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June 21, 2024 5 mins

This week, the Prime Minister's Air Force plane broke down in Papua New Guinea. 

Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper breaks this down, as he wraps the political week. 

Soper told Heather du Plessis-Allan “They’re very good planes – but it’s like anything – if you don’t use them, they’ll break down.” 

Soper said “They’re only used as VIP aircraft about 15% of the time.” 

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Barry Soper, senior political correspondent, raps the political week that
was for us. Of course this time every week.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Welcome back, Barry, Hello again, Heather.

Speaker 1 (00:07):
It sounds to me like we're going to get a
new plane or a couple of new planes for the
defense Force.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Yeah, I think it's inevitable. I mean, you know, to
see what happened to us in Japan was embarrassing, and
I've seen it so many times before, having flown with
the URNSNAF on a number of occasions. And it's not
their fault. These are old planes. The Vice President of
the United States flies at seven five seven, so they're

(00:33):
very good planes. But it's like anything, if you don't
use them, they're going to break down. And they're not.
They're used for haulage and you know, if we help
out New Caledonian places like that, they're used for that.
But they're not used enough if you listen to defense.
So should we then go and buy a new plane? Well,

(00:57):
I think we've got to look the part if we
want to be a first world country. We're at the
bottom of the world. We're an export economy, and there's
nothing looks better and it is looks looks better than
an urn zav plane going onto the tarmac and the
red carpet being rolled out.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
I mean, the the looks argument will only get you
so far, right. Actually, the more compelling argument for me
is that you cannot put the defense force on a
plane that they're not sure is going to work and
then ask them to go to Antarctica or a war
zone or something like that, or an area where there
is a like a civil emergency happening. Right, they can't
be in an unsafe vehicle unable to get out. But

(01:38):
second of all, these planes are now costing us what
is it, thirty five million dollars a year. Actually, at
some point it becomes better finances to just buy a
new one and.

Speaker 2 (01:47):
See, we concentrate on these planes and the ability that
they have to break down. They only used as VIP
aircraft about fifteen percent of the time, so you know,
it's a small part of it, but nevertheless, you know,
it's waving the flag and showing that we are a
country of some importance. We're tiny, but you know we

(02:10):
are a first world country. The other thing though, that
came out of the trip, that was the one thing
and the CEA listers, you know, I think Chris Luxen,
now that he's back in the country, will reflect on
that he made it as an aside, if you like,
for trips that he's been on in the past over

(02:32):
the past six years. He hasn't been on a lot,
but he's been on a few, and I've got to
say the comment that he made was absolutely right. I've
sat down in the bucket section of the aircraft and
locked askance at some of the people that are on
the plane and have thought to myself, what on earth
are they doing here? I mean, what business can they

(02:54):
write other than getting in the Prime Minister's ear And
I think that's the attraction in the past of many
of these businesses, small businesses that go on these aircraft.
But now, and you've got to look at the makeup
of the current trip that they did. The businesses were

(03:14):
well represented by very senior organizations, not that they haven't
been in the past, but predominantly on this one, they
were very senior business brokers in this country, if you like,
and they've done they did good business in Japan. So
you know, if we want to Japan, our fourth biggest
export market, to improve, we've got to really put on

(03:38):
a bit of a show.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
Do you think Jinda's taking all these jobs overseas so
she doesn't have to come home?

Speaker 2 (03:42):
Haha? Well who knows?

Speaker 1 (03:45):
With us and our ongoing anger.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yeah, well, you know this is all about, you know,
global leadership and kindness and empathy. She said that it's
run by an organization called Global Progress and it will
create a network of like minded political leaders who use
wait for it, pragmatism, idealism and speak to people with

(04:10):
a hope and optimism. Well, I'm sorry. She may have
had a lot of words when she was Prime Minister,
and she always talked about well being and kindness, but
there are so many instances during the COVID lockdowns where
she was anything but and she led the charge. And
you know, I could name so many instances where people

(04:35):
felt as though, in fact they're birthright. If you look
at the people that were held out of the country
who had New Zealand passports and had to win a
lottery to get home, it's unheard of in New Zealand
and that's hardly.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
Kind, no fair enough, Nor is it what.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
Well, it's hardly kind, nor is it looking after people's
well being too fair?

Speaker 1 (04:54):
Hey, very quickly scrutiny. Week's been a success, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (04:58):
It has been. You know, you got a lot out
of it. It's given the opportunity, I guess of opposition parties.
So one thing that it's done is they can no
longer complain that the government is not being held to account.
The number of select committee of committees have been meeting
throughout and all the senior ministers, including the Finance Minister,

(05:19):
has appeared before them for several hours and so they
cannot complain now that the government has not been and
hasn't been held to account.

Speaker 1 (05:29):
Barry, thank you very much, really appreciated. Barry Soper, Senior
political correspondent, wrapping the political week that was.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
For more from Hither Duplicy Allan Drive, listen live to
news Talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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