July 13, 2026 • 12 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
Is it fair that MPs get a better KiwiSaver deal that the rest of us? Is this fair to ensure we get quality politicians?
The family of actor Sam Neill today confirmed he died at a Sydney Hospital, aged 78. How will he be remembered?
The Internal Affairs Department workers' strike - is this a sign we're cutting the public service too hard? What do we make of this?
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Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The huddle with New Zealand Souderby's International Realty, a name
you can trust locally and globally.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
So on the huddle today we have trust Sheshon from
Shesson with us at PR and Jose Peggarti the toil
Fun Chief Executive. Hello, Hello, Hello, Hellollo Andrew, Yes, Josie's
in the studio. Trish couldn't be bothered.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
No, Well, what conclusion can we draw from that? Andrew?
Who I listen to.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
The I think I think that is a gross mischaracterization, Andrew.
And you know I normally love to run up the
drive into the studio.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yes, yeah, because you only work right next door. So
but never mind, we might be together. Look gross, gross,
gross over exaggerations. That's what I do for a living. Okay,
you just heard Grammy as talking about the MP's goldplate
and can we save a deal where they get two
dollars fifty from the taxpayer for every dollar that they
put into the scheme. And Graham came up with his
(00:56):
reasons why this happens because most of us go, we
want that. Why why are the parliamentarians getting this sort
of thing? Did you heard Graham? Jose, did you think
you make it a good point about the fact that
this is just as to say, don't do corruption, don't worry,
you'll be dealt with later.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah, the point he makes is a fair one. There's
a great quote which I can't remember who said it,
but it says the poor and the middle class pay tax,
the rich pay accountants, the wealthing pay politicians.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Troast really reckon. I mean, it does sound unfair to
the rest of us.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
Well, it does. I don't know. I thought there was
a very interesting reasoning from Graham, and one which I
hadn't heard before. I do feel that if you want
competent people to be members of Parliament, and we absolutely
have to have competent people, you know, the pay has
to be commensurate with that. I do think though, when
(01:51):
ordinary kiwis look at this, that scheme does seem it
doesn't have the relativity. I think we're the words from
the from the on Boardsman's office that you would expect,
I e. It's not similar to what ordinary kiwis get
in their in their contribution rates. And I do think
(02:14):
that it's you know, there is a lot of this
with with regulators and watchdogs where they will go through
go through things that are happening. They will make recommendations,
and then it's several years later things still haven't changed.
So I do think if I were a politician now,
I would be coming back and having a look at
(02:34):
this and thinking it is an issue of venice. Yes,
salaries have to cominent people.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
It's also the side of the times, you have to say, Josie,
because we're all being told to do it tough by politicians,
and we have done for many years, and then we
get stories about batches, and we get stories about remuneration
and people actually not taking pay cuts, and you also
end up with these stories of goldplayer Kibi Savers. If
they're asking us to do hard times, they need to
be showed that they're doing hard times too.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Yes. Sorry, I did this random quote and didn't finish.
So what I meant to say about that there's a
perception there that that that politicians could be open to corruption, right,
and that's actually a very real issue. We've seen it.
I mean even in our own country we had what
was his name title? So the thing that Graham, the
point that Graham's making is that you've got to avoid
(03:23):
even the perception. Right. The problem with this is that
the So what the politicians says. They set up the
remuneration authority to decide salaries and perks and these and
super And when the remuneration authority says we think your
salary should go up, we have to accept that because
they're independent. But if they then say, oh, we think
your super scheme, which was actually designed before Key, we savor.
(03:46):
Now we've got Key, we say, well, we think you
should actually change it, and then they ignore it post COVID,
then you've got a problem. So you can't just take
the advice when it says I think your salary should
go up.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Very good stuff, and I thank you the time right
now sixteen minute six.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
This is news talk zaid be breaking news.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
So in breaking news, the family of actor Sam Neil
has confirmed he's died in hospital. In a statement, they
say he died in Sydney, he was surrounded by family
and he died with the dignity that has characterized his
whole life. So reaffirming that the family of actor Sam
Neil has confirmed he's died in hospital. And of course,
(04:29):
if you know the story of Sam Neil, he had
he had a very big battle against cancer and he
came through and then attacked life again with great gusto.
But now of course it has come back and he
has died, and frankly, it took my breath away, and frankly,
Josie took your breath away too.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I'm quite shocked because his family friend and I knew
that this was imminent and it was just family knowledge
at that time, and I thought that he had had
a better few days. And so yeah, I'm I'm really shocked.
He's a I mean, he's a key we icon, isn't he.
And the Neil family there, they're a wonderful family. His
(05:11):
niece has been my best friends, which was a baby,
his brother Michael Neil. My heart goes out to him
because they're very close and so they I mean, yeah,
I've lived with them, I've been around them all my
life and I'm heartbroken to see Sam go who Yeah,
I mean, he will be remembered across the world.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Actually I knew Anna, who was Michael's daughter, and I've
seen Mike. I see Michael right now. Is she give
given my love and Helen's love as well? And I
saw Michael doing the tempests. But that's not that It's
about Sam right now? Is such a gentleman, so good
at what he did. Also such a great vintner, involved.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
In so many causes, I mean some that I would
argue with him about till I was read in the
face because he was you know, he was very passionate
about not building certain building projects down in the South Island.
But you know, he believed him in what he did.
He stood out and even if I disagreed with him,
I respected the fact that he took a position. He
(06:11):
was a great actor, I really think. I mean he
did everything from Jurassic part to Shakespeare, you know, and
that's why he's got a global reputation. And it's a
loss for New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
It really is true. Sorry, it's a bit fresh. Do
you want to say something or should we take a break?
Speaker 4 (06:28):
I think we should take a break.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Yeah, so do I In breaking news, actor Sam Neil
is dead and he died in Sydney, surrounded by family.
And he died apparently with the dignity that has characterized
his whole life.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
The Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International Realty, the only
truly global brand.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Thank you for all the great text you're doing about
Sam Neil. More on that a little bit later on
the huddle today we have Tris Shesson and we also
have Jose Pegany and let's talk about this in Internal
Affairs department strike which happened today for two hours from
eleven until one. The department actually says we're offering you
six percent because they've got step progressions in there and
(07:10):
ump say for some payments. The PSA is saying, I'm sorry,
this doesn't take into account cost of living we're getting
I'm getting the feeling a little bit Josie that I'm
not sure whether this is a dispute actually about the wages,
but a bit of electioneering because we're so close to
an election.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
I think it is about the wages. Andrew, I know
what you're saying about. You know, PSA have been a
labor friendly union. Putting that aside, you've still got a
whole bunch of staff in that organizer, in that department DIA,
Department of Internal Affairs, some of whom are paid sixty
five thousand dollars a year, and you know that's bugger all.
And when you've got a cost of living crisis. So
there is a real issue there, right, despite all our
(07:49):
politicking around whose side of the union's on or whatever,
and I think I think it's a fair fight, right.
The other issue I've got, though, is that this thing
about step changes, Dwayne, is that's you're right that that's
a contractual obligation. You work for a certain number of years,
your salary goes up. If we didn't have that, you'd
be on the same salary you were on in nineteen ninety, right,
(08:10):
So he's right about that. But I know as an
employer too, it's really hard at the moment. And if
you've got a CPI increase, So if you're trying to
increase salaries to deal the cost of living crisis and you've
got someone who's due a step change, you've got to
come to some kind of arrangement temporarily at least while
we're in the cost of living crisis that we're in.
But bottom line, you cannot live on sixty five K
(08:32):
a year. You've got to do something. So I think
it's complicated, but I don't think we should get distracted
by thinking that it's politicking. There is a real issue here.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Okay, Well, what do you think, Trisha, And can I
just say about step progression and all that I used
to get step progression when now I was a radio
presenter for the Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand and we
were public servants and we have great old yes I am,
and we have pay grades and all that. Can I
just tell you now that I'm a contractor like every
other presenter. We don't automatically get pague increases just because
they've got a bit older.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
I've never had a step increase go chest.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Well, I think that I think that comes to a
really great point. I mean, number one, I think you
always have to very carefully unpick the union's press releases
around any pay dispute because ultimately, sitting underneath that is
a whole lot of nuance and they're great at getting
a headline that probably doesn't often reflect the true situation.
(09:26):
Number two, I think you know, my question is what
is the cost of living those words? What is that
being used as a proxy for in this conversation, Because
if this is about you know, a wage increase to
keep up with CPI or inflation, that that is something different.
You can't quantify the cost of living increase. So I
(09:47):
think that's a bit of a red hearing. I agree
with Josie that you know, sixty five k in New
Zealand is not a high salary, but equally at the moment,
everybody is cutting their cloth to suit in these times,
and I think where these workers are probably being caught
in is overall a very tough economy. You know, a
(10:11):
government that doesn't have money to splash around on big
wage increases. And as we know in the public sector,
what what the Public Service Commission is is weary of
is if you give one sector an award, others are
going to want the same or equals. So there's they
are wary of a domino effect and probably of adding
(10:33):
to inflation. So it's a tough situation for those workers.
But I think there is not one level of probably
a worker in New Zealand who isn't in a tough
situation at the moment. And that's just where it was.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
It was that Reiertor and Duane did that when he
was in this interview just cost of living, cost of living,
cost of living in a whole and the people said,
for Christ's sake, we've more got a cost of living
problem out.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
Right, actually, but again that those are our pejorative words,
and what does that actually mean, how do you that
sort of that's my point. How do you quantify that
in a pay claim? You know, most most pay claims,
if you're talking about is it is it matching CPI
or the you know, the rate of the rate of inflation,
(11:17):
And so I think those words need to be really
unpacked in this context.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Yeah, but I do think it's real though, TRICI, isn't it.
I mean, we all know people and ourselves included, we're
on decent incomes, but you still feel like you're still struggling, right,
And so you think why, you know, I've got family
members and friends who are on lower incomes, and you think, man,
that's hard, so hard. A one percent, right, and you've
got three point one percent inflation.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
But there's so many being paid at that level in
this country. There is because the text maced is going
off with everybody saying, wow, sixty five, that's luxury. I'm
paid sixty Trish Sesson and jose Beganni thank you so
much for your time here on the Huddle.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
For more from Hither duplessy Ellen Drive, listen live to
news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
The huddle with New Zealand Souderby's International Realty, a name
you can trust locally and globally.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
So on the huddle today we have trust Sheshon from
Shesson with us at PR and Jose Peggarti the toil
Fun Chief Executive. Hello, Hello, Hello, Hellollo Andrew, Yes, Josie's
in the studio. Trish couldn't be bothered.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
No, Well, what conclusion can we draw from that? Andrew?
Who I listen to.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
The I think I think that is a gross mischaracterization, Andrew.
And you know I normally love to run up the
drive into the studio.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yes, yeah, because you only work right next door. So
but never mind, we might be together. Look gross, gross,
gross over exaggerations. That's what I do for a living. Okay,
you just heard Grammy as talking about the MP's goldplate
and can we save a deal where they get two
dollars fifty from the taxpayer for every dollar that they
put into the scheme. And Graham came up with his
(00:56):
reasons why this happens because most of us go, we
want that. Why why are the parliamentarians getting this sort
of thing? Did you heard Graham? Jose, did you think
you make it a good point about the fact that
this is just as to say, don't do corruption, don't worry,
you'll be dealt with later.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah, the point he makes is a fair one. There's
a great quote which I can't remember who said it,
but it says the poor and the middle class pay tax,
the rich pay accountants, the wealthing pay politicians.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Troast really reckon. I mean, it does sound unfair to
the rest of us.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
Well, it does. I don't know. I thought there was
a very interesting reasoning from Graham, and one which I
hadn't heard before. I do feel that if you want
competent people to be members of Parliament, and we absolutely
have to have competent people, you know, the pay has
to be commensurate with that. I do think though, when
(01:51):
ordinary kiwis look at this, that scheme does seem it
doesn't have the relativity. I think we're the words from
the from the on Boardsman's office that you would expect,
I e. It's not similar to what ordinary kiwis get
in their in their contribution rates. And I do think
(02:14):
that it's you know, there is a lot of this
with with regulators and watchdogs where they will go through
go through things that are happening. They will make recommendations,
and then it's several years later things still haven't changed.
So I do think if I were a politician now,
I would be coming back and having a look at
(02:34):
this and thinking it is an issue of venice. Yes,
salaries have to cominent people.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
It's also the side of the times, you have to say, Josie,
because we're all being told to do it tough by politicians,
and we have done for many years, and then we
get stories about batches, and we get stories about remuneration
and people actually not taking pay cuts, and you also
end up with these stories of goldplayer Kibi Savers. If
they're asking us to do hard times, they need to
be showed that they're doing hard times too.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Yes. Sorry, I did this random quote and didn't finish.
So what I meant to say about that there's a
perception there that that that politicians could be open to corruption, right,
and that's actually a very real issue. We've seen it.
I mean even in our own country we had what
was his name title? So the thing that Graham, the
point that Graham's making is that you've got to avoid
(03:23):
even the perception. Right. The problem with this is that
the So what the politicians says. They set up the
remuneration authority to decide salaries and perks and these and
super And when the remuneration authority says we think your
salary should go up, we have to accept that because
they're independent. But if they then say, oh, we think
your super scheme, which was actually designed before Key, we savor.
(03:46):
Now we've got Key, we say, well, we think you
should actually change it, and then they ignore it post COVID,
then you've got a problem. So you can't just take
the advice when it says I think your salary should
go up.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Very good stuff, and I thank you the time right
now sixteen minute six.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
This is news talk zaid be breaking news.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
So in breaking news, the family of actor Sam Neil
has confirmed he's died in hospital. In a statement, they
say he died in Sydney, he was surrounded by family
and he died with the dignity that has characterized his
whole life. So reaffirming that the family of actor Sam
Neil has confirmed he's died in hospital. And of course,
(04:29):
if you know the story of Sam Neil, he had
he had a very big battle against cancer and he
came through and then attacked life again with great gusto.
But now of course it has come back and he
has died, and frankly, it took my breath away, and frankly,
Josie took your breath away too.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I'm quite shocked because his family friend and I knew
that this was imminent and it was just family knowledge
at that time, and I thought that he had had
a better few days. And so yeah, I'm I'm really shocked.
He's a I mean, he's a key we icon, isn't he.
And the Neil family there, they're a wonderful family. His
(05:11):
niece has been my best friends, which was a baby,
his brother Michael Neil. My heart goes out to him
because they're very close and so they I mean, yeah,
I've lived with them, I've been around them all my
life and I'm heartbroken to see Sam go who Yeah,
I mean, he will be remembered across the world.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Actually I knew Anna, who was Michael's daughter, and I've
seen Mike. I see Michael right now. Is she give
given my love and Helen's love as well? And I
saw Michael doing the tempests. But that's not that It's
about Sam right now? Is such a gentleman, so good
at what he did. Also such a great vintner, involved.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
In so many causes, I mean some that I would
argue with him about till I was read in the
face because he was you know, he was very passionate
about not building certain building projects down in the South Island.
But you know, he believed him in what he did.
He stood out and even if I disagreed with him,
I respected the fact that he took a position. He
(06:11):
was a great actor, I really think. I mean he
did everything from Jurassic part to Shakespeare, you know, and
that's why he's got a global reputation. And it's a
loss for New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
It really is true. Sorry, it's a bit fresh. Do
you want to say something or should we take a break?
Speaker 4 (06:28):
I think we should take a break.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Yeah, so do I In breaking news, actor Sam Neil
is dead and he died in Sydney, surrounded by family.
And he died apparently with the dignity that has characterized
his whole life.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
The Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International Realty, the only
truly global brand.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Thank you for all the great text you're doing about
Sam Neil. More on that a little bit later on
the huddle today we have Tris Shesson and we also
have Jose Pegany and let's talk about this in Internal
Affairs department strike which happened today for two hours from
eleven until one. The department actually says we're offering you
six percent because they've got step progressions in there and
(07:10):
ump say for some payments. The PSA is saying, I'm sorry,
this doesn't take into account cost of living we're getting
I'm getting the feeling a little bit Josie that I'm
not sure whether this is a dispute actually about the wages,
but a bit of electioneering because we're so close to
an election.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
I think it is about the wages. Andrew, I know
what you're saying about. You know, PSA have been a
labor friendly union. Putting that aside, you've still got a
whole bunch of staff in that organizer, in that department DIA,
Department of Internal Affairs, some of whom are paid sixty
five thousand dollars a year, and you know that's bugger all.
And when you've got a cost of living crisis. So
there is a real issue there, right, despite all our
(07:49):
politicking around whose side of the union's on or whatever,
and I think I think it's a fair fight, right.
The other issue I've got, though, is that this thing
about step changes, Dwayne, is that's you're right that that's
a contractual obligation. You work for a certain number of years,
your salary goes up. If we didn't have that, you'd
be on the same salary you were on in nineteen ninety, right,
(08:10):
So he's right about that. But I know as an
employer too, it's really hard at the moment. And if
you've got a CPI increase, So if you're trying to
increase salaries to deal the cost of living crisis and you've
got someone who's due a step change, you've got to
come to some kind of arrangement temporarily at least while
we're in the cost of living crisis that we're in.
But bottom line, you cannot live on sixty five K
(08:32):
a year. You've got to do something. So I think
it's complicated, but I don't think we should get distracted
by thinking that it's politicking. There is a real issue here.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Okay, Well, what do you think, Trisha, And can I
just say about step progression and all that I used
to get step progression when now I was a radio
presenter for the Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand and we
were public servants and we have great old yes I am,
and we have pay grades and all that. Can I
just tell you now that I'm a contractor like every
other presenter. We don't automatically get pague increases just because
they've got a bit older.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
I've never had a step increase go chest.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Well, I think that I think that comes to a
really great point. I mean, number one, I think you
always have to very carefully unpick the union's press releases
around any pay dispute because ultimately, sitting underneath that is
a whole lot of nuance and they're great at getting
a headline that probably doesn't often reflect the true situation.
(09:26):
Number two, I think you know, my question is what
is the cost of living those words? What is that
being used as a proxy for in this conversation, Because
if this is about you know, a wage increase to
keep up with CPI or inflation, that that is something different.
You can't quantify the cost of living increase. So I
(09:47):
think that's a bit of a red hearing. I agree
with Josie that you know, sixty five k in New
Zealand is not a high salary, but equally at the moment,
everybody is cutting their cloth to suit in these times,
and I think where these workers are probably being caught
in is overall a very tough economy. You know, a
(10:11):
government that doesn't have money to splash around on big
wage increases. And as we know in the public sector,
what what the Public Service Commission is is weary of
is if you give one sector an award, others are
going to want the same or equals. So there's they
are wary of a domino effect and probably of adding
(10:33):
to inflation. So it's a tough situation for those workers.
But I think there is not one level of probably
a worker in New Zealand who isn't in a tough
situation at the moment. And that's just where it was.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
It was that Reiertor and Duane did that when he
was in this interview just cost of living, cost of living,
cost of living in a whole and the people said,
for Christ's sake, we've more got a cost of living
problem out.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
Right, actually, but again that those are our pejorative words,
and what does that actually mean, how do you that
sort of that's my point. How do you quantify that
in a pay claim? You know, most most pay claims,
if you're talking about is it is it matching CPI
or the you know, the rate of the rate of inflation,
(11:17):
And so I think those words need to be really
unpacked in this context.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Yeah, but I do think it's real though, TRICI, isn't it.
I mean, we all know people and ourselves included, we're
on decent incomes, but you still feel like you're still struggling, right,
And so you think why, you know, I've got family
members and friends who are on lower incomes, and you think, man,
that's hard, so hard. A one percent, right, and you've
got three point one percent inflation.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
But there's so many being paid at that level in
this country. There is because the text maced is going
off with everybody saying, wow, sixty five, that's luxury. I'm
paid sixty Trish Sesson and jose Beganni thank you so
much for your time here on the Huddle.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
For more from Hither duplessy Ellen Drive, listen live to
news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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