July 23, 2025 • 10 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Kiwiblog's David Farrar joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
Can we confirm Nicola Willis' meeting with Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell was entirely pointless?
Some advocates have blamed the Government's policies for the increase in homelessness. What do we make of this?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jack Time, host of Q and A Saturday Mornings on
ZB and David Farreh of Kiwi Blog with US High Lads. Okay, Jack,
can we confirm that Nicola Willis's butter meeting with Miles
Hurrell was entirely pointless?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Well, look, look, the proof of the pudding is in
the eating or the churning in this case. So I'm
still hoping, holding out a hope that maybe Fonterra will
come out and find some elegant little pr solution when
they say great news for Kiwi consumers. Finally, we've been talking,
We've been talking about this two track economy for so long.
We're wondering where the impact of the of boom times
(00:35):
and in the ag sector are going to be filed.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Could Jack stop it, stop, stop stop stop. Let's just
deal with what you just said. Okay, So you think
that there is a chance that Federated Farmers fixes the
butter price for Nicola, The only way that they can
fix the butter price for Nicola is if they drop it.
And the only way that they can drop it is
if somebody else wears that price, which is the shareholders.
They can't do that.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Miles Horrel's liptation.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
I think I think they might come up with an
elegant pr solution like what. You've spent enough time in
this business to know that sometimes, well a lot of
the time, spinning takes the place of meaningful change, and
I think that's the likeliest scenarios.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Okay, what do you think, David?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
I think it was entirely pointless economically because the price
of butter and international commodities is set by what demand
there is amongst billions of people and what supply there is,
and we don't like it, but that's reality. Politically, of course,
it's not pointless. It's to say, I care, I'm talking
to him, I'm kind of doing about it is putting
(01:36):
some pressure on Fonterra, but his Jack says, unless they
take a loss, they're unlikely to do anything. Now, sometimes
you can justify taking above a fiscool if you think
your reputational damage is going to be so bad. So
that might be something that goes in the mix there.
And really what it will come back down to is
(01:58):
how big is the new Zella mune Get compared to
the Closs.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Okay, David, do you think because I think you make
a fair point that Nicola might have done it to
kind of, you know, look empathetic, but was it worth
it for looking stupid? Because that is the payoff here
is that Nicola called mileson and said I need I
need to understand how this works, and everybody said, well,
we can tell you how it works because it's really
bloody obvious. And it just kind of like the performance
was too obvious. Don't you think, David, I don't know
(02:22):
that there's I don't I don't think any of this
is worth.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
It's probably a watunate. Nicola spent seven years working for
fun Terror because normally that would work a lot there. No,
she was involved in pricing decisions at that, but it
does allow people to think you might actually just have
some idea, you know. I basically just explained that global
toply and demanded seat. But having said that, the average person,
(02:49):
people who read stuff every minute in the day and
listen to you NonStop, probably do get it about the
thing called But the average personal just and think, oh no,
miss trying to put some pressure on there on our side,
people aren't there into the My new tie is just
about the knuckle at the end of the day. If
it works and then it works. If it doesn't work,
(03:12):
you're probably not going to have lost anything by having
the meeting.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
I disagree with David on that, Jack, because I think
what Nicola is losing his respect from commentators and losing
respect from commentators for performance politics only takes a little
bit of time before that then feeds through in negative
columns and commentary to the party.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
What's the alternative though, like that that she she does
does absolutely nothing like if she's weighing up losing a
bit of respect with commentators and losing a bit of
respect with Joe Public, who didn't know that she worked
for Fontira for seven years and probably doesn't need to
sit down at the table with Miles Harrell with him saying,
so you start off with a cow, it's got four stomachs, yea,
you take him into a big paddy with lots of grass.
(03:55):
I mean yeah, I just think in the scheme of things,
you know, it's probably relatively elegant politicians and I can relatively.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I think us as a class probably over rate our
impact on people Trump, who get zero support from commentators
but has been quite successful not their home. Comparing Nicola
to Donald just to be and let us not.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Forget that that dare suggest that that these good day prices,
you know, expensive buster for us generally means good dairy
prices for dairy producers. And like to point out again
we've got a two track economy and arguably agriculture is
holding this country together the moment.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Listen is this was this homelessness report that came out
today exactly that everything that you were expecting when you
were having a track at TUMMA.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Paul Tucker, Yeah, yeah, I mean well, he finally said
in an interview to me that this report would show
that homelessness numbers were up and that a lot of
the frontline providers were saying that at least government policy
was partially to blame. I think what is clear from
this report is that there's a whole heap of things
that's contributing to an increase in reported homeless numbers at
(05:09):
the moment. But it is interesting because the government's been
incredibly successful in getting those emergency housing numbers down right,
the total What I'm.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Trying to say to you is this stuff is anecdotal, right.
I was looking for some firm numbers, and the best
that we've got as city councils are reporting kind of
reporting that they're seeing an increase. I don't think it's
a slam dunk.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Well, well, the problem for like Talma Portak has previously said,
I think that like the census, is the only way
that you get absolutely firmed up numbers. I mean you
can go to different city councils and they do different
counts at different times. So I think the Hamilton City
Council is about to do their Aucklam City Council did
their last count just before Christmas, and you know that
they recorded this really significant uptick since the government changed
(05:51):
some of its emergency housing policy. Like I say, I mean,
if you can't link it singly to emergency housing because
they've done things like you know, they prioritize families to
the top of the social housing list, which I think
all of us would agree makes absolute total sense. But
also they have toughened up the criteria for emergency housing,
(06:11):
so if you are judged to have contributed to your situation,
then you can be declined.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Right, let's go, let's go to a break. Let's go
to break. David, I want to hear what you think
called to two back with a huddle, Jack Tame, David Pharaoh, Right, David,
what do you make of the homelessness report?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Well, I think you have a very careful about even
the sense of start, because when you read about a
number of people homeless, you and I probably would think
that's people living literally on the streets or living in carts,
but actually the sense of starta ninety percent of those
called homeless and just what you call a transitional thing
(06:50):
where they might be it's been at a cousin's face
for a few weeks, at seat crash your friends, don't
get me wrong. Not ideal, but not homeless. I mean
in the home, it's secure, its warm face. So I think, yeah,
it's very careful with any of the start that comes out.
At the end of the day, there are very good
(07:12):
community providers like downtown s him Ministry or emissions who
are not.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
At capacity, as in they.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Go around and everyone who's on the streets knows they
can go there if they want to. Unfortunately, you've got
really to mental health, drag issues, etc. Where not everyone
takes them up. So yeah, what we need to do
is support those providers, but also understand that, yeah, it's
not just a matter of having available revision, it's far
(07:44):
more complicated.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Yeah, I would agree with that.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Jack.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
How do you feel about what Oli Peterson said about
he thinks it's weird that men work in childcare and
he would not want his three year old looked after
by a man.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Ah, Well, I wouldn't have a problem my children being
looked after by a man. What I would have a
problem is my child being looked after in any environment
were like teachers of any gender were one on one
with them in a kind of private space. You know,
I would find that a bit weird. And I think, no, No,
(08:19):
I think I mean in like in a public childcare.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
What's the difference, because.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
This is ultimately it is ultimately a judgment call, like
you need to Yeah, I suppose you have to have
it's a question of trust, right, But I think I
think providing an environment in those public spaces where you
don't have the chance to get to know educated as
well as you might with a nanny or an opia
or something like that, and I think, yeah, just making
(08:47):
sure that it was a space where educators aren't one
on one privately with children I think would be important.
But yeah, I have no problem with the guy, honestly, though,
I just I'm full of admiration because I just if
I am babysitting a toddler for more than about twenty minutes,
I am exhausted. I just can't. I cannot imagine.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Third friend, you've got it coming at you. You're only
about six months away from the David, what do you think?
How do you feel about it?
Speaker 2 (09:17):
This angers me. I've actually found a lot of time
on this issue. We need more male ECU teachers. That's
all mean a pedophiles? Can we get passer? No?
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Not no, that's not fair, David. Not all mean are pedophiles?
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Why teachers? The same reason woman too? You love kids?
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Yes, I agree with you time, but does.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
With my kids there? And you know what, not having
male teachers is bad. In fact, when I'm in there
is a male parent, the kids flop to you because
they're actually looking for those male role models there. But
he is also the unfortunate realm. This is what makes
it so tough. All those teachers kids have veriou feature
(10:00):
that come up, They on your lap, They want you
to read books in them and the entire time. If
you're a guy, at the back of your mind, you're
just like make sure there's other parents around who can
see where are your hands? Where are the is never
totally relaxing. This is the reality, unfortunately, ever since the
Peter Las case. Basically, this one's nonsense. So I think
(10:24):
anyone who takes their attitude about I don't want to
mail there. I've been involved in scouting movement. We need
to speaks.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
I've got to go.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Sure it does leave.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Okay, all right, thank you. I just felt that there
was another story coming and I thought, no, we haven't
got time for that. Thanks lads, appreciate it. David and
Jack hard all the see away from six.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news talks.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
Jack Time, host of Q and A Saturday Mornings on
ZB and David Farreh of Kiwi Blog with US High Lads. Okay, Jack,
can we confirm that Nicola Willis's butter meeting with Miles
Hurrell was entirely pointless?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Well, look, look, the proof of the pudding is in
the eating or the churning in this case. So I'm
still hoping, holding out a hope that maybe Fonterra will
come out and find some elegant little pr solution when
they say great news for Kiwi consumers. Finally, we've been talking,
We've been talking about this two track economy for so long.
We're wondering where the impact of the of boom times
(00:35):
and in the ag sector are going to be filed.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Could Jack stop it, stop, stop stop stop. Let's just
deal with what you just said. Okay, So you think
that there is a chance that Federated Farmers fixes the
butter price for Nicola, The only way that they can
fix the butter price for Nicola is if they drop it.
And the only way that they can drop it is
if somebody else wears that price, which is the shareholders.
They can't do that.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Miles Horrel's liptation.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
I think I think they might come up with an
elegant pr solution like what. You've spent enough time in
this business to know that sometimes, well a lot of
the time, spinning takes the place of meaningful change, and
I think that's the likeliest scenarios.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Okay, what do you think, David?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
I think it was entirely pointless economically because the price
of butter and international commodities is set by what demand
there is amongst billions of people and what supply there is,
and we don't like it, but that's reality. Politically, of course,
it's not pointless. It's to say, I care, I'm talking
to him, I'm kind of doing about it is putting
(01:36):
some pressure on Fonterra, but his Jack says, unless they
take a loss, they're unlikely to do anything. Now, sometimes
you can justify taking above a fiscool if you think
your reputational damage is going to be so bad. So
that might be something that goes in the mix there.
And really what it will come back down to is
(01:58):
how big is the new Zella mune Get compared to
the Closs.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Okay, David, do you think because I think you make
a fair point that Nicola might have done it to
kind of, you know, look empathetic, but was it worth
it for looking stupid? Because that is the payoff here
is that Nicola called mileson and said I need I
need to understand how this works, and everybody said, well,
we can tell you how it works because it's really
bloody obvious. And it just kind of like the performance
was too obvious. Don't you think, David, I don't know
(02:22):
that there's I don't I don't think any of this
is worth.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
It's probably a watunate. Nicola spent seven years working for
fun Terror because normally that would work a lot there. No,
she was involved in pricing decisions at that, but it
does allow people to think you might actually just have
some idea, you know. I basically just explained that global
toply and demanded seat. But having said that, the average person,
(02:49):
people who read stuff every minute in the day and
listen to you NonStop, probably do get it about the
thing called But the average personal just and think, oh no,
miss trying to put some pressure on there on our side,
people aren't there into the My new tie is just
about the knuckle at the end of the day. If
it works and then it works. If it doesn't work,
(03:12):
you're probably not going to have lost anything by having
the meeting.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
I disagree with David on that, Jack, because I think
what Nicola is losing his respect from commentators and losing
respect from commentators for performance politics only takes a little
bit of time before that then feeds through in negative
columns and commentary to the party.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
What's the alternative though, like that that she she does
does absolutely nothing like if she's weighing up losing a
bit of respect with commentators and losing a bit of
respect with Joe Public, who didn't know that she worked
for Fontira for seven years and probably doesn't need to
sit down at the table with Miles Harrell with him saying,
so you start off with a cow, it's got four stomachs, yea,
you take him into a big paddy with lots of grass.
(03:55):
I mean yeah, I just think in the scheme of things,
you know, it's probably relatively elegant politicians and I can relatively.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I think us as a class probably over rate our
impact on people Trump, who get zero support from commentators
but has been quite successful not their home. Comparing Nicola
to Donald just to be and let us not.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Forget that that dare suggest that that these good day prices,
you know, expensive buster for us generally means good dairy
prices for dairy producers. And like to point out again
we've got a two track economy and arguably agriculture is
holding this country together the moment.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Listen is this was this homelessness report that came out
today exactly that everything that you were expecting when you
were having a track at TUMMA.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Paul Tucker, Yeah, yeah, I mean well, he finally said
in an interview to me that this report would show
that homelessness numbers were up and that a lot of
the frontline providers were saying that at least government policy
was partially to blame. I think what is clear from
this report is that there's a whole heap of things
that's contributing to an increase in reported homeless numbers at
(05:09):
the moment. But it is interesting because the government's been
incredibly successful in getting those emergency housing numbers down right,
the total What I'm.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Trying to say to you is this stuff is anecdotal, right.
I was looking for some firm numbers, and the best
that we've got as city councils are reporting kind of
reporting that they're seeing an increase. I don't think it's
a slam dunk.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Well, well, the problem for like Talma Portak has previously said,
I think that like the census, is the only way
that you get absolutely firmed up numbers. I mean you
can go to different city councils and they do different
counts at different times. So I think the Hamilton City
Council is about to do their Aucklam City Council did
their last count just before Christmas, and you know that
they recorded this really significant uptick since the government changed
(05:51):
some of its emergency housing policy. Like I say, I mean,
if you can't link it singly to emergency housing because
they've done things like you know, they prioritize families to
the top of the social housing list, which I think
all of us would agree makes absolute total sense. But
also they have toughened up the criteria for emergency housing,
(06:11):
so if you are judged to have contributed to your situation,
then you can be declined.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Right, let's go, let's go to a break. Let's go
to break. David, I want to hear what you think
called to two back with a huddle, Jack Tame, David Pharaoh, Right, David,
what do you make of the homelessness report?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Well, I think you have a very careful about even
the sense of start, because when you read about a
number of people homeless, you and I probably would think
that's people living literally on the streets or living in carts,
but actually the sense of starta ninety percent of those
called homeless and just what you call a transitional thing
(06:50):
where they might be it's been at a cousin's face
for a few weeks, at seat crash your friends, don't
get me wrong. Not ideal, but not homeless. I mean
in the home, it's secure, its warm face. So I think, yeah,
it's very careful with any of the start that comes out.
At the end of the day, there are very good
(07:12):
community providers like downtown s him Ministry or emissions who
are not.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
At capacity, as in they.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Go around and everyone who's on the streets knows they
can go there if they want to. Unfortunately, you've got
really to mental health, drag issues, etc. Where not everyone
takes them up. So yeah, what we need to do
is support those providers, but also understand that, yeah, it's
not just a matter of having available revision, it's far
(07:44):
more complicated.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Yeah, I would agree with that.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Jack.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
How do you feel about what Oli Peterson said about
he thinks it's weird that men work in childcare and
he would not want his three year old looked after
by a man.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Ah, Well, I wouldn't have a problem my children being
looked after by a man. What I would have a
problem is my child being looked after in any environment
were like teachers of any gender were one on one
with them in a kind of private space. You know,
I would find that a bit weird. And I think, no, No,
(08:19):
I think I mean in like in a public childcare.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
What's the difference, because.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
This is ultimately it is ultimately a judgment call, like
you need to Yeah, I suppose you have to have
it's a question of trust, right, But I think I
think providing an environment in those public spaces where you
don't have the chance to get to know educated as
well as you might with a nanny or an opia
or something like that, and I think, yeah, just making
(08:47):
sure that it was a space where educators aren't one
on one privately with children I think would be important.
But yeah, I have no problem with the guy, honestly, though,
I just I'm full of admiration because I just if
I am babysitting a toddler for more than about twenty minutes,
I am exhausted. I just can't. I cannot imagine.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Third friend, you've got it coming at you. You're only
about six months away from the David, what do you think?
How do you feel about it?
Speaker 2 (09:17):
This angers me. I've actually found a lot of time
on this issue. We need more male ECU teachers. That's
all mean a pedophiles? Can we get passer? No?
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Not no, that's not fair, David. Not all mean are pedophiles?
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Why teachers? The same reason woman too? You love kids?
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Yes, I agree with you time, but does.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
With my kids there? And you know what, not having
male teachers is bad. In fact, when I'm in there
is a male parent, the kids flop to you because
they're actually looking for those male role models there. But
he is also the unfortunate realm. This is what makes
it so tough. All those teachers kids have veriou feature
(10:00):
that come up, They on your lap, They want you
to read books in them and the entire time. If
you're a guy, at the back of your mind, you're
just like make sure there's other parents around who can
see where are your hands? Where are the is never
totally relaxing. This is the reality, unfortunately, ever since the
Peter Las case. Basically, this one's nonsense. So I think
(10:24):
anyone who takes their attitude about I don't want to
mail there. I've been involved in scouting movement. We need
to speaks.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
I've got to go.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Sure it does leave.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Okay, all right, thank you. I just felt that there
was another story coming and I thought, no, we haven't
got time for that. Thanks lads, appreciate it. David and
Jack hard all the see away from six.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news talks.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
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