because it reduces the
congestions everyone less.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
But they still got to pay. I mean, everybody's got
to pay for what they're doing.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Right.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Why don't you just make broccoli freezing? Jack?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Do I make what exactly?
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Nond don't worry about.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Don't you want more people in the same car instead
of three cars driving along the road or four cars?
Just have you know, four people in one car?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Why don't we do that? Why don't we have a
discount for people with multiple people in the car? Hey,
are you surprised, Connor that the cops only fired their
guns three times last year?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
I am, because that's not many times, is it? And
given the amount of crime that we see reported in
the newspaper every day, you would you would think that
they'd do three every half air. So I'm very surprised.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
By that too, Jack.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
I'm pleased about it. I'm really pleased about it too, Jack.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
What do you reckon is this? Is this actually an argue?
Does this actually lead us closer to saying, well, maybe
they can be trusted with a gun on their hip.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
I mean, I don't think it's said. I think it's
suggest that police perhaps don't don't need to be ready
a little routinely armed at the moment. But I wasn't
just by the three last year. I was surprised to
learn that they only averaged about five and a half
times after over the last people. So actually, police trying
the guns is generally very rare in New Zealand. That
(07:05):
being said, they're still being shot at many more times
than they are discharging their own firearms. But yeah, I
mean I think it probably shows that some of the
de escalation stuff is working pretty effectively, and you know that,
you know, the tasers and that sort of thing. So yeah, yeah,
I think it's great.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Yeah, I'm stoked, but I'm really impressed. Actually, guys, it's
wonderful to talk to you. Thank you, Connor English, Jack
tam Our Huddle eight Away from six.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive. Listen live to
news talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
On the huddle with us this evening. Connor English of
Silver Eye Communications, Jack Tame, host of Q and A
and Saturday Mornings on z B. Hi you two, I'm well,
thank you Jack. Are you like me? I am sick
of talking about this. I just want to know what
she's announcing.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Ah, so sick of talking about her. I mean, like you,
does you know he's doing an earnest job there? But
I think he I think he kind of summed everything
up with the second or third sentence he gave you,
which was he doesn't have the tools to address the
major issues in the short term. I mean it comes
down to the government, right, I think I think the
(00:33):
report today kind of shows the government what most of
us already knew. There might have been a few marginal improvements,
but there's still a distinct lack of competition in the space.
It'll be fascinating to see what Nicola Wis does decide
to do, because I'm sure she's got all sorts of
pretty connected you know, companies and people speaking in her ear.
But you know, you can imagine, given the price of
(00:55):
groceries at the moment, it's you know, it would potentially
be a pretty pop of a political move. If she
were to take a big step in trying to address
problem like what well, like some sort of structure separation,
you reckon.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
You reckon, that would be popular.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Uh well, if it could be proven that it would
lead to greater competition. And this is I mean that
the proof of the pudding is always in the eating right,
So that might be that might be a potentially difficult cell.
But I think anything that was that was shown to
make more of an impact than just annualized reporting on
the on the margins relative to other OECD countries, I
(01:33):
think would probably be welcome. Booed. There's some numbers in
that thing today. Absolutely astonishment so that five billion dollars
is being paid in rebates and discounts and promotional payments
by suppliers to system markets. I mean there is a
fantastic figure. And you can see how that sort of
thing locks out smaller players. But yeah, I mean it's
(01:54):
it's these things are always delicate question.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Let's give let's go Connor. Connor, if Jack is right
that it's going to be something popular, something big like
that is popular that is devastating for investor confidence in
this country, isn't it?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Well, maybe But what the government's got to do is
deal with is cost of living in crisis that we're
all dealing with. And you know groceries as a crucial
area that Eve New Zealand is affected by every day.
It's the same in the energy sector. You know, energy
prices are through the roof. Grocery prices feel like that
through the roof. The report might be saying our flattening
(02:34):
off for whatever, the margins are flattening off, but we
are still a very expensive country to buy some taket,
to have some dinner.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
So do you think if she was to announce something
as big as that, you would you give her a
round of applause for it.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Well, we've run with the current model for the last
fifty years and everyone seems to be complaining about the
price of groceries. So what do you do that's different
and that is significant. So you know, governments do restructure
industries from time to time. We saw it in the
dairy sector with the formation of Fonterra. We've seen it
in other sectors. They're doing it in the health sector,
(03:08):
they're doing it in the education sector. Why wouldn't you
look at the grocery sector and say the energy sector
when they are things that are making a real difference
in people's lives.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Well, maybe because you'd freak everybody out and they wouldn't
put any money into the country. Right, you're back on
the huddle with Jack Tame and Connor English. Jack, what
do you think about it this side idea of ditching
the petrol tax and moving to rucks.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Yeah, no problem with it personally, It's not going to
make much of a difference in our household. It was
probably just a case of when rather than although I
think one thing to give a close eye on is
whether or not this ends up being revenue neutral in
the long term. For anyone who's followed some of the
challenges in the infrastructure space, basically the way we fund
(03:50):
most roads is through the Land Transport Fund, which comes
from the UIXIS tax, but that hasn't been enough for
some of the projects in recent years, so the government's
been topping it up with capital allocations and increasingly with
some of the big roading projects that this government is prioritizing.
It's very hard to see how even with TOLD and
the Land Transport Fund, they're going to get anywhere near
(04:11):
the money they need to fund some of those projects.
So I think the question over time is whether or
not we all end up paying much more with rucks
than we were with excise taxes in order to fund
some of the stuff.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I reckon Connor. Enforcement is going to be the big
problem here because already people muck around with the rucks
and they don't pay them, and it's apparently it's tens
of thousands of people who just don't bother to do it.
So if this is across the whole roading community, the
whole motoring community, it'll be massive, won't it.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Look, I know that there's a lot of technology solutions
you can bring to be in now that'll simplify the
administration of it as well as the enforcement of it.
So I think that, you know, technology will solve all
that problem. I would imagine probably.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
So do you think, Connor that we go for the
bike the cyclists as well, check a little ruck on them?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Well, I guess, and theory they wear out the roads
as well, don't they. But you know, maybe maybe they
should get a rebake because you might be a bit
healthier because they do a bit more exercisele a reckon Jack.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
You go to the electric scooters and the bikes.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
You know what, I reckon? I reckon, I reckon. We
want to see devise as many people to cycle as possible,
because every person who cycles instead of driving makes the
congestion that much better for you getting to work. Who's
you hither? Duplicity?
Speaker 1 (05:25):
You think I don't ride a bike?
Speaker 2 (05:27):
No, I think you ride a bike for sometimes, Queen,
I'm using the queen us the queen.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
I think you make a good point hither though, that
there is a lot of cycle lanes in New Zealand,
and I'm not sure that the cyclists are paying for
those being paid, you know, just because Jack.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Wants a freebe Jackson like pays except for me.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
The thing is, though, guys, we want to get people
out of cars and onto bikes because it reduces the
congestions everyone less.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
But they still got to pay. I mean, everybody's got
to pay for what they're doing.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Right.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Why don't you just make broccoli freezing? Jack?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Do I make what exactly?
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Nond don't worry about.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Don't you want more people in the same car instead
of three cars driving along the road or four cars?
Just have you know, four people in one car?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Why don't we do that? Why don't we have a
discount for people with multiple people in the car? Hey,
are you surprised, Connor that the cops only fired their
guns three times last year?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
I am, because that's not many times, is it? And
given the amount of crime that we see reported in
the newspaper every day, you would you would think that
they'd do three every half air. So I'm very surprised.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
By that too, Jack.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
I'm pleased about it. I'm really pleased about it too, Jack.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
What do you reckon is this? Is this actually an argue?
Does this actually lead us closer to saying, well, maybe
they can be trusted with a gun on their hip.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
I mean, I don't think it's said. I think it's
suggest that police perhaps don't don't need to be ready
a little routinely armed at the moment. But I wasn't
just by the three last year. I was surprised to
learn that they only averaged about five and a half
times after over the last people. So actually, police trying
the guns is generally very rare in New Zealand. That
(07:05):
being said, they're still being shot at many more times
than they are discharging their own firearms. But yeah, I
mean I think it probably shows that some of the
de escalation stuff is working pretty effectively, and you know that,
you know, the tasers and that sort of thing. So yeah, yeah,
I think it's great.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Yeah, I'm stoked, but I'm really impressed. Actually, guys, it's
wonderful to talk to you. Thank you, Connor English, Jack
tam Our Huddle eight Away from six.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive. Listen live to
news talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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