Will Joe Biden step down, and when will it happen, and are Air NZ charging us too much for airfares?
Those were some of the questions for the Friday Faceoff panel this week, with Iron Duke Partners director Phil O'Reilly and Wellington hospitality identity Mike Egan.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk sat B dissecting the week sublime and
ridiculous Friday faceoff with Quinovic Property Management, a better rental
experience for all. Call on eight hundred Quinovic, I.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Don't care about you ride.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
I'm Honday.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Juesday. Joining us for Friday Face Off this week is
fellow Riley from Iron Duke Partners. Morning felt going really well?
Please thank you. Mike Egan, the man behind a hold
on a restaurants in Willington, including the Monsoon Poon. You
can see him there every night for most nights, some
nights in the normally the guy working in the kitchen
the dishes and president of New Zealand Restaurant Association and
(00:58):
a first time Friday face off person. You've never done
Friday face off before? Have you?
Speaker 4 (01:02):
No?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
I haven't.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Cira Kura gets to be a coy. It's been a
crazy a few weeks in American politics, Trump's assassination attempt,
choosing his vice president nominee JD. Vince Vance Vance. I
don't think we can call it Vance. I think it's Vance.
That's how the Americans call it, and Biden getting COVID
as the pressure mounts. If I listen to my colleague
(01:24):
who I've never met, Mike Coskin, if I listened to him,
he's saying all over rover for Biden this weekend, he's
going to pull out Mike Sina, you're the new boy.
I'll get you. You can start. What are your thoughts,
how you're feeling, I mean, are you into American politics?
Do you give a damn? Oh?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
I do give a damn.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Yeah. They're an important part of the global sort of
how it all works around the globe. You know, if
the America catches coughs, the world can catch a cold.
So it's very very important, you know, and we want
people that capable, competent, people that can steering this globe
through these turbulent times. So yeah, I've been a bit
concerned about mister Biden. It feels a little bit like
(02:06):
his play the main character and weekend at Bernie's when
they when they bring them on, and you know, you
wonder if there's a hand up the back. Yeah, it's
a shame because he's obviously achieved a lot in his
career and it's a bit sad to see people sort
of holding on for this long, but you sort of
wonder could the Democrats not find someone more suitable with
plenty of notice to do it?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
So, yeah, what's their call?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Well, who will replace him?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
For right?
Speaker 5 (02:30):
I mean, come on, I think there's only one replacement
they can have, and that's Kamala Harris. She has to
have a vice president, I would think so, because if
it's not her, there's about three or four others that
might ever go, and that's very messy. So I think
they'll they'll have to. They'll have to kind of do
a bit of a you know, a bit of a
nomination if you like yours, you know, a thing like
Jacinta did with Crucipkins. Well, it's her the challenge with
that if he does go, of course, she's not very
(02:52):
popular either, and it may not actually help them very much.
And they'll look back as Mike, as Mike indicates, they'll
look back three years ago to say, were they having
the right disciplined conversations about putting the right people up?
Because in fact, if you look at the the younger
folk coming through the Democrat Democratic Party, actually there's a
number of very promising folk there that could have actually
stood up and done a good job. He agreed, but
it was you know, they it's the old story, having
(03:13):
a leader who's dominant, who says I'm still good, I'm
still good, and then it turns out he's not very good,
and all of a sudden we're in real trouble in
terms of the Democrat side of politics.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Is there an issue when we should or you know,
I mean, Mike, you would get at the odd time
where you're working in a restaurant and people say, gosh,
you'd think you'd be buddy at home retired by now
you know you've done it all before, and is it
time to put out? When do you actually know it's
time to actually get off the public face and do
and and do something else.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
I guess when your family is telling you, because the
other ones that really know you know. It's like when
you put with you know, Grandpa with dementia and to care.
You know he won't know, but everyone else thatt of
knows because you're with them every day, and so you
sort of think he was enabled a little bit maybe
by his handlers and his family, and you know, come on, grandpa,
you know, enjoy your grandkads.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
You made one.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
When do you and apparently his granddaughter was amazing. Listening
to Mike Oscar again, apparently her speech was amazing, yesterday's
granddaughter and apparently he looked incredible because he looked like
a granddad Trump. I'm talking about yesterday. Yeah, you know,
so that was a big thing to bring that family
situation together when you talk about family. But back to Biden,
because I mean that's what we're talking about. Should he go,
(04:24):
will he go? And when will he go?
Speaker 4 (04:28):
Well, it has to be sooner rather than later because
the Democratic National conventions coming up pretty soon in Chicago
and there's not a lot of time. And then this
talk of Gritch and Whitner, who's the governor of Wisconsin
been her running mate. So two women would be quite interesting,
you know, because the Republicans seemed to be come across
as a pretty anti anti woman and anti choice and
(04:49):
anti and so woman have got a lot to lose
if Biden doesn't win, and they've got a lot to
gain if these two women, maybe running as a duo,
get into power. I mean the president.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
I guess are you putting a time on it? Do
you think it's going to be over the next two weeks?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
And will like I said, it has to be sooner
rather than later.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
You know, like why not this weekend, you know, because
it's only Thursday in America now, you know, they really
have to put on their big boys shorts the DNC
and make the call.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
He's not going to do it. With Trump making his
big speech today, it's not going to be to day.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
And he's got and he's got COVID. Of course, then
you just can't take a trick that bloke. Of course,
you looked even more frail as I watched him get
on Air Force one this morning. You looked very frail,
a very old man. Of course, that's not great, particularly
you've seen Trump almost getting almost getting assessinated, and then
you know the fist pump and the fight sort of stuff.
But the US flag behind and that kind of that
kind of stuff matters to the American public. But yes,
(05:43):
I think it will happen sooner rather than that, for
the same reason that Mike says that you're going to
have Kamala Harris step up. She needs time to get
known by the public and to say something. People have
said to me, Well, it's happened in New Zealand. Just
Cinda Adurn did it, And I think well, that's not
quite the same. You can't really say the same thing
because you know that there's not Kamala Harris isn't as
popular as just Cinda A. Durne was. And I don't
(06:03):
think she's she's not popular, well, she's she's she's done
a whole bunch of the old personality politics, you know,
the same stuff you see from the left here. You know,
it's all about her and who she is rather than
the people of the United States. And she's also been
seen as pretty arrogant and pretty self centered with it.
And I don't know whether she is or not, but
that's kind of the public impression off her. And she's
(06:23):
also been seen as not a particularly effective vice president
and are not really stepping forward and taking on some
of the responsibility. So it is what it is in
American politics, just like in any politics. If it doesn't
matter how good you are as a person, you might
be a lovely person, you might just not succeed in
terms of getting cut through with the public. So that's
happened to her. But you know, there's a thing going
on that Trump's going to win. Now I'm not necessarily
confident about that. You've still got three or four months
(06:45):
to go. You've got a big speech to the Republican
National Convention in the next few hours. If he says
dumb stuff that could well turn people off against him.
And to Mike's point, you've still got lots of turnout
amongst the female vote and others who don't like what's
going on on the abortion debate, who don't like what
he's saying about freedom and democracy. And so there's a
(07:06):
long way to go in this campaign. And if the
Democrats do, if you write things over the next few weeks,
and I think Biden's got to go, Saday's got to go.
If they do some right things, maybe gets close. So
I don't I just go a fight forever.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
I mean, if you look at their Project twenty twenty five,
which is sort of leaking out, which is this very
right wing group of two hundred former Trump people that
are putting into place a whole lot of stuff that
get when they get into power. I mean, they're talking
about banning no fault divorce, you know, and things like that,
and really rolling back women's rights where you know that
(07:38):
are going to take taking them back fifty sixty years.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
You know, some of them.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Are even talking about, you know, no biracial marriages some
of the real right wing people on this project twenty
twenty five. It's quite bizarre, and this is behind the
scenes that they just sort of, you know, they wanted
to get rid of every federal employee, mid level and upwards.
They're going to fire them all and replace them with
all their own people. There's like twenty thousand people they're
talking about, you know, because they see the federal employees
(08:03):
has been against the right wing of that bat wine
of push.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
See I personally, so I can't see that how you
can even say that.
Speaker 5 (08:11):
I just think that he's going to win. Trump's going
to win a bolter. It has a bit more to
it them who's going to turn out from it? And
one of the things, of course he's gotten his favors
that his voters do tend to turn out. But you know,
there's a just it's about there's about six or seven
swing states that matter, including Pennsylvania of course where Trump
was shot the other day, and those swing states of
(08:31):
swing states for a reason, it is about who turns
out is it on the margins and degrees, And it's
entirely possible that the election will be critically impacted by
the voters by the votes of about thirty thousand people.
It has been in the past, So I just think
it's four months away. For it was a month of
the way. It's all over, and I still do think
it's Trump sixty forty chances of getting up. Don't get
me wrong.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
You were getting a bit confident before though, calmed it down.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
He's right. So some of these swing states are like
ten thousand votes.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
And so what they've done is the Republicans that control
these states from a state level, they reduced the number
of polling booths and Democratic areas and they've made it illegal,
and so people have to wait hours, take time. I'm
off work, and they've made it a legal for you
to give water to anyone waiting in a queue at
a polling station, you know. And you go into the
Republican areas and here's a polling station every one hundred meters.
(09:16):
And so they're playing these sort of games just in
order to behind the scenes, to manipulate the vote in
a way that turns maybe Democratic voters off.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
Let's just be clear that the Democrats student too. Sometimes
when they get the chance to.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Did either of you see the Harris interview after the
debate great debate, you know when there was a whole
look offuffle. Did you did either of you see that?
Speaker 5 (09:34):
It's all the highlights?
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Yeah, yeah, see I was very impressed by her. I'm
not a fan of hers either, but by god, she
spoke well. Then you know I thought, I went back, I, well,
maybe she could do it.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
That's what I thought too.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
You did you agree? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I went, Okay, she did speak pretty damn well.
Speaker 5 (09:50):
She's got to overcome this history with the American people.
We see.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
That was because I reckon it's something to do with
her being a prosecutor. Too hard ass prosecutors.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
I mean, you know, you just don't get to be
seenior in American politics without being very polished at public speaking.
I mean that's one of the natures of their democratic system.
They very polished. So you very rarely see someone stumbling.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Elections a run on the television and social media and
all those sound bites. I mean, you know, they are
into in depth, you know, State of the Nation, Q
and as, they just want these soundbites that they can
play on repeat on Fox News and O.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
You know, let's talk Downtown Wellington Reading Complex is officially
on the market, and it was revealed this week that
the derelict Amra Hotel is now owned by the well
regarded developer Precinct Properties. Mike, I want to start with
you on this because you showed me this amazing development
you've showed, you've been showing everyone that getst anywhere near
on your phone of this idea that you've got up
(10:44):
for that reading site. Can you explain to your listeners
what our listens what you think should be done with?
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Well, I visited Rotterdam and they had a sort of
a similar area that was pretty disused.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Down by the waterfront.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
In twenty fourteen they turned it into a place called
mark Hall, which m a ark t h a l
if you google that, and it's this amazing architectural building
which is fully privately paid for. It's got two and
seventy five apartments, but it's sort of a horseshoe shape
and underneath as a as a food court, restaurants, galleries
(11:19):
and everything like that. No casino, and it's totally revamped Rotterdam.
It's now on the list people you know, and it
will do a day trip from Msterdam to visit it.
It's totally transformed the economy of Rotterdam, and the beauty
about it was, like I said, it was paid for
by private investment, which they all got their money.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Back, and.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
The all the council through and over there was they
gave them. They fast tracked all the consents and paid
for building consents and that was sort of their contribution
and turned out it's just changed that city.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
So if you go online, have a lock. I mean
it's a spectacular building.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
As New Zealand speaking mark Hall like m A r.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
K H Well no m A r k t s
Dutch h a L mark Hall.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
But if you put it on Google sort of knows
what you're all about soon as you put it a Rotterdam,
so your misspelling will be fine. But it's got the
biggest mural of produce and fish and everything on the
inside in Europe. It's colorful and it's just events happen
there in galleries and food and things all the time.
And ronder Dam's a small city of about four hundred
and three seventy five, four hundred thousand people, so it's
(12:26):
just that would be perfect because that would link Corney
Place with t Papa and Tequina and everything. But it
would take some big.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
Codes to fillow Riley. I mean, you've got a couple
of investors that want to do something like that. What
do you think we should do with reading one and
a half hectares of land right in the middle of town.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
It makes my credit card out, mate. Well, I'm happy.
I'm happy to drink. If someone wants to set up
a bar, theyre I'm happy to go and have a
beer or a meal or whatever. You know it says
Michael Kelly. Well, you both know I'd do a bit
of that. I'm happy to support the hospitality sector. But
the point I'd make is now it's in the right now,
the right things are happening. The council says, sorry, we
can't do anything for you, and proper commercial decisions are
(13:02):
made and just been setting there as an iesare in
our city for a long time because that wasn't clear.
And it's the same. Also, I think with the hotel
with them more, I think the council needed to say
we'll get on with it, otherwise we'll w rates and
just force it, force a decision. And if you did
those two sorts, and I'm like Mike, I'd love to
see something amazing and city shaping. Anything's good, you know
(13:25):
what I mean, it's it. It'll we turned into the
mixed use thing. I mean, ever, do you be a
bit of accommodation and a bit of hotel maybe in
a bit.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Of I think it's important to do some car parking
in there for Taquina, though I think one of the
problems with Taqina is car parking. I think we all
know that people that live and breed or try and
do business in the town. Isn't it so that sort
of car parking, underground car parking or something there.
Speaker 5 (13:48):
But A guess the point would be it's important that
that all the punters and Wellington don't just say here's
what we want, because I think we should just say,
if you want to buy it, you want to develop it,
We're going to lean into whatever the decision is, because
anything's better than what we've got now. And so a
lot of developments I see slowed down and made a
bit of a mess off because everybody says, what's got
to have this, it's got to have that, and so on,
and so I think the idea is to get the
(14:08):
right investor in there and and then make sure we're
talking to them and having a chat. But the end
of the day, we want them to risk their own
money on putting something up there, and we should celebrate
that because it'll be it'll be a hell of a
bit of what we've.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Got now and not for road lots on the way,
which was what the rod of them that they said,
we will fast track everything to make it.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
I think that's the key to it. That's the key
to it. Developers know that they've got the council on site.
Do you think it's too big for someone like Wellis
Bond Mike.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
I haven't seen their balance sheets so completely coll.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
But do you think I mean, wouldn't it be nice
for a Wellington based company to do.
Speaker 4 (14:39):
Something outstanding And they're an outstanding company, so you know
they would be they would be yeah, what a win win.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
Yeah, And I'd say something like Precinct that have got
a great the developer Commercial Bay and it's a fantastic
example of that's world class that stuff and Commercial Bank
I unbelieved.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
I mean, I don't think unless you've been there you
can actually realize how good it was.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
Y do if you're going to carry on over the
over the downtown car park can do the next one
and just really that's speaking of city information, that city transformational.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
For all on that thing we do you think what
was there before?
Speaker 5 (15:09):
Absolutely so?
Speaker 3 (15:11):
And you think about one one Willis Lane and Wellington. Yeah,
I mean you know you go through there, it's a
quality fits out you can't you know, quality operation, quality
for now that's what we need now.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
Side isn't exactly right and the right people making the
right choices on that, and then we lean in and
support them even if it's not perfect. Doesn't do everything
we want great, better than it, better than it what
is now?
Speaker 3 (15:27):
So let's get on, okay Friday face off of Mike
Eagan and Phil O'Riley. While we're talking about Wellington things.
An environmental group surveys three hundred and fifty beaches around
the country has found Wellington has has top four most
rubbish screwn beaches in New Zealand. Now that is not
an award that we want, Phillo Riley, H I mean
(15:49):
is this literate and issue?
Speaker 2 (15:50):
You?
Speaker 5 (15:51):
I mean you live in the city, don't you. Yeah,
And yes it is. There's a some of it will
be to do with the Wellington Harbor and the way
the weather works and so on, and the particular beaches
that they'll be serving, because not every beach will be
dirty like that, but it does demonstrate that we do
have a problem and we do need to sort it down.
And it's something about talking to us citizens of the
city about that and saying, you know, do you realize
when you chuck stuff off the down the drain it
(16:11):
ends up in the harbor? All that sort of stuff.
But it goes to what our councilors are doing. I mean,
at the end of the day, I want to be
proud of living in the city. When I see graffiti
on the walls and you know, footpaths, not sort it out,
and you know infrastructure falling over and rubbish everywhere, beaches
and so on, that's what makes me not proud to
live in my city. It's that very thing. Now, it
(16:31):
might be a small thing, but that's what councils should do.
Clean stuff up, make it nice so that people feel
a sense of pride about living in the place. If
it's not. If they're dirty, who's faults that, well, the councils.
They should get on and sort it out.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
We see Mike Egan would have a different view on
this because I see him at least twice a week,
maybe three times a week, with the hoes and a
clip washing out the front of Monsoon Poo. Now, no
other restaurants in that whole street do that. I never
seen anyone else do it. Have you seen anyone else
do it? Might know, but it's kind of are you
a little bit add or something?
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (17:02):
I think I must be, because yeah, I don't think
it sheabness. You know, it amazes me when I walk
past retail businesses in there and they're sign hanging over
the footpath with their name on it as covered in
diesel dust from the buses. You know, why not just
get a rag at a bucket in the morning before
the commuters are here, you know, if you're lucky enough
to travel the world. Sometimes I love getting up early
and watching a city wake up, you know Chicago, which
(17:25):
I go to a bit in the morning on miss
the Magnificent Mile as the main street they call it
Michigan av In the morning, you just see all these
custodians and they're out there with your hoses. They have
secret little tap spigots and they plug in and they
polish the brass, they wash the windows, they pick up
any you know, lefto flotsam and jetsam from the from
the revelries of the night before. I mean, we shouldn't
(17:48):
just rely on the council. We have responsibility ourselves, I mean,
and blessed you. You'll see, you know, any graffiti. We
all clean graffiti off each other's buildings if we see it,
because you know, if it stays here then someone will
add to it. And so you know, it's a constant battle.
But if we give up on it, then we'll end
up with a Chevy Chebys.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
So back to the you know, the actual beaches and
the rubbish on the beach. You know, you take your
dog for a walk. I know that's a valuable time
for you and your wife because you've both worked stupid hours.
So those dog walks on the beaches are very important
to you. Do you feel that we're grubbing?
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Well? La Bay is pristine as far as I'm concerned.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
And you know, and you see I've seen people, you know,
stoop down and pack up the olbit of plastic that's floated.
And I think again talking about responsibility as a city,
I mean, I live in Brooklyn and there's friends of
Ohio Stream, which for thirty years nearly have turned this
stream which was horrible and Gorse and BlackBerry, and on
one Sunday of every month a whole lot of volunteers
(18:44):
from Brooklyn go down and they've replanted it with natives
and it's absolutely outstanding, the Kura back and the wildlife
of back And that's not the council relying on the
council employees.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
That's that's citizens taking the.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
It's clearly everybody's responsibility. Yeah, My point is that it's
really it's what are we asking our councilors to do.
It's to make sure our city's livable, and they to
take a lead responsibility in these kinds of beaches where
you may not see the kind of community activity that
you might see a place like Brooklyn or or in
some parts of Wellington.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Friday face off with Phill O'Reilly and Mike Egan in
New Zealand. This is an interesting one bit of research
by consuming New Zealand and you guys do a hell
of a lot more traveling than me. I've been comparing
prices of flights over the past few years. They've found
that one route rows two hundred and seventy nine percent
well multiple other routes have doubled in priced. Mike Eagan,
are you shocked at the prices when you go to
(19:35):
book flight? But I know that you're one of those guys.
It's a bit smarter than that, and you're going anywhere.
It's well planned, well organized. So you know, you just
don't hop on a plane and go to Auckland tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Do you.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
No?
Speaker 4 (19:44):
But not everyone has the luxury of that all the time,
because you know, there's family emergencies and you know, you know,
if any parents are unlucky enough to have a kid
at Dunedin and wanting to fly them home over school holidays,
that the f is from duned and to the rest
of the country are just astronomical. You can fly a
few g Australia for half the price, and so yeah,
I mean they've got the algorithms and in New Zealand
(20:06):
are just there and then they're saying they're doing it
for their shareholders and all the rest of it. But
in a country they're small, we actually probably need some
sort of regulation to make sure they're not gouging us
because there is not really the competition that we deserve.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Philough Riley, you do a lot of travel as well.
Are you shocked and surprised or surprised by the price.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
Not at all surprised. I should just note that in
New Zealand, of course have gone well, it's not quite
like that. Well consume New Zealand. I'm not sure we
agree with that. I'd also note that statistics in New
Zealand say the price rises are less than that, So
I should note that there's some difference of differences of opinion.
But as one who flies in New Zealand, like every week,
just yesterday, for example, they're not interested in me as
(20:47):
a customer, right, that's not my view. They're not interested
in looking after customers. I think they're interested in themselves.
And so whenever they say that they've got my interests
at heart, I kind of laugh at that. And I'm
the sort of person who does actually spend a bit
more money than the average because I can't often plan
them though they'll come up a bit quickly, or I
need certainty on a particular flight at aular time of
the day, and I'm happy to pay for that. I'm
(21:08):
happy not to try and get the cheap fare and
all that sort of stuff. That's okay with me, But
They certainly don't care about the business traveler. That that's
very clear.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
See now does that is a point that surprises me
above all the stuff that I've read and talked about
this morning, because you're you're one recognizable, You're traveling a lot,
and surely that should be hello, how you doing? Because
when not the odd time I do fly, you know
that regular well known flyers get good a Mike good
a fell you know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
So you'll be interested to know this. I mean, it's
not a moment about any New Zealand particularly, but yeah,
when I get on a plane, I will on most planes,
on most on most most day three twenty flights, I'll
be one of the most frequent flies on that plane.
And with a few exceptions, some of the old crew
who were still there one last night, for example, recognized
me my name, how you go astray running? Most of
them treat me. So it's the first time I've ever
(21:56):
been on a plane, let alone that plane. So it's extraordinary.
So that makes you feel really ugly as a customer
that they don't even recognize longevity, and it's just ridiculous.
Hopefully I'll get some ticklogy to sort that out. I'm
going to say, make you feel for rey friend.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
I'm just looking at Mike Eager because we both know
that there is technology that tells you how many time
the customers come into your restaurant or how many times
and people are hopped on a plane, and we're both
looking at each other, go, holy shit, if we did
that at a restaurant, if you go into to prefab
more than two times, bridget knows your.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Name, Yes, you know that's what coffee you want?
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Yeah, So I mean, how the hell, as I say,
once again, you're a big man. You're distinctive in the
way you look. You're you know, very handsome man exactly,
so you know you're recognizable, are you? That's right?
Speaker 5 (22:39):
They don't Having said that, as I say, some of
the older crew who haven't been through that been twenty
years flying, I mean some of them my huge when
I get on the plane, you know that's the kind
of relationship. But the average person, it's because the in
New Zealanders turned into it's not there's no competitors. They
don't have to so they just don't invest in those things.
To be fair of them, they get the planes away
on time a little more than these things to be
awful at that, and so if you want to actually
(23:01):
get on a plane and go somewhere, they're not bad
at that these days. But in terms of any sense
of actually acting, certainly for frequent customers, it's zero, like
literally zero, and I don't like them for that.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
I would have thought, and I'm looking at Mike, listen,
he's going to agree or disagreement. I would have thought
that that your name would be flashing at the time
you get on a flight. You should they should be
saying spent spent twenty seven thousand. In the last twelve months,
we had seventeen thous flight flights should be looked after? Yeah, yeah, yeah, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
I mean, you know, ninety percent of our customers we
don't know, but you know, we wish we could know
that they know the name of everyone I've got a flight.
They've got all this information. When you see the sheet,
it's quite old looking technology. It's like one of those
computer printouts with holes on the side that used to
come out of those old printers in the eighties.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
It's like someone that says to you that when you
book your book into a restaurant, they say Hi, Nick. Yes,
we'll take you to table three. And then they come
back five minutes later and go get a mate. What
do you want? Yeah, you know you know that their
name's neck because you've taken them to their table. It's
bad form. Darlene Tana, friend of the name. The Greens
released the summary of the report and to their MP
(24:09):
showing she knew more about the allegations of migrant exploitation
than she led on phill O'Reilly, I don't want you
got to say that even though I ask you this
stupid question. Should she resign?
Speaker 4 (24:20):
Good?
Speaker 5 (24:20):
She should, And there's a point about all this sort
of stuff that's going on. These people should realize that
they're actually there to serve the people. It's not about them.
They are employed by us and voted on by us
to represent us. And when they can no longer do that,
as she certainly cannot, they should be big enough to resign.
There's far too many people sitting in our parliament. You
think it is about them, it's their career and it's
(24:42):
all that sort of stuff. No, no, if it goes wrong,
they should get out. And that's certainly the case with
the part of me, says the Greens. Of course many times,
how can I put this holier than our views about
some of these things. So part of me is kind
of having a bit of a smile about, well, they
don't like it all over the coles exactly all that stuff.
But I think for our democracy, for the nature of
our parliament, she should resign and she should leave and
(25:04):
they should put the new next person on the list
because that's how she came in. She wasn't voted on Bunny,
but she never stood for an electorate. She was voting
on the Green list. That's who she's accountable for. That's
our system.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Mike Egan, should the Green Party just use the walker jumping?
I know, you know, we know they don't like it,
but would we think better of them by using it?
Speaker 4 (25:21):
Yeah, you would think, as from a pr point of view,
that they should, you know, just just take take take
the take it on the chin and go. Yet we
and look to the future. And and it's a listen
to every party that you know, if you put your hair,
if you're going to break some of the laws that
you were there to uphold or stretch the regulations, whether
as you or your partner, and you don't know about
(25:41):
it you didn't know about it, Yeah, I mean straight away.
I'm sorry, hendah on hard you know what.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
Your wife know what decisions you make in the restaurant, yes, oh.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Yeah, pretty much. What are the people in the restaurant
saying about it?
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Our staff?
Speaker 3 (25:59):
No, no, what are people just saying when they when
you talk of darling Tanna, it's it's a water cooler talk,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
No, don't.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
We don't have time to check to the customers about
things like that. It's not very important, you know.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
So you a drink and you know one.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Hundred and sixty eight thousand years think she should go
to it?
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Oh yeah, I mean yeah. I mean do they replace
it with someone else?
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Yeah, they get an express.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
So it's not about losing ground. In fact, they would
they would get a lot of people going good on them,
you know, for making the hard decisions, you know, and
as a CEO, that's what you've got to do.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Sometimes I want to quickly talk about it because we've
got Mike Egan, who's the chairman of the Restaurant Association.
I think would be remiss if we didn't, because he's
a big article today from it's based in Auckland, but
it's right around New Zealand. There's the closure of sp QR,
a hugely successful popular venue. Now another well known director
(26:51):
of another restaurant saying, hey, everyone please support hospitality. Hospitality
is in a bad way, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
I mean it's probably the most dynamic in terms of
up and down and around and around. If there's a
rugby testle on a day night, well it can be
quite because everyone's at home watching it. But then other
other nights, other days, it can be really busy. So
it is such a dynamic business that we've always seen
these fluctuation fluctuations, but never really.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
To this extent. I mean, to be fair, s p
q R. Was it still relevant? Was it was? It?
Speaker 4 (27:26):
Was it still loved by its owner? Was he out
the front hosing the hosing the front of his property?
And I don't know, but just up the road is
pray Go telling a meters away and it's going game
buses And it's been near just as long because because
it stayed relevant and so.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
This might have been a title business needed to close
and the need to refresh.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
And maybe Chris who owns it, who's a great guy
and a great operator. Maybe he just sort of ran
out of puff.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
Okay, Phil, you've got any quickly.
Speaker 5 (27:52):
The woman, the lady from Vivaccui, I was going to
raise this actually, so it's good you did. What she
had a great idea. It was about businesses buddying up
with restaurants. I thought, that's a great idea if you
got the right business in the right restaurant, you know,
running a staff function in there, you know, doing a
staff wards there, hosting, hosting people there, getting the getting
the restaurant, and run a cooking class and stuff that
sort of stuff, you know. And I know in your
(28:13):
in your business you do a bit of the sort
of offsite catering and stuff these days. And we've actually
we've used it. It's fantastic. But but that that idea
of of businesses who were a bit bigger buddying up
at the restaurant. I thought there was a great idea
if you could make it work. So I thought i'd
give it a tick today.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
The Friday face Hot.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Okay, this is the part of the week that I
love the most, when guests come in and get to
say exactly what they like and what they din't like
fullo Rley, give me your hot, notts fast beads my hot.
Speaker 5 (28:40):
I'll start with a positive. A relatively new business that's
invested in Wellington. I love it when I see that,
so I really want to give them a great, great tech.
It's a place called Cars Incorporated. It's a new motor museum,
new car museum up and Trentam the Wellington Car Museum
and cafe, very close to the Army Base and just
across the road from the old Holden factory. And it's
(29:01):
a it's be going a while, and it's been going
a while, but it's a great place and I and
I took we take a car club there for those
who like cars. It's a great drive up for the afternoon,
take your son and your daughter, great little cafe outside
and when you walk in, some really cool cars and
some quite famous cars in there. And he's put his
own cars in there, which are mainly Chevies and Holdens,
which you know, I'm a Ford guy, but anyway, but
he's also got some of his matesbook cousin. It's a
(29:23):
really great event and it's totally privately held. I loved
it and I wanted to give him a tech today
because I took my brother in there a few days
ago out of Auckland. He loved it as well. So
it's just a great new attraction for Wellington's that's my
hot My not is Wellington Regional Council. What a surprise.
These guys are talking about putting in a twenty percent
plus rate increase this year and they were out consulting
(29:45):
on some extraordinary stuff. I mean sure they I don't
know what word the eleven, but anyway, they were consulting
and they say they've got great support for investing more
in the Port of Wellington. So here we are. Our
city is in trouble. These guys are banging through twenty
percent plus rate increases and what are they going to
spend it on investing in the port? Putting in one
hundred percent ownership on the port? I mean you just
(30:05):
hold your head. What world do they live in? Do
they actually get out on the street and see what's
going on in the city. So I just just an
absolute brick back to them. Just so not that these
guys are still living in a completely different plan to
the rest of us. And they say they've consulted, they haven't.
It's just dreadful behavior. I shake my head at the
state of our democracy in our city when I see.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
That, Mikey, and you've only got one minute now, because.
Speaker 4 (30:32):
Well quickly seeing the cops back on the beat as
being fantastic, love it. Everyone says hello to them. If
you talk to them, they will say they probably can
believe the reception they're getting about time. How the hot
as James Cameron bringing his whole team over from Santa
Monica to see it up base in Wellington. That's going
to be fantastic and only thirty more sleeps to visa
(30:52):
Wellington on a plate. Not so hot as just the
negativity of everyone around the city and the town. And
you know, I know there was some things to be
negative about, but we'll talk ourselves into depression. So we've
got a sort of fine positives and let's talk it
up a bit.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
I totally agree with what I find positives. I think
that's right. And there is some really good news, you know,
things for sale, you know, buildings could be going up,
a bit of movement in the city. Fillow Riley Mikey
can thank you both for taking time out of your
very busy schedules.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
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 sat B dissecting the week sublime and
ridiculous Friday faceoff with Quinovic Property Management, a better rental
experience for all. Call on eight hundred Quinovic, I.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Don't care about you ride.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
I'm Honday.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Juesday. Joining us for Friday Face Off this week is
fellow Riley from Iron Duke Partners. Morning felt going really well?
Please thank you. Mike Egan, the man behind a hold
on a restaurants in Willington, including the Monsoon Poon. You
can see him there every night for most nights, some
nights in the normally the guy working in the kitchen
the dishes and president of New Zealand Restaurant Association and
(00:58):
a first time Friday face off person. You've never done
Friday face off before? Have you?
Speaker 4 (01:02):
No?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
I haven't.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Cira Kura gets to be a coy. It's been a
crazy a few weeks in American politics, Trump's assassination attempt,
choosing his vice president nominee JD. Vince Vance Vance. I
don't think we can call it Vance. I think it's Vance.
That's how the Americans call it, and Biden getting COVID
as the pressure mounts. If I listen to my colleague
(01:24):
who I've never met, Mike Coskin, if I listened to him,
he's saying all over rover for Biden this weekend, he's
going to pull out Mike Sina, you're the new boy.
I'll get you. You can start. What are your thoughts,
how you're feeling, I mean, are you into American politics?
Do you give a damn? Oh?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
I do give a damn.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Yeah. They're an important part of the global sort of
how it all works around the globe. You know, if
the America catches coughs, the world can catch a cold.
So it's very very important, you know, and we want
people that capable, competent, people that can steering this globe
through these turbulent times. So yeah, I've been a bit
concerned about mister Biden. It feels a little bit like
(02:06):
his play the main character and weekend at Bernie's when
they when they bring them on, and you know, you
wonder if there's a hand up the back. Yeah, it's
a shame because he's obviously achieved a lot in his
career and it's a bit sad to see people sort
of holding on for this long, but you sort of
wonder could the Democrats not find someone more suitable with
plenty of notice to do it?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
So, yeah, what's their call?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Well, who will replace him?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
For right?
Speaker 5 (02:30):
I mean, come on, I think there's only one replacement
they can have, and that's Kamala Harris. She has to
have a vice president, I would think so, because if
it's not her, there's about three or four others that
might ever go, and that's very messy. So I think
they'll they'll have to. They'll have to kind of do
a bit of a you know, a bit of a
nomination if you like yours, you know, a thing like
Jacinta did with Crucipkins. Well, it's her the challenge with
that if he does go, of course, she's not very
(02:52):
popular either, and it may not actually help them very much.
And they'll look back as Mike, as Mike indicates, they'll
look back three years ago to say, were they having
the right disciplined conversations about putting the right people up?
Because in fact, if you look at the the younger
folk coming through the Democrat Democratic Party, actually there's a
number of very promising folk there that could have actually
stood up and done a good job. He agreed, but
it was you know, they it's the old story, having
(03:13):
a leader who's dominant, who says I'm still good, I'm
still good, and then it turns out he's not very good,
and all of a sudden we're in real trouble in
terms of the Democrat side of politics.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Is there an issue when we should or you know,
I mean, Mike, you would get at the odd time
where you're working in a restaurant and people say, gosh,
you'd think you'd be buddy at home retired by now
you know you've done it all before, and is it
time to put out? When do you actually know it's
time to actually get off the public face and do
and and do something else.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
I guess when your family is telling you, because the
other ones that really know you know. It's like when
you put with you know, Grandpa with dementia and to care.
You know he won't know, but everyone else thatt of
knows because you're with them every day, and so you
sort of think he was enabled a little bit maybe
by his handlers and his family, and you know, come on, grandpa,
you know, enjoy your grandkads.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
You made one.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
When do you and apparently his granddaughter was amazing. Listening
to Mike Oscar again, apparently her speech was amazing, yesterday's
granddaughter and apparently he looked incredible because he looked like
a granddad Trump. I'm talking about yesterday. Yeah, you know,
so that was a big thing to bring that family
situation together when you talk about family. But back to Biden,
because I mean that's what we're talking about. Should he go,
(04:24):
will he go? And when will he go?
Speaker 4 (04:28):
Well, it has to be sooner rather than later because
the Democratic National conventions coming up pretty soon in Chicago
and there's not a lot of time. And then this
talk of Gritch and Whitner, who's the governor of Wisconsin
been her running mate. So two women would be quite interesting,
you know, because the Republicans seemed to be come across
as a pretty anti anti woman and anti choice and
(04:49):
anti and so woman have got a lot to lose
if Biden doesn't win, and they've got a lot to
gain if these two women, maybe running as a duo,
get into power. I mean the president.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
I guess are you putting a time on it? Do
you think it's going to be over the next two weeks?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
And will like I said, it has to be sooner
rather than later.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
You know, like why not this weekend, you know, because
it's only Thursday in America now, you know, they really
have to put on their big boys shorts the DNC
and make the call.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
He's not going to do it. With Trump making his
big speech today, it's not going to be to day.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
And he's got and he's got COVID. Of course, then
you just can't take a trick that bloke. Of course,
you looked even more frail as I watched him get
on Air Force one this morning. You looked very frail,
a very old man. Of course, that's not great, particularly
you've seen Trump almost getting almost getting assessinated, and then
you know the fist pump and the fight sort of stuff.
But the US flag behind and that kind of that
kind of stuff matters to the American public. But yes,
(05:43):
I think it will happen sooner rather than that, for
the same reason that Mike says that you're going to
have Kamala Harris step up. She needs time to get
known by the public and to say something. People have
said to me, Well, it's happened in New Zealand. Just
Cinda Adurn did it, And I think well, that's not
quite the same. You can't really say the same thing
because you know that there's not Kamala Harris isn't as
popular as just Cinda A. Durne was. And I don't
(06:03):
think she's she's not popular, well, she's she's she's done
a whole bunch of the old personality politics, you know,
the same stuff you see from the left here. You know,
it's all about her and who she is rather than
the people of the United States. And she's also been
seen as pretty arrogant and pretty self centered with it.
And I don't know whether she is or not, but
that's kind of the public impression off her. And she's
(06:23):
also been seen as not a particularly effective vice president
and are not really stepping forward and taking on some
of the responsibility. So it is what it is in
American politics, just like in any politics. If it doesn't
matter how good you are as a person, you might
be a lovely person, you might just not succeed in
terms of getting cut through with the public. So that's
happened to her. But you know, there's a thing going
on that Trump's going to win. Now I'm not necessarily
confident about that. You've still got three or four months
(06:45):
to go. You've got a big speech to the Republican
National Convention in the next few hours. If he says
dumb stuff that could well turn people off against him.
And to Mike's point, you've still got lots of turnout
amongst the female vote and others who don't like what's
going on on the abortion debate, who don't like what
he's saying about freedom and democracy. And so there's a
(07:06):
long way to go in this campaign. And if the
Democrats do, if you write things over the next few weeks,
and I think Biden's got to go, Saday's got to go.
If they do some right things, maybe gets close. So
I don't I just go a fight forever.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
I mean, if you look at their Project twenty twenty five,
which is sort of leaking out, which is this very
right wing group of two hundred former Trump people that
are putting into place a whole lot of stuff that
get when they get into power. I mean, they're talking
about banning no fault divorce, you know, and things like that,
and really rolling back women's rights where you know that
(07:38):
are going to take taking them back fifty sixty years.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
You know, some of them.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Are even talking about, you know, no biracial marriages some
of the real right wing people on this project twenty
twenty five. It's quite bizarre, and this is behind the
scenes that they just sort of, you know, they wanted
to get rid of every federal employee, mid level and upwards.
They're going to fire them all and replace them with
all their own people. There's like twenty thousand people they're
talking about, you know, because they see the federal employees
(08:03):
has been against the right wing of that bat wine
of push.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
See I personally, so I can't see that how you
can even say that.
Speaker 5 (08:11):
I just think that he's going to win. Trump's going
to win a bolter. It has a bit more to
it them who's going to turn out from it? And
one of the things, of course he's gotten his favors
that his voters do tend to turn out. But you know,
there's a just it's about there's about six or seven
swing states that matter, including Pennsylvania of course where Trump
was shot the other day, and those swing states of
(08:31):
swing states for a reason, it is about who turns
out is it on the margins and degrees, And it's
entirely possible that the election will be critically impacted by
the voters by the votes of about thirty thousand people.
It has been in the past, So I just think
it's four months away. For it was a month of
the way. It's all over, and I still do think
it's Trump sixty forty chances of getting up. Don't get
me wrong.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
You were getting a bit confident before though, calmed it down.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
He's right. So some of these swing states are like
ten thousand votes.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
And so what they've done is the Republicans that control
these states from a state level, they reduced the number
of polling booths and Democratic areas and they've made it illegal,
and so people have to wait hours, take time. I'm
off work, and they've made it a legal for you
to give water to anyone waiting in a queue at
a polling station, you know. And you go into the
Republican areas and here's a polling station every one hundred meters.
(09:16):
And so they're playing these sort of games just in
order to behind the scenes, to manipulate the vote in
a way that turns maybe Democratic voters off.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
Let's just be clear that the Democrats student too. Sometimes
when they get the chance to.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Did either of you see the Harris interview after the
debate great debate, you know when there was a whole
look offuffle. Did you did either of you see that?
Speaker 5 (09:34):
It's all the highlights?
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Yeah, yeah, see I was very impressed by her. I'm
not a fan of hers either, but by god, she
spoke well. Then you know I thought, I went back, I, well,
maybe she could do it.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
That's what I thought too.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
You did you agree? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I went, Okay, she did speak pretty damn well.
Speaker 5 (09:50):
She's got to overcome this history with the American people.
We see.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
That was because I reckon it's something to do with
her being a prosecutor. Too hard ass prosecutors.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
I mean, you know, you just don't get to be
seenior in American politics without being very polished at public speaking.
I mean that's one of the natures of their democratic system.
They very polished. So you very rarely see someone stumbling.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Elections a run on the television and social media and
all those sound bites. I mean, you know, they are
into in depth, you know, State of the Nation, Q
and as, they just want these soundbites that they can
play on repeat on Fox News and O.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
You know, let's talk Downtown Wellington Reading Complex is officially
on the market, and it was revealed this week that
the derelict Amra Hotel is now owned by the well
regarded developer Precinct Properties. Mike, I want to start with
you on this because you showed me this amazing development
you've showed, you've been showing everyone that getst anywhere near
on your phone of this idea that you've got up
(10:44):
for that reading site. Can you explain to your listeners
what our listens what you think should be done with?
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Well, I visited Rotterdam and they had a sort of
a similar area that was pretty disused.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Down by the waterfront.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
In twenty fourteen they turned it into a place called
mark Hall, which m a ark t h a l
if you google that, and it's this amazing architectural building
which is fully privately paid for. It's got two and
seventy five apartments, but it's sort of a horseshoe shape
and underneath as a as a food court, restaurants, galleries
(11:19):
and everything like that. No casino, and it's totally revamped Rotterdam.
It's now on the list people you know, and it
will do a day trip from Msterdam to visit it.
It's totally transformed the economy of Rotterdam, and the beauty
about it was, like I said, it was paid for
by private investment, which they all got their money.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Back, and.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
The all the council through and over there was they
gave them. They fast tracked all the consents and paid
for building consents and that was sort of their contribution
and turned out it's just changed that city.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
So if you go online, have a lock. I mean
it's a spectacular building.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
As New Zealand speaking mark Hall like m A r.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
K H Well no m A r k t s
Dutch h a L mark Hall.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
But if you put it on Google sort of knows
what you're all about soon as you put it a Rotterdam,
so your misspelling will be fine. But it's got the
biggest mural of produce and fish and everything on the
inside in Europe. It's colorful and it's just events happen
there in galleries and food and things all the time.
And ronder Dam's a small city of about four hundred
and three seventy five, four hundred thousand people, so it's
(12:26):
just that would be perfect because that would link Corney
Place with t Papa and Tequina and everything. But it
would take some big.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
Codes to fillow Riley. I mean, you've got a couple
of investors that want to do something like that. What
do you think we should do with reading one and
a half hectares of land right in the middle of town.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
It makes my credit card out, mate. Well, I'm happy.
I'm happy to drink. If someone wants to set up
a bar, theyre I'm happy to go and have a
beer or a meal or whatever. You know it says
Michael Kelly. Well, you both know I'd do a bit
of that. I'm happy to support the hospitality sector. But
the point I'd make is now it's in the right now,
the right things are happening. The council says, sorry, we
can't do anything for you, and proper commercial decisions are
(13:02):
made and just been setting there as an iesare in
our city for a long time because that wasn't clear.
And it's the same. Also, I think with the hotel
with them more, I think the council needed to say
we'll get on with it, otherwise we'll w rates and
just force it, force a decision. And if you did
those two sorts, and I'm like Mike, I'd love to
see something amazing and city shaping. Anything's good, you know
(13:25):
what I mean, it's it. It'll we turned into the
mixed use thing. I mean, ever, do you be a
bit of accommodation and a bit of hotel maybe in
a bit.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Of I think it's important to do some car parking
in there for Taquina, though I think one of the
problems with Taqina is car parking. I think we all
know that people that live and breed or try and
do business in the town. Isn't it so that sort
of car parking, underground car parking or something there.
Speaker 5 (13:48):
But A guess the point would be it's important that
that all the punters and Wellington don't just say here's
what we want, because I think we should just say,
if you want to buy it, you want to develop it,
We're going to lean into whatever the decision is, because
anything's better than what we've got now. And so a
lot of developments I see slowed down and made a
bit of a mess off because everybody says, what's got
to have this, it's got to have that, and so on,
and so I think the idea is to get the
(14:08):
right investor in there and and then make sure we're
talking to them and having a chat. But the end
of the day, we want them to risk their own
money on putting something up there, and we should celebrate
that because it'll be it'll be a hell of a
bit of what we've.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Got now and not for road lots on the way,
which was what the rod of them that they said,
we will fast track everything to make it.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
I think that's the key to it. That's the key
to it. Developers know that they've got the council on site.
Do you think it's too big for someone like Wellis
Bond Mike.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
I haven't seen their balance sheets so completely coll.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
But do you think I mean, wouldn't it be nice
for a Wellington based company to do.
Speaker 4 (14:39):
Something outstanding And they're an outstanding company, so you know
they would be they would be yeah, what a win win.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
Yeah, And I'd say something like Precinct that have got
a great the developer Commercial Bay and it's a fantastic
example of that's world class that stuff and Commercial Bank
I unbelieved.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
I mean, I don't think unless you've been there you
can actually realize how good it was.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
Y do if you're going to carry on over the
over the downtown car park can do the next one
and just really that's speaking of city information, that city transformational.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
For all on that thing we do you think what
was there before?
Speaker 5 (15:09):
Absolutely so?
Speaker 3 (15:11):
And you think about one one Willis Lane and Wellington. Yeah,
I mean you know you go through there, it's a
quality fits out you can't you know, quality operation, quality
for now that's what we need now.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
Side isn't exactly right and the right people making the
right choices on that, and then we lean in and
support them even if it's not perfect. Doesn't do everything
we want great, better than it, better than it what
is now?
Speaker 3 (15:27):
So let's get on, okay Friday face off of Mike
Eagan and Phil O'Riley. While we're talking about Wellington things.
An environmental group surveys three hundred and fifty beaches around
the country has found Wellington has has top four most
rubbish screwn beaches in New Zealand. Now that is not
an award that we want, Phillo Riley, H I mean
(15:49):
is this literate and issue?
Speaker 2 (15:50):
You?
Speaker 5 (15:51):
I mean you live in the city, don't you. Yeah,
And yes it is. There's a some of it will
be to do with the Wellington Harbor and the way
the weather works and so on, and the particular beaches
that they'll be serving, because not every beach will be
dirty like that, but it does demonstrate that we do
have a problem and we do need to sort it down.
And it's something about talking to us citizens of the
city about that and saying, you know, do you realize
when you chuck stuff off the down the drain it
(16:11):
ends up in the harbor? All that sort of stuff.
But it goes to what our councilors are doing. I mean,
at the end of the day, I want to be
proud of living in the city. When I see graffiti
on the walls and you know, footpaths, not sort it out,
and you know infrastructure falling over and rubbish everywhere, beaches
and so on, that's what makes me not proud to
live in my city. It's that very thing. Now, it
(16:31):
might be a small thing, but that's what councils should do.
Clean stuff up, make it nice so that people feel
a sense of pride about living in the place. If
it's not. If they're dirty, who's faults that, well, the councils.
They should get on and sort it out.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
We see Mike Egan would have a different view on
this because I see him at least twice a week,
maybe three times a week, with the hoes and a
clip washing out the front of Monsoon Poo. Now, no
other restaurants in that whole street do that. I never
seen anyone else do it. Have you seen anyone else
do it? Might know, but it's kind of are you
a little bit add or something?
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (17:02):
I think I must be, because yeah, I don't think
it sheabness. You know, it amazes me when I walk
past retail businesses in there and they're sign hanging over
the footpath with their name on it as covered in
diesel dust from the buses. You know, why not just
get a rag at a bucket in the morning before
the commuters are here, you know, if you're lucky enough
to travel the world. Sometimes I love getting up early
and watching a city wake up, you know Chicago, which
(17:25):
I go to a bit in the morning on miss
the Magnificent Mile as the main street they call it
Michigan av In the morning, you just see all these
custodians and they're out there with your hoses. They have
secret little tap spigots and they plug in and they
polish the brass, they wash the windows, they pick up
any you know, lefto flotsam and jetsam from the from
the revelries of the night before. I mean, we shouldn't
(17:48):
just rely on the council. We have responsibility ourselves, I mean,
and blessed you. You'll see, you know, any graffiti. We
all clean graffiti off each other's buildings if we see it,
because you know, if it stays here then someone will
add to it. And so you know, it's a constant battle.
But if we give up on it, then we'll end
up with a Chevy Chebys.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
So back to the you know, the actual beaches and
the rubbish on the beach. You know, you take your
dog for a walk. I know that's a valuable time
for you and your wife because you've both worked stupid hours.
So those dog walks on the beaches are very important
to you. Do you feel that we're grubbing?
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Well? La Bay is pristine as far as I'm concerned.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
And you know, and you see I've seen people, you know,
stoop down and pack up the olbit of plastic that's floated.
And I think again talking about responsibility as a city,
I mean, I live in Brooklyn and there's friends of
Ohio Stream, which for thirty years nearly have turned this
stream which was horrible and Gorse and BlackBerry, and on
one Sunday of every month a whole lot of volunteers
(18:44):
from Brooklyn go down and they've replanted it with natives
and it's absolutely outstanding, the Kura back and the wildlife
of back And that's not the council relying on the
council employees.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
That's that's citizens taking the.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
It's clearly everybody's responsibility. Yeah, My point is that it's
really it's what are we asking our councilors to do.
It's to make sure our city's livable, and they to
take a lead responsibility in these kinds of beaches where
you may not see the kind of community activity that
you might see a place like Brooklyn or or in
some parts of Wellington.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Friday face off with Phill O'Reilly and Mike Egan in
New Zealand. This is an interesting one bit of research
by consuming New Zealand and you guys do a hell
of a lot more traveling than me. I've been comparing
prices of flights over the past few years. They've found
that one route rows two hundred and seventy nine percent
well multiple other routes have doubled in priced. Mike Eagan,
are you shocked at the prices when you go to
(19:35):
book flight? But I know that you're one of those guys.
It's a bit smarter than that, and you're going anywhere.
It's well planned, well organized. So you know, you just
don't hop on a plane and go to Auckland tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Do you.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
No?
Speaker 4 (19:44):
But not everyone has the luxury of that all the time,
because you know, there's family emergencies and you know, you know,
if any parents are unlucky enough to have a kid
at Dunedin and wanting to fly them home over school holidays,
that the f is from duned and to the rest
of the country are just astronomical. You can fly a
few g Australia for half the price, and so yeah,
I mean they've got the algorithms and in New Zealand
(20:06):
are just there and then they're saying they're doing it
for their shareholders and all the rest of it. But
in a country they're small, we actually probably need some
sort of regulation to make sure they're not gouging us
because there is not really the competition that we deserve.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Philough Riley, you do a lot of travel as well.
Are you shocked and surprised or surprised by the price.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
Not at all surprised. I should just note that in
New Zealand, of course have gone well, it's not quite
like that. Well consume New Zealand. I'm not sure we
agree with that. I'd also note that statistics in New
Zealand say the price rises are less than that, So
I should note that there's some difference of differences of opinion.
But as one who flies in New Zealand, like every week,
just yesterday, for example, they're not interested in me as
(20:47):
a customer, right, that's not my view. They're not interested
in looking after customers. I think they're interested in themselves.
And so whenever they say that they've got my interests
at heart, I kind of laugh at that. And I'm
the sort of person who does actually spend a bit
more money than the average because I can't often plan
them though they'll come up a bit quickly, or I
need certainty on a particular flight at aular time of
the day, and I'm happy to pay for that. I'm
(21:08):
happy not to try and get the cheap fare and
all that sort of stuff. That's okay with me, But
They certainly don't care about the business traveler. That that's
very clear.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
See now does that is a point that surprises me
above all the stuff that I've read and talked about
this morning, because you're you're one recognizable, You're traveling a lot,
and surely that should be hello, how you doing? Because
when not the odd time I do fly, you know
that regular well known flyers get good a Mike good
a fell you know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
So you'll be interested to know this. I mean, it's
not a moment about any New Zealand particularly, but yeah,
when I get on a plane, I will on most planes,
on most on most most day three twenty flights, I'll
be one of the most frequent flies on that plane.
And with a few exceptions, some of the old crew
who were still there one last night, for example, recognized
me my name, how you go astray running? Most of
them treat me. So it's the first time I've ever
(21:56):
been on a plane, let alone that plane. So it's extraordinary.
So that makes you feel really ugly as a customer
that they don't even recognize longevity, and it's just ridiculous.
Hopefully I'll get some ticklogy to sort that out. I'm
going to say, make you feel for rey friend.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
I'm just looking at Mike Eager because we both know
that there is technology that tells you how many time
the customers come into your restaurant or how many times
and people are hopped on a plane, and we're both
looking at each other, go, holy shit, if we did
that at a restaurant, if you go into to prefab
more than two times, bridget knows your.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Name, Yes, you know that's what coffee you want?
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Yeah, So I mean, how the hell, as I say,
once again, you're a big man. You're distinctive in the
way you look. You're you know, very handsome man exactly,
so you know you're recognizable, are you? That's right?
Speaker 5 (22:39):
They don't Having said that, as I say, some of
the older crew who haven't been through that been twenty
years flying, I mean some of them my huge when
I get on the plane, you know that's the kind
of relationship. But the average person, it's because the in
New Zealanders turned into it's not there's no competitors. They
don't have to so they just don't invest in those things.
To be fair of them, they get the planes away
on time a little more than these things to be
awful at that, and so if you want to actually
(23:01):
get on a plane and go somewhere, they're not bad
at that these days. But in terms of any sense
of actually acting, certainly for frequent customers, it's zero, like
literally zero, and I don't like them for that.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
I would have thought, and I'm looking at Mike, listen,
he's going to agree or disagreement. I would have thought
that that your name would be flashing at the time
you get on a flight. You should they should be
saying spent spent twenty seven thousand. In the last twelve months,
we had seventeen thous flight flights should be looked after? Yeah, yeah, yeah, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
I mean, you know, ninety percent of our customers we
don't know, but you know, we wish we could know
that they know the name of everyone I've got a flight.
They've got all this information. When you see the sheet,
it's quite old looking technology. It's like one of those
computer printouts with holes on the side that used to
come out of those old printers in the eighties.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
It's like someone that says to you that when you
book your book into a restaurant, they say Hi, Nick. Yes,
we'll take you to table three. And then they come
back five minutes later and go get a mate. What
do you want? Yeah, you know you know that their
name's neck because you've taken them to their table. It's
bad form. Darlene Tana, friend of the name. The Greens
released the summary of the report and to their MP
(24:09):
showing she knew more about the allegations of migrant exploitation
than she led on phill O'Reilly, I don't want you
got to say that even though I ask you this
stupid question. Should she resign?
Speaker 4 (24:20):
Good?
Speaker 5 (24:20):
She should, And there's a point about all this sort
of stuff that's going on. These people should realize that
they're actually there to serve the people. It's not about them.
They are employed by us and voted on by us
to represent us. And when they can no longer do that,
as she certainly cannot, they should be big enough to resign.
There's far too many people sitting in our parliament. You
think it is about them, it's their career and it's
(24:42):
all that sort of stuff. No, no, if it goes wrong,
they should get out. And that's certainly the case with
the part of me, says the Greens. Of course many times,
how can I put this holier than our views about
some of these things. So part of me is kind
of having a bit of a smile about, well, they
don't like it all over the coles exactly all that stuff.
But I think for our democracy, for the nature of
our parliament, she should resign and she should leave and
(25:04):
they should put the new next person on the list
because that's how she came in. She wasn't voted on Bunny,
but she never stood for an electorate. She was voting
on the Green list. That's who she's accountable for. That's
our system.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Mike Egan, should the Green Party just use the walker jumping?
I know, you know, we know they don't like it,
but would we think better of them by using it?
Speaker 4 (25:21):
Yeah, you would think, as from a pr point of view,
that they should, you know, just just take take take
the take it on the chin and go. Yet we
and look to the future. And and it's a listen
to every party that you know, if you put your hair,
if you're going to break some of the laws that
you were there to uphold or stretch the regulations, whether
as you or your partner, and you don't know about
(25:41):
it you didn't know about it, Yeah, I mean straight away.
I'm sorry, hendah on hard you know what.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
Your wife know what decisions you make in the restaurant, yes, oh.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Yeah, pretty much. What are the people in the restaurant
saying about it?
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Our staff?
Speaker 3 (25:59):
No, no, what are people just saying when they when
you talk of darling Tanna, it's it's a water cooler talk,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
No, don't.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
We don't have time to check to the customers about
things like that. It's not very important, you know.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
So you a drink and you know one.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Hundred and sixty eight thousand years think she should go
to it?
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Oh yeah, I mean yeah. I mean do they replace
it with someone else?
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Yeah, they get an express.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
So it's not about losing ground. In fact, they would
they would get a lot of people going good on them,
you know, for making the hard decisions, you know, and
as a CEO, that's what you've got to do.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Sometimes I want to quickly talk about it because we've
got Mike Egan, who's the chairman of the Restaurant Association.
I think would be remiss if we didn't, because he's
a big article today from it's based in Auckland, but
it's right around New Zealand. There's the closure of sp QR,
a hugely successful popular venue. Now another well known director
(26:51):
of another restaurant saying, hey, everyone please support hospitality. Hospitality
is in a bad way, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
I mean it's probably the most dynamic in terms of
up and down and around and around. If there's a
rugby testle on a day night, well it can be
quite because everyone's at home watching it. But then other
other nights, other days, it can be really busy. So
it is such a dynamic business that we've always seen
these fluctuation fluctuations, but never really.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
To this extent. I mean, to be fair, s p
q R. Was it still relevant? Was it was? It?
Speaker 4 (27:26):
Was it still loved by its owner? Was he out
the front hosing the hosing the front of his property?
And I don't know, but just up the road is
pray Go telling a meters away and it's going game
buses And it's been near just as long because because
it stayed relevant and so.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
This might have been a title business needed to close
and the need to refresh.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
And maybe Chris who owns it, who's a great guy
and a great operator. Maybe he just sort of ran
out of puff.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
Okay, Phil, you've got any quickly.
Speaker 5 (27:52):
The woman, the lady from Vivaccui, I was going to
raise this actually, so it's good you did. What she
had a great idea. It was about businesses buddying up
with restaurants. I thought, that's a great idea if you
got the right business in the right restaurant, you know,
running a staff function in there, you know, doing a
staff wards there, hosting, hosting people there, getting the getting
the restaurant, and run a cooking class and stuff that
sort of stuff, you know. And I know in your
(28:13):
in your business you do a bit of the sort
of offsite catering and stuff these days. And we've actually
we've used it. It's fantastic. But but that that idea
of of businesses who were a bit bigger buddying up
at the restaurant. I thought there was a great idea
if you could make it work. So I thought i'd
give it a tick today.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
The Friday face Hot.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Okay, this is the part of the week that I
love the most, when guests come in and get to
say exactly what they like and what they din't like
fullo Rley, give me your hot, notts fast beads my hot.
Speaker 5 (28:40):
I'll start with a positive. A relatively new business that's
invested in Wellington. I love it when I see that,
so I really want to give them a great, great tech.
It's a place called Cars Incorporated. It's a new motor museum,
new car museum up and Trentam the Wellington Car Museum
and cafe, very close to the Army Base and just
across the road from the old Holden factory. And it's
(29:01):
a it's be going a while, and it's been going
a while, but it's a great place and I and
I took we take a car club there for those
who like cars. It's a great drive up for the afternoon,
take your son and your daughter, great little cafe outside
and when you walk in, some really cool cars and
some quite famous cars in there. And he's put his
own cars in there, which are mainly Chevies and Holdens,
which you know, I'm a Ford guy, but anyway, but
he's also got some of his matesbook cousin. It's a
(29:23):
really great event and it's totally privately held. I loved
it and I wanted to give him a tech today
because I took my brother in there a few days
ago out of Auckland. He loved it as well. So
it's just a great new attraction for Wellington's that's my
hot My not is Wellington Regional Council. What a surprise.
These guys are talking about putting in a twenty percent
plus rate increase this year and they were out consulting
(29:45):
on some extraordinary stuff. I mean sure they I don't
know what word the eleven, but anyway, they were consulting
and they say they've got great support for investing more
in the Port of Wellington. So here we are. Our
city is in trouble. These guys are banging through twenty
percent plus rate increases and what are they going to
spend it on investing in the port? Putting in one
hundred percent ownership on the port? I mean you just
(30:05):
hold your head. What world do they live in? Do
they actually get out on the street and see what's
going on in the city. So I just just an
absolute brick back to them. Just so not that these
guys are still living in a completely different plan to
the rest of us. And they say they've consulted, they haven't.
It's just dreadful behavior. I shake my head at the
state of our democracy in our city when I see.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
That, Mikey, and you've only got one minute now, because.
Speaker 4 (30:32):
Well quickly seeing the cops back on the beat as
being fantastic, love it. Everyone says hello to them. If
you talk to them, they will say they probably can
believe the reception they're getting about time. How the hot
as James Cameron bringing his whole team over from Santa
Monica to see it up base in Wellington. That's going
to be fantastic and only thirty more sleeps to visa
(30:52):
Wellington on a plate. Not so hot as just the
negativity of everyone around the city and the town. And
you know, I know there was some things to be
negative about, but we'll talk ourselves into depression. So we've
got a sort of fine positives and let's talk it
up a bit.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
I totally agree with what I find positives. I think
that's right. And there is some really good news, you know,
things for sale, you know, buildings could be going up,
a bit of movement in the city. Fillow Riley Mikey
can thank you both for taking time out of your
very busy schedules.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
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
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