April 16, 2025 • 10 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Thomas Scrimgeour from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
Wellington Water has copped backlash over spending significant amounts on wellness-based perks for their employees. What do we make of this?
Former Labour leader Andrew Little has announced his intention to run for mayor of Wellington. Is this a good move? Will he get votes?
The Maori Party wants Maori to get NZ Super 7-10 years before everyone else and Labour is refusing to say whether it would agree. The Greens are on board with giving some parts of society Super earlier. Is this the best look?
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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 Southby's International Realty, the ones
with worldwide connections that perform not a promise on.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
The huddle with me. This even got Jack Tame, host
of Q and A obviously Saturday Mornings here on Ziby,
and Thomas Scrimer of The maximums ju'de hire you too.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Kel hit me welcome back, Thanks very much, Jack.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
How are you finding it?
Speaker 4 (00:19):
You're getting some sleep?
Speaker 3 (00:20):
It's yeah, yeah, some sleep. It's the broken sleep. Hey,
it's not the lack of sleep, it's the broken sleep.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know
what you're about, because.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
I feel like you've optimized parenting in a way that
I haven't needed.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
I'm sleeping on a completely different level.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I'm like, Dad's up there with the baby and she
only wakes up one time a night, So that's pretty
pretty awesome.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
I don't even care. It's not my problem.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Yeah, you got ahead of us. Yeah, well I do.
I do. I do if I've got a big day
the next day. But you know, I want to be
a supportive partner.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
So what do you think you can you breastfeed?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
No, but I can change nappies.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Oh, you don't change the nappies in the night anymore,
do you.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Yeah, we mate, isn't he.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Two months two months out immediately? Unless he does a pooh?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Well he does do pooh oh.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
No, you got to stop that.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
I don't know how you stop a baby doing post wow.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
You've got to have a chatter about this nonsense anyway,
regular Yeah, Thomas, listen, I don't have a problem with
that spend from Wellington Water, do you.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Well.
Speaker 5 (01:20):
I think the principle to keep in mind is don't
commit two crimes at once. They can spend all of
these things on wellness for their employees. It might be
reasonable enough, but they're already pretty unpopular. Was just reading
today there was a stench wafting across the Wellington CBD.
So if they want to be seen to be reliable
to the public, things like this don't look good when
(01:42):
they're not delivering their core business. But the spend per
employee wasn't that high.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Yeah, I kind of feel jack like nowadays, I mean, look,
I don't get this kind of nonsense at work, Like
we don't have that kind of money in the media.
But nowadays, if you're working in this kind of any
area where it's public, public money.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
That is probably quite normal, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Well, I think, look, I think that there is a
balance to be had, right and I at the start
of the interview, I was like, there is no possible
explanation for why Wellington Water has spent money on these
things that is that is gonna fly. And then as
soon as Pat was actually transparent about it, I was like, well,
I suppose if your staff are out there all day,
every day and you've got a system whereby they can
(02:22):
go and get a mold check, it's hardly like that
the you know, the biggest, most lucrative Yeah, exactly. It's
not like a champagne brunch for three thousand people or
anything like that. But it just shows the importance transparency, right,
So you know, they have a massive job on the
hands at the moment, Like you say, you know, rates
and Wellington have shot up across the region. They're spending
(02:43):
hundreds of millions of dollars a year a year, and
you would think that in the interest of transparency, would
be in their interests to go through every single little
bit of expenditure with a fine tooth comb and be
one hundred percent transparent with people so that no one
gets in their head, you know, perhaps some incorrect idea
that actually their rates are being flushed down the toilet.
(03:04):
So yeah, I think tonight in that interview in particular,
and great example why transparency matters. You just hope that
next time we in the media don't have to keep
on asking questions and demanding transparency, that actually they're a
little more proactive and it sounds from Pat's comments, but
that's what they're prepared to do.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
And would be a good idea.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Thomas Listen, I'm kind of surprised by the level of
vitriol that's being directed at Andrew Little. I would have
thought he would be a reason, like just the fact
that he's competent would make him a better choice for
mayor of Wellington, wouldn't.
Speaker 5 (03:34):
Well. I think what's happening here is that Labor are
taking the fight to the Greens. Chris Hopkins comes out
pretty quickly and endorses Andrew Little. He's a big name
from Labour's front bench. There was speculation the other week
that Craig Rennie might be running for an electorate seat
next election, so Labor are wanting to cement their place
(03:54):
as the left party in New Zealand. So Little doesn't
really have any friends. From the right still the labor
guy who's jumping into local politics, and from the left
he's cutting Toriy Fano's lunch. And so he's a big name.
He's got a good chance to run in but yeah,
he's not going to be popular in certain sectors.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Yeah, Jack will get your take on it when we
come back from the break.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
The Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's international realty achieve extraordinary
results with unparallel.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Reach back with the Huddle, Jack, Tam Thomas Scrimger, Jack,
this is the kind of thing I'm getting hither the
issue for Andrew Little, Lizz although he has a big name,
many people will still be triggered by the fact that
he was part of the Jacinda regime and they haven't
forgotten the current state that we're in.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
What do you think, Yeah, I mean, I would say
that our dourn government had a whole lot more support
in Wellington than it might have had in other parts
of the country. But it's interesting, you know, I just
reckon Andrew Little has already done what it's supposed to
be the hardest job in New Zealand politics. Which has
been the leader of the opposition. Well, I disagree. I
think the mayyor of Wellington is the worst job of
(04:56):
New Zealand politics right now. But the thing is, if
you look at the current state of the council, like
the role of the mayor isn't just to provide leadership,
but it is to try and build consensus around that vision,
right and clearly for some time now there's been an
issue with that in Wellington politics. So you look at
someone like Andrew Little, he probably is much more of
(05:18):
a relative centrist compared to Torrey Fano, right, So you
would say, is Andrew Little more likely to build consensus
with center right members of that council? Maybe he is.
Maybe he is. I think I think that's a good
reason to think he could be. So yeah, I actually
think you know, if Wellington voters are looking for someone
(05:38):
with you know, pretty extensive history in governance, but also
someone who's likely to be able to form some relationships
with either a National led or a Labor lead government
in central government, then Andrew Little might be a pretty
popular option. And you know, you've got to remember too
that Wellington has the STV voting system, so it's kind
of hard to work out these things. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(05:59):
The other the one I always reckon to watch though,
Ray Chung last time, counselor Ray Chung last time. He
did pretty well in the mural contest, and you know,
early pol suggests that he's still a pretty popular option.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
So I'll tell you why that was. That was because
there was no other right wing candidate. And now there's
an Andrew Little Little cutters lunch because he's kind of
that's true.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Yeah, so you've just answered the main question there. Andrew
Little probably can soak up some of that boat.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Now, Thomas, listen, how much out of ten are you
loving the Mary Parties idea to give Mary the pension
ten years before everybody else.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
Well, for my part, I can't really see any way
that dividing superannuation by race will be good for the country.
If you want to talk about fairness with super that's
fair enough. Their argument is is that Mary don't live
as long as other ethnicities in New Zealand, so they
get less superannuation. Superannuation, but there are other ways to
talk about fairness. I mean, women live on average two
(06:56):
years longer, but even in terms of life expectancy not
the best way to think about super I used to
work a manual labor job. Now I work a fake job.
When I did a manual labor job, I couldn't do
that till I'm sixty five, if I could do what
I currently do for longer than that. But if you
want to talk about fairness, I think the argument I
would put forward is go all the way means test superannuation.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
Oh stop it, Thomas, cut it down.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
Twenty dollars a year. It is half of all welfare
spending in the country.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Heather people new people into means testing a like you
mentioned pension, and you'll somehow manage to find a way
to talk about means testing again.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
I had no idea you were such a big state
left winger wanting to give a universal bennit.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
But that's because I'm greedy. You should never underestimate my
ability to be greedy. I want my money back, Jack,
What do you reckon? I mean, I'll tell you what.
What perplexes me about this is like, this idea is cooked,
so obviously what labour should do the minute they're asked
about it is be like, no, that idea is cooked.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
We're not going to do it.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yet Babs, who's the finance spokespusoness I and I'm not
going to talk about it.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Why doesn't she just come?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Okay? As for that is the idea cooked? I mean,
there's no way it's politically palatable. I think we can
all agree on that. I think the equality versus equity argument,
especially when it comes to something like super is like
a really personent and reasonable argument to have. And if
you could have it in good faith, which I don't
think we can, I think it'd be a really good
(08:22):
debate to have. Now, I'm not saying I support the
idea of assigning superannuation on the basis of race, but
I do wonder if you could kind of front end
the equation, so say, for example, like, what is it
why is it that Mardi a dying seven years younger
on average? What can we do earlier in their lives
so that more Maldi live longer and that actually we
(08:43):
have something akin to a more equal life expectancy across
a multitude of New Zealand demographics. Politically labors in a
really tricky position, and I just think this is going
to become more and more of a problem heading into
next year to Party Maudi have had a whole lot
of success in terms of public support when it comes
to what is generally a pretty kind of activisty approach
(09:05):
to policy, Like they're pretty out there, they're pretty activisty
with some of their ideas, whether it's a Mahordi parliament
or whether it's superannuation earlier for Maudi, Labour need to
keep to Party Malordi close enough so that they could
potentially form a government, but not so close so that
the kind of centrist New Zealand voter loses faith than
the stability of a Labor government or thinks that they're
(09:27):
going to be unduly influenced. So it is a really
really delicate balance and it wouldn't surprise me if over
the next week, while at least until closer to the election,
Labor just says we're not really going to comment on
to Party Malori policy. We're going to have our own policy.
If you want Labor government, vote for Labor, And you
know that's going to be a harder position to maintain
the closer we get to the election.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
I couldn't agree.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Well, guys, thank you very much, really appreciated Jack tame
host a Q and eight Saturday Morning is your Own
new Stooks, the'd be and Thomas Scrimger of the Maximums.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive. Listen live to
news Talks It'd Be from four pm weekdays. Follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
The Huddle with New Zealand Southby's International Realty, the ones
with worldwide connections that perform not a promise on.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
The huddle with me. This even got Jack Tame, host
of Q and A obviously Saturday Mornings here on Ziby,
and Thomas Scrimer of The maximums ju'de hire you too.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Kel hit me welcome back, Thanks very much, Jack.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
How are you finding it?
Speaker 4 (00:19):
You're getting some sleep?
Speaker 3 (00:20):
It's yeah, yeah, some sleep. It's the broken sleep. Hey,
it's not the lack of sleep, it's the broken sleep.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know
what you're about, because.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
I feel like you've optimized parenting in a way that
I haven't needed.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
I'm sleeping on a completely different level.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I'm like, Dad's up there with the baby and she
only wakes up one time a night, So that's pretty
pretty awesome.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
I don't even care. It's not my problem.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Yeah, you got ahead of us. Yeah, well I do.
I do. I do if I've got a big day
the next day. But you know, I want to be
a supportive partner.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
So what do you think you can you breastfeed?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
No, but I can change nappies.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Oh, you don't change the nappies in the night anymore,
do you.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Yeah, we mate, isn't he.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Two months two months out immediately? Unless he does a pooh?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Well he does do pooh oh.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
No, you got to stop that.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
I don't know how you stop a baby doing post wow.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
You've got to have a chatter about this nonsense anyway,
regular Yeah, Thomas, listen, I don't have a problem with
that spend from Wellington Water, do you.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Well.
Speaker 5 (01:20):
I think the principle to keep in mind is don't
commit two crimes at once. They can spend all of
these things on wellness for their employees. It might be
reasonable enough, but they're already pretty unpopular. Was just reading
today there was a stench wafting across the Wellington CBD.
So if they want to be seen to be reliable
to the public, things like this don't look good when
(01:42):
they're not delivering their core business. But the spend per
employee wasn't that high.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Yeah, I kind of feel jack like nowadays, I mean, look,
I don't get this kind of nonsense at work, Like
we don't have that kind of money in the media.
But nowadays, if you're working in this kind of any
area where it's public, public money.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
That is probably quite normal, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Well, I think, look, I think that there is a
balance to be had, right and I at the start
of the interview, I was like, there is no possible
explanation for why Wellington Water has spent money on these
things that is that is gonna fly. And then as
soon as Pat was actually transparent about it, I was like, well,
I suppose if your staff are out there all day,
every day and you've got a system whereby they can
(02:22):
go and get a mold check, it's hardly like that
the you know, the biggest, most lucrative Yeah, exactly. It's
not like a champagne brunch for three thousand people or
anything like that. But it just shows the importance transparency, right,
So you know, they have a massive job on the
hands at the moment, Like you say, you know, rates
and Wellington have shot up across the region. They're spending
(02:43):
hundreds of millions of dollars a year a year, and
you would think that in the interest of transparency, would
be in their interests to go through every single little
bit of expenditure with a fine tooth comb and be
one hundred percent transparent with people so that no one
gets in their head, you know, perhaps some incorrect idea
that actually their rates are being flushed down the toilet.
(03:04):
So yeah, I think tonight in that interview in particular,
and great example why transparency matters. You just hope that
next time we in the media don't have to keep
on asking questions and demanding transparency, that actually they're a
little more proactive and it sounds from Pat's comments, but
that's what they're prepared to do.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
And would be a good idea.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Thomas Listen, I'm kind of surprised by the level of
vitriol that's being directed at Andrew Little. I would have
thought he would be a reason, like just the fact
that he's competent would make him a better choice for
mayor of Wellington, wouldn't.
Speaker 5 (03:34):
Well. I think what's happening here is that Labor are
taking the fight to the Greens. Chris Hopkins comes out
pretty quickly and endorses Andrew Little. He's a big name
from Labour's front bench. There was speculation the other week
that Craig Rennie might be running for an electorate seat
next election, so Labor are wanting to cement their place
(03:54):
as the left party in New Zealand. So Little doesn't
really have any friends. From the right still the labor
guy who's jumping into local politics, and from the left
he's cutting Toriy Fano's lunch. And so he's a big name.
He's got a good chance to run in but yeah,
he's not going to be popular in certain sectors.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Yeah, Jack will get your take on it when we
come back from the break.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
The Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's international realty achieve extraordinary
results with unparallel.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Reach back with the Huddle, Jack, Tam Thomas Scrimger, Jack,
this is the kind of thing I'm getting hither the
issue for Andrew Little, Lizz although he has a big name,
many people will still be triggered by the fact that
he was part of the Jacinda regime and they haven't
forgotten the current state that we're in.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
What do you think, Yeah, I mean, I would say
that our dourn government had a whole lot more support
in Wellington than it might have had in other parts
of the country. But it's interesting, you know, I just
reckon Andrew Little has already done what it's supposed to
be the hardest job in New Zealand politics. Which has
been the leader of the opposition. Well, I disagree. I
think the mayyor of Wellington is the worst job of
(04:56):
New Zealand politics right now. But the thing is, if
you look at the current state of the council, like
the role of the mayor isn't just to provide leadership,
but it is to try and build consensus around that vision,
right and clearly for some time now there's been an
issue with that in Wellington politics. So you look at
someone like Andrew Little, he probably is much more of
(05:18):
a relative centrist compared to Torrey Fano, right, So you
would say, is Andrew Little more likely to build consensus
with center right members of that council? Maybe he is.
Maybe he is. I think I think that's a good
reason to think he could be. So yeah, I actually
think you know, if Wellington voters are looking for someone
(05:38):
with you know, pretty extensive history in governance, but also
someone who's likely to be able to form some relationships
with either a National led or a Labor lead government
in central government, then Andrew Little might be a pretty
popular option. And you know, you've got to remember too
that Wellington has the STV voting system, so it's kind
of hard to work out these things. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(05:59):
The other the one I always reckon to watch though,
Ray Chung last time, counselor Ray Chung last time. He
did pretty well in the mural contest, and you know,
early pol suggests that he's still a pretty popular option.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
So I'll tell you why that was. That was because
there was no other right wing candidate. And now there's
an Andrew Little Little cutters lunch because he's kind of
that's true.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Yeah, so you've just answered the main question there. Andrew
Little probably can soak up some of that boat.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Now, Thomas, listen, how much out of ten are you
loving the Mary Parties idea to give Mary the pension
ten years before everybody else.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
Well, for my part, I can't really see any way
that dividing superannuation by race will be good for the country.
If you want to talk about fairness with super that's
fair enough. Their argument is is that Mary don't live
as long as other ethnicities in New Zealand, so they
get less superannuation. Superannuation, but there are other ways to
talk about fairness. I mean, women live on average two
(06:56):
years longer, but even in terms of life expectancy not
the best way to think about super I used to
work a manual labor job. Now I work a fake job.
When I did a manual labor job, I couldn't do
that till I'm sixty five, if I could do what
I currently do for longer than that. But if you
want to talk about fairness, I think the argument I
would put forward is go all the way means test superannuation.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
Oh stop it, Thomas, cut it down.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
Twenty dollars a year. It is half of all welfare
spending in the country.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Heather people new people into means testing a like you
mentioned pension, and you'll somehow manage to find a way
to talk about means testing again.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
I had no idea you were such a big state
left winger wanting to give a universal bennit.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
But that's because I'm greedy. You should never underestimate my
ability to be greedy. I want my money back, Jack,
What do you reckon? I mean, I'll tell you what.
What perplexes me about this is like, this idea is cooked,
so obviously what labour should do the minute they're asked
about it is be like, no, that idea is cooked.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
We're not going to do it.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yet Babs, who's the finance spokespusoness I and I'm not
going to talk about it.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Why doesn't she just come?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Okay? As for that is the idea cooked? I mean,
there's no way it's politically palatable. I think we can
all agree on that. I think the equality versus equity argument,
especially when it comes to something like super is like
a really personent and reasonable argument to have. And if
you could have it in good faith, which I don't
think we can, I think it'd be a really good
(08:22):
debate to have. Now, I'm not saying I support the
idea of assigning superannuation on the basis of race, but
I do wonder if you could kind of front end
the equation, so say, for example, like, what is it
why is it that Mardi a dying seven years younger
on average? What can we do earlier in their lives
so that more Maldi live longer and that actually we
(08:43):
have something akin to a more equal life expectancy across
a multitude of New Zealand demographics. Politically labors in a
really tricky position, and I just think this is going
to become more and more of a problem heading into
next year to Party Maudi have had a whole lot
of success in terms of public support when it comes
to what is generally a pretty kind of activisty approach
(09:05):
to policy, Like they're pretty out there, they're pretty activisty
with some of their ideas, whether it's a Mahordi parliament
or whether it's superannuation earlier for Maudi, Labour need to
keep to Party Malordi close enough so that they could
potentially form a government, but not so close so that
the kind of centrist New Zealand voter loses faith than
the stability of a Labor government or thinks that they're
(09:27):
going to be unduly influenced. So it is a really
really delicate balance and it wouldn't surprise me if over
the next week, while at least until closer to the election,
Labor just says we're not really going to comment on
to Party Malori policy. We're going to have our own policy.
If you want Labor government, vote for Labor, And you
know that's going to be a harder position to maintain
the closer we get to the election.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
I couldn't agree.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Well, guys, thank you very much, really appreciated Jack tame
host a Q and eight Saturday Morning is your Own
new Stooks, the'd be and Thomas Scrimger of the Maximums.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive. Listen live to
news Talks It'd Be from four pm weekdays. Follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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