April 8, 2025 • 10 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, journalist Clare de Lore and Infrastructure New Zealand's Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
Could Andrew Little be the next mayor of Wellington? What do we think he'll bring to the role?
The world is grappling with Donald Trump's tariffs - and the economic uncertainty that they bring. Do we think the Government is doing a good job at reassuring us?
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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 Southeby's International realty the ones
with worldwide connections that perform not a promise.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Clear to lord journalists with US and Nick leget infrastructure
and Z Good evening, Good evening. Hello, Hello. Can we
first talk neck about the rumors that Andrew Little is
running for a mayor of Wellington. We have texted him
today but he hasn't got back to us just yet,
but they are starting to firm up. There's been some
reporting in the press which obviously makes it true. Nick,
(00:28):
what are you hearing?
Speaker 3 (00:31):
I'm hearing the same things. And look, I think it's
very interesting for Wellington because so far the declared candidates
none of them look or sound like a mayor. We
know Tory Farno, we don't have to imagine her as
a mayor. She is the mayor. But Andrew Little feels
like a growing up and you know, he's a serious
(00:54):
sort of a person with pretty significant experience and that's
I think, you know, in terms of being that challenger
with some credibility, you know, he would bring some heft
to the table and from what I understand, he's got
pretty serious support from across the political spectrum, because what
(01:15):
we've got to remember is that you know, with local
government it is about place over party, and I think
someone who can talk about demonstrate they can work with
all sides would have to be taken pretty seriously by
the Wellington electorate. I think it's also really interesting because
you know, my criticism for a long time has been
(01:35):
that Labor's kind of let the Greens in the door
in Wellington, and this would be a pretty serious signal
that they are taking you know, they're taking Wellington seriously,
that they're going to fight the Greens for votes. They
lost those two electric seats, of course wrong I'm Welling
Central at the last election. So this would see a
bit of a you know, a bit of a bit
(01:57):
of a fight back. And look, I think that would
be really healthy for Wellington, but actually ultimately probably for
Labor because it has conceded a lot of points to
the Greens.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
And I think that's not just bad, not just the Greens,
but I wonder whether there's a wider political strategy here,
clear from the Labor Party, where they've acknowledged that the
last Labor government the pr is awful right, the left
leaning Wellington Council and I know toy is green, but
that's a distinction you get in Wellington, you know, is useless.
(02:31):
They can't run a bath. You know, is there a
strategy here? Actually we need to get some quite competent
people into some quite important roles to actually rebuild that image.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Look, whatever the strategy is, he is a good contender,
I think, and he's not without his flaws. He started
the health reportance that are now sort of stumbling through,
and that was against advice to actually centralize everything again,
so I think, you know, he's he's a pretty good
kind of contender, but name recognition is something. But I
(03:07):
also would hope that if it's labor, it's labor with
a small owl, and it doesn't become so party political.
Sure labor will benefit if he gets in, but hopefully
you can work across the isle. As they say, I'm
in that old fashion tradition of getting on with people.
He does get on, as I understand it worth a
wide range of people. He is a mature person and
(03:28):
God knows they need it.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
It's got to the point where somebody suggested to me
last week that I might like to think about it.
How about that?
Speaker 2 (03:36):
What did you say? What did you say, kat.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
I said gosh, I say, gosh. I've always fancied moving
back to Wellington. But if it was like that, I
am not sure. I am not your mass.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
No time to cut and run, right, it is a
clear to Laura nick Leggett on the huddle, it's just
gone sixteen minutes away from six. We're back in just
a moment. Lots to talk about, talk about the government
and the trade wars. We've had Nikola Willis and Luxon
out today sort of a united front against not against
Donald Trump, but showing strength. I suppose it is thirte
(04:08):
anyway from six after six, Simon Wat's on this green
fun that they're getting rid of right now. Clear to
Laura nick Leggett on the huddle. Guys, We've had Chris
Luxon come out today on Instagram of all platforms, and
do a video saying, don't worry, We're going to be
okay in terms of the Tara stuff. And then we
had Nichola Willis come out and do a press release
It's sorry, a press conference saying essentially the same thing. Yes,
(04:31):
there will be implications, but we will be able to
deal with it. Nick, do you think they have this
or at least appear to have this in check.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Well, it's this is the most economically uncertain time. Well,
I mean COVID obviously was pretty bad, but this in
terms of structural changes to the way the world trades
and the linkage between trade and security now and defense
is met. We don't have anything under control. But the
(05:03):
signals of the government send as they have sent today
are very important. They're very important for our economy, for
people feeling secure about their livelihoods, for people that manufacture,
people that are export and important in New Zealand. I
mean this is I think the uncertainty exists with our
(05:23):
supply chains, where we buy from, where we have components
that help our economy function, and how we build things.
If you think about our close trading partners in the
Asia Pacific, there are a lot of countries that are
being hit with very high tariffs and that will have
an impact in turn on what New Zealand pays too important,
(05:49):
but we also have some buffers and look I heard
very clearly from Christopher Luxe and at the recent Infrastructure
Investments summer where he said to his message to the
seas territories and countries was New Zealand can be a
safe harbor for investment in uncertain times, and I think
it's really important that we keep that strategy. We keep
(06:11):
not just repeating it, but the action of the nation
and the economic players is that we attempt to live
there because we've got we've got to have a sort
of a pretty stable strategy that will take us through
these times, however long they last.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Yeah, do you think the strategy is the right one? Clear?
And you know you've had Hipkins come out today and
say you should be going a bit harder against Trump
that kind of thing. Would that really make a difference.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
No, I don't think it does, and I think they
are doing the right thing, just making the right noises.
But the reality is that aside from some very smart
exporters who may have shipped a lot of stuff across
to the States in anticipation of tariffs, who may, for example,
if there were any way in producers who thought to
do what some of the champagne houses France did, which
(07:01):
was to take a lot of their production over there
before the tariffs were imposed. But we are basically in
the enthrall to and in the grip of one man
who is unpredictable, stubborn, some would say unhinged, and who
may change his mind, but may not because he seems
to the theater of it all, seems to be driving
(07:22):
a lot of it because there isn't a huge amount
of logic, so you have to be extremely careful on
how you handle the guy. I listen sometimes to Anthony Scaramucci,
who lasted I think eleven days with trumpond in the
first iteration, and he sounds genuinely sort of Oh, I
(07:43):
wouldn't say, scared of what's happening, but really apprehensive about
where it will go if there is if there are not.
He says, eleven brave people, three senators, three Republican Cabinet members,
and say five members of the House who turn and
say no and coalesce with the with the Democrats who
(08:04):
are in some disarray still. So I mean, if that's
how he feels, he sort of does know the guy. Sure,
you only lasted eleven days, but it's a lot longer
than any of our politicians have ever been in the
room with the guy. You've got an insight into him,
and I think we are in really very unpredictable times.
If people individually wonder what they can do. I just say,
(08:26):
you know, keep in touch with your sane, rational American friends,
some of whom you know reached out to me and said,
we're really sort of we're embarrassed about what's going on.
Seems a bit crazy to us. And also, if you
want to you have your own little boycott. It won't
make much difference. You know, you can look and see
if something that you're about to buy was made an
(08:46):
American boy cott it if it makes you better feel better.
But it is going to be one of those things
where you just have to watch the actions of this
one man who at the moment is acting like the
Emperor of the world.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Yeah, he really is. It's a little bit scary. It
didn't end well with Scaramouchie, did it. I think with
Trump and Scaramucie. I mean some people say there's there's
bad blood there, but yeah, I take your point. And
actually we had Stephen Joyce on the program after five
this evening. He said, the same thing is, basically, you've
got to get some senators, and you've got to get
some couple of folks in the house change sides, and
(09:23):
the whole thing could be over quite quickly.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
But well, It would be very interesting to know what
John Key makes of all of us, because prior to
the election, he said he was, you know, he was
sporting Trump. He thought he would be a great guy
to get in there. He's an admirer. What does John
Key make of this now?
Speaker 2 (09:40):
We have tried to get him on the program several times.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Yeah, gone quiet on Trump. Yeah, I would tour I was.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Him, all right, guys, Thanks for that. Clear to Laura
nick Leggett on the Huddle.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news Talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeart Radio out
The huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International realty the ones
with worldwide connections that perform not a promise.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Clear to lord journalists with US and Nick leget infrastructure
and Z Good evening, Good evening. Hello, Hello. Can we
first talk neck about the rumors that Andrew Little is
running for a mayor of Wellington. We have texted him
today but he hasn't got back to us just yet,
but they are starting to firm up. There's been some
reporting in the press which obviously makes it true. Nick,
(00:28):
what are you hearing?
Speaker 3 (00:31):
I'm hearing the same things. And look, I think it's
very interesting for Wellington because so far the declared candidates
none of them look or sound like a mayor. We
know Tory Farno, we don't have to imagine her as
a mayor. She is the mayor. But Andrew Little feels
like a growing up and you know, he's a serious
(00:54):
sort of a person with pretty significant experience and that's
I think, you know, in terms of being that challenger
with some credibility, you know, he would bring some heft
to the table and from what I understand, he's got
pretty serious support from across the political spectrum, because what
(01:15):
we've got to remember is that you know, with local
government it is about place over party, and I think
someone who can talk about demonstrate they can work with
all sides would have to be taken pretty seriously by
the Wellington electorate. I think it's also really interesting because
you know, my criticism for a long time has been
(01:35):
that Labor's kind of let the Greens in the door
in Wellington, and this would be a pretty serious signal
that they are taking you know, they're taking Wellington seriously,
that they're going to fight the Greens for votes. They
lost those two electric seats, of course wrong I'm Welling
Central at the last election. So this would see a
bit of a you know, a bit of a bit
(01:57):
of a fight back. And look, I think that would
be really healthy for Wellington, but actually ultimately probably for
Labor because it has conceded a lot of points to
the Greens.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
And I think that's not just bad, not just the Greens,
but I wonder whether there's a wider political strategy here,
clear from the Labor Party, where they've acknowledged that the
last Labor government the pr is awful right, the left
leaning Wellington Council and I know toy is green, but
that's a distinction you get in Wellington, you know, is useless.
(02:31):
They can't run a bath. You know, is there a
strategy here? Actually we need to get some quite competent
people into some quite important roles to actually rebuild that image.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Look, whatever the strategy is, he is a good contender,
I think, and he's not without his flaws. He started
the health reportance that are now sort of stumbling through,
and that was against advice to actually centralize everything again,
so I think, you know, he's he's a pretty good
kind of contender, but name recognition is something. But I
(03:07):
also would hope that if it's labor, it's labor with
a small owl, and it doesn't become so party political.
Sure labor will benefit if he gets in, but hopefully
you can work across the isle. As they say, I'm
in that old fashion tradition of getting on with people.
He does get on, as I understand it worth a
wide range of people. He is a mature person and
(03:28):
God knows they need it.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
It's got to the point where somebody suggested to me
last week that I might like to think about it.
How about that?
Speaker 2 (03:36):
What did you say? What did you say, kat.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
I said gosh, I say, gosh. I've always fancied moving
back to Wellington. But if it was like that, I
am not sure. I am not your mass.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
No time to cut and run, right, it is a
clear to Laura nick Leggett on the huddle, it's just
gone sixteen minutes away from six. We're back in just
a moment. Lots to talk about, talk about the government
and the trade wars. We've had Nikola Willis and Luxon
out today sort of a united front against not against
Donald Trump, but showing strength. I suppose it is thirte
(04:08):
anyway from six after six, Simon Wat's on this green
fun that they're getting rid of right now. Clear to
Laura nick Leggett on the huddle. Guys, We've had Chris
Luxon come out today on Instagram of all platforms, and
do a video saying, don't worry, We're going to be
okay in terms of the Tara stuff. And then we
had Nichola Willis come out and do a press release
It's sorry, a press conference saying essentially the same thing. Yes,
(04:31):
there will be implications, but we will be able to
deal with it. Nick, do you think they have this
or at least appear to have this in check.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Well, it's this is the most economically uncertain time. Well,
I mean COVID obviously was pretty bad, but this in
terms of structural changes to the way the world trades
and the linkage between trade and security now and defense
is met. We don't have anything under control. But the
(05:03):
signals of the government send as they have sent today
are very important. They're very important for our economy, for
people feeling secure about their livelihoods, for people that manufacture,
people that are export and important in New Zealand. I
mean this is I think the uncertainty exists with our
(05:23):
supply chains, where we buy from, where we have components
that help our economy function, and how we build things.
If you think about our close trading partners in the
Asia Pacific, there are a lot of countries that are
being hit with very high tariffs and that will have
an impact in turn on what New Zealand pays too important,
(05:49):
but we also have some buffers and look I heard
very clearly from Christopher Luxe and at the recent Infrastructure
Investments summer where he said to his message to the
seas territories and countries was New Zealand can be a
safe harbor for investment in uncertain times, and I think
it's really important that we keep that strategy. We keep
(06:11):
not just repeating it, but the action of the nation
and the economic players is that we attempt to live
there because we've got we've got to have a sort
of a pretty stable strategy that will take us through
these times, however long they last.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Yeah, do you think the strategy is the right one? Clear?
And you know you've had Hipkins come out today and
say you should be going a bit harder against Trump
that kind of thing. Would that really make a difference.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
No, I don't think it does, and I think they
are doing the right thing, just making the right noises.
But the reality is that aside from some very smart
exporters who may have shipped a lot of stuff across
to the States in anticipation of tariffs, who may, for example,
if there were any way in producers who thought to
do what some of the champagne houses France did, which
(07:01):
was to take a lot of their production over there
before the tariffs were imposed. But we are basically in
the enthrall to and in the grip of one man
who is unpredictable, stubborn, some would say unhinged, and who
may change his mind, but may not because he seems
to the theater of it all, seems to be driving
(07:22):
a lot of it because there isn't a huge amount
of logic, so you have to be extremely careful on
how you handle the guy. I listen sometimes to Anthony Scaramucci,
who lasted I think eleven days with trumpond in the
first iteration, and he sounds genuinely sort of Oh, I
(07:43):
wouldn't say, scared of what's happening, but really apprehensive about
where it will go if there is if there are not.
He says, eleven brave people, three senators, three Republican Cabinet members,
and say five members of the House who turn and
say no and coalesce with the with the Democrats who
(08:04):
are in some disarray still. So I mean, if that's
how he feels, he sort of does know the guy. Sure,
you only lasted eleven days, but it's a lot longer
than any of our politicians have ever been in the
room with the guy. You've got an insight into him,
and I think we are in really very unpredictable times.
If people individually wonder what they can do. I just say,
(08:26):
you know, keep in touch with your sane, rational American friends,
some of whom you know reached out to me and said,
we're really sort of we're embarrassed about what's going on.
Seems a bit crazy to us. And also, if you
want to you have your own little boycott. It won't
make much difference. You know, you can look and see
if something that you're about to buy was made an
(08:46):
American boy cott it if it makes you better feel better.
But it is going to be one of those things
where you just have to watch the actions of this
one man who at the moment is acting like the
Emperor of the world.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Yeah, he really is. It's a little bit scary. It
didn't end well with Scaramouchie, did it. I think with
Trump and Scaramucie. I mean some people say there's there's
bad blood there, but yeah, I take your point. And
actually we had Stephen Joyce on the program after five
this evening. He said, the same thing is, basically, you've
got to get some senators, and you've got to get
some couple of folks in the house change sides, and
(09:23):
the whole thing could be over quite quickly.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
But well, It would be very interesting to know what
John Key makes of all of us, because prior to
the election, he said he was, you know, he was
sporting Trump. He thought he would be a great guy
to get in there. He's an admirer. What does John
Key make of this now?
Speaker 2 (09:40):
We have tried to get him on the program several times.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Yeah, gone quiet on Trump. Yeah, I would tour I was.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Him, all right, guys, Thanks for that. Clear to Laura
nick Leggett on the Huddle.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news Talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeart Radio out
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