As UK election results slowly began rolling in, who better than political commentators Dr Bryce Edwards and Brigitte Morten to discuss what it means.
The pair joined Nick Mills for Friday Faceoff, and also discussed the proposal for a Wellington super-city, criticism of David Seymour responding to teenagers on social media eight years ago, and the closure of Newshub.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk Said B dissecting the week sublime and ridiculous.
Friday face off with Quinovic Property Management a better rental
experience for all Call only eight hundred Quinovic Thursday.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I don't care about you bribing. I love Hoday you
go fall.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Tuesday break.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
So like having a couple of school kids in the studio,
I'm try us to do my own try and they're
chatting away like clemen, long lost friends. Have you not?
Have you not seen each other for a while?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Have you haven't? And it's something really exciting happening today?
Speaker 2 (00:49):
That what's what's happening today? It's really exciting.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
Election, the big one.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
You've got two political nerds in front of you. When
the British election result is literally.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Live, you want to put the TV on so you
can watch them. I tell you, what do you want
me to give you to tell you what's happening?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I've got it.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Well, I mean, what do you want to talk about?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
For?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Is about one way hiding? It's like the all Blacks
playing blemen under twelves, That's what it is. Joining us
on Friday face Off, This week is political commentators doctor
Bryce Edwards, he Nick Morning and.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Bridget Morton Good Morning.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
So that's why they're a bit fired up about the
British election. I mean soon next gone. We knew that,
everyone knew that a year ago he wasn't gonna last.
Labor comes in groundswell change, we knew that was going
to happen there. What am I missing here?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Well? I think what missing is the nuances. First of all,
we love a race, so we like to see all
that individual seats falling because that's always interesting. But also
the fact that you know they're going to have probably
on current numbers, Lave's going to win about four hundred
and ten of the six fifty seats. That's massive. So
who stays there? Who is the bil like the foundations
of the Conservative Party? Where's that kind of go next?
(02:00):
Who's out? Who actually has the possiblity of future? These
are the exciting things that we love.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
To watch, and those minor parties are just fastened to
see reform. In particular the Nigel Farage party get through
what looks like he's got about thirteen seats and that's
going to be a big change for British politics and
the right side of politics. And interestingly enough, although he's
been winning seats off the Conservatives, he's actually done very
(02:24):
well in labor seats, the Reform Party that is, and
so it looks like they might have even swung some
labor seats to Reform, which is just incredible.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Is he the one that they're talking about actually joining
the Conservatives? Indeed?
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Indeed, so he's the populist. So it's the same thing
we're seeing, you know, throughout the world, with different variants
of it, with Trump and some of the more nationalist
populist figures in France doing really well at the first
election last weekend. We're in a really global era of
kind of discontent and revolt, so you know, almost in
(02:59):
Wellington as well.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
I'd say, tell me if I'm wrong. But the feeling
that I get, and I'm not a political junkie like
you guys on a talk back host, like, it's just
whoever's the oppositions has become populous because they hate the
one that's governing at the moment. Anywhere in the.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
World, I think that's right, and so those that are
in power have a lot of trouble defending their records
and that's what we saw in the last election here,
we saw in the last one in Australia everywhere. And yeah,
those that are saying I'll keep the Pastard's honest. Can
I say that are the ones that are connecting with
(03:36):
the public that just feel that they're not being listened
to by whether it's ye city councils or parliaments or
governments everywhere.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Yeah, absolutely agree, And this is ultimately a time for
change election. The Conservative has been in for fourteen years.
They've gone through every member of the party, it seems
like for Prime minister in the last three or four years.
And I think absolutely the British public is just well,
why should we keep you on? So it absolutely is
just I think the change. Yeah, the Tories have lost
this election, it's not actually the Labour's wont it.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Yeah, that's pretty much right. Let's talk about a little
bit closer to home. The latest Wellington residence survey shows
that fifty percent of residents pride in the city is
down from eighty four percent in twenty nineteen. That's a
pretty high rate of success. They're also growing concerns about
(04:25):
safety and live on and live liveliness in the city.
Bridget are you surprised by these results. This is a
survey that's done by the council themselves to self look at.
It's a mirror, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Yeah, I'm not surprised by the results. I mean, it's
a significant downturn in the last five years between from
eighty four to fifty. But I think you can see
that everywhere. There's Ultimately you can't ignore the last sort
of six months or so recession, public service, job cuts
and things will have people feeling less positive about Wellington
as a city. But then all the pressure is about.
We've had to record rent increases during that time, and
(05:00):
those rent increases really affect some of those more diverse
communities that we have in the city that we sort
of love and as part of our culture in Wellington.
So you can see I can totally understand why that's happening.
And law and order is an issue across the country,
it's no surprise that's happening here in Wellington as well.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Can we fix the mood ab our city quickly? Rice
or is it well, we're in trouble.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
It's not so much about fixing the mood, it's about
fixing the city. So the survey that came out, you know,
it's an annual one that the city Council have to do.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
It really did, I.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
Think reflect the state of the city. And so I
looked at the results quite closely, and they've been trending
down on just about every measure for the last five
or six years.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Transport winner, yes, that were well.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Even that was still quite low, but how bad it was, Okay,
it's not at a record low. It's had a second
lowest low. But I mean the main one that I
thought was interesting was asking people about their the evaluations
of the performance of the council. Last year, it had
(06:05):
all dissatisfaction of forty five percent were dissatisfied with the
council's performance. This year it's leaped up to fifty six
So the majority of people are dissatisfied with this council's
performance all the other measures. Again, if you ask people
about whether the city is a lively and attractive place,
(06:26):
it used to be about seventy three percent I think
used to say it was a few years ago. It's
gone down to thirty seven percent. Who think that.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Likewise, people are concerned about safety. What I've been astonished
by is some of the reactions by counselors and the
mayor on the survey, and if you look at the
press release they put out, they tried to spin it
with all the positivities from it, but and they ignored
all the negativity. And the mayor tried to say, oh,
this is just about change and people have to get
used to change, and we're making all this transformation, and
(06:53):
they alson get used to it.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
And I and a.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Panet said, oh, look, I live in the central city
and I think it's safe, and I don't think people's
perceptions of crime being bad is correct. And she blamed
not on the councilor's performance, but on homophobia, racism and
some other sort of l of the public. So you know,
I don't know if the council is going to take
this seriously.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
That well, they don't are revolting, they don't listen, they
don't listen to the people, so they're not going to
take this serious. Bridget Wellington. You know, if you look
at it now and you look at it five years ago,
is it much different?
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Yeah. I mean sometimes it's hard to what your perception
is versus what the objective reality is. And I think
what you know, I owner was sort of indicating the
area is actually if you look at the crime stats,
they actually haven't gone up massively higher than what they were.
But what is the sort of intellation of actually just
how unsafe people feel because of how people are behaving
towards each other in the city. I mean, I don't
(07:50):
really come down Courtney Place anymore, particularly at night. It's
not I think, you know, people are sort of staying
away from those sort of areas because of some of
those perceptions and that it's not a great place to be,
you know, out on a Saturday night.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
And can I just interrupt you there? Because I do
spend a lot of time in Courtney Place. One of
the stats that kind of made me really think was
that five years ago eighty four was the scene of
people thought it was safe in Courtney Place. That's when
it was absolutely heaving. That was when it was like massive,
the most popular entertainment sector area in New Zealand. Fast
(08:24):
forward five years now, it's very very quiet compared to that,
and people don't feel safe. How does that work?
Speaker 3 (08:29):
I think, well, I think during one of those times
when it was heaving that there was a lot of
unsociable behavior. So you call I remember sort of going
out during some of those times, and you know, I'm
not going out to the middle of the night. You know,
they sort of eleven o'clock at night, and you're still
seeing people really drunk on the footpaths, you know, sort
of you know, getting sort of aggregated each other, and
there's one set sticks in your mind and there's a
(08:49):
lot of people around. You don't want to come back
into that environment. So there's probably a bit of a
hangover literally from some of those times. And maybe that
wasn't their behavior wasn't. It wasn't perhaps you know, controlled
in the best way at those times.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Okay, I mean it does seem that the city is dying.
I mean, I'm here in the nineteen nineties, it was
the coolest place to be in the country. As a
whale gained for another decade or so, it came back
five years ago, it was still kind of cool, but
you could see that it had faded grandeur. So things
were starting to get tarnished and start to be run down.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
And yeah, can I ask you what responsibility you personally
can take on that, because I think that moving here, no,
I'm thinking that Victoria University, who you work for Yeah,
I mean Victoria University is the heart and soul of
the city. Yeah, for young people, let's be honest about it.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
It does have an impact. You're right.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
And it feels to me from being in the city,
living in the city, working in the city, that we
don't have the impact from Victoria University students that we
once had.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Yeah, look upon too that I suddenly think the university
needs to do much more to be engaged with the city.
That the barriers go up around the campus walls and
it's a very inward looking university in many regards, and
it needs to have a much more of a civic purpose,
needs to be part of the city. And it's not
enough of that.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
No, And when you see bridget and I'm coming to
you on that you see that week but they all
move into town. I love that week. I absolutely love
that week. These young kids that looking like twelve with
bright eyes of their parents taking them out for McDonald's
and they're walking the streets looking around. I'm getting a
bit of emotion. I love that week in Wellington.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Yeah, I remember when I because that was when I
moved to Wellington. Was that sort of first year university
experience that they did move because they thought it was
the most interesting place. And also my politics nerd and
this is the heart of politics. But I think the
difference now, and the thing I know from people that
are students is that the cost of living is so
high for them and their rents are so high. So
I lived in a downtrodden student fled on fairly terrace
(10:47):
right next to the campus, so really in the heart
of it, you know, I was coming down to law school,
I was going to classes in time. They, like lots
of my friends who are students, A are moving out
to the suburbs because the cheap the rent is much
much cheaper, and B they have to take many more
hours of work, so they're not able to hang around campus.
They're doing much more of their classes online that can
fit them around their work schedule. They just don't have
(11:09):
the same sort of student lifestyle that I was privileged
enough to have.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
This is true well to me as a PORI ruer
Hut City and Upper Art seemed to be on board
with a discussion to merge. It discussion to merge, but
wanting to mirror Tory Farno doesn't think it's needed right
now now. I had a text that came in when
I discussed this previously that I was going to discuss it,
saying that they were adamant that one guppy does not
(11:34):
want to talk about a merger, but I believe, and
I strongly believed, that he does well at least talk
about it. Bridget, what do you think I mean? Is
it a good idea? I know, we tried to do
it with the great you know, with wire wrapper and
the Capity Coast and a tacky and that got too
big and didn't work. But the base in itself as
a super city, do you like the idea?
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Well, nobody's really talking about what are the core benefits?
And I think what we actually just to start with
is maybe aligning some of our infrastructure and getting that sorted. So,
I mean, the classic you know opportunity right now is
a real water you know, the cub Central government's really
pushing amalgamation on the basis of water and having your
councils cooperate. Why don't we just deal with that? But
I have to say also as a Heart City resident,
(12:16):
I do find it weird that there's an upper hut
in the lower Heart City Council. Just seems like it's
one place, all right, do you live at the heart.
I do live in the heart.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
I used to live in town I did. Okay, you
confuse me, then, doctor Bryce Edwards, what do you think about.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Look, I'm favorable towards it. It's something that needs more
care than just jumping into it though. You have to
learn the lessons, particularly of Auckland where there's been pros
and cons to that merger. So it's not something to
be rushed, but it's something that definitely should be looked
at the moment. I'd probably go further in terms of
having a bigger shake up of local government and perhaps
(12:50):
even I know this will be unpopular, but looking at
a parliament for the Wellington region.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
You talked about the Australian region. He type thing in Australia.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Yeah, I don't have an elected mayor anymore. Bring back
in party politics, which is I know, unpopular, and shake
things up. I mean obviously Tory Farnal hasn't got an
interest in doing this.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Why have this? Well, why would she not have an.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
He's come in saying she wants to be mayor for
three terms and so you know this would pretty much
rule her out if there was a move if she
could run for it. Oh, look, she would not win
over those those suburbs. I think she'd have trouble enough
in the next election winning over in a city Wellington.
She wouldn't win that.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Really, No, yeah, I absolutely agree with that. I think
in the heart you extolute see and you've got to
remember also if you look across the country, the vast
majority of councilors do lean towards the right because they
tend to be elected on fiscally conservative, deliver of services
kind of platforms. We're can't unique here in Wellington to have, actually,
I think such a left leaning council in the city.
(13:54):
So I completely agree with Bryce as well. I do
have a little bit of sympathy for the mayor, though
I think she's right in saying that that this is
not the number one thing that people want time spender
at the moment. People are like, just fix the water,
you know, get the library for do whatever needs to
be done the town. We'll just get those things done
rather than worrying about amalgamation.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
And there was a lot of talk pre election by
the Nets, especially saying that they wanted to re look
at the whole city council thing and amalgamatee they wanted
less rather than more.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
But that seems to have gone quiet now, hasn't it.
No one seems to want to talk about it anymore.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
I'm not sure that I've simply seen that much about it.
I think there was definitely they were talking about pre
election about this a number of vary small councils that
are not financially sustainable when they should be, you know,
sort of merged. I don't think they were really advocating
for any major ones push towards the super city type approach,
but I do think, you know, as I say, go
back to the sort of water policy, you can variously
strong signals of them saying we want greater cooperation between councils,
(14:52):
and in some ways that might lead to some councils
joined together. Maybe that's right, but.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Surely the idea of having one chief financial officer for
all that basic.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
There's economies of scale for having merges deffinitely, especially in
terms of infrastructure or theureocracy. But yeah, national I doubt
they want to take that on at the moment. It's
a big job and it's got so much opposition. You're
basically looking at redundancies, and I don't know, and people
that have vested in TRUL.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
They might have redundancies.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
National well, they were already fighting fires on that front.
I don't think they'll want to also make an enemy
of lots of other local government.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
All right, politicians. Kind of a bit of a controversial
little bit of stuff here, And I've got myself in
a little bit of trouble because I came out and
said I didn't think it was quite right. But anyway,
let's get on with it. The act leader is facing
criticism for replying to teenagers on Snapchat eight years ago.
Was eight years ago. There is absolutely no suggestion of
any inappropriate conduct. Bryce Is this a beat up or
(15:51):
a genuine concern that a fourteen year old can snap
chat a politician? Oh?
Speaker 4 (15:58):
I think it's scutter journalism. Really, I don't think there's
any real public good in dragging this up from eight
years ago, especially when there was no wrongdoing alleged in
the slightest I think, especially eight years ago. Politicians from
across the political spectrum, we're using social media, including Snapchat,
to try and connect and be relevant, and that's what
(16:19):
politicians should do. I mean, there's a danger in using
any communication. And yeah, certainly I get in trouble from
time to time with you know, tweeting and all sorts
of social media or things I write in columns, and
that just comes with the territory. But I think this
is a bit of a moralistic But.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I'm going to ask you, because you're you're a lecture
at a university, off a young first year student snapchat
you at nine o'clock on a Friday night. Would you
go back to them?
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Ah?
Speaker 4 (16:49):
Yes, it's a great question, putting me on the spot here.
I don't think I would, and I think it would
be an advised to do so. But what if the
person emailed me? Yeah, probably reply not Actually that that's a.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Great that's a really that's an even better point than
my question. Yeah, isn't it, Because I mean, what the
optics The optics are pretty bad here, that aren't they.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
To be honest, I think that optics are mostly by
this bit of moral outrage crowd who frankly just doesn't
understand social media and that that is where young people
are and we talk about them being young people, but actually,
you know, now the snap chant has been around a
long time. These are people in their mid twenties and
their early thirties that are using Snapchat as a means
of communication. We want young people to be more engaged
(17:31):
in politics. We want them to be voting more. They
are lowest voting block. I think it's great that politicians
are actually spending their time to engage with young people,
you know, particularly you know, he took the time to
engage with someone that couldn't even vote at the time.
I mean, of course you've got to have it's got
to be appropriate conduct, and if you've done anything inappropriate,
that absolutely should it should extract criticism. But this is
(17:54):
absolutely what I actually want our politicians to be doing.
And it actually frustrates me that people want to put
them in a box that we send formal letters into
Parliament and then they come back and that's the way
that we engage with each other.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
You see where I have an issue here is so
you can talk about people's age of them and all
that sort of stuff, But would you find it strange?
And I'm asking myself in a mirror here and you
guys can reply to it, would you feel it's strange
thirty years ago if a fourteen year old ran a
politician on a phone because we're talking about connection and
(18:24):
media or sent them.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Look, we are we live in an age of heightened
concern for good reason, about all sorts of harassment issues,
imbalances of power. You know, we've been through the Me
too movement, So yeah, I do think people need to
be more sensible about these situations. And it's just a
(18:49):
reality that David seymore. Yeah, I wouldn't advise him to
get into those situations, but that's not any sort of
condemnation for anything.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
He's one hundred percent and I want to make it
clear that we're not here. Was nothing wrong in what
you know he did. We're just talking about it whether
it's right. Bridget I'm going to come to you on
this one because we're talking this morning about whether we
should ban under sixteens from all social media. Australia is
seriously considering it. I mean, Aberenez he's thrown sixteen million
at it and the opposition leader says if they become government,
they're going to ban it. We talked about it this
(19:20):
morning on the show. Didn't get a lot of a
lot of connection. What are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 3 (19:24):
I think the number one thing for me is that yes,
you can ban it, but if you've been near anyone
who's under age twenty five, what they can do on
your phone and get around this is just extraordinary. I've
had friends of mine who just, you know, look at
something I'm doing and just fix it like in two seconds,
and I just I'm just basically, I just don't think
it can work. I think that, you know, they always
(19:45):
find a way to communicate. It's a really Actually, I'd
rather than sixteen million were spent on helping them educate
about keep themselves safe, boundaries consequences of particular types of
engagement rather than actually trying to do a ban, because
we know, for the most part, probation doesn't work, and
teenagers always want to be able to chat to them
chat to each other without parental supervistient.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Well, and I can remember when I was a very
young lad, and I don't know why I can remember,
but when you're talking about that reminded me of was
when they tried to hide penthouses and dairies so that
young kids couldn't see penthouses, and yet kids still got them.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
I don't know how to respond to that, but it's
just to say I agree with Bridget really that. Yeah, absolutely,
it's a serious issue and it's not an overreaction necessarily
because this is having an impact on young lives. But
you can't just ban things. You're better to have a
more positive education process.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Right, Okay. News Hub's final bulletin is tonight. Their breakfast
show's already screened. Their last program this morning Stuff are
taking over from tomorrow night, Bryce Edwards, how much of
a loss is this for New Zealand or New Zealander
is really for me? It's just one thing stopping and
another one starting, isn't it. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
I mean, I'm not shedding any tears. It's always sad
when people lose their jobs in particular, but I don't
think it's going to have a big impact on New
Zealand politics. The media landscape is changingmatically and there are
lots of other ways we get our news. So yeah,
definitely not good and I'm disappointed because a lot of
(21:16):
those you know, the role of journalists and people in
the media, it's a bit of a crisis at the moment.
A lot of those people are going to have to
move into pr and to you know, sort of comms
and all sorts of working for the government and we
need more people working on the media shining a spotlight
on those in power.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Bridget Have we heard too much about this whole closing
of news hubbit? Has it been overdone? Has it been overbaked?
Speaker 3 (21:42):
I think a bit proportionally to some of the other
people that are losing their jobs at the moment of
the country. And I think that's what gets a bit
lost and you see a lot of people complaining about
that that And this is not to downplay obviously the
people that have lost their jobs today and how incredibly
sad that is to have lost that institution, But I
do think that there is a little bit of you know,
because they are the media, they get to report a
(22:03):
little bit more focused than other industries, do get I
do you think with what Bryce is saying though, is
absolutely we just have to embrace this sort of change
and support the change. So you know, if you have
to say, if you in this news and a model,
if you support news, you should be subscribing, you should
be paying for news outlets, and I think also for newshad.
(22:23):
But they just sort of have to recognize that they
need to go where the audience is and this is
just a clear market reaction that the audience wasn't there
to sustain the product they were putting out.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
I'm going to ask you both very quickly, because it's
a question for both of you. How do you think
the Stuff bulletin will go? How do you think I'll
handle it?
Speaker 4 (22:38):
It's going to be an interesting experiment. And because media
like newspapers and online is so digital already, I think
they'll make that transition. Okay. I mean Stuff has kind
of got a bit of a reputation of being a
bit more woke, a bit more sort of socially liberal.
They'll project that in their news bulletins.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
It'll be popular, be popular.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
You think I think it'll be popular.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
I think the thing that they'll struggle to get is
the hook to get you on, because I can't see
what would get me to go and actually watch it
on the Stuff website. Quite different to you know, the
six o'clock news TV one also goes on in my parents' place,
and see what's the thing that's going to make an
audience actually go. Am I going to go on Stuff
and XU you what this is?
Speaker 4 (23:20):
Watch it on TV three channel, either digitally or free
to wear or whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
I'll still get to watch it at six o'clock. But yeah, well,
but they need.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
To get more than just who would have occasually come
as they do now to actually make it sustainable.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Okay, let's move on to Wellington Zoo recorded a record
visitor numbers in the last financial year, but lost about
five hundred thousand dollars. Bryce, you know, do we actually
need a zoo in Wellington? Do we actually you know,
I mean, given its popularity vic since continuing to lose money,
do we clear care if it's still there.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
I have mixed feelings on this. I have, you know,
traditionally worried about sort of the quality of life of
animals and zoos. But the Wellington's Zoo does seem to
do quite well in that regard. Kids love it and
sometimes when there's not much going on in Wellington, it's
a great place for families to go to. And we
see that in terms of the numbers just keep on
(24:20):
going up and the visitor numbers so and they seem.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
To do it pretty well, don't. They don't do twilight thing,
cuddle and animal doors. They're trying to be quite innovative.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
Yeah, so I think Wellington Zoo gets a bit of
a tick you for being an asset for this region.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Bridget Morton. When was the last time you went to
the zoo?
Speaker 3 (24:39):
I thought about this really carefully. It was two thousand
and five, and I slept over at the zoo, which
is one of the great initiatives that they haven't a
night with the tigers. Yeah, indeed they didn't actually put
me in the tiger pitt, thankfully, but yeah, so once
I think, a great initiative, but they do. I'm just
once again, is there something that we need to sort
of subsidize as a public good at the moment, I'm
(25:01):
just not sure if we do. I do think the
underlying thing about zoos is yes, going in the education
particularly young people about animals and animal welfare is great,
but there's a massive sort of what the zoology actually
the science about what's happening underneath it, and perhaps we
actually need to spend a bit more time thinking about
focusing on, say some of our indigenous species who we
know we haven't got a lot of funding for, rather
than trying to keep you know, some elephants and tigers
(25:24):
species alive in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Right, I want to move on to something that I'm
very passionate about getting to see your GP. Now, I
reckon that if you can get to see your GP
and you have a long term relationship with your GT,
goes hands in hand. I think that it's actually a
great health initiative. I think, you know, if you can
bring up get to see your GP when you need
to and get things sorted before they get to a
(25:49):
bad situation, it's good for the whole economy. Aht GP
Clinic is moving to all non urgent appointments online due
to critical staffing shortage and some patients are waiting weeks
for appointments. Bridget how bad is the state of getting
to see your GPS New Zealand. Now you're a political commentator,
you would hear about this all the time. And should
(26:11):
you be able to just actually go online and see
your GP? Have you done that?
Speaker 3 (26:14):
I haven't done online, but I have always run health
line and found it to be really really helpful. I
think absolutely I would be very open to online consultations
that would make you be really convenient for me for
particular medical things, some of the things obviously you want
to go and see a doctor for. And also I'm
of a different generation. I think you know, perhaps even
for my parents age who's sort of mid seventies, they
(26:36):
can do a consult over zoom, but for them to
feel comfortable enough to discuss the wider issues, which is
why I think you're talking about that kind of long
term relationship stuff that we want. From a preventive health
point of view, it's probably not going to be the
right environment. So mixed you smorrow would be great, but
going to fully online is clearly not going to help,
particularly I think with kids.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
Well, I mean, I think there's two big issues here.
One is the changing way that we do healthcare and everything,
and it's a bit like education whereby you've got to
have some online sort of innovations, different ways of learning,
and so yeah, I'm all for GP clinics transitioning to
a better service model. But the second big issue is
(27:17):
that this has been caused by a lack of doctors
and we have a crisis in New Zealand and it's
really akin to some of those other infrastructure crises in
terms of electricity transmission or Cook Island ferries, where governments
over the years have neglected to deal with the warning
signs and there have been warning science telling the health
(27:37):
system that We're going to run out of doctors and
that's now happening. So it is a real crisis and
this government is making some small changes. They are getting it.
Tago and Auckland medical schools to take on twenty five
more trainees next year, but it should be a lot
more than that.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Okay, Now, I know that you're both political junkies, right,
but there's a first all black Test match under a
new coach, Scott Robertson starting on Saturday night against England.
Why are you both looking at me like I'm a
spaceman appriciate? Are you going to watch it? Do you
know whether it's on? Are you looking forward to it?
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Look?
Speaker 3 (28:19):
I became most first away that it was on when
it turned up in our speaking points for today, So no, it's.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
The first time that there was a Test match again.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Indeed, indeed, I actually been watching a little bit more
about the politics of what's been happening with New Zealand
rugby and our sort of provincial game and all that
kind of stuff, actually much more closely, because I find
that really interesting. Is you know, rugby is a business
and a good big part of our QUI brand. So yeah, no,
I absolutely will not be watching it, but do love
the sort of behind the scenes watch of it.
Speaker 4 (28:47):
Yeah, I'm a bit ignorant at the moment as well.
There's been so much more happening in the world that,
in my world, is more important than rugby. But I
am a rugby fan to some degree. I'd like to
be watching it. But yeah, I didn't even know what
was saiday night. I thought it was sometime this weekend,
So I'll try and watch it.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Do you know what. It's quite amazing because we talked
about putting the show together and our guests were announced
that we started talking about topics Ethan and I and
I said, well, I've got to ask them whether you
know what's the All Black score going to be? And
you know, are they excited about Scott Robinson's first game?
He looked at me like I was a Martian. Yes,
he said, they won't even know the games on. I said,
(29:25):
don't be so stupid. Of course they'll know the games on.
I said, don't be so nuts. I looked at him.
I said, come on.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
I wouldn't liked to have proved him wrong. But no,
he's right.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Oh that blows me away. There's only two people in
the hole of New Zealand that don't know this game on.
I'm not excited about this game and it's you too
in front of him.
Speaker 4 (29:42):
I'm afraid.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
No, I see if the stance are saying something differently
given the business of the rugby is actually our sort
of watching of the game, and you know, attached him
into the game. It's actually creased quite a lot in
the last sort of decade, and I think that creates
a problem for New Zealand Rugby.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Oh my gosh, I'm bewildered. I'm bewildered. I'm bewildered if
you don't get invited back on the show for a while,
you know why, kiwis that are what to the orb legs.
Oh my gosh, No, I understand totally hold along a
whole lot of you listeners that wouldn't even know. But
you know, now the Friday Faceie hot than not okay,
(30:21):
hots and notts really really quickly, I'm going to go
with you, Bridget, You'll be quicker than Bryce. You'll want
to give us a lecture.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
My heart is a very selfish one, but I'd just
like to thank everyone who works from home on a
Fridays just makes my commute so much better. The parking
is really easy. Thank you for not being in town.
I'm sorry to the cafe owners, but you're making my
life easier on the NOTT a little bit more serious,
but really I think a little bit upsetting to hear
the news of the Kiwi tourist Patusa McKay getting, you know,
(30:47):
the robbery outside of California and like mall, like you
don't want to go over a season holiday and you
think you can't even go to a mall in the
US without stead of having some sort of risk of robbery.
It's just a little bit upsetting and a bit just concerning.
I think.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
So yeah, yeah, California is getting real bad. Bryce, Bryce, Okay.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
My might not of the week something that Bridget will
be outraged about Chris Bishop's announcement this week of his
housing reforms, basically deregulating the urban development rules. I think
it's just going to be good for property developers who
basically donate to the National Party, and it's going to
(31:26):
produce a lot of little effects. It'll be the new
leaky home sort of scandals. My hots of the week
are basically all these elections in the UK, France, it's
always good when there's shakeups, when there's change, and especially
fun for political commentators. And I'm sure Bridget will agree
at least with.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
That, right. Thank you both for coming in. Appreciate you both.
Go down and look at your computers and look at
your stuff and work out what you're going to who's
going to win what I gave it at the beginning
of the show and I'll give it the end of
the show. There's a change of government in England.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
Even though we've had one hour of radio signing, No,
nothing's changed.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
There's still going to be in a new government. Often's
changed at all.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Dissecting the week Sublime and ridiculous Friday faceoff with Quinovic
Property Management a better rental experience for all. Call eight
hundred Quinovic for more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills.
Listen live to news Talks It'd Be Wellington from nine
am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk Said B dissecting the week sublime and ridiculous.
Friday face off with Quinovic Property Management a better rental
experience for all Call only eight hundred Quinovic Thursday.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I don't care about you bribing. I love Hoday you
go fall.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Tuesday break.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
So like having a couple of school kids in the studio,
I'm try us to do my own try and they're
chatting away like clemen, long lost friends. Have you not?
Have you not seen each other for a while?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Have you haven't? And it's something really exciting happening today?
Speaker 2 (00:49):
That what's what's happening today? It's really exciting.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
Election, the big one.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
You've got two political nerds in front of you. When
the British election result is literally.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Live, you want to put the TV on so you
can watch them. I tell you, what do you want
me to give you to tell you what's happening?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I've got it.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Well, I mean, what do you want to talk about?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
For?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Is about one way hiding? It's like the all Blacks
playing blemen under twelves, That's what it is. Joining us
on Friday face Off, This week is political commentators doctor
Bryce Edwards, he Nick Morning and.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Bridget Morton Good Morning.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
So that's why they're a bit fired up about the
British election. I mean soon next gone. We knew that,
everyone knew that a year ago he wasn't gonna last.
Labor comes in groundswell change, we knew that was going
to happen there. What am I missing here?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Well? I think what missing is the nuances. First of all,
we love a race, so we like to see all
that individual seats falling because that's always interesting. But also
the fact that you know they're going to have probably
on current numbers, Lave's going to win about four hundred
and ten of the six fifty seats. That's massive. So
who stays there? Who is the bil like the foundations
of the Conservative Party? Where's that kind of go next?
(02:00):
Who's out? Who actually has the possiblity of future? These
are the exciting things that we love.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
To watch, and those minor parties are just fastened to
see reform. In particular the Nigel Farage party get through
what looks like he's got about thirteen seats and that's
going to be a big change for British politics and
the right side of politics. And interestingly enough, although he's
been winning seats off the Conservatives, he's actually done very
(02:24):
well in labor seats, the Reform Party that is, and
so it looks like they might have even swung some
labor seats to Reform, which is just incredible.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Is he the one that they're talking about actually joining
the Conservatives? Indeed?
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Indeed, so he's the populist. So it's the same thing
we're seeing, you know, throughout the world, with different variants
of it, with Trump and some of the more nationalist
populist figures in France doing really well at the first
election last weekend. We're in a really global era of
kind of discontent and revolt, so you know, almost in
(02:59):
Wellington as well.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
I'd say, tell me if I'm wrong. But the feeling
that I get, and I'm not a political junkie like
you guys on a talk back host, like, it's just
whoever's the oppositions has become populous because they hate the
one that's governing at the moment. Anywhere in the.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
World, I think that's right, and so those that are
in power have a lot of trouble defending their records
and that's what we saw in the last election here,
we saw in the last one in Australia everywhere. And yeah,
those that are saying I'll keep the Pastard's honest. Can
I say that are the ones that are connecting with
(03:36):
the public that just feel that they're not being listened
to by whether it's ye city councils or parliaments or
governments everywhere.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Yeah, absolutely agree, And this is ultimately a time for
change election. The Conservative has been in for fourteen years.
They've gone through every member of the party, it seems
like for Prime minister in the last three or four years.
And I think absolutely the British public is just well,
why should we keep you on? So it absolutely is
just I think the change. Yeah, the Tories have lost
this election, it's not actually the Labour's wont it.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Yeah, that's pretty much right. Let's talk about a little
bit closer to home. The latest Wellington residence survey shows
that fifty percent of residents pride in the city is
down from eighty four percent in twenty nineteen. That's a
pretty high rate of success. They're also growing concerns about
(04:25):
safety and live on and live liveliness in the city.
Bridget are you surprised by these results. This is a
survey that's done by the council themselves to self look at.
It's a mirror, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Yeah, I'm not surprised by the results. I mean, it's
a significant downturn in the last five years between from
eighty four to fifty. But I think you can see
that everywhere. There's Ultimately you can't ignore the last sort
of six months or so recession, public service, job cuts
and things will have people feeling less positive about Wellington
as a city. But then all the pressure is about.
We've had to record rent increases during that time, and
(05:00):
those rent increases really affect some of those more diverse
communities that we have in the city that we sort
of love and as part of our culture in Wellington.
So you can see I can totally understand why that's happening.
And law and order is an issue across the country,
it's no surprise that's happening here in Wellington as well.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Can we fix the mood ab our city quickly? Rice
or is it well, we're in trouble.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
It's not so much about fixing the mood, it's about
fixing the city. So the survey that came out, you know,
it's an annual one that the city Council have to do.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
It really did, I.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
Think reflect the state of the city. And so I
looked at the results quite closely, and they've been trending
down on just about every measure for the last five
or six years.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Transport winner, yes, that were well.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Even that was still quite low, but how bad it was, Okay,
it's not at a record low. It's had a second
lowest low. But I mean the main one that I
thought was interesting was asking people about their the evaluations
of the performance of the council. Last year, it had
(06:05):
all dissatisfaction of forty five percent were dissatisfied with the
council's performance. This year it's leaped up to fifty six
So the majority of people are dissatisfied with this council's
performance all the other measures. Again, if you ask people
about whether the city is a lively and attractive place,
(06:26):
it used to be about seventy three percent I think
used to say it was a few years ago. It's
gone down to thirty seven percent. Who think that.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Likewise, people are concerned about safety. What I've been astonished
by is some of the reactions by counselors and the
mayor on the survey, and if you look at the
press release they put out, they tried to spin it
with all the positivities from it, but and they ignored
all the negativity. And the mayor tried to say, oh,
this is just about change and people have to get
used to change, and we're making all this transformation, and
(06:53):
they alson get used to it.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
And I and a.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Panet said, oh, look, I live in the central city
and I think it's safe, and I don't think people's
perceptions of crime being bad is correct. And she blamed
not on the councilor's performance, but on homophobia, racism and
some other sort of l of the public. So you know,
I don't know if the council is going to take
this seriously.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
That well, they don't are revolting, they don't listen, they
don't listen to the people, so they're not going to
take this serious. Bridget Wellington. You know, if you look
at it now and you look at it five years ago,
is it much different?
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Yeah. I mean sometimes it's hard to what your perception
is versus what the objective reality is. And I think
what you know, I owner was sort of indicating the
area is actually if you look at the crime stats,
they actually haven't gone up massively higher than what they were.
But what is the sort of intellation of actually just
how unsafe people feel because of how people are behaving
towards each other in the city. I mean, I don't
(07:50):
really come down Courtney Place anymore, particularly at night. It's
not I think, you know, people are sort of staying
away from those sort of areas because of some of
those perceptions and that it's not a great place to be,
you know, out on a Saturday night.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
And can I just interrupt you there? Because I do
spend a lot of time in Courtney Place. One of
the stats that kind of made me really think was
that five years ago eighty four was the scene of
people thought it was safe in Courtney Place. That's when
it was absolutely heaving. That was when it was like massive,
the most popular entertainment sector area in New Zealand. Fast
(08:24):
forward five years now, it's very very quiet compared to that,
and people don't feel safe. How does that work?
Speaker 3 (08:29):
I think, well, I think during one of those times
when it was heaving that there was a lot of
unsociable behavior. So you call I remember sort of going
out during some of those times, and you know, I'm
not going out to the middle of the night. You know,
they sort of eleven o'clock at night, and you're still
seeing people really drunk on the footpaths, you know, sort
of you know, getting sort of aggregated each other, and
there's one set sticks in your mind and there's a
(08:49):
lot of people around. You don't want to come back
into that environment. So there's probably a bit of a
hangover literally from some of those times. And maybe that
wasn't their behavior wasn't. It wasn't perhaps you know, controlled
in the best way at those times.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Okay, I mean it does seem that the city is dying.
I mean, I'm here in the nineteen nineties, it was
the coolest place to be in the country. As a
whale gained for another decade or so, it came back
five years ago, it was still kind of cool, but
you could see that it had faded grandeur. So things
were starting to get tarnished and start to be run down.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
And yeah, can I ask you what responsibility you personally
can take on that, because I think that moving here, no,
I'm thinking that Victoria University, who you work for Yeah,
I mean Victoria University is the heart and soul of
the city. Yeah, for young people, let's be honest about it.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
It does have an impact. You're right.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
And it feels to me from being in the city,
living in the city, working in the city, that we
don't have the impact from Victoria University students that we
once had.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Yeah, look upon too that I suddenly think the university
needs to do much more to be engaged with the city.
That the barriers go up around the campus walls and
it's a very inward looking university in many regards, and
it needs to have a much more of a civic purpose,
needs to be part of the city. And it's not
enough of that.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
No, And when you see bridget and I'm coming to
you on that you see that week but they all
move into town. I love that week. I absolutely love
that week. These young kids that looking like twelve with
bright eyes of their parents taking them out for McDonald's
and they're walking the streets looking around. I'm getting a
bit of emotion. I love that week in Wellington.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Yeah, I remember when I because that was when I
moved to Wellington. Was that sort of first year university
experience that they did move because they thought it was
the most interesting place. And also my politics nerd and
this is the heart of politics. But I think the
difference now, and the thing I know from people that
are students is that the cost of living is so
high for them and their rents are so high. So
I lived in a downtrodden student fled on fairly terrace
(10:47):
right next to the campus, so really in the heart
of it, you know, I was coming down to law school,
I was going to classes in time. They, like lots
of my friends who are students, A are moving out
to the suburbs because the cheap the rent is much
much cheaper, and B they have to take many more
hours of work, so they're not able to hang around campus.
They're doing much more of their classes online that can
fit them around their work schedule. They just don't have
(11:09):
the same sort of student lifestyle that I was privileged
enough to have.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
This is true well to me as a PORI ruer
Hut City and Upper Art seemed to be on board
with a discussion to merge. It discussion to merge, but
wanting to mirror Tory Farno doesn't think it's needed right
now now. I had a text that came in when
I discussed this previously that I was going to discuss it,
saying that they were adamant that one guppy does not
(11:34):
want to talk about a merger, but I believe, and
I strongly believed, that he does well at least talk
about it. Bridget, what do you think I mean? Is
it a good idea? I know, we tried to do
it with the great you know, with wire wrapper and
the Capity Coast and a tacky and that got too
big and didn't work. But the base in itself as
a super city, do you like the idea?
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Well, nobody's really talking about what are the core benefits?
And I think what we actually just to start with
is maybe aligning some of our infrastructure and getting that sorted. So,
I mean, the classic you know opportunity right now is
a real water you know, the cub Central government's really
pushing amalgamation on the basis of water and having your
councils cooperate. Why don't we just deal with that? But
I have to say also as a Heart City resident,
(12:16):
I do find it weird that there's an upper hut
in the lower Heart City Council. Just seems like it's
one place, all right, do you live at the heart.
I do live in the heart.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
I used to live in town I did. Okay, you
confuse me, then, doctor Bryce Edwards, what do you think about.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Look, I'm favorable towards it. It's something that needs more
care than just jumping into it though. You have to
learn the lessons, particularly of Auckland where there's been pros
and cons to that merger. So it's not something to
be rushed, but it's something that definitely should be looked
at the moment. I'd probably go further in terms of
having a bigger shake up of local government and perhaps
(12:50):
even I know this will be unpopular, but looking at
a parliament for the Wellington region.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
You talked about the Australian region. He type thing in Australia.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Yeah, I don't have an elected mayor anymore. Bring back
in party politics, which is I know, unpopular, and shake
things up. I mean obviously Tory Farnal hasn't got an
interest in doing this.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Why have this? Well, why would she not have an.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
He's come in saying she wants to be mayor for
three terms and so you know this would pretty much
rule her out if there was a move if she
could run for it. Oh, look, she would not win
over those those suburbs. I think she'd have trouble enough
in the next election winning over in a city Wellington.
She wouldn't win that.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Really, No, yeah, I absolutely agree with that. I think
in the heart you extolute see and you've got to
remember also if you look across the country, the vast
majority of councilors do lean towards the right because they
tend to be elected on fiscally conservative, deliver of services
kind of platforms. We're can't unique here in Wellington to have, actually,
I think such a left leaning council in the city.
(13:54):
So I completely agree with Bryce as well. I do
have a little bit of sympathy for the mayor, though
I think she's right in saying that that this is
not the number one thing that people want time spender
at the moment. People are like, just fix the water,
you know, get the library for do whatever needs to
be done the town. We'll just get those things done
rather than worrying about amalgamation.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
And there was a lot of talk pre election by
the Nets, especially saying that they wanted to re look
at the whole city council thing and amalgamatee they wanted
less rather than more.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
But that seems to have gone quiet now, hasn't it.
No one seems to want to talk about it anymore.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
I'm not sure that I've simply seen that much about it.
I think there was definitely they were talking about pre
election about this a number of vary small councils that
are not financially sustainable when they should be, you know,
sort of merged. I don't think they were really advocating
for any major ones push towards the super city type approach,
but I do think, you know, as I say, go
back to the sort of water policy, you can variously
strong signals of them saying we want greater cooperation between councils,
(14:52):
and in some ways that might lead to some councils
joined together. Maybe that's right, but.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Surely the idea of having one chief financial officer for
all that basic.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
There's economies of scale for having merges deffinitely, especially in
terms of infrastructure or theureocracy. But yeah, national I doubt
they want to take that on at the moment. It's
a big job and it's got so much opposition. You're
basically looking at redundancies, and I don't know, and people
that have vested in TRUL.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
They might have redundancies.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
National well, they were already fighting fires on that front.
I don't think they'll want to also make an enemy
of lots of other local government.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
All right, politicians. Kind of a bit of a controversial
little bit of stuff here, And I've got myself in
a little bit of trouble because I came out and
said I didn't think it was quite right. But anyway,
let's get on with it. The act leader is facing
criticism for replying to teenagers on Snapchat eight years ago.
Was eight years ago. There is absolutely no suggestion of
any inappropriate conduct. Bryce Is this a beat up or
(15:51):
a genuine concern that a fourteen year old can snap
chat a politician? Oh?
Speaker 4 (15:58):
I think it's scutter journalism. Really, I don't think there's
any real public good in dragging this up from eight
years ago, especially when there was no wrongdoing alleged in
the slightest I think, especially eight years ago. Politicians from
across the political spectrum, we're using social media, including Snapchat,
to try and connect and be relevant, and that's what
(16:19):
politicians should do. I mean, there's a danger in using
any communication. And yeah, certainly I get in trouble from
time to time with you know, tweeting and all sorts
of social media or things I write in columns, and
that just comes with the territory. But I think this
is a bit of a moralistic But.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I'm going to ask you, because you're you're a lecture
at a university, off a young first year student snapchat
you at nine o'clock on a Friday night. Would you
go back to them?
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Ah?
Speaker 4 (16:49):
Yes, it's a great question, putting me on the spot here.
I don't think I would, and I think it would
be an advised to do so. But what if the
person emailed me? Yeah, probably reply not Actually that that's a.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Great that's a really that's an even better point than
my question. Yeah, isn't it, Because I mean, what the
optics The optics are pretty bad here, that aren't they.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
To be honest, I think that optics are mostly by
this bit of moral outrage crowd who frankly just doesn't
understand social media and that that is where young people
are and we talk about them being young people, but actually,
you know, now the snap chant has been around a
long time. These are people in their mid twenties and
their early thirties that are using Snapchat as a means
of communication. We want young people to be more engaged
(17:31):
in politics. We want them to be voting more. They
are lowest voting block. I think it's great that politicians
are actually spending their time to engage with young people,
you know, particularly you know, he took the time to
engage with someone that couldn't even vote at the time.
I mean, of course you've got to have it's got
to be appropriate conduct, and if you've done anything inappropriate,
that absolutely should it should extract criticism. But this is
(17:54):
absolutely what I actually want our politicians to be doing.
And it actually frustrates me that people want to put
them in a box that we send formal letters into
Parliament and then they come back and that's the way
that we engage with each other.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
You see where I have an issue here is so
you can talk about people's age of them and all
that sort of stuff, But would you find it strange?
And I'm asking myself in a mirror here and you
guys can reply to it, would you feel it's strange
thirty years ago if a fourteen year old ran a
politician on a phone because we're talking about connection and
(18:24):
media or sent them.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Look, we are we live in an age of heightened
concern for good reason, about all sorts of harassment issues,
imbalances of power. You know, we've been through the Me
too movement, So yeah, I do think people need to
be more sensible about these situations. And it's just a
(18:49):
reality that David seymore. Yeah, I wouldn't advise him to
get into those situations, but that's not any sort of
condemnation for anything.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
He's one hundred percent and I want to make it
clear that we're not here. Was nothing wrong in what
you know he did. We're just talking about it whether
it's right. Bridget I'm going to come to you on
this one because we're talking this morning about whether we
should ban under sixteens from all social media. Australia is
seriously considering it. I mean, Aberenez he's thrown sixteen million
at it and the opposition leader says if they become government,
they're going to ban it. We talked about it this
(19:20):
morning on the show. Didn't get a lot of a
lot of connection. What are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 3 (19:24):
I think the number one thing for me is that yes,
you can ban it, but if you've been near anyone
who's under age twenty five, what they can do on
your phone and get around this is just extraordinary. I've
had friends of mine who just, you know, look at
something I'm doing and just fix it like in two seconds,
and I just I'm just basically, I just don't think
it can work. I think that, you know, they always
(19:45):
find a way to communicate. It's a really Actually, I'd
rather than sixteen million were spent on helping them educate
about keep themselves safe, boundaries consequences of particular types of
engagement rather than actually trying to do a ban, because
we know, for the most part, probation doesn't work, and
teenagers always want to be able to chat to them
chat to each other without parental supervistient.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Well, and I can remember when I was a very
young lad, and I don't know why I can remember,
but when you're talking about that reminded me of was
when they tried to hide penthouses and dairies so that
young kids couldn't see penthouses, and yet kids still got them.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
I don't know how to respond to that, but it's
just to say I agree with Bridget really that. Yeah, absolutely,
it's a serious issue and it's not an overreaction necessarily
because this is having an impact on young lives. But
you can't just ban things. You're better to have a
more positive education process.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Right, Okay. News Hub's final bulletin is tonight. Their breakfast
show's already screened. Their last program this morning Stuff are
taking over from tomorrow night, Bryce Edwards, how much of
a loss is this for New Zealand or New Zealander
is really for me? It's just one thing stopping and
another one starting, isn't it. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
I mean, I'm not shedding any tears. It's always sad
when people lose their jobs in particular, but I don't
think it's going to have a big impact on New
Zealand politics. The media landscape is changingmatically and there are
lots of other ways we get our news. So yeah,
definitely not good and I'm disappointed because a lot of
(21:16):
those you know, the role of journalists and people in
the media, it's a bit of a crisis at the moment.
A lot of those people are going to have to
move into pr and to you know, sort of comms
and all sorts of working for the government and we
need more people working on the media shining a spotlight
on those in power.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Bridget Have we heard too much about this whole closing
of news hubbit? Has it been overdone? Has it been overbaked?
Speaker 3 (21:42):
I think a bit proportionally to some of the other
people that are losing their jobs at the moment of
the country. And I think that's what gets a bit
lost and you see a lot of people complaining about
that that And this is not to downplay obviously the
people that have lost their jobs today and how incredibly
sad that is to have lost that institution, But I
do think that there is a little bit of you know,
because they are the media, they get to report a
(22:03):
little bit more focused than other industries, do get I
do you think with what Bryce is saying though, is
absolutely we just have to embrace this sort of change
and support the change. So you know, if you have
to say, if you in this news and a model,
if you support news, you should be subscribing, you should
be paying for news outlets, and I think also for newshad.
(22:23):
But they just sort of have to recognize that they
need to go where the audience is and this is
just a clear market reaction that the audience wasn't there
to sustain the product they were putting out.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
I'm going to ask you both very quickly, because it's
a question for both of you. How do you think
the Stuff bulletin will go? How do you think I'll
handle it?
Speaker 4 (22:38):
It's going to be an interesting experiment. And because media
like newspapers and online is so digital already, I think
they'll make that transition. Okay. I mean Stuff has kind
of got a bit of a reputation of being a
bit more woke, a bit more sort of socially liberal.
They'll project that in their news bulletins.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
It'll be popular, be popular.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
You think I think it'll be popular.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
I think the thing that they'll struggle to get is
the hook to get you on, because I can't see
what would get me to go and actually watch it
on the Stuff website. Quite different to you know, the
six o'clock news TV one also goes on in my parents' place,
and see what's the thing that's going to make an
audience actually go. Am I going to go on Stuff
and XU you what this is?
Speaker 4 (23:20):
Watch it on TV three channel, either digitally or free
to wear or whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
I'll still get to watch it at six o'clock. But yeah, well,
but they need.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
To get more than just who would have occasually come
as they do now to actually make it sustainable.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Okay, let's move on to Wellington Zoo recorded a record
visitor numbers in the last financial year, but lost about
five hundred thousand dollars. Bryce, you know, do we actually
need a zoo in Wellington? Do we actually you know,
I mean, given its popularity vic since continuing to lose money,
do we clear care if it's still there.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
I have mixed feelings on this. I have, you know,
traditionally worried about sort of the quality of life of
animals and zoos. But the Wellington's Zoo does seem to
do quite well in that regard. Kids love it and
sometimes when there's not much going on in Wellington, it's
a great place for families to go to. And we
see that in terms of the numbers just keep on
(24:20):
going up and the visitor numbers so and they seem.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
To do it pretty well, don't. They don't do twilight thing,
cuddle and animal doors. They're trying to be quite innovative.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
Yeah, so I think Wellington Zoo gets a bit of
a tick you for being an asset for this region.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Bridget Morton. When was the last time you went to
the zoo?
Speaker 3 (24:39):
I thought about this really carefully. It was two thousand
and five, and I slept over at the zoo, which
is one of the great initiatives that they haven't a
night with the tigers. Yeah, indeed they didn't actually put
me in the tiger pitt, thankfully, but yeah, so once
I think, a great initiative, but they do. I'm just
once again, is there something that we need to sort
of subsidize as a public good at the moment, I'm
(25:01):
just not sure if we do. I do think the
underlying thing about zoos is yes, going in the education
particularly young people about animals and animal welfare is great,
but there's a massive sort of what the zoology actually
the science about what's happening underneath it, and perhaps we
actually need to spend a bit more time thinking about
focusing on, say some of our indigenous species who we
know we haven't got a lot of funding for, rather
than trying to keep you know, some elephants and tigers
(25:24):
species alive in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Right, I want to move on to something that I'm
very passionate about getting to see your GP. Now, I
reckon that if you can get to see your GP
and you have a long term relationship with your GT,
goes hands in hand. I think that it's actually a
great health initiative. I think, you know, if you can
bring up get to see your GP when you need
to and get things sorted before they get to a
(25:49):
bad situation, it's good for the whole economy. Aht GP
Clinic is moving to all non urgent appointments online due
to critical staffing shortage and some patients are waiting weeks
for appointments. Bridget how bad is the state of getting
to see your GPS New Zealand. Now you're a political commentator,
you would hear about this all the time. And should
(26:11):
you be able to just actually go online and see
your GP? Have you done that?
Speaker 3 (26:14):
I haven't done online, but I have always run health
line and found it to be really really helpful. I
think absolutely I would be very open to online consultations
that would make you be really convenient for me for
particular medical things, some of the things obviously you want
to go and see a doctor for. And also I'm
of a different generation. I think you know, perhaps even
for my parents age who's sort of mid seventies, they
(26:36):
can do a consult over zoom, but for them to
feel comfortable enough to discuss the wider issues, which is
why I think you're talking about that kind of long
term relationship stuff that we want. From a preventive health
point of view, it's probably not going to be the
right environment. So mixed you smorrow would be great, but
going to fully online is clearly not going to help,
particularly I think with kids.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
Well, I mean, I think there's two big issues here.
One is the changing way that we do healthcare and everything,
and it's a bit like education whereby you've got to
have some online sort of innovations, different ways of learning,
and so yeah, I'm all for GP clinics transitioning to
a better service model. But the second big issue is
(27:17):
that this has been caused by a lack of doctors
and we have a crisis in New Zealand and it's
really akin to some of those other infrastructure crises in
terms of electricity transmission or Cook Island ferries, where governments
over the years have neglected to deal with the warning
signs and there have been warning science telling the health
(27:37):
system that We're going to run out of doctors and
that's now happening. So it is a real crisis and
this government is making some small changes. They are getting it.
Tago and Auckland medical schools to take on twenty five
more trainees next year, but it should be a lot
more than that.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Okay, Now, I know that you're both political junkies, right,
but there's a first all black Test match under a
new coach, Scott Robertson starting on Saturday night against England.
Why are you both looking at me like I'm a
spaceman appriciate? Are you going to watch it? Do you
know whether it's on? Are you looking forward to it?
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Look?
Speaker 3 (28:19):
I became most first away that it was on when
it turned up in our speaking points for today, So no, it's.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
The first time that there was a Test match again.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Indeed, indeed, I actually been watching a little bit more
about the politics of what's been happening with New Zealand
rugby and our sort of provincial game and all that
kind of stuff, actually much more closely, because I find
that really interesting. Is you know, rugby is a business
and a good big part of our QUI brand. So yeah, no,
I absolutely will not be watching it, but do love
the sort of behind the scenes watch of it.
Speaker 4 (28:47):
Yeah, I'm a bit ignorant at the moment as well.
There's been so much more happening in the world that,
in my world, is more important than rugby. But I
am a rugby fan to some degree. I'd like to
be watching it. But yeah, I didn't even know what
was saiday night. I thought it was sometime this weekend,
So I'll try and watch it.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Do you know what. It's quite amazing because we talked
about putting the show together and our guests were announced
that we started talking about topics Ethan and I and
I said, well, I've got to ask them whether you
know what's the All Black score going to be? And
you know, are they excited about Scott Robinson's first game?
He looked at me like I was a Martian. Yes,
he said, they won't even know the games on. I said,
(29:25):
don't be so stupid. Of course they'll know the games on.
I said, don't be so nuts. I looked at him.
I said, come on.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
I wouldn't liked to have proved him wrong. But no,
he's right.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Oh that blows me away. There's only two people in
the hole of New Zealand that don't know this game on.
I'm not excited about this game and it's you too
in front of him.
Speaker 4 (29:42):
I'm afraid.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
No, I see if the stance are saying something differently
given the business of the rugby is actually our sort
of watching of the game, and you know, attached him
into the game. It's actually creased quite a lot in
the last sort of decade, and I think that creates
a problem for New Zealand Rugby.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Oh my gosh, I'm bewildered. I'm bewildered. I'm bewildered if
you don't get invited back on the show for a while,
you know why, kiwis that are what to the orb legs.
Oh my gosh, No, I understand totally hold along a
whole lot of you listeners that wouldn't even know. But
you know, now the Friday Faceie hot than not okay,
(30:21):
hots and notts really really quickly, I'm going to go
with you, Bridget, You'll be quicker than Bryce. You'll want
to give us a lecture.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
My heart is a very selfish one, but I'd just
like to thank everyone who works from home on a
Fridays just makes my commute so much better. The parking
is really easy. Thank you for not being in town.
I'm sorry to the cafe owners, but you're making my
life easier on the NOTT a little bit more serious,
but really I think a little bit upsetting to hear
the news of the Kiwi tourist Patusa McKay getting, you know,
(30:47):
the robbery outside of California and like mall, like you
don't want to go over a season holiday and you
think you can't even go to a mall in the
US without stead of having some sort of risk of robbery.
It's just a little bit upsetting and a bit just concerning.
I think.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
So yeah, yeah, California is getting real bad. Bryce, Bryce, Okay.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
My might not of the week something that Bridget will
be outraged about Chris Bishop's announcement this week of his
housing reforms, basically deregulating the urban development rules. I think
it's just going to be good for property developers who
basically donate to the National Party, and it's going to
(31:26):
produce a lot of little effects. It'll be the new
leaky home sort of scandals. My hots of the week
are basically all these elections in the UK, France, it's
always good when there's shakeups, when there's change, and especially
fun for political commentators. And I'm sure Bridget will agree
at least with.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
That, right. Thank you both for coming in. Appreciate you both.
Go down and look at your computers and look at
your stuff and work out what you're going to who's
going to win what I gave it at the beginning
of the show and I'll give it the end of
the show. There's a change of government in England.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
Even though we've had one hour of radio signing, No,
nothing's changed.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
There's still going to be in a new government. Often's
changed at all.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Dissecting the week Sublime and ridiculous Friday faceoff with Quinovic
Property Management a better rental experience for all. Call eight
hundred Quinovic for more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills.
Listen live to news Talks It'd Be Wellington from nine
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