May 19, 2026 • 13 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners and NZ Herald senior correspondent Katie Bradford joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
Nicola Willis has confirmed more cuts will be made to the public service sector. Do we think changes are needed here? Ae we worried about the job losses?
A former contractor at property coaching company Wealth Mentor has released a video appearing to show the company’s chief executive slapping her in the face during a studio filming session. Is this out of line? What do we make of this?
A religious sect has ordered its members to get rid of their pets after after a young family member of leader Bruce Hales was attacked by a dog. What do we make of this?
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now there is footage circulating today. It's all over the
news media showing a chief executive slapping a contractor in
the face during a studio filming session. This is how
it happened. So stop trying to be perfect. Come in,
stop being perfect.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Can slap me?
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Go get it out?
Speaker 4 (00:18):
Get it out? No, no, no, get it out, no.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Get it out.
Speaker 4 (00:22):
Just relax, yeah, shake up, shake up, shake it, shake it.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I don't believe you just slapped me.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Camera.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
So the guy who did the slapping is the wealth
mentor chief executive Carr and Goss and the woman being
slapped as a contractor, Savnagar Carter, who was filming some
promotional material. Max Whitehead is with Whitehead Group Employment. He's
a Luwix but obviously and he's with us home Max Max.
If you hadn't seen that footage today, would you have
believed this kind of carry on actually happens in the workplace?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
No, I wouldn't have. Actually, I thought I thought that
most CEOs would be really really conscious of that could
be potentially liable. It makes me wonder what really was
going on there? What do you mean, well, you know,
maybe something else was going on. Maybe it was a joke.
Maybe they're do it preparing for a pantomime or whatever.
(01:14):
But it's a possibility. All we can do, all we
shouldn't do is come to any conclusions yet until there's
been a full investigation.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
She says that this is a pattern of behavior from him,
that he always, in her opinion, did things that he
seemed to have thought were funny, and she was part
of the joke. He assumed he would do things like
blow spitballs through a straw at her and all kinds
of carry on. Would that go some way.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
To explaining it, Well, it's not forgivable. I mean, that's
not the behavior of a CEO that anybody should do. Mean,
anyone who is in a senior position right now should
be very very weare and I'm actually quite pleased this
is up there, because anybody in a senior role should
be watching this and going, oh my god. And look
she laughed after wards. But honestly, it's how most things
(02:03):
actually unfold. You know, you might sexual harassment goes the
same way you think that the you know, the other
person is probably participating, whereas really they're not. They're just
trying to be saying, well, you're the boss, and I'll
go along with this at the moment, just to try
and keep you happy.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
What case can she take against them? Is it that
he could do it deliberately?
Speaker 3 (02:25):
He's in deed trouble for a start of if I
was on the board, he's gone, he's finished. The other
thing is the Health and Safety at Work Act. They
could be prosecution there because his responsibility is to make
sure that there is a safe workplace for everybody, contractors
included as employees and even members of the public. You know,
(02:46):
Tony Gibson from the Ports of Auckland's a good example.
He was sued personally personally as CEO for an injury
that occurred now, but also under that act you've got
to look after people's psychological wealth as well. So he
really is in trouble many ways. But it also wonder
if the police could do it for assault. Obviously they can,
(03:08):
that is deemed to be assault. But did he strike
her or not? Or was it a snap of the
fingers boet I don't know, but it certainly needs closer investigation.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yeah, it's pretty crazy.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Max, thanks very much, really appreciate it is always it's
good to talk to you. Max white Head Employment Luix,
But at the white Head Group it's twenty one away
from six. On the huddle of us this evening, we
have Katie Bradford, New Zealand Herald senior correspondent and fellow
Riley Iron You partners in former Business New Zealand chief
executive hire you guys, how crazy is that? Katie? Have
(03:41):
you watched that video?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, it's kind kind of hard to believe. I've never
seen that in the workplace, and I've worked in media.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
You've worked in some crazy places.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
We have around Parliament to get the heather, and I
don't think we've ever seen a boss slap and employee
maybe reported slap each other come close to it.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Well years, hasn't it though? In recent times?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Phil, How wild is.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
That to you?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Briefly, I remember the old days and newspapers. I'm old
enough when the stories where that people to throw typewriters
each other, which are then it'll be pretty heavy. But
you know, these days it's just completely unacceptable. Of course,
and Max is absolutely right, by the way, if you're
affected by this, the investigation really really matters. You need
to not just take all that at faith value. What
was going on there? What happened. Now there might be
some serious consequences to that, but they should only have
(04:25):
mark you've got a proper investigation, because I always nothing
will stack. So but yeah, it's wild. I mean, it
just doesn't happen in workplaces these days. Stuff like that
just doesn't.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Work well, said Okay Katie Nicola Willis's public service cuts
Do they go far enough?
Speaker 2 (04:40):
I think it depends what side of the leader you're on. Right,
if you're one of those people who is about to
lose their job, worried you're losing your job, and you've
got a mortgage, a house that you are mortgage in
many cases you can't afford any more, particularly if you
bought at the peak of the market. Cost of livings
hurting everyone, You've got a family, all of those issues,
and you're right now worried about losing your job and
about AI taking it over. It's not good every job.
(05:03):
And we also have a high u employment rate, right,
So where are those going to go? And I asked
Nicolallace about that. Today. Of course the government is saying, well,
we're going to build a strong economy and I mean
it's three years from there, It's three years, so you
would hope that by then the economy is looking stronger,
unemployment will be lower, et cetera. I don't think that
helps anyone who's worried about losing their job right now.
And I think sometimes, and I thought about the standing
(05:23):
in the room today, with the business audience that Nicola
Willis was speaking to, it's really easy to say, oh,
these are just public sector numbers, and it's easy to
forget that they are real people that we are talking
about here.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Yeah, no, that's fair enough. But we still, I mean,
they are still people that we're paying fulfill when we
don't necessarily have to. So I'm all on board with us,
and I'm not sure it even goes far enough.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
What about you, Well, we're asking the wrong question here.
Instead of saying how many public servants should they be,
what we should be saying is what's the best deal
for New Zealand's when it comes to public services? How
do they get the public services that they need? Is
that through talking to a person, Is that through talking
to a piece of digital infrastructure? Is it going to
be some sort of tech solution. Here's a good example
of our tech solution. Good work. Tech might mean that
(06:07):
social welfare beneficialies actually more capably and more accurately get
the benefits to which they're entitled. Maybe that's a good
way we could do it, and we could do it
without more people. So in terms of how many people
we have it so it's just a system and they'll thought.
The better idea is to really factor in what a
good public service looks like, what a good public service
for the citizens looks like, which may well be very different.
(06:27):
I agree with you. I think Nicolay has probably underdone it.
I think you could do more. But the politics of
this Toccati's point very very hard. Those who say, though
that Wellington is dying because of what's going on, that's ridiculous.
Wellington is dying because Wellington City Council has put the
rates up by eighty percent in the last five years.
(06:47):
If you want more jobs in Wellington, create the create
a private sector willing to go and invest in jobs.
You get far more jobs out of that than you
will lose in any public service restructuring. Wellington City Council
needs to just get on and do that.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, I think back on Fel's point, I think this
is a problem we have in general New Zealand that
we have a piecemeal approach to decisions we make and
changes we make. Right, so we've seen some cuts in
the public sector already, there's more coming. We do need
to take a wider look at how we do this,
and we do this with infrastructure, we do this with
many issues. We go use a little cut proper to
be a proper reform. But what you're looking at rather
(07:21):
than this.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Piece so, Katie, in which case you need to look
at it the way that David Seymour has right. You've
got twenty minister's maximum. They each have one reporting line
down to one ministry or two ministries who only report
back to them, and you get the stuff done within that.
But just cutting numbers for the sake, just like an
arbitrary number.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
That's you know, each department's been told cut this much here. Well,
that doesn't actually mean you're necessarily getting the services, because
in two years time we're going to hear complaints because
someone's service has been cut. All this thing they rely
on is no longer there anymore because we haven't looked
at it properly. You're not already the color is you know,
David Seemore of course saying it doesn't go far enough
when Ston Peters and Niclaulas was us this and there
(07:59):
was a very long pause when Jason Will's asked her
that question today, which is how does Winston Raymond Peters
feel about this cuts to In fact, she says he
knows that these are coming. I've heard this afternoon. He's saying, well,
I don't wantat facing those cuts already. You've got the
coalition issues with making these changes as well. In fact,
we're exempt from those cuts last time. Are we going
(08:20):
to see that again? That will continue to create a
problem for them.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
There is there a risk pill that Nichola has made
this promise this side of the election and after the
election Winston doesn't let her follow through.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Sure, and that's what she's doing and saying, well, if
you want those things to occure, public, vote for us,
don't vote for Winston. And this is what's going on now.
We're in the election campaign. So everybody's setting out their stall.
Does anybody seriously expect, for example, that the New Zealand
public will be buying the Bank of New Zealand anytime soon?
Winston's said, we should. Nobody else is going to support that.
Nobody else in Parliament maybe the Greens will support that.
(08:54):
So it's not going to happen, but it creates news,
It creates a few potential new voters for Winston's. That's
really what's going on. Similarly with the Nuts, they're putting
it out there saying this is what we're going to do.
If you want that to happen, support us.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Thursday and away from sixty back of the huddle, Katie
Bradford and Phillo Riley, Phil I was just raving about
Andrew little before though, what do you think of your mayor?
Speaker 4 (09:14):
I think he's listening and you know, if I text
him will reach back to me, which is great. And
I think it's listening. Is a bit of a difference
to certainly the last few years where you really felt
as though not only was the council dismissive of business,
but on occasion actively hostile to business, and not just
the business but to rate payers too. So I think
(09:35):
the fact that he's listening, the fact that he's I
mean every Friday night for you're right up and now
it's just a little bit the other day he's out
on Facebook. So there's this thing on on the city.
It's great, go to this thing whatever the Festival of
Football match might be. Well, that's great, that's a good start.
But I think what he's really going to do is
showed to business that he's serious about that business rates
differential that one of the highest in the country by
the way, that he's serious about the rate's journey, but
also that he's serious about taking a pro business view
(09:58):
and including that in that of course business investment. And
I think he's talking about that, but I think more
action needed, and quite quickly. I think that Wellington's in
a bit of a bit of a problematic state. I
must say as one who's lived there for twenty years.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Yeah, it really is.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
There is something in there is something Katie in the
way that Andrew Little and Wayne Brown are prepared to
go up against central government that's quite attractive. There is
a staff member here who has actually developed something of
a love crush on Andrew Little as a result. Really yeah,
I thinks it's really sexy. Every time Andrew takes it always.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Kind a way to leave me speaklessly.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
I think Little might be concerned about that.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
They say that painting of they have, yes, the newdie Ways, Yes,
yes they have.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
So I think what it sees about Wayne Brown and
Andrew Little is their political experience there? Yeah, probably obviously
they are in two big studies as well, which is helpful.
You've got that, you feel like you have the power
and the strength behind you to take on central government.
But Andrew Little's a former minister. He knows politics, yes
that he he knows exactly what to say and to who.
And I do think he's probably the mere that Wellington
(11:04):
needed right now given the problems they've had over the time.
And he's he's smart enough to go and have done
his research and he knows the points to hit, he
knows the things he needs to focus on, and like
to your point, he knew that he needs to stand
up for Wellington as a city because when people are
losing their jobs, they're not then spending money. We're seeing
those businesses suffer. But it's not just in Wellington, it's
around the country as Yeah, he.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Had to do it. You're right now, Phil, what do
you make of the Exclusive Brethren telling all the members
they have to get rid of their pets.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
Look, it's very very simple. Become a Catholic. I'm the
world's I'm the world's most lapsed Catholic. I've been dark
in the church's door in years and years and years.
But O'Riley, what am I going to be Jewish anyway?
And when you're a Catholic you can have pets and
you can have a drink. I mean, that's brilliant, isn't it. Phil.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
It doesn't stop there. You can do everything as long
as you say you're sorry for it afterwards.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
Well exactly into the confessional and you just have to
eat fish on a Friday and linked, I mean, and
that's great in New Zealand fashionships. Brilliant. So I think
I think it's the hub oligin Solicism, and I think,
well exclusive bretherre and should just swap across because they
can keep kitty and have a drink at the same time.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
And God, by the way, Katie, I'm the wrong tagged
audience for here.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
I don't have pizzel religions, so again I can do
what I want, right. But I heard this afternoon that
apparently there was a back down from the bretherre and
a Brethren back down? What do you call that? That
maybe they have seen the backlash?
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Where did you see that there's a Brethren back down?
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Someone in the newsroom was talking about it not that
long ago. But who knows. It's the Brethren, the notoriously
secret of the Exclusive Brethren, right, So I don't know what.
I don't know what you sign up for. When you
sign up to be an Exclusive Brethren? Do you sign
a piece of paper that says I won't own pets?
And then how have so many people?
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Then well, just now they've got you by the shortened curlies.
Because you want all your mates are in the church
and all your families in the church and stuff in
your businesses.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
You can only work.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Yeah, you don't want to get excommunicated. And you don't
know that we're saying this about you because you haven't
got the radio.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Yeah, so they can do it. But someone must have
told them at some point they were not they were
allowed pets to suddenly.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Nah, they forgot that. They said in the sixties that
they weren't allowed pets anywhere. The poor people and the
poor pets. Guys, it's good to talk to the pair
of you are really appreciated, fellow Riley. I'm Duke Partners,
former Business New Zealand Chief executive and Katie Bradford New
Zealand Herald senior correspondent.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
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
Now there is footage circulating today. It's all over the
news media showing a chief executive slapping a contractor in
the face during a studio filming session. This is how
it happened. So stop trying to be perfect. Come in,
stop being perfect.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Can slap me?
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Go get it out?
Speaker 4 (00:18):
Get it out? No, no, no, get it out, no.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Get it out.
Speaker 4 (00:22):
Just relax, yeah, shake up, shake up, shake it, shake it.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I don't believe you just slapped me.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Camera.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
So the guy who did the slapping is the wealth
mentor chief executive Carr and Goss and the woman being
slapped as a contractor, Savnagar Carter, who was filming some
promotional material. Max Whitehead is with Whitehead Group Employment. He's
a Luwix but obviously and he's with us home Max Max.
If you hadn't seen that footage today, would you have
believed this kind of carry on actually happens in the workplace?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
No, I wouldn't have. Actually, I thought I thought that
most CEOs would be really really conscious of that could
be potentially liable. It makes me wonder what really was
going on there? What do you mean, well, you know,
maybe something else was going on. Maybe it was a joke.
Maybe they're do it preparing for a pantomime or whatever.
(01:14):
But it's a possibility. All we can do, all we
shouldn't do is come to any conclusions yet until there's
been a full investigation.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
She says that this is a pattern of behavior from him,
that he always, in her opinion, did things that he
seemed to have thought were funny, and she was part
of the joke. He assumed he would do things like
blow spitballs through a straw at her and all kinds
of carry on. Would that go some way.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
To explaining it, Well, it's not forgivable. I mean, that's
not the behavior of a CEO that anybody should do. Mean,
anyone who is in a senior position right now should
be very very weare and I'm actually quite pleased this
is up there, because anybody in a senior role should
be watching this and going, oh my god. And look
she laughed after wards. But honestly, it's how most things
(02:03):
actually unfold. You know, you might sexual harassment goes the
same way you think that the you know, the other
person is probably participating, whereas really they're not. They're just
trying to be saying, well, you're the boss, and I'll
go along with this at the moment, just to try
and keep you happy.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
What case can she take against them? Is it that
he could do it deliberately?
Speaker 3 (02:25):
He's in deed trouble for a start of if I
was on the board, he's gone, he's finished. The other
thing is the Health and Safety at Work Act. They
could be prosecution there because his responsibility is to make
sure that there is a safe workplace for everybody, contractors
included as employees and even members of the public. You know,
(02:46):
Tony Gibson from the Ports of Auckland's a good example.
He was sued personally personally as CEO for an injury
that occurred now, but also under that act you've got
to look after people's psychological wealth as well. So he
really is in trouble many ways. But it also wonder
if the police could do it for assault. Obviously they can,
(03:08):
that is deemed to be assault. But did he strike
her or not? Or was it a snap of the
fingers boet I don't know, but it certainly needs closer investigation.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yeah, it's pretty crazy.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Max, thanks very much, really appreciate it is always it's
good to talk to you. Max white Head Employment Luix,
But at the white Head Group it's twenty one away
from six. On the huddle of us this evening, we
have Katie Bradford, New Zealand Herald senior correspondent and fellow
Riley Iron You partners in former Business New Zealand chief
executive hire you guys, how crazy is that? Katie? Have
(03:41):
you watched that video?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, it's kind kind of hard to believe. I've never
seen that in the workplace, and I've worked in media.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
You've worked in some crazy places.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
We have around Parliament to get the heather, and I
don't think we've ever seen a boss slap and employee
maybe reported slap each other come close to it.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Well years, hasn't it though? In recent times?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Phil, How wild is.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
That to you?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Briefly, I remember the old days and newspapers. I'm old
enough when the stories where that people to throw typewriters
each other, which are then it'll be pretty heavy. But
you know, these days it's just completely unacceptable. Of course,
and Max is absolutely right, by the way, if you're
affected by this, the investigation really really matters. You need
to not just take all that at faith value. What
was going on there? What happened. Now there might be
some serious consequences to that, but they should only have
(04:25):
mark you've got a proper investigation, because I always nothing
will stack. So but yeah, it's wild. I mean, it
just doesn't happen in workplaces these days. Stuff like that
just doesn't.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Work well, said Okay Katie Nicola Willis's public service cuts
Do they go far enough?
Speaker 2 (04:40):
I think it depends what side of the leader you're on. Right,
if you're one of those people who is about to
lose their job, worried you're losing your job, and you've
got a mortgage, a house that you are mortgage in
many cases you can't afford any more, particularly if you
bought at the peak of the market. Cost of livings
hurting everyone, You've got a family, all of those issues,
and you're right now worried about losing your job and
about AI taking it over. It's not good every job.
(05:03):
And we also have a high u employment rate, right,
So where are those going to go? And I asked
Nicolallace about that. Today. Of course the government is saying, well,
we're going to build a strong economy and I mean
it's three years from there, It's three years, so you
would hope that by then the economy is looking stronger,
unemployment will be lower, et cetera. I don't think that
helps anyone who's worried about losing their job right now.
And I think sometimes, and I thought about the standing
(05:23):
in the room today, with the business audience that Nicola
Willis was speaking to, it's really easy to say, oh,
these are just public sector numbers, and it's easy to
forget that they are real people that we are talking
about here.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Yeah, no, that's fair enough. But we still, I mean,
they are still people that we're paying fulfill when we
don't necessarily have to. So I'm all on board with us,
and I'm not sure it even goes far enough.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
What about you, Well, we're asking the wrong question here.
Instead of saying how many public servants should they be,
what we should be saying is what's the best deal
for New Zealand's when it comes to public services? How
do they get the public services that they need? Is
that through talking to a person, Is that through talking
to a piece of digital infrastructure? Is it going to
be some sort of tech solution. Here's a good example
of our tech solution. Good work. Tech might mean that
(06:07):
social welfare beneficialies actually more capably and more accurately get
the benefits to which they're entitled. Maybe that's a good
way we could do it, and we could do it
without more people. So in terms of how many people
we have it so it's just a system and they'll thought.
The better idea is to really factor in what a
good public service looks like, what a good public service
for the citizens looks like, which may well be very different.
(06:27):
I agree with you. I think Nicolay has probably underdone it.
I think you could do more. But the politics of
this Toccati's point very very hard. Those who say, though
that Wellington is dying because of what's going on, that's ridiculous.
Wellington is dying because Wellington City Council has put the
rates up by eighty percent in the last five years.
(06:47):
If you want more jobs in Wellington, create the create
a private sector willing to go and invest in jobs.
You get far more jobs out of that than you
will lose in any public service restructuring. Wellington City Council
needs to just get on and do that.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, I think back on Fel's point, I think this
is a problem we have in general New Zealand that
we have a piecemeal approach to decisions we make and
changes we make. Right, so we've seen some cuts in
the public sector already, there's more coming. We do need
to take a wider look at how we do this,
and we do this with infrastructure, we do this with
many issues. We go use a little cut proper to
be a proper reform. But what you're looking at rather
(07:21):
than this.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Piece so, Katie, in which case you need to look
at it the way that David Seymour has right. You've
got twenty minister's maximum. They each have one reporting line
down to one ministry or two ministries who only report
back to them, and you get the stuff done within that.
But just cutting numbers for the sake, just like an
arbitrary number.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
That's you know, each department's been told cut this much here. Well,
that doesn't actually mean you're necessarily getting the services, because
in two years time we're going to hear complaints because
someone's service has been cut. All this thing they rely
on is no longer there anymore because we haven't looked
at it properly. You're not already the color is you know,
David Seemore of course saying it doesn't go far enough
when Ston Peters and Niclaulas was us this and there
(07:59):
was a very long pause when Jason Will's asked her
that question today, which is how does Winston Raymond Peters
feel about this cuts to In fact, she says he
knows that these are coming. I've heard this afternoon. He's saying, well,
I don't wantat facing those cuts already. You've got the
coalition issues with making these changes as well. In fact,
we're exempt from those cuts last time. Are we going
(08:20):
to see that again? That will continue to create a
problem for them.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
There is there a risk pill that Nichola has made
this promise this side of the election and after the
election Winston doesn't let her follow through.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Sure, and that's what she's doing and saying, well, if
you want those things to occure, public, vote for us,
don't vote for Winston. And this is what's going on now.
We're in the election campaign. So everybody's setting out their stall.
Does anybody seriously expect, for example, that the New Zealand
public will be buying the Bank of New Zealand anytime soon?
Winston's said, we should. Nobody else is going to support that.
Nobody else in Parliament maybe the Greens will support that.
(08:54):
So it's not going to happen, but it creates news,
It creates a few potential new voters for Winston's. That's
really what's going on. Similarly with the Nuts, they're putting
it out there saying this is what we're going to do.
If you want that to happen, support us.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Thursday and away from sixty back of the huddle, Katie
Bradford and Phillo Riley, Phil I was just raving about
Andrew little before though, what do you think of your mayor?
Speaker 4 (09:14):
I think he's listening and you know, if I text
him will reach back to me, which is great. And
I think it's listening. Is a bit of a difference
to certainly the last few years where you really felt
as though not only was the council dismissive of business,
but on occasion actively hostile to business, and not just
the business but to rate payers too. So I think
(09:35):
the fact that he's listening, the fact that he's I
mean every Friday night for you're right up and now
it's just a little bit the other day he's out
on Facebook. So there's this thing on on the city.
It's great, go to this thing whatever the Festival of
Football match might be. Well, that's great, that's a good start.
But I think what he's really going to do is
showed to business that he's serious about that business rates
differential that one of the highest in the country by
the way, that he's serious about the rate's journey, but
also that he's serious about taking a pro business view
(09:58):
and including that in that of course business investment. And
I think he's talking about that, but I think more
action needed, and quite quickly. I think that Wellington's in
a bit of a bit of a problematic state. I
must say as one who's lived there for twenty years.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Yeah, it really is.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
There is something in there is something Katie in the
way that Andrew Little and Wayne Brown are prepared to
go up against central government that's quite attractive. There is
a staff member here who has actually developed something of
a love crush on Andrew Little as a result. Really yeah,
I thinks it's really sexy. Every time Andrew takes it always.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Kind a way to leave me speaklessly.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
I think Little might be concerned about that.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
They say that painting of they have, yes, the newdie Ways, Yes,
yes they have.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
So I think what it sees about Wayne Brown and
Andrew Little is their political experience there? Yeah, probably obviously
they are in two big studies as well, which is helpful.
You've got that, you feel like you have the power
and the strength behind you to take on central government.
But Andrew Little's a former minister. He knows politics, yes
that he he knows exactly what to say and to who.
And I do think he's probably the mere that Wellington
(11:04):
needed right now given the problems they've had over the time.
And he's he's smart enough to go and have done
his research and he knows the points to hit, he
knows the things he needs to focus on, and like
to your point, he knew that he needs to stand
up for Wellington as a city because when people are
losing their jobs, they're not then spending money. We're seeing
those businesses suffer. But it's not just in Wellington, it's
around the country as Yeah, he.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Had to do it. You're right now, Phil, what do
you make of the Exclusive Brethren telling all the members
they have to get rid of their pets.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
Look, it's very very simple. Become a Catholic. I'm the
world's I'm the world's most lapsed Catholic. I've been dark
in the church's door in years and years and years.
But O'Riley, what am I going to be Jewish anyway?
And when you're a Catholic you can have pets and
you can have a drink. I mean, that's brilliant, isn't it. Phil.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
It doesn't stop there. You can do everything as long
as you say you're sorry for it afterwards.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
Well exactly into the confessional and you just have to
eat fish on a Friday and linked, I mean, and
that's great in New Zealand fashionships. Brilliant. So I think
I think it's the hub oligin Solicism, and I think,
well exclusive bretherre and should just swap across because they
can keep kitty and have a drink at the same time.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
And God, by the way, Katie, I'm the wrong tagged
audience for here.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
I don't have pizzel religions, so again I can do
what I want, right. But I heard this afternoon that
apparently there was a back down from the bretherre and
a Brethren back down? What do you call that? That
maybe they have seen the backlash?
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Where did you see that there's a Brethren back down?
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Someone in the newsroom was talking about it not that
long ago. But who knows. It's the Brethren, the notoriously
secret of the Exclusive Brethren, right, So I don't know what.
I don't know what you sign up for. When you
sign up to be an Exclusive Brethren? Do you sign
a piece of paper that says I won't own pets?
And then how have so many people?
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Then well, just now they've got you by the shortened curlies.
Because you want all your mates are in the church
and all your families in the church and stuff in
your businesses.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
You can only work.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Yeah, you don't want to get excommunicated. And you don't
know that we're saying this about you because you haven't
got the radio.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Yeah, so they can do it. But someone must have
told them at some point they were not they were
allowed pets to suddenly.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Nah, they forgot that. They said in the sixties that
they weren't allowed pets anywhere. The poor people and the
poor pets. Guys, it's good to talk to the pair
of you are really appreciated, fellow Riley. I'm Duke Partners,
former Business New Zealand Chief executive and Katie Bradford New
Zealand Herald senior correspondent.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
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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