July 9, 2025 • 8 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and broadcaster Mark Sainsbury joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
The Government wants beneficiaries to help with the flood clean-up in the South Island. Is this a good idea? Is there a case to make work available under these circumstances?
There's a plan to revive the moa from extinction. Good idea or waste of time?
A survey of public servants has found more than half of them think their colleagues were not hired on merit. Do we sense a problem here?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
On the huddle tonight, Tris Shurson, Shirson, Willis pr good evening,
good evening, Bryan and Mark Sainsbury Sainso coming from Wellington.
How are you, oh says hello, Hello, Yes, good to
have you on things. Yeah, good thing, good to be here. Hey.
So everyone working in Wellington, well half the people working
Wellngton apparently not there on merrit? What do you reckon?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Look, that's I tell you. I was staggered by that
as well. I can see why old Sir Brian was.
I mean, some of the stuff you're going to expect.
No one's ever happy about their job. But that thing
of looking around whether people are hard on merit is worrying.
It's interesting if you look around your office, what do
you reckon? That? The centa Jo'd be well, what do
(00:46):
you think?
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Well, I mean, I don't know what they were, what
they were hired on, but it certainly wasn't merit. No,
they're all pretty capable. Yeah, yeah, it's a hard question
while they're looking at me.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I mean, back in the day when I worked with
Sainzo and the TV and ZED the illustrious TV and
Z newsroom in Wellington and Petticoat house. I remember giving
a number of colleagues the side eye day to day
on whether they were there on mirror marrit probably including
you Saints.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
So somedays, what do you mean some days every day
you can.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Hey the beneficiaries and this is not all beneficiaries, this
is job seeker beneficiaries in Tasman Nelson. I thought, great this,
I wanted to do this on the show today the
producer said it was a story that was coming out
and this is about getting job seeker beneficiaries doing the
clean up.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Great idea that this is absolutely fantastic. Look, don't forget
this is it's a it's an invitation to take part.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It's not.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
It's not compulsory. Plus you get paid on top of
your benefit, so you're not it's not forced labor out there.
Plus the other thing I would think about if I
were a job seeker is that you're going out into
the community. A lot of the people who will be
employing you are farmers and other people with businesses in
the community doing these cleanups. So it's also a great
(02:15):
way to get out and meet prospective employers and get
some more skills to put on your CV.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
I think it's fantastic totally. But then we spoke to
the MSD guys, see how many applicants you had out
of the six hundred jobs seeker beneficiaries in the region,
they've had six, saying.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
The one percent.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Yeah, literally, I mean, would you like fresh?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
I think it's a great idea, isn't it right? I
mean you sort of think. Yet you've got people who
are looking to it, and quite often people are out
of work. Me we have this view that Evan's listless
and sitting around. People want to be doing something, you know,
and it offer all sorts of things that has Chris said,
it also exposed them to other people. You might get
job offers or opportunities and everything like that. The only
(02:58):
thing I wonder about is I that you sold you
answer my question as to how many people were available,
And it's just the logistics of you know, we're going
to put them off, they're going out to other areas
of you know where they're going to stay. But I
think if you can if you can utilize, and it's
win win for everyone. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
I agree. They did say that they would help with
transport and all that kind of stuff, so you know,
do a van and pick them up whatever.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Well, that's great, and that's often a big barrier, right,
people either haven't got their driver's license or right at
the moment they can't afford the petrol to get out there.
But before we cast dispersions on those six hundred job seekers,
there's a couple of things. I'd say One is number
one is probably early days and number two how effective
is the communication out from MSD to all of these people.
(03:41):
We don't know how many of them have actually been
reached by this.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
All right, well that's reasonable, My aspersions were casting quite wide.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Well, sorry to burst your bubble.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Hey, yeah, the big story today undoubtedly you know, the
oca's gone nowhere, but it's the mower. We'll get reaction
British on that. Next tris Shehurson Shurson Willis PR and
Mark sains Be broadcaster on the huddle Tonight's right. The
more they are saying they're going to bring it, well,
they'll bring back a version of the moer through via
(04:13):
a cousin in South America, so it won't be an
exact replica, but they are aiming to de extinct this
animal that, when extinct six hundred years ago, used to
roam around particularly the South Island. Quite a big thing there.
Trisha on board.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I think the story is great, but more for the
fact that the best book I have read this year,
and I've just finished it is called The Life and
Death of New Zealand's legendary bird, the More, by Quinn Brenson.
It is a must read if you're into New Zealand history.
I had never heard of it, picked it up this year.
It was out in twenty thirteen and was the science
(04:49):
book of the year. And what that book actually told
me is number one as New Zealand. As we know
very little about the More, but they were the most
unusual and unique family of birds that ever lived. Yes,
their ancestor came from South America and the kiwis flew
over from Ossie. But the interesting thing about trying to
(05:10):
bring back the More is not only are they extinct,
but their habitat is extinct. So where the most moer
bones have been found, and there were the highest populations,
was in central Otago. We think of that as a
wasteland and a big rocky moonscape, you know when you
drive through those amazing places. Actually it was the site
of some of New Zealand's most amazing forests and that
(05:33):
was the home of the More. But what happened was
the hunters of the More literally smoked them out by
burning those forests. So if we bring back the More,
we haven't. We haven't got the forests for them. But
I would say to anyone who's interested in this, get
hold get a hold of that book. It's absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Mark, what's your thoughts on bringing back the More?
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Well? The Dinornus robustus, of course, I'm some reminded was
a New Zealand first and the act MP back at
the turn of the century called Jerry Yekov, and he
was talking about farming Kiwi because he said, if you
want to want any species to survive, turn them into
a money spinner. So the logical extension of that would
(06:15):
be is that you bring back the More, you farm
them and then you have the sort of sight the
world's biggest sort of KFC's I look at it. It's amazing.
We love these stories, don't we, This idea of somehow
bringing these back, and it's been tried before. I went
on a school trip to the West Coast when I
was like, you know, primary school, and I met this
guy down there I had a pair of sandals with
(06:38):
these homemade mower's feet on them, and he used to
go walking around in the bush. And the trick to
it was he got big heaps of guano and sort
of made giant turds basically and less than tracks. And
the Japanese sent out a whole film crew to come
back and try and find this thing. So it's look,
it's it's tent. It's been tantalizing. We all still hear stories.
(06:59):
Could they still be in Fiordland? But the science is
just getting so advanced. I look it. I think it's
just being astonishing.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Here's a fun fact for you. The name dinornis for
the more actually came from the same root names for
the dinosaur. Because the scientist in Victorian England, a guy
called Richard Owen, who really became the father of the
more and more discovery, he was working on the dinosaur
discoveries at the same time, and and so that's where
(07:27):
the name came from.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
You were full of it tonight, Trechu.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
I tell you, I just my cup runneth.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Over with you belong over on aaron Z.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Also the first learning out of this book, and I've
always pronounced this incorrectly, but the pronounce it more as
an I want more, not maa as in the lawn moower.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Yeah. Yeah, although it is the South Island version, so
you might get more of a moa than more. Hey,
it's a fascinating thing. In the Hearst eagle as well,
three meter wingspan, this was its prese so when the
mole went that, when the moor went, the hast eagle
went to.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Yeah, that is exactly right. That that is when the
hast eagle had nothing to feed on, and in fact,
the Harst eagle you could think of that in New Zealand.
Remember we had no mammalian predators, so no lions and tigers.
The hast eagle was our equivalent. That was at the
top of the Apex predator.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Fascinating stuff, Tritia, you'll have to do your own podcast.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
I reckon Ah, we'll get a find old Quinn Brinson
because honestly, people who can write history like that that
it is a fantastic story. I think it's amazing.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Tri Huson and Mark Sainsbury on the Huddle tonight. Thanks
guys 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 tonight, Tris Shurson, Shirson, Willis pr good evening,
good evening, Bryan and Mark Sainsbury Sainso coming from Wellington.
How are you, oh says hello, Hello, Yes, good to
have you on things. Yeah, good thing, good to be here. Hey.
So everyone working in Wellington, well half the people working
Wellngton apparently not there on merrit? What do you reckon?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Look, that's I tell you. I was staggered by that
as well. I can see why old Sir Brian was.
I mean, some of the stuff you're going to expect.
No one's ever happy about their job. But that thing
of looking around whether people are hard on merit is worrying.
It's interesting if you look around your office, what do
you reckon? That? The centa Jo'd be well, what do
(00:46):
you think?
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Well, I mean, I don't know what they were, what
they were hired on, but it certainly wasn't merit. No,
they're all pretty capable. Yeah, yeah, it's a hard question
while they're looking at me.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I mean, back in the day when I worked with
Sainzo and the TV and ZED the illustrious TV and
Z newsroom in Wellington and Petticoat house. I remember giving
a number of colleagues the side eye day to day
on whether they were there on mirror marrit probably including
you Saints.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
So somedays, what do you mean some days every day
you can.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Hey the beneficiaries and this is not all beneficiaries, this
is job seeker beneficiaries in Tasman Nelson. I thought, great this,
I wanted to do this on the show today the
producer said it was a story that was coming out
and this is about getting job seeker beneficiaries doing the
clean up.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Great idea that this is absolutely fantastic. Look, don't forget
this is it's a it's an invitation to take part.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It's not.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
It's not compulsory. Plus you get paid on top of
your benefit, so you're not it's not forced labor out there.
Plus the other thing I would think about if I
were a job seeker is that you're going out into
the community. A lot of the people who will be
employing you are farmers and other people with businesses in
the community doing these cleanups. So it's also a great
(02:15):
way to get out and meet prospective employers and get
some more skills to put on your CV.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
I think it's fantastic totally. But then we spoke to
the MSD guys, see how many applicants you had out
of the six hundred jobs seeker beneficiaries in the region,
they've had six, saying.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
The one percent.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Yeah, literally, I mean, would you like fresh?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
I think it's a great idea, isn't it right? I
mean you sort of think. Yet you've got people who
are looking to it, and quite often people are out
of work. Me we have this view that Evan's listless
and sitting around. People want to be doing something, you know,
and it offer all sorts of things that has Chris said,
it also exposed them to other people. You might get
job offers or opportunities and everything like that. The only
(02:58):
thing I wonder about is I that you sold you
answer my question as to how many people were available,
And it's just the logistics of you know, we're going
to put them off, they're going out to other areas
of you know where they're going to stay. But I
think if you can if you can utilize, and it's
win win for everyone. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
I agree. They did say that they would help with
transport and all that kind of stuff, so you know,
do a van and pick them up whatever.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Well, that's great, and that's often a big barrier, right,
people either haven't got their driver's license or right at
the moment they can't afford the petrol to get out there.
But before we cast dispersions on those six hundred job seekers,
there's a couple of things. I'd say One is number
one is probably early days and number two how effective
is the communication out from MSD to all of these people.
(03:41):
We don't know how many of them have actually been
reached by this.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
All right, well that's reasonable, My aspersions were casting quite wide.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Well, sorry to burst your bubble.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Hey, yeah, the big story today undoubtedly you know, the
oca's gone nowhere, but it's the mower. We'll get reaction
British on that. Next tris Shehurson Shurson Willis PR and
Mark sains Be broadcaster on the huddle Tonight's right. The
more they are saying they're going to bring it, well,
they'll bring back a version of the moer through via
(04:13):
a cousin in South America, so it won't be an
exact replica, but they are aiming to de extinct this
animal that, when extinct six hundred years ago, used to
roam around particularly the South Island. Quite a big thing there.
Trisha on board.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I think the story is great, but more for the
fact that the best book I have read this year,
and I've just finished it is called The Life and
Death of New Zealand's legendary bird, the More, by Quinn Brenson.
It is a must read if you're into New Zealand history.
I had never heard of it, picked it up this year.
It was out in twenty thirteen and was the science
(04:49):
book of the year. And what that book actually told
me is number one as New Zealand. As we know
very little about the More, but they were the most
unusual and unique family of birds that ever lived. Yes,
their ancestor came from South America and the kiwis flew
over from Ossie. But the interesting thing about trying to
(05:10):
bring back the More is not only are they extinct,
but their habitat is extinct. So where the most moer
bones have been found, and there were the highest populations,
was in central Otago. We think of that as a
wasteland and a big rocky moonscape, you know when you
drive through those amazing places. Actually it was the site
of some of New Zealand's most amazing forests and that
(05:33):
was the home of the More. But what happened was
the hunters of the More literally smoked them out by
burning those forests. So if we bring back the More,
we haven't. We haven't got the forests for them. But
I would say to anyone who's interested in this, get
hold get a hold of that book. It's absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Mark, what's your thoughts on bringing back the More?
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Well? The Dinornus robustus, of course, I'm some reminded was
a New Zealand first and the act MP back at
the turn of the century called Jerry Yekov, and he
was talking about farming Kiwi because he said, if you
want to want any species to survive, turn them into
a money spinner. So the logical extension of that would
(06:15):
be is that you bring back the More, you farm
them and then you have the sort of sight the
world's biggest sort of KFC's I look at it. It's amazing.
We love these stories, don't we, This idea of somehow
bringing these back, and it's been tried before. I went
on a school trip to the West Coast when I
was like, you know, primary school, and I met this
guy down there I had a pair of sandals with
(06:38):
these homemade mower's feet on them, and he used to
go walking around in the bush. And the trick to
it was he got big heaps of guano and sort
of made giant turds basically and less than tracks. And
the Japanese sent out a whole film crew to come
back and try and find this thing. So it's look,
it's it's tent. It's been tantalizing. We all still hear stories.
(06:59):
Could they still be in Fiordland? But the science is
just getting so advanced. I look it. I think it's
just being astonishing.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Here's a fun fact for you. The name dinornis for
the more actually came from the same root names for
the dinosaur. Because the scientist in Victorian England, a guy
called Richard Owen, who really became the father of the
more and more discovery, he was working on the dinosaur
discoveries at the same time, and and so that's where
(07:27):
the name came from.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
You were full of it tonight, Trechu.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
I tell you, I just my cup runneth.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Over with you belong over on aaron Z.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Also the first learning out of this book, and I've
always pronounced this incorrectly, but the pronounce it more as
an I want more, not maa as in the lawn moower.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Yeah. Yeah, although it is the South Island version, so
you might get more of a moa than more. Hey,
it's a fascinating thing. In the Hearst eagle as well,
three meter wingspan, this was its prese so when the
mole went that, when the moor went, the hast eagle
went to.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Yeah, that is exactly right. That that is when the
hast eagle had nothing to feed on, and in fact,
the Harst eagle you could think of that in New Zealand.
Remember we had no mammalian predators, so no lions and tigers.
The hast eagle was our equivalent. That was at the
top of the Apex predator.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Fascinating stuff, Tritia, you'll have to do your own podcast.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
I reckon Ah, we'll get a find old Quinn Brinson
because honestly, people who can write history like that that
it is a fantastic story. I think it's amazing.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Tri Huson and Mark Sainsbury on the Huddle tonight. Thanks
guys 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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