March 19, 2025 • 9 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson and Jack Tame, host of ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
Former All Black Ali Williams, his billionaire wife Anna Mowbray and US billionaire Bill Foley want to build a new stadium in Auckland's Western Springs. They promise it won't cost ratepayers anything. Do we need this?
Do we think employees should be free to tell their co-workers their salary?
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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 the Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's
International Realty find your what.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
A the kind.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
We're going to the huddle now? Who's on the huddle tonight?
But's Q and A host and news talks. They'd be
host Jack Tame and Auckland councilor Morris Williams and good
evening guys.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Did even did I?
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Ryan?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Bit of a hard act to follow with Margaret?
Speaker 1 (00:20):
I know, how do you beat Margaret? How do you
do that?
Speaker 3 (00:23):
People are texting and we should all do the weather first.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
So somebody said, Ryan raining on the Hibiscus coast, most
welcome anyway, Hey, what did you think about that? Morris?
About local government New Zealand. I mean there's this argument
that it's too lefty and political. Do you see that
in it?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Absolutely. The briefings and the notes that I read when
I first became a counselor, it was the biggest pack
of woke rubbish I've ever read. And when I saw
we were spending seven hundred thousand dollars of Auckham taxpayers
and ratepayers money on it, I thought, you only stay
a member of an organization that provides you value. It
was the biggest lot of crap I've ever read, So
(01:06):
I was delighted for the fact that organd council voted
to get out of it.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Jack, What is their purpose? I mean, yeah, what is
their purpose?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
If not well, I mean I think, I mean to
give a collective voice to local governments around New Zealand.
And I mean it is you know, it's interesting, right
because I think whether it's you know, global geopolitics or
unions or anything in our kind of day to day
lives that if you're able to coalesce as a group,
(01:36):
often you have more kind of power and authority and negotiations.
And lots of local governments around the country have been
complaining over the last few years that systematically successive governments
have reduced the kind of local authority that these governments have.
They've systematically taken away some of their responsibilities. They have
very few measures for raising revenue that they are able
(01:58):
to you know, leaders, that they're able to pull them.
And I would have thought there's an argument that actually
having a kind of collective response with all the councils
around the country, or certainly as many as possible, would
give those local governments a stronger voice. Now for councils
like Auckland, it's perhaps a different equation, right, because Auckland's
so big that that council almost operates as an independent entity.
But you know, I would have thought if councils do
(02:20):
want to have more authority and they want more respect
from central government, there is an argument to be made
that actually having a collective voice put some of the
stronger position for negotiations.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah, okay, interesting, that's all very well.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
If they are doing the things that Jack's talking about.
You know, look we're going to have a look at,
say infrastructure and what's a good set of policies about
purchasing long term and whether you bring private sector stuff
and that stuff. I'd be happy to be joined up
with every other council on But I promise you if
you read some of the woke rubbish they were pumping out,
it was, in fact, I think some of the Greens
(02:52):
would even find it hard to tolerate.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Why are we talking gender neutral bike lanes or something?
What's the it was so much all right, Marris Williamson.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Please don't get me started on that.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
No, I'm certainly wont Marris Williamson and Jack tam on
the huddle when we come back. We're going to talk
about the billionaires and the stadium on the huddle tonight,
Marris Williamson and Jack Tames. So there's this bid by
former All Black Ally Williams, his billionaire wife and a
Mowbray and the US billionaire Bill Foley. They want to
build a new stadium on the site of Western Springs
because the racing's going to stop. I think it's this
(03:25):
weekend as the last one. This is there are three
options before the council to do something with this site,
and this is one of them. Marris, what you ever
been in meetings about this? What's going on and what
do you support? Do you have a view yet?
Speaker 3 (03:40):
This is sort of hilariously funny because when your producer
first asked me, I said, oh, no, it's totally top
secret because we were told this was completely confidential. And
then it's three thirty of press release came out saying
that because the Mowbray Williams syndicate had already gone public
to the media about it, we were now free to
talk about it. So what a difference three hours makes. Yeah,
(04:01):
there are going to be three different presentations We've had
the Mowbray Williams one where they're looking to make it
a twelve and a half thousand seat stadium but also
include a whole range of other things like sports facilities,
indoor basketball, paddle ball courts and so on. The first
one that I think was that's the first one, and
we've had that presentation. Then CRS Records Limit are going
(04:24):
to there are privately funded transformation into a premiere live
entertainment concert festival venue with about forty five thousand capability
of seating. And then the third one yet to come
as Ponsonby Rugby Club who want to extend their current
occupancy and expand their operation into other sports to enable
the venue to host fifty thousands on. So I can't
(04:47):
make too much of a comment on it because I'll
be one of the people finally deciding on which one
of these three. But they're all coming before us in
a sort of a beauty contest to propose what they
wanted to do and what they're wanting to use the
stadium for.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
It sounds like the cheapest one for the ratepayers would
be the billionaires, right.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I'm not going to comment on that. We didn't get
enough of the numbers. Actually, one of the things I
was disappointed at the first presentation is I want to
know what we get that as ratepayers and the council
will get back. It was all very well to see
lovely pictures of what it would look like and how
many people would be able to go there, and what
functions and features. I'm really a bit flinty faced on this,
and I want to know what's the sum of money
(05:27):
that we will get back into the coffers to help
take the burden off rate payers.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah, fair enough, Jack, because one of the options is
for the Ponsonbee Rugby Club, and laudable as that might sound,
it does also sound like it might be ratepayers on
the hook for it.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Well, sort of wonder two which of these operations could
go elsewhere, right, and which would ultimately benefit the most people.
And as someone who has gone to the speedway, thea
a fair bit and has also become a diehard Auckland
FC fan over the last six months or so season
ticket holder. Don't worry about that. I love it, absolutely
(06:06):
love it. Love the idea of having a stadium that
with that kind of intimacy. Twelve and a half thousand
that close to town so that people could go along and
support the football. I mean, there was just something about
going to live sport in a stadium that's full that's
just so wonderful. And you know, one of the things
we've learned from go Media or Mounsmart, you know, throughout
(06:28):
the course of the A League season, is that they've
actually consistently got more than twelve and a half thousand
people there. So I was actually a little surprised that
their stadium proposal wasn't slightly larger. But it does sound
like from the limited details we have at the moment,
there would be lots of options the indoor option as well,
maybe some courts for other kids to play basketball and
the like. And yeah, you know, we won't be able
(06:48):
to fully throw our weight behind an option until we
have all of the details for those other two proposals.
But I would have thought when it comes to something
like Ponsumi Rugby Club, which is an absolute institution, you
would hope that some sort of agreement could be made
to support the club and moving to different facilities right
with the other b Having that land that's central is
just a massive opportunity.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Totally, Jack, how much did you see some pass costs
for the ac curiousity.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I think it was like a well for an adult
and a kid. It was like a thousand bucks at
the start of the season.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Okay, that's quite good.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yeah, maybe something more, but it's really good. There's like
a member's lounge area as well, and you get you know,
various bits of merchant things. But yeah, it was very
good value. Well, we're proved to be very good value.
It's easy to support them while it's winning.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Just while we're on the subject, how much do you
get paid?
Speaker 2 (07:40):
You can see that one coming. Look, I get paid
money and fair words, But I would support the idea
of anyone having, you know, having the right to tell
their colleagues how much they're in And I know that
at the moment it's only restricted to people who signed
contracts that prevent them from doing so. I think you know,
(08:02):
a publicity or reporting function that mandated everyone knew how
much everyone earned. That's too far from me. But I
think giving giving employees the option to share their salary
with other people is perfectly reasonable.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Okay, but that's not what that's not what this is doing.
So I'm a big fan. If you want to share
how much you're earning with your colleague. But if your
employer says, look, i'd really like to put you on
a quite a higher rate, and because you're so good
at what you do. But if I tell all the
rest of the people and the team, that'll blow it
to pieces and I have to leave you back at
the same level. So I'm putting a clause in your
(08:36):
contract that says you just can't tell them what you're on.
You can easily say no, I don't want that, Okay, well,
then you'll go back to the same level as everybody else.
I think if it's in your contract and you sign it,
then that's an obligation you have to have of not
telling people what you're.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I totally agree. If it's in the contract then you
sign it, then that is an obligation. But I just
don't know that.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
It needs to be in contract.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
And I'm not sure that that the scenario that you've
just drivers necessarily happen happening all that often.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
I don't just happening very often a tour. But I
think if an employer says, you've got to wear a
blue tie when you come to work in my office,
and I'm going to put that in your contract and
I'm going to pay you.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Extra way grand more or something.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, And then then you can either say no,
I'm not having that, and he said, right, well let's
take that out and that will reduce you.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Well, I'd be saying I'd be coming to work with
two blue ties. Hey, guys, thank you very much for
coming on. Great to have you both on it. As always.
Marris Williams cent upland Councilor Jack Tam, host of Saturday
Mornings on News Talks, he'd be and Q and A
over at TV one.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Listen live to News Talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
It's nineteen to six the Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's
International Realty find your what.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
A the kind.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
We're going to the huddle now? Who's on the huddle tonight?
But's Q and A host and news talks. They'd be
host Jack Tame and Auckland councilor Morris Williams and good
evening guys.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Did even did I?
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Ryan?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Bit of a hard act to follow with Margaret?
Speaker 1 (00:20):
I know, how do you beat Margaret? How do you
do that?
Speaker 3 (00:23):
People are texting and we should all do the weather first.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
So somebody said, Ryan raining on the Hibiscus coast, most
welcome anyway, Hey, what did you think about that? Morris?
About local government New Zealand. I mean there's this argument
that it's too lefty and political. Do you see that
in it?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Absolutely. The briefings and the notes that I read when
I first became a counselor, it was the biggest pack
of woke rubbish I've ever read. And when I saw
we were spending seven hundred thousand dollars of Auckham taxpayers
and ratepayers money on it, I thought, you only stay
a member of an organization that provides you value. It
was the biggest lot of crap I've ever read, So
(01:06):
I was delighted for the fact that organd council voted
to get out of it.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Jack, What is their purpose? I mean, yeah, what is
their purpose?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
If not well, I mean I think, I mean to
give a collective voice to local governments around New Zealand.
And I mean it is you know, it's interesting, right
because I think whether it's you know, global geopolitics or
unions or anything in our kind of day to day
lives that if you're able to coalesce as a group,
(01:36):
often you have more kind of power and authority and negotiations.
And lots of local governments around the country have been
complaining over the last few years that systematically successive governments
have reduced the kind of local authority that these governments have.
They've systematically taken away some of their responsibilities. They have
very few measures for raising revenue that they are able
(01:58):
to you know, leaders, that they're able to pull them.
And I would have thought there's an argument that actually
having a kind of collective response with all the councils
around the country, or certainly as many as possible, would
give those local governments a stronger voice. Now for councils
like Auckland, it's perhaps a different equation, right, because Auckland's
so big that that council almost operates as an independent entity.
But you know, I would have thought if councils do
(02:20):
want to have more authority and they want more respect
from central government, there is an argument to be made
that actually having a collective voice put some of the
stronger position for negotiations.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah, okay, interesting, that's all very well.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
If they are doing the things that Jack's talking about.
You know, look we're going to have a look at,
say infrastructure and what's a good set of policies about
purchasing long term and whether you bring private sector stuff
and that stuff. I'd be happy to be joined up
with every other council on But I promise you if
you read some of the woke rubbish they were pumping out,
it was, in fact, I think some of the Greens
(02:52):
would even find it hard to tolerate.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Why are we talking gender neutral bike lanes or something?
What's the it was so much all right, Marris Williamson.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Please don't get me started on that.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
No, I'm certainly wont Marris Williamson and Jack tam on
the huddle when we come back. We're going to talk
about the billionaires and the stadium on the huddle tonight,
Marris Williamson and Jack Tames. So there's this bid by
former All Black Ally Williams, his billionaire wife and a
Mowbray and the US billionaire Bill Foley. They want to
build a new stadium on the site of Western Springs
because the racing's going to stop. I think it's this
(03:25):
weekend as the last one. This is there are three
options before the council to do something with this site,
and this is one of them. Marris, what you ever
been in meetings about this? What's going on and what
do you support? Do you have a view yet?
Speaker 3 (03:40):
This is sort of hilariously funny because when your producer
first asked me, I said, oh, no, it's totally top
secret because we were told this was completely confidential. And
then it's three thirty of press release came out saying
that because the Mowbray Williams syndicate had already gone public
to the media about it, we were now free to
talk about it. So what a difference three hours makes. Yeah,
(04:01):
there are going to be three different presentations We've had
the Mowbray Williams one where they're looking to make it
a twelve and a half thousand seat stadium but also
include a whole range of other things like sports facilities,
indoor basketball, paddle ball courts and so on. The first
one that I think was that's the first one, and
we've had that presentation. Then CRS Records Limit are going
(04:24):
to there are privately funded transformation into a premiere live
entertainment concert festival venue with about forty five thousand capability
of seating. And then the third one yet to come
as Ponsonby Rugby Club who want to extend their current
occupancy and expand their operation into other sports to enable
the venue to host fifty thousands on. So I can't
(04:47):
make too much of a comment on it because I'll
be one of the people finally deciding on which one
of these three. But they're all coming before us in
a sort of a beauty contest to propose what they
wanted to do and what they're wanting to use the
stadium for.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
It sounds like the cheapest one for the ratepayers would
be the billionaires, right.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I'm not going to comment on that. We didn't get
enough of the numbers. Actually, one of the things I
was disappointed at the first presentation is I want to
know what we get that as ratepayers and the council
will get back. It was all very well to see
lovely pictures of what it would look like and how
many people would be able to go there, and what
functions and features. I'm really a bit flinty faced on this,
and I want to know what's the sum of money
(05:27):
that we will get back into the coffers to help
take the burden off rate payers.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah, fair enough, Jack, because one of the options is
for the Ponsonbee Rugby Club, and laudable as that might sound,
it does also sound like it might be ratepayers on
the hook for it.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Well, sort of wonder two which of these operations could
go elsewhere, right, and which would ultimately benefit the most people.
And as someone who has gone to the speedway, thea
a fair bit and has also become a diehard Auckland
FC fan over the last six months or so season
ticket holder. Don't worry about that. I love it, absolutely
(06:06):
love it. Love the idea of having a stadium that
with that kind of intimacy. Twelve and a half thousand
that close to town so that people could go along and
support the football. I mean, there was just something about
going to live sport in a stadium that's full that's
just so wonderful. And you know, one of the things
we've learned from go Media or Mounsmart, you know, throughout
(06:28):
the course of the A League season, is that they've
actually consistently got more than twelve and a half thousand
people there. So I was actually a little surprised that
their stadium proposal wasn't slightly larger. But it does sound
like from the limited details we have at the moment,
there would be lots of options the indoor option as well,
maybe some courts for other kids to play basketball and
the like. And yeah, you know, we won't be able
(06:48):
to fully throw our weight behind an option until we
have all of the details for those other two proposals.
But I would have thought when it comes to something
like Ponsumi Rugby Club, which is an absolute institution, you
would hope that some sort of agreement could be made
to support the club and moving to different facilities right
with the other b Having that land that's central is
just a massive opportunity.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Totally, Jack, how much did you see some pass costs
for the ac curiousity.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I think it was like a well for an adult
and a kid. It was like a thousand bucks at
the start of the season.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Okay, that's quite good.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yeah, maybe something more, but it's really good. There's like
a member's lounge area as well, and you get you know,
various bits of merchant things. But yeah, it was very
good value. Well, we're proved to be very good value.
It's easy to support them while it's winning.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Just while we're on the subject, how much do you
get paid?
Speaker 2 (07:40):
You can see that one coming. Look, I get paid
money and fair words, But I would support the idea
of anyone having, you know, having the right to tell
their colleagues how much they're in And I know that
at the moment it's only restricted to people who signed
contracts that prevent them from doing so. I think you know,
(08:02):
a publicity or reporting function that mandated everyone knew how
much everyone earned. That's too far from me. But I
think giving giving employees the option to share their salary
with other people is perfectly reasonable.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Okay, but that's not what that's not what this is doing.
So I'm a big fan. If you want to share
how much you're earning with your colleague. But if your
employer says, look, i'd really like to put you on
a quite a higher rate, and because you're so good
at what you do. But if I tell all the
rest of the people and the team, that'll blow it
to pieces and I have to leave you back at
the same level. So I'm putting a clause in your
(08:36):
contract that says you just can't tell them what you're on.
You can easily say no, I don't want that, Okay, well,
then you'll go back to the same level as everybody else.
I think if it's in your contract and you sign it,
then that's an obligation you have to have of not
telling people what you're.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I totally agree. If it's in the contract then you
sign it, then that is an obligation. But I just
don't know that.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
It needs to be in contract.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
And I'm not sure that that the scenario that you've
just drivers necessarily happen happening all that often.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
I don't just happening very often a tour. But I
think if an employer says, you've got to wear a
blue tie when you come to work in my office,
and I'm going to put that in your contract and
I'm going to pay you.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Extra way grand more or something.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, And then then you can either say no,
I'm not having that, and he said, right, well let's
take that out and that will reduce you.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Well, I'd be saying I'd be coming to work with
two blue ties. Hey, guys, thank you very much for
coming on. Great to have you both on it. As always.
Marris Williams cent upland Councilor Jack Tam, host of Saturday
Mornings on News Talks, he'd be and Q and A
over at TV one.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Listen live to News Talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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