June 10, 2025 • 11 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, Ben Thomas and Craig Renney joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
Should kids who are homeschooled be excluded from sports competitions? Does this seem unfair?
The Auckland property valuations are out - and many aren't happy with their property values taking a dive. What do we make of all this?
New research shows more Kiwis feel reluctant about making online purchases, with many quitting before they check out their digital trollies. Why do we think this is?
There's growing corruption in police, customs, immigration - can we do something about this?
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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 Find.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
You're one of the guys right on the huddle with us.
It's even got Ben Thomas and Craig Reeney. How are
you too, Craig? This seems like a ridiculous rule, doesn't
it It does.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
It seems like the sort of rule that was invented
because at some point in time somebody somewhere cheated. But
I would hope that a little bit of common sense
would apply here and that we wouldn't end up in
this sort of space.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
But I mean, is spending because cheated? I mean training
extra in a day is not cheating, right, I mean
training extra in a day is just being passionate about it,
and surely we should be encouraging that rather than say
kings can't do it.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Yeah, but I think it's probably been designed to stop
particularly ambitious parents pushing their kids into lots and lots
of training. And I think you know that it's aw
as a consequence. It seems like a rule that's designed
for one thing, and certainly not for the case here.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, do you reckon, Ben? I mean you've worked in
parliament heaps, do you reckon? This is the kind of
thing that we'll actually have a rule change.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Uh is it a policy? Is it? Is it a regulation?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
I think it's I think it's a rule set by
school Sport New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Well, look, if it's a regulation, we could get the
Regulation Review Committee onto it like they did the Tea
Kanger continuing legal education. They might. They might have a
taste for blood now, but I mean, yeah, it's.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
No, it's public pressure, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Ben, Well, look it's it seems like the sort of
rule that makes a lot of sense if you're talking
about say, college sports in the state, you know, I mean,
is anyone really incentivized to sort of make big money
on the primary school mountain bike circuit by calling their
kids out of classes? That it all seems that it's silly.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
It does, doesn't it?
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Now?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
But are you still in Auckland? Do you own a
house in Auckland by any chance?
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I've got a place in Auckland. Yeah, but I'm down
at Wellington most of the time. So worst of both worlds.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yeah, And so did you have a look the valuation today?
Speaker 4 (02:03):
No? No, haven't had a look. Although look, my sins
is an Auckland I understand people are pretty disappointed about it.
But I always thought there as an Auckland. In the
same way that Huntergether has always sort of knew where
North was when they were out in Auckland, should always
roughly know the market price of their hunt.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Yes, I think they probably do, Craig, But I think
there's a difference, isn't there between what you think your
house is worth and then you see the thing written
down on the bit of paper and it's shocking.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Oh. I think some people have had a very nasty
surprise thinking that their properties have been immune from the
downtown and properties over the path.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
But being a good man of the left, you'll be pleased.
You'd be like, this is what we need. Downturn and
the property prices.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Oh, I don't know about that. I think I would
support some stability housing prices going up and down really
quickly doesn't help anyone, and so as Actually, if we
can make properties stand stalin as the previous and I said,
you have a beautiful delevering overcame, that would be infinitely
preferable then people losing you know, quite big sums of
money because these are often their pensions and we don't
(03:08):
want to see that happen.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
What do you reckon the been? I mean obviously between
like okay, so these these valuations have come out and
they have definitely I think shocked a lot of people,
just based on the people in my life. We have
upcoming local body elections in just a few months time,
and then we've got central like central government elections in
a year in a bit's time. Is it going to
impact either of these elections?
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Ben No, Look, I wouldn't have thought so. I mean, remember,
it's a bit of a lagging indicator. These are the
valuations from about a year ago compared to the valuations
from twenty twenty one, which themselves was sort of you know,
pricing in a lot of growth from the absolutely insane
housing market. Then continuing, you know, the economy should be improving.
(03:53):
People will be paying less for the mortgages as the
interras rate reductions flow through. So look, I think people
will be feeling a bit grouchy if they get the
lidder looked online on the herald or something and seeing
that their property is fallen and jail you. But look,
at least they want to sell up to cash up.
Right now, They'll probably be feeling a bit rosy accountliction.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Time's coming up, because I think as an economist, I'm
just sort of that there's one thing that does affect that,
which is what I think we call an economics the
wealth effect. Absolutely, when you see your house press keep
going up, you feel wealthier, so you go out and
you spend more money you because you're assuming the house
is going to basically bail you out of the need
for saving later on. And if people have lost that
(04:37):
wealth effect, not only will they be feeling grumpy at
various elections, but they then won't be spending and that
becomes a self fulfilling prophecy in terms of the economy.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
I mean, is it fair to say that you would
expect a quiet weekend and retail this weekend.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
I think what you would see is people not perhaps
investing as much in things like new kitchens or double glazing,
or they may wait a bit to reroof the house,
and as a consequence, there's long durables. Those sorts of
things might see not quite the increase because people aren't
feeling as wealthy in their pockets and knowing that if
(05:14):
all else fails, they can sell their house and they
can clear their.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Death okay, and so as a result, we go further
into the slum that we're at, slump that we're in
at the moment. All right, guys, take a break, come
back shortly.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
The Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International Realty achieve extraordinary
results with unparallel reach.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Are you beg of the huddle, Craig Rinny and being
Thomas Craig, do you believe that corruption is increasing in
the country.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
I think we've fallen down the perceptions of corruption and
transparency indexes. I think we've always probably had corruption. You know,
it's whether or not we're prepared to admit it, and
whether or not we've got more of it or less it.
I'm not entirely sure about that book. We should never
kid ourselves that we've never had it in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
No, of course we've had it, and of course it's
got worse. Being I mean, you can put all of
those criminals from Usustralia and it not get worse. But
what do you do about it? Like, is there anything
we can actually do or is it just reality now
that we have to live with it?
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Well, I mean I think we have to live with
it in a base level in a way that we
previously probably didn't have to. You know, in the past
news corruption in New Zealand has been ever present, but
it's more that sort of makes it. It makes favors,
you know, just one of the boys sort of things
as opposed to really organized crime. And you know, I
(06:29):
think you made a very good point earlier, you know,
strategically placing people to sort of you.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Know, you know, smuggle the drugs.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
Yeah, yeah, and and and find themselves inside organizations. Look, no,
organized crime huge problem with its genesis. I think in
the five O ones that's what really sort of blew
the whole scene up. And it will be you know,
it's a very slow way back for our police and
(06:59):
for our authority. It means a lot, a lot more strictness,
a lot more security, you know, and more internal processes.
So it's not just fitting people, you know, at the
recruitment stage, but also making sure that you've got more
transparency you know, on the job as well.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Graig, is Chippy really going to leave farmers out of
the ets or is he just saying it so that
they're not mean to him at field days?
Speaker 3 (07:23):
I have absolutely no idea. What I do know is
that there's a policy process that the later parties going
through on everything and all of its policies after the
last election, and that's where we're at right now. So
I think what he was saying to you guys, we're
talking about all the policies in the party manifesto, and
we're talking to you know, affected parties in various situations.
(07:46):
And as a consequence, it's just like we would be
talking in housing, we talk or we talk to welfare
groups about potential changes in any welfare. So this is
just another part of that overall party policy process that
all also had.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
This must be hard for you guys because you know,
especially in an MMP, you know, you guys have to
look at what your coalition partners want, who are pretty
extreme left, versus what the country wants. And the country
actually sits sort of slightly conservative on the middle. So
is it really hard for you to figure out where
to go on this with even.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Well, we're a party of our values and there's a consequence,
you know, when we're selling our policies, that's the things
that we talk to the country there, and that's you
know that that's the policies that we would take forward
to the country. I think we're quite straight about where
that is in terms of the lever.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Yeah, but I mean, but Craig, come on, you know
you've been doing this for a long time. We've all
been following politics for a long time. You have to
take into consideration that you're going to have your lunch
chop by the people on your left, so you have
to consider what they do as well.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Right, I think all parties have to consider what their
potential coalition parties are doing. I think the National Party
is doing that right now. But whether or not you
do that eighteen months out before an election, I'm not
entirely sure. And you know, right now the party is
just going through what it's policy might be, rather than
I think wondering where is in terms of whether or
(09:03):
not the Green Party at a party, Mari or anybody
else and would support that policy.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
True? Okay, Ben? Do you ever load up your online
shopping trolley and then go nah, I can't bothered and
bail out?
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Yeah? Absolutely, Yeah, it's almost like windows shopping or putting
a bookmark in Sometimes what are.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
You putting in your shopping trolley? Like muscaa wine food?
Speaker 4 (09:30):
The risk of sounding lame? Second hand books it's second
hand books and occasionally you know, ice hockey jerseys. Really yeah,
well they're you know, they're they're they're they're comfortable.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Sep you know, so it's not necessarily an ice hockey fair.
I love that. Just get that old County one on.
What about you, Craig, do you do this thing?
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Oh yeah all the time. It's just I think Ben's
exactly right. It's basically windows shopping, yeah, because it's so
much easy to click or I'll put it in the basket,
but then I'll make a decision later. And what are you?
Speaker 2 (10:06):
You're probably a book guy.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
I am a I am a book guy. Records vinyl
in there, but not a lot of not a lot
of clothes, but in certainly certainly not ice hockey jerseys.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Are you putting in? They're putting a bit of pink Floyd.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
No, no, god, no, no, no, much more so the Pixies
nineteen ninety sort of drunge. Oh mate, no, you're talking
my mind.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
I know you.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
I've picked you now now I know everything about you.
All right. You can tell a lot by a man's
music consumption, can't you. Guys? Thank you been Thomas Craig
Rennie jeez, I'll tell you, what have you heard of
Sonic Youth? You want to listen to a panish, I'm
(10:56):
going imagine that what I is the tune? A that's
a punish, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
Jeez?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
I tried, I really tried to be cool and I couldn't.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
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 Southby's International Realty Find.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
You're one of the guys right on the huddle with us.
It's even got Ben Thomas and Craig Reeney. How are
you too, Craig? This seems like a ridiculous rule, doesn't
it It does.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
It seems like the sort of rule that was invented
because at some point in time somebody somewhere cheated. But
I would hope that a little bit of common sense
would apply here and that we wouldn't end up in
this sort of space.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
But I mean, is spending because cheated? I mean training
extra in a day is not cheating, right, I mean
training extra in a day is just being passionate about it,
and surely we should be encouraging that rather than say
kings can't do it.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Yeah, but I think it's probably been designed to stop
particularly ambitious parents pushing their kids into lots and lots
of training. And I think you know that it's aw
as a consequence. It seems like a rule that's designed
for one thing, and certainly not for the case here.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, do you reckon, Ben? I mean you've worked in
parliament heaps, do you reckon? This is the kind of
thing that we'll actually have a rule change.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Uh is it a policy? Is it? Is it a regulation?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
I think it's I think it's a rule set by
school Sport New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Well, look, if it's a regulation, we could get the
Regulation Review Committee onto it like they did the Tea
Kanger continuing legal education. They might. They might have a
taste for blood now, but I mean, yeah, it's.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
No, it's public pressure, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Ben, Well, look it's it seems like the sort of
rule that makes a lot of sense if you're talking
about say, college sports in the state, you know, I mean,
is anyone really incentivized to sort of make big money
on the primary school mountain bike circuit by calling their
kids out of classes? That it all seems that it's silly.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
It does, doesn't it?
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Now?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
But are you still in Auckland? Do you own a
house in Auckland by any chance?
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I've got a place in Auckland. Yeah, but I'm down
at Wellington most of the time. So worst of both worlds.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yeah, And so did you have a look the valuation today?
Speaker 4 (02:03):
No? No, haven't had a look. Although look, my sins
is an Auckland I understand people are pretty disappointed about it.
But I always thought there as an Auckland. In the
same way that Huntergether has always sort of knew where
North was when they were out in Auckland, should always
roughly know the market price of their hunt.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Yes, I think they probably do, Craig, But I think
there's a difference, isn't there between what you think your
house is worth and then you see the thing written
down on the bit of paper and it's shocking.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Oh. I think some people have had a very nasty
surprise thinking that their properties have been immune from the
downtown and properties over the path.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
But being a good man of the left, you'll be pleased.
You'd be like, this is what we need. Downturn and
the property prices.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Oh, I don't know about that. I think I would
support some stability housing prices going up and down really
quickly doesn't help anyone, and so as Actually, if we
can make properties stand stalin as the previous and I said,
you have a beautiful delevering overcame, that would be infinitely
preferable then people losing you know, quite big sums of
money because these are often their pensions and we don't
(03:08):
want to see that happen.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
What do you reckon the been? I mean obviously between
like okay, so these these valuations have come out and
they have definitely I think shocked a lot of people,
just based on the people in my life. We have
upcoming local body elections in just a few months time,
and then we've got central like central government elections in
a year in a bit's time. Is it going to
impact either of these elections?
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Ben No, Look, I wouldn't have thought so. I mean, remember,
it's a bit of a lagging indicator. These are the
valuations from about a year ago compared to the valuations
from twenty twenty one, which themselves was sort of you know,
pricing in a lot of growth from the absolutely insane
housing market. Then continuing, you know, the economy should be improving.
(03:53):
People will be paying less for the mortgages as the
interras rate reductions flow through. So look, I think people
will be feeling a bit grouchy if they get the
lidder looked online on the herald or something and seeing
that their property is fallen and jail you. But look,
at least they want to sell up to cash up.
Right now, They'll probably be feeling a bit rosy accountliction.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Time's coming up, because I think as an economist, I'm
just sort of that there's one thing that does affect that,
which is what I think we call an economics the
wealth effect. Absolutely, when you see your house press keep
going up, you feel wealthier, so you go out and
you spend more money you because you're assuming the house
is going to basically bail you out of the need
for saving later on. And if people have lost that
(04:37):
wealth effect, not only will they be feeling grumpy at
various elections, but they then won't be spending and that
becomes a self fulfilling prophecy in terms of the economy.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
I mean, is it fair to say that you would
expect a quiet weekend and retail this weekend.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
I think what you would see is people not perhaps
investing as much in things like new kitchens or double glazing,
or they may wait a bit to reroof the house,
and as a consequence, there's long durables. Those sorts of
things might see not quite the increase because people aren't
feeling as wealthy in their pockets and knowing that if
(05:14):
all else fails, they can sell their house and they
can clear their.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Death okay, and so as a result, we go further
into the slum that we're at, slump that we're in
at the moment. All right, guys, take a break, come
back shortly.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
The Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International Realty achieve extraordinary
results with unparallel reach.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Are you beg of the huddle, Craig Rinny and being
Thomas Craig, do you believe that corruption is increasing in
the country.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
I think we've fallen down the perceptions of corruption and
transparency indexes. I think we've always probably had corruption. You know,
it's whether or not we're prepared to admit it, and
whether or not we've got more of it or less it.
I'm not entirely sure about that book. We should never
kid ourselves that we've never had it in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
No, of course we've had it, and of course it's
got worse. Being I mean, you can put all of
those criminals from Usustralia and it not get worse. But
what do you do about it? Like, is there anything
we can actually do or is it just reality now
that we have to live with it?
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Well, I mean I think we have to live with
it in a base level in a way that we
previously probably didn't have to. You know, in the past
news corruption in New Zealand has been ever present, but
it's more that sort of makes it. It makes favors,
you know, just one of the boys sort of things
as opposed to really organized crime. And you know, I
(06:29):
think you made a very good point earlier, you know,
strategically placing people to sort of you.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Know, you know, smuggle the drugs.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
Yeah, yeah, and and and find themselves inside organizations. Look, no,
organized crime huge problem with its genesis. I think in
the five O ones that's what really sort of blew
the whole scene up. And it will be you know,
it's a very slow way back for our police and
(06:59):
for our authority. It means a lot, a lot more strictness,
a lot more security, you know, and more internal processes.
So it's not just fitting people, you know, at the
recruitment stage, but also making sure that you've got more
transparency you know, on the job as well.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Graig, is Chippy really going to leave farmers out of
the ets or is he just saying it so that
they're not mean to him at field days?
Speaker 3 (07:23):
I have absolutely no idea. What I do know is
that there's a policy process that the later parties going
through on everything and all of its policies after the
last election, and that's where we're at right now. So
I think what he was saying to you guys, we're
talking about all the policies in the party manifesto, and
we're talking to you know, affected parties in various situations.
(07:46):
And as a consequence, it's just like we would be
talking in housing, we talk or we talk to welfare
groups about potential changes in any welfare. So this is
just another part of that overall party policy process that
all also had.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
This must be hard for you guys because you know,
especially in an MMP, you know, you guys have to
look at what your coalition partners want, who are pretty
extreme left, versus what the country wants. And the country
actually sits sort of slightly conservative on the middle. So
is it really hard for you to figure out where
to go on this with even.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Well, we're a party of our values and there's a consequence,
you know, when we're selling our policies, that's the things
that we talk to the country there, and that's you
know that that's the policies that we would take forward
to the country. I think we're quite straight about where
that is in terms of the lever.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Yeah, but I mean, but Craig, come on, you know
you've been doing this for a long time. We've all
been following politics for a long time. You have to
take into consideration that you're going to have your lunch
chop by the people on your left, so you have
to consider what they do as well.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Right, I think all parties have to consider what their
potential coalition parties are doing. I think the National Party
is doing that right now. But whether or not you
do that eighteen months out before an election, I'm not
entirely sure. And you know, right now the party is
just going through what it's policy might be, rather than
I think wondering where is in terms of whether or
(09:03):
not the Green Party at a party, Mari or anybody
else and would support that policy.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
True? Okay, Ben? Do you ever load up your online
shopping trolley and then go nah, I can't bothered and
bail out?
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Yeah? Absolutely, Yeah, it's almost like windows shopping or putting
a bookmark in Sometimes what are.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
You putting in your shopping trolley? Like muscaa wine food?
Speaker 4 (09:30):
The risk of sounding lame? Second hand books it's second
hand books and occasionally you know, ice hockey jerseys. Really yeah,
well they're you know, they're they're they're they're comfortable.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Sep you know, so it's not necessarily an ice hockey fair.
I love that. Just get that old County one on.
What about you, Craig, do you do this thing?
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Oh yeah all the time. It's just I think Ben's
exactly right. It's basically windows shopping, yeah, because it's so
much easy to click or I'll put it in the basket,
but then I'll make a decision later. And what are you?
Speaker 2 (10:06):
You're probably a book guy.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
I am a I am a book guy. Records vinyl
in there, but not a lot of not a lot
of clothes, but in certainly certainly not ice hockey jerseys.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Are you putting in? They're putting a bit of pink Floyd.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
No, no, god, no, no, no, much more so the Pixies
nineteen ninety sort of drunge. Oh mate, no, you're talking
my mind.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
I know you.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
I've picked you now now I know everything about you.
All right. You can tell a lot by a man's
music consumption, can't you. Guys? Thank you been Thomas Craig
Rennie jeez, I'll tell you, what have you heard of
Sonic Youth? You want to listen to a panish, I'm
(10:56):
going imagine that what I is the tune? A that's
a punish, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
Jeez?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
I tried, I really tried to be cool and I couldn't.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
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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