January 21, 2025 • 11 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and Auckland City Councillor Richard Hills joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
The Herald's written a list of the pickiest and most peculiar advertising complaints of 2024 - what do we make of these? Have we turned into a nation of humourless whiners?
It's a big day for the US as Donald Trump returns to the Oval Office for his second term - and he's not wasting any time, having signed off on a number of executive orders on day one. What do we make of all this?
It's a tough market for job hunters - what do we recommend Kiwi job-seekers do?
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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 Southerby's International Realty, local and
global exposure like no other.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
So it is six twenty and we welcome to the huddle,
Jordan Williams from the taxplayers Unions and Richard Hills and
the Orklan City Council. Very good the ads, I mean,
the picky, it's the most peculiar and the question lies
that a lot of people in New Zealand have turned
into humorless whiners. And do you agree with that, Richard?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Absolutely. The complaints go from the most random round picking
you knows, too ridiculous around vibrators and different things around.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
No, no, it wasn't that it was vibrators, It was
the It was the claim that vibrators could help with
your marriage, all right. That was what was deemed to
be terribly misleading, and the fact.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
That a Mardi man was driving a car fast was
racist and different things. So it is. I think most
of them aimed to be humorous, and we're probably tested
on audiences and most audiences probably found them quite funny.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
What do you reckon, Jordan?
Speaker 4 (00:59):
I mean, yeah that if I've dealt with it won't
come as a surprise. Andrew that the Taxpayers Union, and
some of the clients of my digital marketing agency are
subject to many a complaint over the years, and Hillary
is fantastic to deal with. Unfortunately, though her board, though
more and more are sort of leaning into that sort
(01:19):
of politically motivated complaints. I'd push back. She made the
comment at the end about it being a very open
and transparent process. Well, no, not really. They don't disclose
to the subject of the complaint, who has complained and
what we have faced, And I mean we've literally faced
hundreds of them at the Taxpaars Union. We've never lost one,
we have settled one. But it's very clear a lot
(01:42):
of them are simply complaining for wrong think, and particularly
in the area of treaty principles and things like that.
It does appear that that sort of unfortunate world you know,
our particular worldview, is creeping through and prohibiting what I
would consider quite legitimate political call advocacy.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Sure, sure, sure, but I mean we've got the same
thing with Nick Smith actually from Nelson actually complaining about
the Trump thing about about Lord Lord Rutherford. Of course
it happens to be election year as well, but it
appears that he's drawn you can. Too many people draw
an awfully long bow about what they see in front
of them, and sometimes something is exactly what it is.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah, absolutely, I think I think actually short there was
Reppayers Alliance did some mans with me just as a clown.
You know that. I could have complained about that, but
I didn't. There most of them are humor.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Sure it was I'm sure you look fantastic.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Yeah, yeah, I probably did, and it was probably funny.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
And I didn't recall that one, but that was it.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
I probably like the one it was about.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Look.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Obviously, the big story of the day is the inauguration,
and by big story of the day is what happened
over the last twelve hours with the inauguration won a
long day for Donald Trump, and we'll talk about that
right after the break.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
The Huddle with New Zealand Southby's International Realty Elevator Marketing
of your Home.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
It is a quarter to six and on the Huddle
today we've got Jordan Williams at the Taxpayers Union and
city councilor from Auckland, Richard Hills, and of course the
big story of the day is Donald Trump's inauguration. Now,
who woke up early to watch the Telly.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
I did to listen to it, but I left it
too late. I woke up at six or think, so
I set the alarm for ten to six and it
was already halfway over. Richard, I did not.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Can I just say it was a great show, and
I actually thought it was a brilliant inauguration and I
think it actually ended hopeful, though some people think it
ended dark. What did you think, Jordan?
Speaker 4 (03:37):
It was much more specific in terms of his policies
I'm going to do as opposed to visionary and a
little bit sort of political airy fairy. But then that's
reflective of a guy who's been there, done that, and
clearly has a much more concrete plan of where he
wants to take the US this time around.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yeah, I think everyone's getting what they You know, if
you hate him, you you hating what was put out today.
If you love him, you're loving it. I think America
has got what they voted for. I think some of
it is pretty bloody around and the.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Panama back to the advertising at doing what it says
on the ten.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah, I think the Panama Canal and the Gulf of Mexico,
it's thing. I think that's just a little bit of
you know, positioning, a little bit of branding, but he's
doing some real stuff. He is doing tariffs on Mexico
and Canada and they are starting feb the first, and
they are twenty five percent, and he's warning the rest
of the world later, and he's he's got straight back
into it. Richard.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
What I can't understand is if you look across the polling,
the biggest issue there and why many governments are getting
thrown out across the world was inflation and was economy.
And we just know that the tariffs, if you look
at the maths, are going to increase costs for American citizens.
So it's it is going to be interesting to watch,
and especially if it starts a bit of a trade war.
(04:53):
What then happens across the world. If do we end
up back in an inflation spiral? I really hope not.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
And this was the argument that the lost opportunity for
the Dems. You know, they were steering at a candidate
that was offering the largest tax increases in our lifetimes
in the US, and yet they couldn't make the argument
because they were so blinded by the red mist of Trump.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
This is true, but at the same time, there is
a reality to economics. When you've got a country like
America which is heavily indebted. You know, you think we've
got bad government spending or high government spending and higher
levels of debt. Welcome to America.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
I mean, our biggest geopolitical risk other than Ukraine and
China act. She argued that even bigger than Taiwan is
the US deficit when because when that band stops playing,
it is going to hurt everyone big time.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Okay, So the attitude that New Zealander should take towards
Johnald Trump, you know, some people go, we should not
talk to him at all. That person is racist and
sexist and all that. But you know that's what the
Americans wanted. They voted for it. He's got the mandate.
His approval ratings after day fifty nine percent. So Americans
are loving this sort of thing. We don't have the
right to say that, do we.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Oh, everyone got the right to say whatever they want.
I think we've found that out with Trump. But I
think I think I saw people criticizing lux and for
congratulating him. Of course we're going to congratulate him like
he is the president for four years. I think a
lot of people. It's important for people to speak up
and call him out, but it doesn't really work. So
I mean, you do have to work with him. This
(06:26):
government and the Prime minister is going to have to
work with him. If it was a labor prime minister,
they would be saying congratulations Donald Trump as well. You
do not want to make enemies with the biggest leaders,
but you do have to call out the stuff that
does seem ridiculous or may harm our country others. But yeah,
you're not going to not work with them.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
And also the middle has shifted significantly. I was in
New York only ten days after the election and was
astounded that I was as an underground comedy club that
I could friend takes me to when I'm in Manhattan,
and only what ten days after the election, the comedians
were already not only mocking Sleepy Joe and of course Trump,
(07:10):
but Camilla as well. And I put to you that
when Hillary lost to Trump, there is no why ten
days after the election a New York audience would be
laughing on jokes on it. And that actually suggests to
me that even in New York there is an appreciation
of why Trump won. And I mean frankly, spending time
(07:31):
in any of the major dem cities in the US,
you see the difference pre COVID versus post.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yeah, gets you. And I saw somebody who has texted
us today who said, look, I'm a Republican, but I
have to vote while holding my nose for Donald Trump.
But at the same time, there ain't anybody better. In fact,
the people who were up against him were worse. So
you have to vote. Someone's going to do it, someone's
going to run. And that's a lesson to the Democrats.
But you know, then you get certain things. He's decided
(07:58):
to pardon instantly. Fifteen hundred people who stormed the rotunda
of the Capitol, which is the very building where he
just got inaugurated end because it was so cold, and
we've all seen the telly. Those fifteen hundred people, they're
not good people, Richard.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Yeah. I mean, I don't really understand that, since when
it's been sort of a left wing thing to to
support the police. I mean that those people, if you
look back on those videos, you know, you can look
at the politics or whatever, but they did storm a
government building. That's not the sort of thing you should
be seeing in a first world, country or anywhere, and
they did beat and hurt, and in some cases there
(08:35):
were cops that died. So it seems a really strange message.
And I hear the you know, the top cops in
America saying it. It does send a pretty poor message
that politically you can just storm, break and smash things,
beat up cops and everything will be fine. I think
on either side of politics that shouldn't be accepted. But
it seems it has.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Trumps in it pos on both houses. I mean the
Biden's final act. He might not have been copas meantis
that know what he was doing, but this stuff.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Out people know what he's doing.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
Yeah, people know what he's doing, and he's and he's
providing embasty for his members of his own family preemptively.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Is that because they've got something to hide?
Speaker 4 (09:17):
Else would you do it?
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Well, then he's fearing a reprise of reprise of retribution
from Tonald Trump because it's mean and nasty year.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
But always talked up about Trump because of the comment
about you know, with Hillary Clinton, when you'll be you'd
be in prison. But the record speaks for itself. You know,
he didn't last time around. Arguably the victim of law
for it goes the other way. Look, I'm no fan
of Trump, but I whenever I take a position on Trump,
I get half of the support of the tax Bars
Union email me saying that I took the wrong, wrong view.
(09:47):
But I think you can acknowledge that there is at
least boxes on both houses there.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
That's such a shame. I think the whole system is random.
I think the whole system is random. That you're going
just randomly pardon whoever you want on the way out.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
I think it's a safeguard. We have it. Okay, we
have it in our constitutional monarchy as well of pardons.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Gentlemen, I'm about to talk about how the best way
to get a job, because it's hard to get a
job at the moment, and of course are employers in
one way or another best thing that someone who wants
a job with the taxpayers.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
It's been half today work through CVS. It's tailoring your
cover letter for the actual job as particularly if it's
part time or full time. And secondly, at least proof
read what the AI is written.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Well, obviously my role is a bit different.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
We go out and you're at Auking Council.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
I have to ten thousand people. You employed ten thousand people.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
We don't employ them directly, and I guess my job
application goes with tens of thousands of people. But I think,
I mean the main thing is that it's a bit Pollyanna.
Is just you know, having positive relationships people on your
on your CV that will speak up for you and
that that positive record. So making sure that you're going
in with a truthful interview and having good people to
beck you up.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Go, Sir Richard Hills and Jordan Williams.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
I thank you 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 Southerby's International Realty, local and
global exposure like no other.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
So it is six twenty and we welcome to the huddle,
Jordan Williams from the taxplayers Unions and Richard Hills and
the Orklan City Council. Very good the ads, I mean,
the picky, it's the most peculiar and the question lies
that a lot of people in New Zealand have turned
into humorless whiners. And do you agree with that, Richard?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Absolutely. The complaints go from the most random round picking
you knows, too ridiculous around vibrators and different things around.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
No, no, it wasn't that it was vibrators, It was
the It was the claim that vibrators could help with
your marriage, all right. That was what was deemed to
be terribly misleading, and the fact.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
That a Mardi man was driving a car fast was
racist and different things. So it is. I think most
of them aimed to be humorous, and we're probably tested
on audiences and most audiences probably found them quite funny.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
What do you reckon, Jordan?
Speaker 4 (00:59):
I mean, yeah that if I've dealt with it won't
come as a surprise. Andrew that the Taxpayers Union, and
some of the clients of my digital marketing agency are
subject to many a complaint over the years, and Hillary
is fantastic to deal with. Unfortunately, though her board, though
more and more are sort of leaning into that sort
(01:19):
of politically motivated complaints. I'd push back. She made the
comment at the end about it being a very open
and transparent process. Well, no, not really. They don't disclose
to the subject of the complaint, who has complained and
what we have faced, And I mean we've literally faced
hundreds of them at the Taxpaars Union. We've never lost one,
we have settled one. But it's very clear a lot
(01:42):
of them are simply complaining for wrong think, and particularly
in the area of treaty principles and things like that.
It does appear that that sort of unfortunate world you know,
our particular worldview, is creeping through and prohibiting what I
would consider quite legitimate political call advocacy.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Sure, sure, sure, but I mean we've got the same
thing with Nick Smith actually from Nelson actually complaining about
the Trump thing about about Lord Lord Rutherford. Of course
it happens to be election year as well, but it
appears that he's drawn you can. Too many people draw
an awfully long bow about what they see in front
of them, and sometimes something is exactly what it is.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah, absolutely, I think I think actually short there was
Reppayers Alliance did some mans with me just as a clown.
You know that. I could have complained about that, but
I didn't. There most of them are humor.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Sure it was I'm sure you look fantastic.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Yeah, yeah, I probably did, and it was probably funny.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
And I didn't recall that one, but that was it.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
I probably like the one it was about.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Look.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Obviously, the big story of the day is the inauguration,
and by big story of the day is what happened
over the last twelve hours with the inauguration won a
long day for Donald Trump, and we'll talk about that
right after the break.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
The Huddle with New Zealand Southby's International Realty Elevator Marketing
of your Home.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
It is a quarter to six and on the Huddle
today we've got Jordan Williams at the Taxpayers Union and
city councilor from Auckland, Richard Hills, and of course the
big story of the day is Donald Trump's inauguration. Now,
who woke up early to watch the Telly.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
I did to listen to it, but I left it
too late. I woke up at six or think, so
I set the alarm for ten to six and it
was already halfway over. Richard, I did not.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Can I just say it was a great show, and
I actually thought it was a brilliant inauguration and I
think it actually ended hopeful, though some people think it
ended dark. What did you think, Jordan?
Speaker 4 (03:37):
It was much more specific in terms of his policies
I'm going to do as opposed to visionary and a
little bit sort of political airy fairy. But then that's
reflective of a guy who's been there, done that, and
clearly has a much more concrete plan of where he
wants to take the US this time around.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yeah, I think everyone's getting what they You know, if
you hate him, you you hating what was put out today.
If you love him, you're loving it. I think America
has got what they voted for. I think some of
it is pretty bloody around and the.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Panama back to the advertising at doing what it says
on the ten.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah, I think the Panama Canal and the Gulf of Mexico,
it's thing. I think that's just a little bit of
you know, positioning, a little bit of branding, but he's
doing some real stuff. He is doing tariffs on Mexico
and Canada and they are starting feb the first, and
they are twenty five percent, and he's warning the rest
of the world later, and he's he's got straight back
into it. Richard.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
What I can't understand is if you look across the polling,
the biggest issue there and why many governments are getting
thrown out across the world was inflation and was economy.
And we just know that the tariffs, if you look
at the maths, are going to increase costs for American citizens.
So it's it is going to be interesting to watch,
and especially if it starts a bit of a trade war.
(04:53):
What then happens across the world. If do we end
up back in an inflation spiral? I really hope not.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
And this was the argument that the lost opportunity for
the Dems. You know, they were steering at a candidate
that was offering the largest tax increases in our lifetimes
in the US, and yet they couldn't make the argument
because they were so blinded by the red mist of Trump.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
This is true, but at the same time, there is
a reality to economics. When you've got a country like
America which is heavily indebted. You know, you think we've
got bad government spending or high government spending and higher
levels of debt. Welcome to America.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
I mean, our biggest geopolitical risk other than Ukraine and
China act. She argued that even bigger than Taiwan is
the US deficit when because when that band stops playing,
it is going to hurt everyone big time.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Okay, So the attitude that New Zealander should take towards
Johnald Trump, you know, some people go, we should not
talk to him at all. That person is racist and
sexist and all that. But you know that's what the
Americans wanted. They voted for it. He's got the mandate.
His approval ratings after day fifty nine percent. So Americans
are loving this sort of thing. We don't have the
right to say that, do we.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Oh, everyone got the right to say whatever they want.
I think we've found that out with Trump. But I
think I think I saw people criticizing lux and for
congratulating him. Of course we're going to congratulate him like
he is the president for four years. I think a
lot of people. It's important for people to speak up
and call him out, but it doesn't really work. So
I mean, you do have to work with him. This
(06:26):
government and the Prime minister is going to have to
work with him. If it was a labor prime minister,
they would be saying congratulations Donald Trump as well. You
do not want to make enemies with the biggest leaders,
but you do have to call out the stuff that
does seem ridiculous or may harm our country others. But yeah,
you're not going to not work with them.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
And also the middle has shifted significantly. I was in
New York only ten days after the election and was
astounded that I was as an underground comedy club that
I could friend takes me to when I'm in Manhattan,
and only what ten days after the election, the comedians
were already not only mocking Sleepy Joe and of course Trump,
(07:10):
but Camilla as well. And I put to you that
when Hillary lost to Trump, there is no why ten
days after the election a New York audience would be
laughing on jokes on it. And that actually suggests to
me that even in New York there is an appreciation
of why Trump won. And I mean frankly, spending time
(07:31):
in any of the major dem cities in the US,
you see the difference pre COVID versus post.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yeah, gets you. And I saw somebody who has texted
us today who said, look, I'm a Republican, but I
have to vote while holding my nose for Donald Trump.
But at the same time, there ain't anybody better. In fact,
the people who were up against him were worse. So
you have to vote. Someone's going to do it, someone's
going to run. And that's a lesson to the Democrats.
But you know, then you get certain things. He's decided
(07:58):
to pardon instantly. Fifteen hundred people who stormed the rotunda
of the Capitol, which is the very building where he
just got inaugurated end because it was so cold, and
we've all seen the telly. Those fifteen hundred people, they're
not good people, Richard.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Yeah. I mean, I don't really understand that, since when
it's been sort of a left wing thing to to
support the police. I mean that those people, if you
look back on those videos, you know, you can look
at the politics or whatever, but they did storm a
government building. That's not the sort of thing you should
be seeing in a first world, country or anywhere, and
they did beat and hurt, and in some cases there
(08:35):
were cops that died. So it seems a really strange message.
And I hear the you know, the top cops in
America saying it. It does send a pretty poor message
that politically you can just storm, break and smash things,
beat up cops and everything will be fine. I think
on either side of politics that shouldn't be accepted. But
it seems it has.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Trumps in it pos on both houses. I mean the
Biden's final act. He might not have been copas meantis
that know what he was doing, but this stuff.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Out people know what he's doing.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
Yeah, people know what he's doing, and he's and he's
providing embasty for his members of his own family preemptively.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Is that because they've got something to hide?
Speaker 4 (09:17):
Else would you do it?
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Well, then he's fearing a reprise of reprise of retribution
from Tonald Trump because it's mean and nasty year.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
But always talked up about Trump because of the comment
about you know, with Hillary Clinton, when you'll be you'd
be in prison. But the record speaks for itself. You know,
he didn't last time around. Arguably the victim of law
for it goes the other way. Look, I'm no fan
of Trump, but I whenever I take a position on Trump,
I get half of the support of the tax Bars
Union email me saying that I took the wrong, wrong view.
(09:47):
But I think you can acknowledge that there is at
least boxes on both houses there.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
That's such a shame. I think the whole system is random.
I think the whole system is random. That you're going
just randomly pardon whoever you want on the way out.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
I think it's a safeguard. We have it. Okay, we
have it in our constitutional monarchy as well of pardons.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Gentlemen, I'm about to talk about how the best way
to get a job, because it's hard to get a
job at the moment, and of course are employers in
one way or another best thing that someone who wants
a job with the taxpayers.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
It's been half today work through CVS. It's tailoring your
cover letter for the actual job as particularly if it's
part time or full time. And secondly, at least proof
read what the AI is written.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Well, obviously my role is a bit different.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
We go out and you're at Auking Council.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
I have to ten thousand people. You employed ten thousand people.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
We don't employ them directly, and I guess my job
application goes with tens of thousands of people. But I think,
I mean the main thing is that it's a bit Pollyanna.
Is just you know, having positive relationships people on your
on your CV that will speak up for you and
that that positive record. So making sure that you're going
in with a truthful interview and having good people to
beck you up.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Go, Sir Richard Hills and Jordan Williams.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
I thank you 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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