Richmond-based café Coffee on Queen is pushing back against a ban on advertising flags, and one expert says it's a sign of a bigger problem.
Café owner Matt Redwood says removing the flags from the footpath would lose $200-300 a day in lost sales - which would impact jobs.
Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges joined the Afternoons team to discuss further.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News talk Ed b
Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Council's Hindery NOI Helping city Business is a great person
to discuss this with a Simon Bridges. He's the CEO
of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and joins us on
the line. Now, Simon, get out of.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
You, gentlemen. First time call a longtime listener. It's very
exciting to be on your show where it's my wife
will be listening. She's always listening. I haven't even told
her because I'm confidence she is listening and getting wound
up by whatever it is you ared. Well, I know
what you're talking about. But what you've been talking about.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Oh, that's great to hear. We've got that. We've got
well a lot of the Bridges family online. This is
fantastic for us.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
So we're just getting the children at school aren't listening.
But you never know, I mean very education probably learned
as much from this show as being an all congrammar
and drew its other anyway.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Love it. So do you think because we're really talking
about the attitude of counsels and the fools under your remit,
not the particular council we're talking about, But do you
think counsels are business minded? Do you think they go
into interactions with businesses saying how can we facilitate what
will help you do business? Or do you think that
(01:23):
they go into these interactions and say, well, there's a
by law, let's shut this down.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
I think it's complicated in this way. I think the
mayor and the council is you know, by and large
there will be an exception. I think they get it right.
I think if you're talking to them, they say, you
know what, we want to find a solution for you.
We're outcome folks, we want to try and do this.
I think what happens in a lot of councils, and
bearing mind, it's not all their fault, right, I've got
some sympathy for counsels. They've had more and more obligations
(01:53):
placed on them by central government. Basically they can't do
anything right. They're being asked to be all things from
all people, and it's a somewhat broken system. I think
for lots of reasons I could give you, but what
happens is I believe and I'm not trying to offend
anyone who's listening. There is who's from middle management and
council who shouldn't be listening, by the way, they should
(02:15):
be doing some work. But but but at middle management
you've got a level of sort of actually quite powerful,
unaccountable officials, not the guys and girls at the top,
either either on the on the elected council or the
councilor and they want to be enabling, but I think
underneath that, and and they will often be you know,
(02:36):
experts in their their little fife team, right, and and
you know they just I just don't know that they
are service oriented enough that they have enough empathy sympathy
for for business people, which by which we're not necessarily
talking fon terror or spark, right, we're talking about semes.
It's ninety seven percent of our businesses, and for which
(02:59):
it's really hard, right because time and cost for them
aren't free. They're they're they're they're they're very significant things.
And anything that dealing with counsel when it takes a
long time, when it's uncertain, when it's a bit officious,
that that's a real impost on SMEs.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
You know, in a company, you might have your core
values or the principles of your company. Do you think
they've got those right A councils? Do you think they're
telling these middle management people? You know, your job is
to find a way for businesses on an individual interaction level,
find a way for businesses to succeed. So if you
come across a business, they've got a flag on a street.
And this might seem not not the biggest issue in
(03:37):
the world, but I think it goes slightly deep in
that you see a flag on the street, the pavements
two and a half meters wide, You go and you
talk to the guy, and he says, well, that's how
you know this is really helping us survive. Then your
core principle would be instead of I'm taking the flag
away and not even buying a coffee, your core principle
here is how can we make this work for you?
(03:58):
What can we do? Can I spend some time to
maybe secure the flag so it doesn't cause problems for people,
or you know, you know kind of know what I'm
saying something.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah, I mean I think seriously, it's it's brilliant not
being in politics, right because I actually haven't read this
story yet, but I'm going to comment on anyway we do.
But my vibe, but my vibe of it right, and
it is a vibe. And remember I was a lawyer
a long time ago. Oxford. Just want to put that
in there.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Team.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
I'm surprised by I would have thought, strictly speaking, legally
they can have a by law, but it would be
highly challengeable under the Bill of Rights or something. I
just think, you know, in the end, people have freedoms
in this country. We're not. We're liberal democracy, and I'm
sort of surprised by what I understand the case or
the facts of that to be. And I would have
looked counsel, you know, it needs to be a bit
(04:47):
careful in this this kind of area. Look to answer
your question, No, I don't think in terms of their
values and purposes, counsels are sufficiently service outcome oriented or
business like in the way they approach things. I will
come back to it, though, because lest I get sort
of you know, I'm with the wind Wilson actually the
(05:07):
Sea of Auckland Ouncil later. This is today, and he's
a really good guy. But unless that you know, he's
here listening to this and criticizing me. I mean, what
it would say is just remember councils that they are
trying to do so many things, and the problem with
that is, and I said before, it's a bit of
a broken system that I think they end up not
(05:28):
being able to do a lot that well. And that's
I think the government's actually right to try and get
it back to a more streamlined list where we're actually then,
as they said from the top, you know what, you're
going to do this in a business like, service oriented,
outcomes focused way. They could do that, but when they're
trying to do rubbish, water consents and then seventy nine
(05:50):
thousand other things, that that's pretty hopeless.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Well, just to give you the facts in the case
Summon Bridges, they've come through on nine two nine two
on the new news storksb text line, which is the
absolute pulpit of truth.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yea better than Google.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Hi guys, I live in Nelson and I go to
this cafe regularly. Wide footpath flag they have outside does
not impede or obstruct anyone. Excellent stuff with great service
and food. Council needs to back off and get a life.
And that's from Wars and I trust was one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
That's important to know. One look I haven't got the
sect entirely, and I no, no, no, this is very important.
What's on the flag are we talking about? We're talking.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
The reason why we've come to use silent because because
it's it says coffee, it says this is where you get.
It just advertises a stall.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
That clearly should be illegal. I mean they're clearly. I mean,
good grief, what would they What were they thinking? I
mean it's and you just think about the time and
the cost of the first official going out and then
the second, and you just got a sort of wonder
as I say, I I the mind boggles and all
(07:06):
of this. I just said, really don't.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
And so just if you had complete dictorial power and
you could you could tell counsels what they could do
to help businesses, what would you what would be the
main things you would want businesses to do? How many
councils to do for businesses like this?
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Firstly, I would I would have a bye law coffee
flags everywhere, right, they would just be everywhere, exclusively right.
But secondly, and actually you know, I'm being a bit glib.
I mean all seriousness and this is a bit glib
as well, But you know, I think the main thing
is where they can get out of the way. You know, yes, rates,
(07:46):
it's good to have pressure down on that because they
are significant costs for businesses, as much or more than
households actually. And then it's just, you know, when we
are thinking of in all seriousness, I mean this one
and the by law that will be in place here
around the flags and the footpath or whatever, it is,
just when they're thinking about their rules, their rags, their
(08:06):
red tape, the green tape, all manner of things they do.
Just you know, yet, what's what's the outcome of this?
What are we trying to achieve? Are we doing more
than we need to? Is it going to have unintended consequences?
What's the cost? The time impact on business? I mean,
these are the sort of things that we'd like to see.
And then and then I think, you know, you made
(08:27):
a good point around the purposes and values. Just if
we can somehow top down, bottom up, have have have
counsels that are very more empathy, more service soos, more
understanding of business and the time and the cost pressures
that are on them, that it go a long way.
I could give you examples, I won't because it's slightly unprofessional. Right,
(08:49):
I haven't got permission from the people I'm talking about,
but of probably this year, dozens of cases and instances
that come to me from business people, small and medium
sized business people in Auckland where you know, it's not
that the Council has done anything absolutely terrible, but it's
just it's just slow who middle management can be a
(09:10):
bit arrogant, it's not solutions oriented, and these things can
literally put out of business.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Yeah, Simon, really good to chat with you. All the
best for the council meeting this afternoon. That's going to
be interesting for you.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Brilliant, brilliant. No, look, I'll pass on your regards and
I might just now draft that coffee flags everywhere by law, all.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Right, smart, smart, See Simon and see you Natalie and
the kids.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
That is Simon Bridges, the CEO of the Auckland Chamber
of Commerce.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
For more from News Talks B listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News talk Ed b
Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Council's Hindery NOI Helping city Business is a great person
to discuss this with a Simon Bridges. He's the CEO
of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and joins us on
the line. Now, Simon, get out of.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
You, gentlemen. First time call a longtime listener. It's very
exciting to be on your show where it's my wife
will be listening. She's always listening. I haven't even told
her because I'm confidence she is listening and getting wound
up by whatever it is you ared. Well, I know
what you're talking about. But what you've been talking about.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Oh, that's great to hear. We've got that. We've got
well a lot of the Bridges family online. This is
fantastic for us.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
So we're just getting the children at school aren't listening.
But you never know, I mean very education probably learned
as much from this show as being an all congrammar
and drew its other anyway.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Love it. So do you think because we're really talking
about the attitude of counsels and the fools under your remit,
not the particular council we're talking about, But do you
think counsels are business minded? Do you think they go
into interactions with businesses saying how can we facilitate what
will help you do business? Or do you think that
(01:23):
they go into these interactions and say, well, there's a
by law, let's shut this down.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
I think it's complicated in this way. I think the
mayor and the council is you know, by and large
there will be an exception. I think they get it right.
I think if you're talking to them, they say, you
know what, we want to find a solution for you.
We're outcome folks, we want to try and do this.
I think what happens in a lot of councils, and
bearing mind, it's not all their fault, right, I've got
some sympathy for counsels. They've had more and more obligations
(01:53):
placed on them by central government. Basically they can't do
anything right. They're being asked to be all things from
all people, and it's a somewhat broken system. I think
for lots of reasons I could give you, but what
happens is I believe and I'm not trying to offend
anyone who's listening. There is who's from middle management and
council who shouldn't be listening, by the way, they should
(02:15):
be doing some work. But but but at middle management
you've got a level of sort of actually quite powerful,
unaccountable officials, not the guys and girls at the top,
either either on the on the elected council or the
councilor and they want to be enabling, but I think
underneath that, and and they will often be you know,
(02:36):
experts in their their little fife team, right, and and
you know they just I just don't know that they
are service oriented enough that they have enough empathy sympathy
for for business people, which by which we're not necessarily
talking fon terror or spark, right, we're talking about semes.
It's ninety seven percent of our businesses, and for which
(02:59):
it's really hard, right because time and cost for them
aren't free. They're they're they're they're they're very significant things.
And anything that dealing with counsel when it takes a
long time, when it's uncertain, when it's a bit officious,
that that's a real impost on SMEs.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
You know, in a company, you might have your core
values or the principles of your company. Do you think
they've got those right A councils? Do you think they're
telling these middle management people? You know, your job is
to find a way for businesses on an individual interaction level,
find a way for businesses to succeed. So if you
come across a business, they've got a flag on a street.
And this might seem not not the biggest issue in
(03:37):
the world, but I think it goes slightly deep in
that you see a flag on the street, the pavements
two and a half meters wide, You go and you
talk to the guy, and he says, well, that's how
you know this is really helping us survive. Then your
core principle would be instead of I'm taking the flag
away and not even buying a coffee, your core principle
here is how can we make this work for you?
(03:58):
What can we do? Can I spend some time to
maybe secure the flag so it doesn't cause problems for people,
or you know, you know kind of know what I'm
saying something.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah, I mean I think seriously, it's it's brilliant not
being in politics, right because I actually haven't read this
story yet, but I'm going to comment on anyway we do.
But my vibe, but my vibe of it right, and
it is a vibe. And remember I was a lawyer
a long time ago. Oxford. Just want to put that
in there.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Team.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
I'm surprised by I would have thought, strictly speaking, legally
they can have a by law, but it would be
highly challengeable under the Bill of Rights or something. I
just think, you know, in the end, people have freedoms
in this country. We're not. We're liberal democracy, and I'm
sort of surprised by what I understand the case or
the facts of that to be. And I would have
looked counsel, you know, it needs to be a bit
(04:47):
careful in this this kind of area. Look to answer
your question, No, I don't think in terms of their
values and purposes, counsels are sufficiently service outcome oriented or
business like in the way they approach things. I will
come back to it, though, because lest I get sort
of you know, I'm with the wind Wilson actually the
(05:07):
Sea of Auckland Ouncil later. This is today, and he's
a really good guy. But unless that you know, he's
here listening to this and criticizing me. I mean, what
it would say is just remember councils that they are
trying to do so many things, and the problem with
that is, and I said before, it's a bit of
a broken system that I think they end up not
(05:28):
being able to do a lot that well. And that's
I think the government's actually right to try and get
it back to a more streamlined list where we're actually then,
as they said from the top, you know what, you're
going to do this in a business like, service oriented,
outcomes focused way. They could do that, but when they're
trying to do rubbish, water consents and then seventy nine
(05:50):
thousand other things, that that's pretty hopeless.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Well, just to give you the facts in the case
Summon Bridges, they've come through on nine two nine two
on the new news storksb text line, which is the
absolute pulpit of truth.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yea better than Google.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Hi guys, I live in Nelson and I go to
this cafe regularly. Wide footpath flag they have outside does
not impede or obstruct anyone. Excellent stuff with great service
and food. Council needs to back off and get a life.
And that's from Wars and I trust was one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
That's important to know. One look I haven't got the
sect entirely, and I no, no, no, this is very important.
What's on the flag are we talking about? We're talking.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
The reason why we've come to use silent because because
it's it says coffee, it says this is where you get.
It just advertises a stall.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
That clearly should be illegal. I mean they're clearly. I mean,
good grief, what would they What were they thinking? I
mean it's and you just think about the time and
the cost of the first official going out and then
the second, and you just got a sort of wonder
as I say, I I the mind boggles and all
(07:06):
of this. I just said, really don't.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
And so just if you had complete dictorial power and
you could you could tell counsels what they could do
to help businesses, what would you what would be the
main things you would want businesses to do? How many
councils to do for businesses like this?
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Firstly, I would I would have a bye law coffee
flags everywhere, right, they would just be everywhere, exclusively right.
But secondly, and actually you know, I'm being a bit glib.
I mean all seriousness and this is a bit glib
as well, But you know, I think the main thing
is where they can get out of the way. You know, yes, rates,
(07:46):
it's good to have pressure down on that because they
are significant costs for businesses, as much or more than
households actually. And then it's just, you know, when we
are thinking of in all seriousness, I mean this one
and the by law that will be in place here
around the flags and the footpath or whatever, it is,
just when they're thinking about their rules, their rags, their
(08:06):
red tape, the green tape, all manner of things they do.
Just you know, yet, what's what's the outcome of this?
What are we trying to achieve? Are we doing more
than we need to? Is it going to have unintended consequences?
What's the cost? The time impact on business? I mean,
these are the sort of things that we'd like to see.
And then and then I think, you know, you made
(08:27):
a good point around the purposes and values. Just if
we can somehow top down, bottom up, have have have
counsels that are very more empathy, more service soos, more
understanding of business and the time and the cost pressures
that are on them, that it go a long way.
I could give you examples, I won't because it's slightly unprofessional. Right,
(08:49):
I haven't got permission from the people I'm talking about,
but of probably this year, dozens of cases and instances
that come to me from business people, small and medium
sized business people in Auckland where you know, it's not
that the Council has done anything absolutely terrible, but it's
just it's just slow who middle management can be a
(09:10):
bit arrogant, it's not solutions oriented, and these things can
literally put out of business.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Yeah, Simon, really good to chat with you. All the
best for the council meeting this afternoon. That's going to
be interesting for you.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Brilliant, brilliant. No, look, I'll pass on your regards and
I might just now draft that coffee flags everywhere by law, all.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Right, smart, smart, See Simon and see you Natalie and
the kids.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
That is Simon Bridges, the CEO of the Auckland Chamber
of Commerce.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
For more from News Talks B listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!