February 13, 2025 • 9 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog contributor and Curia pollster David Farrar and former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
The Government has announced some new measures designed to create more competition in the supermarket sector. Do we think this problem can be solved? Does New Zealand need a third operator?
The cost of car insurance is going up so much that more owners are looking into third-party insurers to save money. Should we be concerned? Is there a risk more people will ditch insurance altogether?
Te Pati Māori's Tākuta Ferris apologised for misleading the House - and delivered the apology in Te Reo. Minister Shane Jones has fired back already - what do we make of this?
US President Donald Trump has had discussions with Putin about potentially ending the war in Ukraine - do we think this can work?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's nineteen to six. This is going to be fun.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
The huddle with New Zealand Southerby's International Realty, local and
global exposure like no other.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
David farre Kiev bog And Courier Polster and Mike Munroe,
former chief of Staff and Sinder are on my huddle today. Hello, gentlemen.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Oh good Andrew, how are you?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
I'm very well. Now let's start with the supermarkets. How
far should the government go to encourage a third supermarket
operator in New Zealand? They brought out doing a Kiwi shop?
Thank god? Who would like to start theirst?
Speaker 4 (00:32):
Mike, Well, look, we've had an awful lot of jaw
boning about this, Andrew for a long time now, and
we don't seem to be any closer to resolving the
issue of outrageous prices at the checkout. Nikola Willis today
talked about giving VIP treatment to a new entrant. Well,
(00:54):
she had better sort live up to those words, because
when you talk about VIP treatment, you're talking about the
preferential treatment or special treatment. So rather than just open
the door, as she said today, she's asked, you've got
to put some plan on the table, Otherwise it's just
more brave talk and more more vague promises.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Well, here's the thing, David Farrer, if another player came in,
it's an enormous investment, a billion dollars just to make
a supply chain. And we had Tex Edwards on before
from Monopoly and he said monopoly. Watched today say and
he said they'd have to open at least one hundred
and forty stores to be competitive. So you know it's
a big ask.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yeah. Look, there's a useful rule that was come up
in nineteen seventy six called the rule of three or
four market to work, you need at least three competitors,
and the smallest has to be at least a quarter
the size of the biggest. So a new competer needs
to be at least ten or fifteen percent of the market,
(01:51):
but will make a huge difference. We don't have good competition.
A huge supermarket chain will make a messi of difference.
And what Nicholas said is rather than the government say
we think this is what will improve competition, she's saying
there's a limit number of companies who could do this.
Come tell me what it would take for you to
invest here, and I'll see if I can make it happen.
(02:14):
So I think that's fine because any company that's interested
can come and say this is what we want. It
won't be stuff just for that company. It will be
stuff that then any company that wants to come here
can But lot when not you have a problem that
we're shutting out a fourth or fifth competitor. If we
can even go third, I think that would be amazing.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
You know, you talk about an incentive there, how about
a corporate taxt pack break or maybe you'll know some
tax incentives and I know that topics not being discussed
at all that the New Zealand Economic Forum, which is
underway right now.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
David, No, No. Once you start doing different tax rates
for favored companies as we like giving dst at emsines,
you're going to end up a nice well how regulat
tree changes, Yes, different text talkey, all.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Right, I got to go. But how about a favorite
tax break for everybody? But anywhere here we go? Well,
we've got the big ones coming up. Third party compulsory
insurance in car in car insurance tagatay Ferris's apology and
the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
On the huddle, the huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International
Realty elevate the marketing of your home.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Data far Mike Munro it is now thirteen to six. Okay,
car insurance is going through the roof because cars are
more complex. But then we ended up talking about third
party insurance and whether it should be compulsory. What do
you think make.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Yeah, well, it's not clear really how effective compulsory third
party insurance would be, and this conversation is being sort
of going around around circles for some time. Insurance companies,
organizations like insurance companies and the AA in particular. Have
you always had concerns about third party insurance for a
(03:58):
number of reasons, the number one being that it's not
clear how skin would actually operate or how it would
actually be effectively enforced. It's you know, as possible that
insurance companies will spread the increased cost of providing cove
to to the sort of at risk or hor risk
individuals across all policy holders, so so so of you know,
(04:19):
people like you and I end up paying a lot
more on our on our car insurance. And it's also
you know, just talk about changing driver behavior. It's not
clear whether a compulsory scheme will change driver behavior, would remind.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Remind people that the car is a privilege and not
necessarily a right. David. In Singapore, you cannot drive a
car off the lot until you provide insurance documentation. We
like to be like Singapore.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Well no, actually Singapore does many good things, but they're
not really known for their love of civil liberties or freedom.
And without making it sound like a dramatic case, I
don't think there is a case for compulsion here. Look,
we've had homeowners who haven't ensured their homes and lost
millions of dollars in christ Church, et cetera. People get
(05:05):
to make their own decisions about insurance. And there's Mike
alluded to. You make something compulsory, it will go up
the moment. It's a captive market and everyone has to
do this. You're not going to end up with cheaper insurance.
So no, and against.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Okay, now, Mari mp Takatai Parris had to make an apology.
He did it later, like when nobody was there, and
then he decided to do it completely in Maori and
this incense Shane Jones.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
And unwillingness to offer an apology in English shows contempt
for the vast majority of the New Zealand members of
the public who.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Pay his salary.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
I sort have made him seem insincere. Mike Munroe, what.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Do you think, Yeah, I think I think Shane Jones
is on the money here. Actually, he also pointed out
that you know, Dre Mari is an official language and
the member is fully entitled to get up and there
are simultaneous translation services, et cetera, et cetera. But look,
you know this is a really important issue. When a
member makes an allegation of other members lying and it
(06:08):
goes through the processes and he has to apologize to
the Parliament, the apology really should be done in both languages.
And I think that that Jones is right that there's
a bit of a swagger about this, and the memo
was showing a contempt you know, for Parliament and also
to all News Islanders.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Yeah, here's the thing. He was speaking in parliament today
and he spoke in Mali and then he provided an
English translation, so he can do it what he wants to,
but not when he's doing an apology.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
What do you think, David, Yeah, Well, that's the point
I think that Jones was making.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
What do you think it should have been in both languages. Also,
he apologized for the wrong thing, which adds to then sincerity.
He got found and contempt for having misled parliament, not
for having called the MP's lives He denied it, call
them liars. And he's the first MP in our history
to be found to have parliament. And he didn't actually
(07:01):
apologize for that, he just said I'm sorry if anyone
was offended by my original remarks. So the whole apology
is really pushing the boundaries of whether it qualifies what
the privileges can may he should do.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Yeah, I thought it was clever dickery. So there we go,
and to the big story for the world, the possibility
of peace between Russia and Ukraine as broken by Donald
Trump and Vadimir Putin. What do you give these peace
talks to, Chance, Mike.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Well coming from these two individuals, I'd say very poor Chance.
You know, Trump's romance with Putin is deeply worrying. They
both vindictive, dishonest, pretty ugly individuals. I mean, even Winston
Peter's day was damping down expectations of anything coming of this.
It's going to you know, this is the suggestion that
(07:52):
they can somebody get around the table and get this
matter sorded quickly. Is going to cause you know, shutders
right through Europe as starf was, Kaiev and the Ukraine,
because you just don't know what Trump would be prepared
to accept from person in terms of concessions. So look, yeah,
as I say, because that's such dishonest and undesirable people
(08:16):
that I just think we should we should not get
our hopes up. And I just don't see this making
any concrete progress.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
That is actually very fair, Mike, because the concessions he's
already made is that Ukraine does not join NATO and
that the US doesn't join in enforcing a seas first
So what are you reckon about the whole thing? David?
Speaker 3 (08:33):
There will be peace this year, but it will be
through a surrender. Trump has effectively thrown Ukraine to Russia
because as you see, you're all out NATO. He heeds
not saying there could be any return to twenty and
fourteen borders, and he's cutting off funding to Ukraine. So
Pewtin doesn't have to conceive much. I'll say, lot, we'll
(08:55):
give back twenty percent of the land. We now want
cap high, which is still a lot more than that.
Ukraine will have no choice but to go along. So
there will be peace this year, but will be effectively
a reward for Pwton. He gets to hold Ukraine and
mark my words, Moldova will be next, possibly Georgia after that,
(09:16):
because he's been rewarded for his invasion.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
A true point, it's a reward. And even if it
was peace, because he's already got the rewards, could he
actually do it again? It's Munich nineteen thirty eight all
over again, gentlemen, I thank you for your time today.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
It's nineteen to six. This is going to be fun.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
The huddle with New Zealand Southerby's International Realty, local and
global exposure like no other.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
David farre Kiev bog And Courier Polster and Mike Munroe,
former chief of Staff and Sinder are on my huddle today. Hello, gentlemen.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Oh good Andrew, how are you?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
I'm very well. Now let's start with the supermarkets. How
far should the government go to encourage a third supermarket
operator in New Zealand? They brought out doing a Kiwi shop?
Thank god? Who would like to start theirst?
Speaker 4 (00:32):
Mike, Well, look, we've had an awful lot of jaw
boning about this, Andrew for a long time now, and
we don't seem to be any closer to resolving the
issue of outrageous prices at the checkout. Nikola Willis today
talked about giving VIP treatment to a new entrant. Well,
(00:54):
she had better sort live up to those words, because
when you talk about VIP treatment, you're talking about the
preferential treatment or special treatment. So rather than just open
the door, as she said today, she's asked, you've got
to put some plan on the table, Otherwise it's just
more brave talk and more more vague promises.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Well, here's the thing, David Farrer, if another player came in,
it's an enormous investment, a billion dollars just to make
a supply chain. And we had Tex Edwards on before
from Monopoly and he said monopoly. Watched today say and
he said they'd have to open at least one hundred
and forty stores to be competitive. So you know it's
a big ask.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yeah. Look, there's a useful rule that was come up
in nineteen seventy six called the rule of three or
four market to work, you need at least three competitors,
and the smallest has to be at least a quarter
the size of the biggest. So a new competer needs
to be at least ten or fifteen percent of the market,
(01:51):
but will make a huge difference. We don't have good competition.
A huge supermarket chain will make a messi of difference.
And what Nicholas said is rather than the government say
we think this is what will improve competition, she's saying
there's a limit number of companies who could do this.
Come tell me what it would take for you to
invest here, and I'll see if I can make it happen.
(02:14):
So I think that's fine because any company that's interested
can come and say this is what we want. It
won't be stuff just for that company. It will be
stuff that then any company that wants to come here
can But lot when not you have a problem that
we're shutting out a fourth or fifth competitor. If we
can even go third, I think that would be amazing.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
You know, you talk about an incentive there, how about
a corporate taxt pack break or maybe you'll know some
tax incentives and I know that topics not being discussed
at all that the New Zealand Economic Forum, which is
underway right now.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
David, No, No. Once you start doing different tax rates
for favored companies as we like giving dst at emsines,
you're going to end up a nice well how regulat
tree changes, Yes, different text talkey, all.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Right, I got to go. But how about a favorite
tax break for everybody? But anywhere here we go? Well,
we've got the big ones coming up. Third party compulsory
insurance in car in car insurance tagatay Ferris's apology and
the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
On the huddle, the huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International
Realty elevate the marketing of your home.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Data far Mike Munro it is now thirteen to six. Okay,
car insurance is going through the roof because cars are
more complex. But then we ended up talking about third
party insurance and whether it should be compulsory. What do
you think make.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Yeah, well, it's not clear really how effective compulsory third
party insurance would be, and this conversation is being sort
of going around around circles for some time. Insurance companies,
organizations like insurance companies and the AA in particular. Have
you always had concerns about third party insurance for a
(03:58):
number of reasons, the number one being that it's not
clear how skin would actually operate or how it would
actually be effectively enforced. It's you know, as possible that
insurance companies will spread the increased cost of providing cove
to to the sort of at risk or hor risk
individuals across all policy holders, so so so of you know,
(04:19):
people like you and I end up paying a lot
more on our on our car insurance. And it's also
you know, just talk about changing driver behavior. It's not
clear whether a compulsory scheme will change driver behavior, would remind.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Remind people that the car is a privilege and not
necessarily a right. David. In Singapore, you cannot drive a
car off the lot until you provide insurance documentation. We
like to be like Singapore.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Well no, actually Singapore does many good things, but they're
not really known for their love of civil liberties or freedom.
And without making it sound like a dramatic case, I
don't think there is a case for compulsion here. Look,
we've had homeowners who haven't ensured their homes and lost
millions of dollars in christ Church, et cetera. People get
(05:05):
to make their own decisions about insurance. And there's Mike
alluded to. You make something compulsory, it will go up
the moment. It's a captive market and everyone has to
do this. You're not going to end up with cheaper insurance.
So no, and against.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Okay, now, Mari mp Takatai Parris had to make an apology.
He did it later, like when nobody was there, and
then he decided to do it completely in Maori and
this incense Shane Jones.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
And unwillingness to offer an apology in English shows contempt
for the vast majority of the New Zealand members of
the public who.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Pay his salary.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
I sort have made him seem insincere. Mike Munroe, what.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Do you think, Yeah, I think I think Shane Jones
is on the money here. Actually, he also pointed out
that you know, Dre Mari is an official language and
the member is fully entitled to get up and there
are simultaneous translation services, et cetera, et cetera. But look,
you know this is a really important issue. When a
member makes an allegation of other members lying and it
(06:08):
goes through the processes and he has to apologize to
the Parliament, the apology really should be done in both languages.
And I think that that Jones is right that there's
a bit of a swagger about this, and the memo
was showing a contempt you know, for Parliament and also
to all News Islanders.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Yeah, here's the thing. He was speaking in parliament today
and he spoke in Mali and then he provided an
English translation, so he can do it what he wants to,
but not when he's doing an apology.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
What do you think, David, Yeah, Well, that's the point
I think that Jones was making.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
What do you think it should have been in both languages. Also,
he apologized for the wrong thing, which adds to then sincerity.
He got found and contempt for having misled parliament, not
for having called the MP's lives He denied it, call
them liars. And he's the first MP in our history
to be found to have parliament. And he didn't actually
(07:01):
apologize for that, he just said I'm sorry if anyone
was offended by my original remarks. So the whole apology
is really pushing the boundaries of whether it qualifies what
the privileges can may he should do.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Yeah, I thought it was clever dickery. So there we go,
and to the big story for the world, the possibility
of peace between Russia and Ukraine as broken by Donald
Trump and Vadimir Putin. What do you give these peace
talks to, Chance, Mike.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Well coming from these two individuals, I'd say very poor Chance.
You know, Trump's romance with Putin is deeply worrying. They
both vindictive, dishonest, pretty ugly individuals. I mean, even Winston
Peter's day was damping down expectations of anything coming of this.
It's going to you know, this is the suggestion that
(07:52):
they can somebody get around the table and get this
matter sorded quickly. Is going to cause you know, shutders
right through Europe as starf was, Kaiev and the Ukraine,
because you just don't know what Trump would be prepared
to accept from person in terms of concessions. So look, yeah,
as I say, because that's such dishonest and undesirable people
(08:16):
that I just think we should we should not get
our hopes up. And I just don't see this making
any concrete progress.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
That is actually very fair, Mike, because the concessions he's
already made is that Ukraine does not join NATO and
that the US doesn't join in enforcing a seas first
So what are you reckon about the whole thing? David?
Speaker 3 (08:33):
There will be peace this year, but it will be
through a surrender. Trump has effectively thrown Ukraine to Russia
because as you see, you're all out NATO. He heeds
not saying there could be any return to twenty and
fourteen borders, and he's cutting off funding to Ukraine. So
Pewtin doesn't have to conceive much. I'll say, lot, we'll
(08:55):
give back twenty percent of the land. We now want
cap high, which is still a lot more than that.
Ukraine will have no choice but to go along. So
there will be peace this year, but will be effectively
a reward for Pwton. He gets to hold Ukraine and
mark my words, Moldova will be next, possibly Georgia after that,
(09:16):
because he's been rewarded for his invasion.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
A true point, it's a reward. And even if it
was peace, because he's already got the rewards, could he
actually do it again? It's Munich nineteen thirty eight all
over again, gentlemen, I thank you for your time today.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
For more from Hither 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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