November 27, 2025 • 9 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, former Green Party MP Gareth Hughes and Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
Air New Zealand CEO Nikhil Ravishankar wants airports around the country to stop giving Jetstar an 'advantage' with discounts that allows them to run cheaper flights. What do we make of this?
The Northland business chamber has suggested many businesses in the area won't want to join a class action lawsuit against Transpower because they just want to move on from the collapsed pylon saga? Do we think the business owners will get on board?
New research shows millennials are the first generation to drift further left than their older counterparts. Why do we think this is?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The huddle with New Zealand Southby's International Realty, a name
you can trust locally and globally.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Right on the huddle with me this evening we have
Gareth Hughes, director of the Well Being Economy Alliance out
here or a former Green MP, and Nick Leggett Infrastructure
New Zealand. Hello you too, Hello Nick? Do you fly
the Jet Star?
Speaker 3 (00:19):
I don't. I don't, but I am, you know, like,
I think that this is fair, you know, fair enough
for regional airports to be doing this. This is about
competition and ultimately the people that went out of Colt
competition are the kiwis that are flying around the place
you need to get from one destination to another. So
(00:40):
I think that this is fair enough. And it's not
as though here in New Zealand don't use their mite
and aggression to drive their bus andre lot. This is
just a bit of ballance.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Gareth, do you fly the jet Star?
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Occasionally? I've been pretty loyal to Air New Zealand over
the years, but they had like five hundred dollar flights
from Auckland to Wellington last week, so I was looking
at Jetstar, have been booking some flights.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
And then what happened. So you looked at jets do
and then what happened?
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Gareth, Oh, I have been booking some Jetstar flights. I
mean it is cheaper. And this is the irony for
the New Zealand right, It's the Barbara Streisand effect. They've
now just given the massive marketing opportunities to Jett to
talk about how much cheaper they are. Yeah, why don't
you know you're a big business. You know they should
be focusing on their business. They've got a lot of
issues from grounded planes to a massive strike next month.
(01:32):
I mean, I think they should be welcoming competition. I
think Keewis would love to see more competition on most
of their air routes. They've got eighty six percent of
the country's EDGEFA at the moment, so yeah, I'd like
to see them welcome competition.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Okay, now, I Nick, why don't you fly Jet Stars
because you're a snoll?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
No, No, I'm not like you ever. I And look,
I am an loyal in New Zealand customer and.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
I think because you've got through that's what it is.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Well, that may have something to do with it. There
are just there are more options and I think that
from a memory and this may go back a few years.
You have to really get to the airport a lot
earlier for a jet Star flight as you're flying Walklorn
to Wellington and you know, I how much?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Ten?
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah? Okay, well sometimes ten minutes can be the difference
between getting the flight and not.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
You're open, then you'll get over it. Because I'm getting
over it. I've decided to what I would in the
past have said was slummet. But I'm about to discover
I'm not going to slum it because I'm going to
be having a Gin and Tonic and You're going to
be sitting there just eating your casava chips. And that sucks,
doesn't it. Gareth? How do you feel about transport pat
(02:44):
transpower being sued and the importation of a culture of litigation.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Well, we don't really have this history of big class sections.
They're pretty rare in New Zealand. And you know, if
you look at acc right, I'm pretty I'm really proud
of our country and our model that we've avoided that
whole American style constantly suing each other. And I think
in this case, you know, the only victim, or half
the victim, will be the taxpayer because Transpower, you know,
(03:11):
is a state owned enterprise. So it's pretty refreshing actually
to see the Norsun Chamber and Commerce chief executives say,
you have local businesses are just ready to move on.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
But but Gareth, they have they'll have an indemnity insurance.
They'll have insurance.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Yeah, that's possible. And I know they've already donated a
million dollars.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Donated a million dollars. Gareth, listen to yourself. These these
are people who lost sixty to eighty million dollars. It
was not a donation. It was like the tiniest bit
of compo, wasn't it.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Yeah, But that's what's so interesting about it, right, it
looks like potentially free money. It's a you know, you
only pay if you win. But it looks like local
business isn't saying there isn't much demand. It's interesting this
litigant hasn't announced how many local companies are part of
this class faction. And the fact of the matter is,
I think the words are probably going to eat up
(04:02):
a healthy chunk of it.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, probably, as always this and take a break. I
want to hear what you've got to say, Nick will
do it next.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Week the Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International Realty the
only truly global brand.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Right, you're back with the hudd on Nick Legg at
Gareth us Nick. What do you think about the culture
of litigation?
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Yeah, I think that if you're a small or a
medium sized business, yeah, it's an opten, not about option.
But the truth is this stuff SAPs time and energy
and that costs money. And from what I see about Northland,
they are very focused on their economic future, so they
(04:40):
understand the benefit of actually thinking forward, investing in energy,
investing in transport and connections to Northland, not looking backwards.
We do have massive energy challenges in this country going
to the future, and I think I just think this
is a really pragmatic attitude to be hearing and it is.
It's in line with the Kiwi spirit. Sometimes I think
(05:02):
we roll over and sort of take things too much,
but actually I think this is I think they've they've
they've put the that they've done my thinking and they've
weighed it up.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
And this is where there is the possibility that Lee mccerro,
who is the boss of north Chamber here, has misread
the room entirely, and that in fact, the businesses there
do want the compensation.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Well, I think that's news talk z'b who's run the story.
It's it's their job to find out.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Well, that's what I'm telling you.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Yeah, Well, I'm just I mean, I'm only going off
what the chamber's here because.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Because I mean, think about this, Nick, what's your take
on this? Okay? If you are a small oyster farmer
in Madicana and water Care is just pumping pooe into
your water and ruining your livelihood, don't you want the
ability to be able to go? This is not on
And actually I'm going to sue your ass. And if
you're the guys in Northland and they just they just
some numpty pulls the nuts out and off goes your
(05:54):
lights for three or four days and you lose potentially millions,
don't you want the ability to go? Hey? You actually
owe me?
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yep, there should not. There should be some conversation. If
you think about the water Care example, there's regulator as
there is a transpower to get this stuff right, and
that's what we expect. But the highly you know, this
the sort of culture of litigation rewards one group of
people in the nation. That's lawyers generally. So there has
(06:20):
to be other ways of being fairly allocating losses and
giving those sort of those sort of public infrastructure companies
sort of the smack on the hand that they need
when they stuff up.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah, fair enough, Gareth, you in a way in it all?
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Oh, I mean, I think it's different from the poo
and the water thing. You know, this was an accident,
It wasn't on intentional, wasn't malicious. But it looks like
this litigation is coming from a litigation company, you know,
not this hasn't actually come from the community or businesses involved.
We'll actually see how many businesses join imagine soon.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Yeah, that's taking the.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Someone is and someone's obviously taking the pun because I
think they've got to. Hey, Gareth, what do you make
of this thing about the millennials not doing what the
other generations are doing? Like everybody else starts off a
little bit you know, hippy dippy, and then becomes more
conservative as they get older. But the millennials aren't getting
more conservative. They're going the other way.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
Well, Winston Churchill once said, if you're not a liberal
when you're twenty five, you've got no heart. But if
you're not a conservative by the time he's thirty five,
you've got no brain. But at least across the disk,
in the last four elections, young voters there have been
going less conservative. They've been voting for Labour, Green and
other parties. And I think it's quite interesting. We can
see something similar happening in the US, UK New Zealand
(07:35):
politics at the same time. And I think it basically
it comes down to that millennials are facing really acute
pressure housing, an affordability costs, a living climate crisis. They
look like the first generation to be worse off than
their parents' generation.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yeah. I wonder if that I reckon that that's what's
going on here, Nick, is that normally you become more
conservative when you settle down, buy a house, have your kids,
and millennials are leaving that to so late showing up yet.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Yeah, I think I think that's right. I also think
that in those countries that Gareth mentioned, a lot of
the conservative parties have not got their act together, They've
lost their mojo. I mean, you think about the Australian
federal election result. You know, the Liberal Party had had
a terrible result, or the coalition had a terrible result.
(08:22):
Whether it's just you know, the the weather of that election,
or whether it is a climate you know, for conservative
parties generally, I think I'd want to wait a bit
longer to see. But there certainly does seem to be
some information up front that suggests that this is the case.
And yeah, you sort of feel it, don't you, in
your in your cohorts. I think people are keeping their
(08:45):
politics longer, or as it says, opting, and as Gareth
pointed out, opting for smaller parties as well.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yeah, yeah, fascinating stuff. Hey, listen, guys, thanks very much,
go and enjoy yourselves. And you know I was going
to say, fly yet, Star, but wait until Thursday and
then I'll tell you where you applying. You Sarah not
garetheus Nickleigh at our huddle
Speaker 1 (09:02):
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.
The huddle with New Zealand Southby's International Realty, a name
you can trust locally and globally.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Right on the huddle with me this evening we have
Gareth Hughes, director of the Well Being Economy Alliance out
here or a former Green MP, and Nick Leggett Infrastructure
New Zealand. Hello you too, Hello Nick? Do you fly
the Jet Star?
Speaker 3 (00:19):
I don't. I don't, but I am, you know, like,
I think that this is fair, you know, fair enough
for regional airports to be doing this. This is about
competition and ultimately the people that went out of Colt
competition are the kiwis that are flying around the place
you need to get from one destination to another. So
(00:40):
I think that this is fair enough. And it's not
as though here in New Zealand don't use their mite
and aggression to drive their bus andre lot. This is
just a bit of ballance.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Gareth, do you fly the jet Star?
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Occasionally? I've been pretty loyal to Air New Zealand over
the years, but they had like five hundred dollar flights
from Auckland to Wellington last week, so I was looking
at Jetstar, have been booking some flights.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
And then what happened. So you looked at jets do
and then what happened?
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Gareth, Oh, I have been booking some Jetstar flights. I
mean it is cheaper. And this is the irony for
the New Zealand right, It's the Barbara Streisand effect. They've
now just given the massive marketing opportunities to Jett to
talk about how much cheaper they are. Yeah, why don't
you know you're a big business. You know they should
be focusing on their business. They've got a lot of
issues from grounded planes to a massive strike next month.
(01:32):
I mean, I think they should be welcoming competition. I
think Keewis would love to see more competition on most
of their air routes. They've got eighty six percent of
the country's EDGEFA at the moment, so yeah, I'd like
to see them welcome competition.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Okay, now, I Nick, why don't you fly Jet Stars
because you're a snoll?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
No, No, I'm not like you ever. I And look,
I am an loyal in New Zealand customer and.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
I think because you've got through that's what it is.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Well, that may have something to do with it. There
are just there are more options and I think that
from a memory and this may go back a few years.
You have to really get to the airport a lot
earlier for a jet Star flight as you're flying Walklorn
to Wellington and you know, I how much?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Ten?
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah? Okay, well sometimes ten minutes can be the difference
between getting the flight and not.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
You're open, then you'll get over it. Because I'm getting
over it. I've decided to what I would in the
past have said was slummet. But I'm about to discover
I'm not going to slum it because I'm going to
be having a Gin and Tonic and You're going to
be sitting there just eating your casava chips. And that sucks,
doesn't it. Gareth? How do you feel about transport pat
(02:44):
transpower being sued and the importation of a culture of litigation.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Well, we don't really have this history of big class sections.
They're pretty rare in New Zealand. And you know, if
you look at acc right, I'm pretty I'm really proud
of our country and our model that we've avoided that
whole American style constantly suing each other. And I think
in this case, you know, the only victim, or half
the victim, will be the taxpayer because Transpower, you know,
(03:11):
is a state owned enterprise. So it's pretty refreshing actually
to see the Norsun Chamber and Commerce chief executives say,
you have local businesses are just ready to move on.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
But but Gareth, they have they'll have an indemnity insurance.
They'll have insurance.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Yeah, that's possible. And I know they've already donated a
million dollars.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Donated a million dollars. Gareth, listen to yourself. These these
are people who lost sixty to eighty million dollars. It
was not a donation. It was like the tiniest bit
of compo, wasn't it.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Yeah, But that's what's so interesting about it, right, it
looks like potentially free money. It's a you know, you
only pay if you win. But it looks like local
business isn't saying there isn't much demand. It's interesting this
litigant hasn't announced how many local companies are part of
this class faction. And the fact of the matter is,
I think the words are probably going to eat up
(04:02):
a healthy chunk of it.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, probably, as always this and take a break. I
want to hear what you've got to say, Nick will
do it next.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Week the Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International Realty the
only truly global brand.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Right, you're back with the hudd on Nick Legg at
Gareth us Nick. What do you think about the culture
of litigation?
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Yeah, I think that if you're a small or a
medium sized business, yeah, it's an opten, not about option.
But the truth is this stuff SAPs time and energy
and that costs money. And from what I see about Northland,
they are very focused on their economic future, so they
(04:40):
understand the benefit of actually thinking forward, investing in energy,
investing in transport and connections to Northland, not looking backwards.
We do have massive energy challenges in this country going
to the future, and I think I just think this
is a really pragmatic attitude to be hearing and it is.
It's in line with the Kiwi spirit. Sometimes I think
(05:02):
we roll over and sort of take things too much,
but actually I think this is I think they've they've
they've put the that they've done my thinking and they've
weighed it up.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
And this is where there is the possibility that Lee mccerro,
who is the boss of north Chamber here, has misread
the room entirely, and that in fact, the businesses there
do want the compensation.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Well, I think that's news talk z'b who's run the story.
It's it's their job to find out.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Well, that's what I'm telling you.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Yeah, Well, I'm just I mean, I'm only going off
what the chamber's here because.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Because I mean, think about this, Nick, what's your take
on this? Okay? If you are a small oyster farmer
in Madicana and water Care is just pumping pooe into
your water and ruining your livelihood, don't you want the
ability to be able to go? This is not on
And actually I'm going to sue your ass. And if
you're the guys in Northland and they just they just
some numpty pulls the nuts out and off goes your
(05:54):
lights for three or four days and you lose potentially millions,
don't you want the ability to go? Hey? You actually
owe me?
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yep, there should not. There should be some conversation. If
you think about the water Care example, there's regulator as
there is a transpower to get this stuff right, and
that's what we expect. But the highly you know, this
the sort of culture of litigation rewards one group of
people in the nation. That's lawyers generally. So there has
(06:20):
to be other ways of being fairly allocating losses and
giving those sort of those sort of public infrastructure companies
sort of the smack on the hand that they need
when they stuff up.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah, fair enough, Gareth, you in a way in it all?
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Oh, I mean, I think it's different from the poo
and the water thing. You know, this was an accident,
It wasn't on intentional, wasn't malicious. But it looks like
this litigation is coming from a litigation company, you know,
not this hasn't actually come from the community or businesses involved.
We'll actually see how many businesses join imagine soon.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Yeah, that's taking the.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Someone is and someone's obviously taking the pun because I
think they've got to. Hey, Gareth, what do you make
of this thing about the millennials not doing what the
other generations are doing? Like everybody else starts off a
little bit you know, hippy dippy, and then becomes more
conservative as they get older. But the millennials aren't getting
more conservative. They're going the other way.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
Well, Winston Churchill once said, if you're not a liberal
when you're twenty five, you've got no heart. But if
you're not a conservative by the time he's thirty five,
you've got no brain. But at least across the disk,
in the last four elections, young voters there have been
going less conservative. They've been voting for Labour, Green and
other parties. And I think it's quite interesting. We can
see something similar happening in the US, UK New Zealand
(07:35):
politics at the same time. And I think it basically
it comes down to that millennials are facing really acute
pressure housing, an affordability costs, a living climate crisis. They
look like the first generation to be worse off than
their parents' generation.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yeah. I wonder if that I reckon that that's what's
going on here, Nick, is that normally you become more
conservative when you settle down, buy a house, have your kids,
and millennials are leaving that to so late showing up yet.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Yeah, I think I think that's right. I also think
that in those countries that Gareth mentioned, a lot of
the conservative parties have not got their act together, They've
lost their mojo. I mean, you think about the Australian
federal election result. You know, the Liberal Party had had
a terrible result, or the coalition had a terrible result.
(08:22):
Whether it's just you know, the the weather of that election,
or whether it is a climate you know, for conservative
parties generally, I think I'd want to wait a bit
longer to see. But there certainly does seem to be
some information up front that suggests that this is the case.
And yeah, you sort of feel it, don't you, in
your in your cohorts. I think people are keeping their
(08:45):
politics longer, or as it says, opting, and as Gareth
pointed out, opting for smaller parties as well.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yeah, yeah, fascinating stuff. Hey, listen, guys, thanks very much,
go and enjoy yourselves. And you know I was going
to say, fly yet, Star, but wait until Thursday and
then I'll tell you where you applying. You Sarah not
garetheus Nickleigh at our huddle
Speaker 1 (09:02):
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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