November 3, 2024 • 32 mins
Wellington Phoenix general manager David Dome and Sotheby's International Realty Wellington Managing Director Glen Jones joined Nick Mills in the studio to chat all things business.
They discussed the benefits to the city from big events like the Wellington-Auckland football derby at the weekend, and how the region can capitalise on it.
Other topics included the state of the housing market, the US Election, a Crown Observer coming to the Wellington City Council and whether allowing builders to self-certify is a good idea.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from news Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Said b.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Your inside word on all things business in the Capitol
with Quinovac, better Systems, better reporting, better call quinnovec.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Mon every two weeks on a Monday at this time
we have a bit of a chat with a couple
of well known Wellington business people. Just chose the fact, really,
just try and work out what can be done better,
what's not going that well and how do we make
our city better. Today we have Wellington FedEx General Manager David.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Dome Morning, David Morning and Nick?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
How are you doing? How are you feeling?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
It's slowly wearing off the result after the weekend. Look,
we had a fantastic day out with the crowd and
we're really really happy with that as a club. Couldn't
quite get it right on the pitch, but good start
for us.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Got a bit of it, Hey, a little bit of
a cacae, didn't we Yeah, it just felt didn't feel nice.
I didn't enjoy it. I don't know why. I kind
of like thought we were going to do it. That's
why I kept right through even when the goal wed.
At the first goal wed, I thought We're okay, that's
all right. One or draw, we'd live with. That would
be quite honestly.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
I thought we were a better team and we made
one mistake and then we're pushing forward to get the
equalizer and they had a late, late second.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
So yeah, momentum Southby's Realty Willing to managing director is
Glenn Jones. Did I just pronounce good morning Glenn?
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Morning mate?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Did I pronounce Southerly's Southern.
Speaker 5 (01:37):
Bees jelling Southeby's International Realty International?
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Really?
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Yeah? Thanks for the vote, mate, Good to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Oh great to have you on the show. And I
was reading about you on the weekend actually in the paper,
so I thought, oh, that's quite ironic.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Good time.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
They must have stuff, must have known we were speaking
to you and decided to ring you up as well. Right,
let's start about this conversation on the weekend, David, I
want to start with you, Big Derby. I mean, we've
talked about it enough, we've probably gone over and enough.
But apart from the result, what is that actually do
for us as a city and you as a club.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Look, it's good for us as a club because part
of us being Wellingtonians, we want to give back to
the city and the fans. We've got great, great, great friends.
You're not just yellow Fever, but that the whole fan
base and the fact that you put on a game
and you have twenty six thousand people coming. You know
that people come from outside Wellington. Anything above fifteen thousand
people are coming from outside Wellington. And we know that
people came from the Greater Wellington area, from the North
(02:32):
Island and people from the South Island. So it means
that accommodation's going well. It means the bars are for
there were heaps of activities going on during the day,
and it means that you know, you talk a lot
about it on your program, like Wellington's doing it tough.
It's not easy for people in Wellington at the moment.
If we can help be part of that solution to
bring back some activity to the CBD and the wider area,
(02:55):
it's good. It's a great thing and it's.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Good for your sponsors. Let's cut to the chase. We
know the people that put money in, whether you're winning, losing,
you know, drawing, not getting big crowds, are getting big crowds.
They are the ones that are back in you and
keeping you're alive. So it's payback for them, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Yeah, it's really great for them. You know, we have
great a great suite of I say it all the
time in terms of the sponsors that we have amongst
the club, we have the best range and the best
suite sponsors bar no one in the league. You know,
our sponsors are blue chip corporate players in New Zealand
and in Australia, so very very lucky in that regard.
But it's it's good to be able to give something
(03:30):
back to them. And you know there are lots of
activations on the game day with OPO and McDonald's and
it was really good to see all the kids out
and being part of that and that's a good thing
for those companies.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Glenn Jones, how does it make you feel as a
well in Tonian wandering around the streets on Friday you
saw a few soccer tops around. I'll tell you the
story about when one of the cafe later David, But
how did it make you feel when you were wandering
around the city this weekend? Did it make you change
anything for it?
Speaker 5 (03:58):
I think this is fantastic, fantastic for football, Fantastic for
grassroots of football New Zealand, especially commiserations about the result, said,
I'd like to see it go the other way.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
But it's great, you know, it's great.
Speaker 5 (04:09):
We've got one of our offices down on the waterfront
here and whenever there's a big game in town, you
see that CBD has been activated. You know you need bars, restaurants, cafes,
you know, you need that buzz.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
And it gives it that people confidence, doesn't It makes
confidence to should I sell my house and buy a
new house? Should I actually look at buying again? Just
gives you a bit more life is confidence.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Yeah, and look it's been tough years. You can go
back to the GFC, to COVID to the last two
three years. It's been one thing after the other and
you feel things are starting to change.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Now do you feel that we're starting to change?
Speaker 4 (04:43):
I do, yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:44):
I mean, look, look, we're a city in its infancy
and a city and it's evolution, really early on.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
It's evolution. So there's a lot lots to be thankful for.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
You.
Speaker 5 (04:53):
I mean by that, well, look around the world on
the global standards. You know, New Zealand, Wellington, we're young city.
Always try I mean any big city is going to
be in a transformation phase. We seem to be particularly
hard at the moment and things will bounce back.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Do you think that if we can get a little
bit of confidence and stop actually dogging each other, that
will help. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:15):
Look, I've got a shout out to the public public sector.
They're always in the firing line, but you know, the
intentions are always good and I think, you know, I
think we've got to remain positive, support each other's, support
each other's businesses, go and support Phoenix and others who
come into town and things things will get better.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
How will it change things for the Phoenix having another
New Zealand team in the league. I mean as a business.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
We wouldn't have had twenty six hours in there if
that had been you know, Central Coast. Marion was always
in Sydney Wanderers. That's a big payday or a decent
payday for the club on Saturday afternoon and it's raised
the profile. I mean the week leading up into that
derby match, the first derby match, we had so much
media attention, not just us. He had done on Wartington,
but the Auckland goes up on Auckland as well. We're
(06:07):
in the media doing something, requests for interviews, requests for appearances,
and it just went ballistic. And that's what that's what
happens when there's so much interest people turn out want
to watch the game. And that came because of an Auckland,
an Auckland franchise up there. And look, it's good, it's good.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
It's what happens. Have they become the showboat team? I mean,
you've been in the media yourself saying that they're the
money team, and you know you're not. You know, so
what happens if they really become the showburs really high
profile money team and you're not. Does that who? You? No?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
No think?
Speaker 1 (06:38):
So?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I mean, will carve our own niche? I mean, we've
been around seventeen years now. They've got a long way
to catch up before they get to what we're what
we've established here in Wellington. If you look at the
base that we've got now, our academy, our base in
Indied CIS academies, took us five years to get that
really humming. It's going to take them at least that long.
And the football market in Auckland's way more fragmented than
(06:58):
Willington by comparison. It's the club's here. Our working relationships
with clubs here and now are excellent and capital football.
They're nowhere near that in nortand they've got a long
to go to They haven't even got a women's team yet,
and can they pull that together? I don't know. I mean,
they've got a long way to go to pull that up.
So we've got a good couple of years. But I
kind of back ourselves and our ownership group that will
always stay at least one step ahead of them.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Okay, that's confidence.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
We've got good ownerships, Nick, We've got good ownership, right, Glen.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
I also want to know from you, as a realtor
and a businessman in the city, how important are these
big events we talk about on the show quite a bit.
The fact that there's no rock concerts booked in to
sky Stadium in the coming eighteen months. There's nothing booked.
We don't have the big events. How important are those
big events to the actual city?
Speaker 4 (07:45):
Oh? Huge?
Speaker 5 (07:46):
I mean, look at what Wow brings in. I think
we had all blacks Australia here. Several weeks ago I
met a few friends who visited Wellington for the weekend
and it was absolutely pumping. Bars were steaming, restaurants fully
booked out.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
You know, it's a life blood. You know, that's what
we need.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
You know, you look at TSB, that's a great venue, Takina.
I know it gets a bit of a bit of
backlash in the media, but it seems to be going well.
We had the Champion's Charity Lunch there which was raising
money for Life Flight Charity about four or five weeks ago.
There was one thy and fifty people.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
In that and that in that whole. So yeah, it's great.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
So for us as well. Intonian's what do we have
to do to actually make sure that we do keep
doing these events because we're not We're not getting them.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
I think we need a It's good talking about it,
and you can talk about your local bar it's always there,
but actually never go there before it shuts down one
day and then you're blaming everyone else for it. You know,
when these events happen, you know, get friends, get family,
make it an occasion, go to the local cafe, meet
friends at the bar, or book a restaurant. We've got
a trigger these events.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Can I tell you that I came into town just
do something on Saturday morning and went into a cafe
in Cuba Street, very very busy. It was Saturday, about
ten o'clock and as I was paying, there was a
group of about ten or twelve people, all paying individually
in front of the line. Half of them had the
blue tops on and half had the yellow tops on.
And I just had a smile on my face. They
(09:20):
were so excited, David. They were like having their brunch.
They were young kids, probably at university and once come
down from Auckland. We're in the Auckland stuff. And I
thought to myself, did I ever think that I would
see the day in New Zealand that you'd see that happening.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Yeah, that's the joy of sport, right that you get
into the stadium and you're playing a game that really
means something to you, and you put everything aside and
everything is about that game and in that moment you're
just living and breathing it. And sport's one of those
few things that can take people to that space. And
you know now that we have this rival with Auckland,
we have that you know at least once a year,
(09:56):
hopefully maybe twice a year in Wellington and it's great
for the city it's great for the city and it's
great for this and I was just so pleased for
the fans that they could enjoy it. I mean it
wasn't great for yo Fever in terms of the result,
at least that they had the day out that they'll
remember for for a long time.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
I said on an Auckland Show New Zealand show on
the weekend that if I was you, I'd be looking at,
perhaps perhaps as a businessman and money, taking my home
fixture to Eaden Park.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
And somebody else has raised that. I mean it would
actually make financial sense. I know it would actually make fun.
But then that's taking your home game where you would
have most of the fans being supporters of you, to
the enemy territory where most of the supporters would be
for Auckland. It's all about the money, though, David, Well,
that's not always about their money. I mean, look, it's
not something we've ever say. It was definitely never going
to have.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
By the way, it was my idea. Whoever told you
it was my idea?
Speaker 3 (10:45):
I said at first look, I would be reluctant to
do that. We'll take you, I will play a game
in christ Church. I don't think We've ever take an
Auckland Derby to christ Chess because you want that to
be for Wellington. But I can totally see where you're
coming from news.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Talks that be Wellington Morning. So it see our business
panel with Wellington Phoenix general manager David Doman, Southerby's Real
Estate Wellington managed director Glenn Jones. I want to ask you, Glen.
I'm going to start with you on this because I
read on the weekend that big spenders are back. People
are buying expensive things range rovers, private jets, expensive houses, boats,
(11:21):
except has this been noticeable if you notice this? I
mean you're an international company, so you'd be getting data
from all over the world. Are you hearing that? Na?
Speaker 5 (11:28):
So we've got to live in one hundred company offices,
well White thirty up and down the country here in
New Zealand. There's a perception that we only sell sort
of medium the high end price point, but we sell
it all price brackets. We haven't quite seen that upper
end come back as yet. But in any market, a
well presented, well conditioned, well priced home will sell right.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
But you're not seeing the vibe feel like about more money.
Speaker 5 (11:55):
Look we have I mean our queens downe office can
see look at the airport from the office and see
private jets fly in and out, and certainly see a
bit of action there at that upper end, but not
at this juncture.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
It's weird because I from my lund see the planes
coming in and out as well, and I've seen a
lot of private jets arriving in one and I thought
over the weekend maybe some people from tied up with
Auckland FC might have been coming in and out on
private jets. There's one that very nice looking one that
came in at about eleven o'clock in the morning Saturday
morning and took off about seven o'clock at night.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Yeah, you know it wasn't what if it was Vold,
he wasn't with us, he might have gone. We did
give Auckland a box at the stadium so they could
watch the game. I know that Anamba and Ali Williams
are in there as loong as some of the other guys.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Or she'd probably have a private jet anyway, when does
she have a helicopter. But I mean, let's talk about sports,
because we're hearing and you know our tie up with
the Saints is we're having now more people knocking on
the door, people wanting to spend again trying to get involved.
And the other thing that's been surprising is people want
to buy into sports teams. Have you heard that?
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Not at our sort of level, certainly it is a
trend globally and internationally. The Americans of the big players,
I mean Bill Foley buying Auckland's obvious example, but it's
happening around the world. Is that the Americans are the
big movers in the space. It used to be for
a long time it was you know, the Chinese, we're
looking to expand and for various reasons, they're sort of retrenched.
(13:20):
But you know, we've sort of been We've always been
open to that as a concept. We just never found
the right partner for us.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Right.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
We're noticing it also not we, but we're reading about
it as the NBA players that are retiring with big
ballops and money buying and to the Australian AMBL Could
you see that happening with you know, Premier football, the
Beckhams of this world starting to look at buying into
the Australian A League teams.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Yeah, so there is a City Football group when they
did their analysis, because they've got now seven eight teams
or clubs. In their codery of clubs, they identified that
the Australian League was undervalued and one of the highest
growth potentials around the world. And that's when they Boughturn
Melbourne Heart which is now Melbourne City. So that's right.
(14:04):
There is certainly the track recorders there and I wouldn't
be surprised if this more investment into that into our league.
And due course, would.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
You would the Phoenix? I mean, I'm asking you to
speak for the owners of Phoenix, but of someone with
a big check book turned up and said we'd like
to buy the Phoenix. We want to hit go head
on head on with Auckland, and we want to do it.
Would you look at it.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
One hundred percent for the right partner. I think Rob
would be open to It's Rob Morrison, our owner, one
of our owners, would be open to the right deal.
I think he'd still like my gut feelers and this
was a very very good offer. He'd still want to
retain control. But if someone came in with the big
checkbook and you know, decided to splash one hundred million,
it would be hard to push to turn that down.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
I'd suggest I wasn't quite talking one hundred million. But
you know you're getting bit carried away now. Just lost
to nil. Yes, hard to get a one hundred million
when you lost too nil.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
But Bill Foley apparently put in twenty million to buy Auckland.
Now he wants to build a stadium and Western Springs somewhere.
That's one hundred million at least if you're going to
do that, I might not. I doubt it's going to
come off. But who knows.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Exactly what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
He's three and zero. Yeah, maybe maybe if we were
three game we could sell off one hundred.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Yeah, absolutely, glean. I want to talk real estate now.
I want to get away from sports for a second.
I want to talk about real estate. How is their
market looking right now? If I had a son or
a daughter that was out looking, what was what advice
would you give them right now?
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Look, it's been a tough three years, but there's a
small wind of opportunity to buy well at the moment.
I think people will get into February March April next
year when the ocr rate comes down even further and
people will think, hey, now is a good time to sell.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
Buyers we might think now is a good time to buy.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
At the moment, there's big supply demand and ballance balance,
so a lot of stock on the market. Not many
people still looking to buy. So with OCR rates coming down,
this is a good good time to buy.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Why is there a lot of properties on the market
right now.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Well, the last three years, with high mortgage rates, it's
made housing pretty unaffordable to most. If you look at
what we've sold, eighty percent of houses we've sold and
one acting region this year have been under one point
four million dollars. And yes, the year that'd be seven
seventy percent would be over one point four million.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
So first time home buy is the most active at
the moment.
Speaker 5 (16:18):
Trying to get a requisite deposit amount and afford the
mortgage rates at the sort of a two to three
million dollar house, it's quite challenging.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Glenn, you've spoken on the in the paper over the
weekend about the difference between selling and selling. Well, explain
that to me, because I saw that noment. That's an
interesting comment from a real time all.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
This relates to selling privately as opposed to using a
reputable agency, and I think it's sort of you know,
seller beware, if you if you try and sell privately
that there are significant risks in that our industry is
highly regular. Are the risks, Well, you don't get the
international or national reach that you would would do.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
You might better put it on trade me.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
But the likes of real estate dot Co for example,
one roof you can't get on.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
You have a database, you have.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
You know, market knowledge, the market, local market knowledge, comparable evidence,
negotiation skills, and northern sundry.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Okay, David, I want to bring you in this because
you have a number of players every year that you
bring in and you've got to find them places to live.
How do you go about that?
Speaker 3 (17:22):
A variety of ways. We often we work with their age,
and we work to player direct and we find, you know,
where do you Often when they come in, we put
them up in a hotel and they get a feel
for the city, like where do you want to go?
What sort of area? And then we work with them
to find either a rental or something that they want
to buy. A lot of them actually prefer CBD. Even
though we train out in Upper Heart, a lot of
them prefer a CBD type arrangement. The last to the
(17:43):
Japanese boys, I think are both gone to Roseney's and
there you.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
See, I was hearing stories that you guys, some of
your players were enjoying the thought of actually living out
at Plymouthton and those sort of areas out of the city,
but and then crossing over and getting.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
To are there's some of the women's players are out
in the west northwest, up in plymouton Paramatta, even Mana.
Some of them have actually gone to Upper Hooks. I
want to be closer, closer to try They want to
do the commute and son, they.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Trained twenty four hours a day. Can they go and
train ease time they want?
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Yep, So they've got swipe card access. The gym is
always there. They want to go in the gym they train.
Most of the players now they'll turn up at eight
o'clock in the morning and there'll be a three or
four in the afternoon, either doing the training or the
tactical session or some sort of review session or rehab
with physio.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
How easy is it to actually rent because some of
these guys are on big money. Let's be real, they're
professional athletes and have come from big money jobs. So
how easy is it to find stock that would be
good enough? They'd want, you know, three bathrooms and you know,
two garages and on everything in between.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Normally it's okay. We haven't really found too much problem.
I know that coming out of COVID was hard trying
to find stock that was at the right level for
some of them. Often with the women's players, they'll share
with other other players, which is the just the easiest
way to do it for them. Today has been relatively straightforward, Glina.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
You've talked about out there and buying over the summer.
What advice are you going to give the buyer? If
someone's listening to the show this morning, what advice are
you going to give them on what to look for
and how to go about it?
Speaker 4 (19:16):
Do your research.
Speaker 5 (19:17):
At the moment, there's lots of housing stock on the market.
That spring rush that we normally see September time hasn't happened.
There was a beg influx in October and November, and
I think that'll continue up until the Christmas period. A
good house and good condition, so good building inspection report,
well presented and if you do your homework, you know
(19:38):
what's priced one and what's not.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Can I ask you if the government cuts have actually
impacted the housing market either rental or buying and selling.
Speaker 5 (19:47):
Of course had an impact here in the capital. Absolutely,
but look, it's just another one. It's just another challenge
that we have to get through.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Thing's got a lot better.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
So you have noticed it, people ringing and saying, look,
I've just been made redundant. I think I go and
live in Auckland or I'm going to go and live
somewhere else.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
We had about a two or three month period where
we were getting.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
People who are saying, hey, look what I'd love to
offer right now, but I'm unable to because I'm not
too sure about where my job's going to be sitting.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
You were getting that, So those sort of calls absolutely, Yeah, Wow,
that's direct impact, isn't it. Us election? We just started
talking about it off here and we've got all over
the place where we're rounded around in circles. Come on,
David Dome, tell us what your reckon's going to happen?
What's what are you thinking? What's your gut telling you
what's best for New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Well, it's it's fascinating, isn't it In terms of the
political intrigue that's going on in the United States at
the moment, it's so I don't look, people can't pack it.
I think you'd have to say it's going to be very,
very even. And the problem with this is the problem
with democracy and the way it's set up. Right, It's
like you could still get more of the popular vote,
which happened last time Trump got him. When you get
(20:52):
Hillary kin Clinton, he got fewer votes than Clinton, but
still became the president because of the way their electoral
votes work. And if those seven swing states go for Trump,
then shall lose the election.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Are we that interested in New Zealand? It seems to
be that we're more interested time than ever before.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Well, I think it's hugely important because you know, if
you're looking at the international economy now, it's driven by
primarily the United States, the Chinese economy, and Europe, and
if any of those economies run into trable, then it's
going to impact on us. We can't have in this country,
we can't have a prosperous economy unless we're trading with
all three of those parties, and Southeast Asia in there
as well. But if they become isolationists and they start
(21:30):
putting on tarifs, which is what Trump says is going
to do. Then it could impact on us.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
And do you reckon that Americans might come over here
if they don't get the result they want over I
mean are they Are you seeing Americans come? Americans buy
in New Zealand?
Speaker 5 (21:41):
Yeah? Look, I mean that's a whole discussion panel on
it's own right. I think we have the foreign buy
ban here and which basically say it says New Zealand's
not open for business.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
You know.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
I think before it came in there was about ten
one hundred thousand houses being sold in a year, less
than three percent being sold to people foreigners based overseas.
I think if that's loosened up, we would see a
massive influx, particularly if the election go the wrong way
in the US.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
What do you think is going to happen? I'm going
to ask you what do you think is going to
happen and why? And what difference does it make to
New Zealander.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
I was in London when bricks it happened and it
was a device of politics. Officers, families, friends split up
over it. Over in the US now it's as bad
as it gets from a divisive perspective. Who I think
will win and who I want to win? Maybe two
different things, but I guess we'll watch.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
What do you think is going to happen? I mean,
you've obviously been following it, We're all following. Anyone you
know has any IQ is going to be following it
a little bit. What do you think is going to look.
Speaker 5 (22:41):
Like watching a bad Hollywood movie? I think with the
mixed genres between horror and comedy. I yeah, I mean
I think you need the world right now now needs
somebody with a calm, cool mind and is non reactive.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
So you leave it to that one?
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Know what? Come on, David, tell us all you think
is going win?
Speaker 3 (23:06):
I think Kamala horrise wi win, but by a nose.
It'll be very very close.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
What happens if she does win by a nose? Do
we have a real problem?
Speaker 3 (23:14):
I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
No, I don't think so. You think Trump's going to
and his supporters are going to go quietly into the back.
We've got beaten by seven We've got beaten by seven votes. Oh,
this corrupt. The world's corrupt.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
It will be well. I don't think when it starts
the next couple of next forty eight hours, I don't
think you'll have a result soon I think there will
be a lot of counting and double counting and triple counting,
and then there might be you can almost guarantee there
will be lawsuit after lawsuit after lawsuit that the Democrat
stole the legs. And if that's what happens, what's best?
And I'll quickly want you both to answer this what's
(23:43):
best for New Zealand David? And coming back to I
think what you know or Glens is absolutely right. I
think if you're looking at world's ability, probably Kamala Harris
Glynn absolutely Yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
I think the world has never been in worse shape
as it is now and I think Kamala Harris would
be the person to hope help stead of the ship.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
Yeah, I agree. I'm kind of confused on this one
whether people like you, guys that are doing business in
Wellington would think it's a good thing or a bad
thing that a Crown observer has been appointed to oversee
the Wellington City Council. This is this scene, David. I'll
start with you on this is a progressive for making
things better for business.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
Here Ida was making things better for business. It's just
not a great lot for our city. Wellington City Council
and the city used to be known for its progressiveness.
You know, absolutely positively Wellington. We were leading the country
and how we were perceived. We were the culture capital,
the coffee capital. We would go ahead, we were the
callers little capital in the world. That's not that long
(24:40):
ago and we're not at that stage anymore. And it's
a brain reckon.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
It's that bad. Are you? Are you starting to feel
when you try and recruit overseas players, they say, I
start asking questions about Wellrington when before they would talk
about movies and they would talk about coffee and they
would talk about breweries.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
No, because I think the macro in terms of recruiting players,
we sell the club, and we sell entitcy ies and
we sell sky Stadium on game day, you know, and
they see those videos and those pictures they go, that's great.
I want to be part of that. The micro level
of stuff in terms of the management of the city
doesn't really come into recruitment of players, but it does
when it certain extent, when it comes into your corporates.
You know, when you're trying to recruit corporate partners and
(25:20):
what's going on well Into and how's the team going,
how's it proceed in the city and we're lucky we
have good support from all councilors. We work with every
council in the Wellington Region.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Well, you have to Glenn, what do you think what
do you want to see come out of this idea
of the Crown Observer? And I see this morning Tories
are asking for Simeon Brown to actually.
Speaker 5 (25:39):
Hurry up confident confidence. We needed confidence, the public needed confidence.
But I think if we take a step back, only
forty five percent of people voted in the Wellington Region.
I think next time, that's a lesson learned for us all.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
I want to ask you both too, because I think
this is really important for our city. What do you
think the biggest issue right now for local businesses and
that the council can affect. Glenn, what do you think
that they can do that will make things different for business?
Speaker 5 (26:08):
And wanting to there needs to be a greater connection
between public and private partnership. You know, anything that comes
comes out of big cities and has done well, it's
done well with the combination of public and private partnerships. Yeah, yes,
I think yeah for me's you have to let businesses
get on and do what they do best.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
And just get out of their way. They just put
the factors in place enable businesses to do their jobs
to get in there to whether it's hospitality or selling staff.
At the moment, you know those poor god businesses down
on Thornton Key, because we used to have an office
down on Thornton Key and the Wall Store and that
was a really vibrant area and half of them gone
(26:51):
now because there's so much disruption down there. And I
just feel absolutely guarded because a lot of those people
have been working their arts out for twenty years to
build up these businesses and then within six months wiped
off the past of theirs.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
And I want to quickly ask you on self certifying too,
because I know that from Glenn from a real estate perspective,
there are many concerns here with leaky home saga in
the back of their minds. I mean I've seen you know,
real estate agents sued because they've sold the wrong house
with the wrong security. Are you all concerned by this?
Speaker 3 (27:18):
I'm not.
Speaker 5 (27:18):
I think things need to be loosened up a bit,
you know. I think the consents are done in Wellington
forty percent this year and thirty seven percent last year.
You know, some of that's a product of viability, you know,
high construction costs and low sales values. But the industry
needs a bit of a shake up, and I think
that this is a way forward.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
You don't have any thoughts that they might self license
property that you've sold and then there becomes a problem
they come looking at you.
Speaker 5 (27:45):
Look, real estate agents are always an easy target, but
I think contractors like that they'll be in the minority.
And that's the same in any industry.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
David, have you got any concerns with it?
Speaker 3 (28:00):
As long as there are strong mandatory standards that are
being managed and being more. Then again, coming back to
my other point, let people get on with their business right.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Remember that the plane arrives at about eleven o'clock. Could
be a little bit late, but normally on time. Plants
coming into Warrington, Glenn Jones, what are you going to
do with this very very special person that you pick
up at Wellington Airport at eleven o'clock on Friday.
Speaker 5 (28:26):
We're living a remarkable city. The waterfront here is top drawer.
I'd take them to Oriental bad Parade and I'd walk
the waterfront all the way up around to Parliament, up
to the beehive, tap them back down Lampton Key up
Cuba Street and stopping at the occasional pub or cafe
as you go.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
Good on you, David Doan. What are you going to
do with this import? You just talk about a Japanese import.
You just come in.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
You told me I wasn't allowed to say skyline again,
and I won't say. Mount Krko is beautiful up there, and.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
I'm talking about an imported player that you want to oppress.
You want to say that this is a city man.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
You take them for a walk up in the natural
native bush up to the top of the skyline. It's
pretty impressive view. But I actually agree with Glenn. I
think if you've taken down the waterfront and taken to
a cafe, you know, get him spending some of their
foreign money in our bars and our cafes. I think
that's that's hugely beneficial for everybody.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
I think when I when over, I pick up a
basketball player in the old days, I always take them
wherever there's good looking girls. You know, like you're taking
them to cafes where there's all like good looking people,
and then they walk in there and you have a
coffee and they go where have I come to you.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
You're nodding, Well, I don't go out that much neck anymore.
I wouldn't. I wouldn't know where to go.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
But I'm talking eleven o'clock at the morning. I'm not
talking one o'clock of the morning. I'm talking you like
for coffee and you know, taking where the good looking
people are and then they look at you and go, oh,
this is a beautiful city.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
Well you could take them to a Phoenix match at
sky Stadium if we're playing.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
My god, why did you have to put that in there?
Speaker 4 (29:52):
Rematch against Alta mate seventh to December.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Yes, way up there at Mount Smart, I meet him
Mount Smart. Yeah, that's the that's the return to the revenge.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Okay. It concerns me because that's the day that Barmi
Army are in Town, England versus the black Caps are
on at base in reserve Breakers play Sidney King in Wellington.
First time in five years we've had an AMBL game
not happening on that day.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Oh, it'd be a great day, great great day.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Okay, quickly, both of you. You've taken this person out
and you've impressed them. What do you think is if
you have you are mayor or you were in charge
for one day, one quick thing you'd each do to
make Wellington a better city. Glen, I'm looking at you
because you're deep in thought. Aha, look at one little thing,
A one little thing. I think just close to a
public private partnership. I think you need to talk to businesses.
(30:41):
You need to listen to businesses and then s to
be sort of cost benefit analysis of what your plans
are and how it's going to benefit the wider community. David,
one thing and one day, just one thing that you think, Think,
my god, what if someone would listen to me. I'd
change that in Wenington.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
Ah, that's a tough There's a lot of things that
we need to fix in the city. Maybe open up
a stadium and put a concert for the good people
of the city.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Or maybe change that yellow uniform. I don't know whether
I like that.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
Yellow uniform, our yellow unifory.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
I don't know whether I like it. Do you like it?
Speaker 3 (31:16):
I'm okay with it. I like to do next year
we might go a little bit more black.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
I think, yeah, I kind of like black and yellow,
a little bit yellow.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
We wanted to be fair, We wanted this one to
be a little bit more black then it's turned out
to be. But that was that's a fault on our
on our half. So yeah, maybe next year we'll go
a bit more black.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Yeah, I kind of think that, not a whole lot
of black because you're playing in the summertime, so you
don't want.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Our city colors. Yellow is the city. Cars get the city.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
I get that, all right, Thank you both so much
for joining me this morning. I have a great rest
of the day. Best of luck for the rest of
the season. You're you're away this weekend.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Yeah, Marin is, and then there's an international break and
then unfortunately a home game is in Sydney for your
night round, and then we're not back until mid December.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Okay, good luck with that and hopefully the crowd will
stick with you and hopefully we will get big crowd.
Lean all the very best for the Christmas break. If
I had to expak to you before, have a good one.
Are you're playing anything, You've got any anyone I've got
anything sorted out for Christmas? I know I've gotta go.
I've gotta go. I can't ask you that question. I
should have looked at the clock first. Sorry, apologize, Thank
you both very much for joining us.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
Thank you 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.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Said b.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Your inside word on all things business in the Capitol
with Quinovac, better Systems, better reporting, better call quinnovec.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Mon every two weeks on a Monday at this time
we have a bit of a chat with a couple
of well known Wellington business people. Just chose the fact, really,
just try and work out what can be done better,
what's not going that well and how do we make
our city better. Today we have Wellington FedEx General Manager David.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Dome Morning, David Morning and Nick?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
How are you doing? How are you feeling?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
It's slowly wearing off the result after the weekend. Look,
we had a fantastic day out with the crowd and
we're really really happy with that as a club. Couldn't
quite get it right on the pitch, but good start
for us.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Got a bit of it, Hey, a little bit of
a cacae, didn't we Yeah, it just felt didn't feel nice.
I didn't enjoy it. I don't know why. I kind
of like thought we were going to do it. That's
why I kept right through even when the goal wed.
At the first goal wed, I thought We're okay, that's
all right. One or draw, we'd live with. That would
be quite honestly.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
I thought we were a better team and we made
one mistake and then we're pushing forward to get the
equalizer and they had a late, late second.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
So yeah, momentum Southby's Realty Willing to managing director is
Glenn Jones. Did I just pronounce good morning Glenn?
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Morning mate?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Did I pronounce Southerly's Southern.
Speaker 5 (01:37):
Bees jelling Southeby's International Realty International?
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Really?
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Yeah? Thanks for the vote, mate, Good to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Oh great to have you on the show. And I
was reading about you on the weekend actually in the paper,
so I thought, oh, that's quite ironic.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Good time.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
They must have stuff, must have known we were speaking
to you and decided to ring you up as well. Right,
let's start about this conversation on the weekend, David, I
want to start with you, Big Derby. I mean, we've
talked about it enough, we've probably gone over and enough.
But apart from the result, what is that actually do
for us as a city and you as a club.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Look, it's good for us as a club because part
of us being Wellingtonians, we want to give back to
the city and the fans. We've got great, great, great friends.
You're not just yellow Fever, but that the whole fan
base and the fact that you put on a game
and you have twenty six thousand people coming. You know
that people come from outside Wellington. Anything above fifteen thousand
people are coming from outside Wellington. And we know that
people came from the Greater Wellington area, from the North
(02:32):
Island and people from the South Island. So it means
that accommodation's going well. It means the bars are for
there were heaps of activities going on during the day,
and it means that you know, you talk a lot
about it on your program, like Wellington's doing it tough.
It's not easy for people in Wellington at the moment.
If we can help be part of that solution to
bring back some activity to the CBD and the wider area,
(02:55):
it's good. It's a great thing and it's.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Good for your sponsors. Let's cut to the chase. We
know the people that put money in, whether you're winning, losing,
you know, drawing, not getting big crowds, are getting big crowds.
They are the ones that are back in you and
keeping you're alive. So it's payback for them, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Yeah, it's really great for them. You know, we have
great a great suite of I say it all the
time in terms of the sponsors that we have amongst
the club, we have the best range and the best
suite sponsors bar no one in the league. You know,
our sponsors are blue chip corporate players in New Zealand
and in Australia, so very very lucky in that regard.
But it's it's good to be able to give something
(03:30):
back to them. And you know there are lots of
activations on the game day with OPO and McDonald's and
it was really good to see all the kids out
and being part of that and that's a good thing
for those companies.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Glenn Jones, how does it make you feel as a
well in Tonian wandering around the streets on Friday you
saw a few soccer tops around. I'll tell you the
story about when one of the cafe later David, But
how did it make you feel when you were wandering
around the city this weekend? Did it make you change
anything for it?
Speaker 5 (03:58):
I think this is fantastic, fantastic for football, Fantastic for
grassroots of football New Zealand, especially commiserations about the result, said,
I'd like to see it go the other way.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
But it's great, you know, it's great.
Speaker 5 (04:09):
We've got one of our offices down on the waterfront
here and whenever there's a big game in town, you
see that CBD has been activated. You know you need bars, restaurants, cafes,
you know, you need that buzz.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
And it gives it that people confidence, doesn't It makes
confidence to should I sell my house and buy a
new house? Should I actually look at buying again? Just
gives you a bit more life is confidence.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Yeah, and look it's been tough years. You can go
back to the GFC, to COVID to the last two
three years. It's been one thing after the other and
you feel things are starting to change.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Now do you feel that we're starting to change?
Speaker 4 (04:43):
I do, yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:44):
I mean, look, look, we're a city in its infancy
and a city and it's evolution, really early on.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
It's evolution. So there's a lot lots to be thankful for.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
You.
Speaker 5 (04:53):
I mean by that, well, look around the world on
the global standards. You know, New Zealand, Wellington, we're young city.
Always try I mean any big city is going to
be in a transformation phase. We seem to be particularly
hard at the moment and things will bounce back.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Do you think that if we can get a little
bit of confidence and stop actually dogging each other, that
will help. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:15):
Look, I've got a shout out to the public public sector.
They're always in the firing line, but you know, the
intentions are always good and I think, you know, I
think we've got to remain positive, support each other's, support
each other's businesses, go and support Phoenix and others who
come into town and things things will get better.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
How will it change things for the Phoenix having another
New Zealand team in the league. I mean as a business.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
We wouldn't have had twenty six hours in there if
that had been you know, Central Coast. Marion was always
in Sydney Wanderers. That's a big payday or a decent
payday for the club on Saturday afternoon and it's raised
the profile. I mean the week leading up into that
derby match, the first derby match, we had so much
media attention, not just us. He had done on Wartington,
but the Auckland goes up on Auckland as well. We're
(06:07):
in the media doing something, requests for interviews, requests for appearances,
and it just went ballistic. And that's what that's what
happens when there's so much interest people turn out want
to watch the game. And that came because of an Auckland,
an Auckland franchise up there. And look, it's good, it's good.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
It's what happens. Have they become the showboat team? I mean,
you've been in the media yourself saying that they're the
money team, and you know you're not. You know, so
what happens if they really become the showburs really high
profile money team and you're not. Does that who? You? No?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
No think?
Speaker 1 (06:38):
So?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I mean, will carve our own niche? I mean, we've
been around seventeen years now. They've got a long way
to catch up before they get to what we're what
we've established here in Wellington. If you look at the
base that we've got now, our academy, our base in
Indied CIS academies, took us five years to get that
really humming. It's going to take them at least that long.
And the football market in Auckland's way more fragmented than
(06:58):
Willington by comparison. It's the club's here. Our working relationships
with clubs here and now are excellent and capital football.
They're nowhere near that in nortand they've got a long
to go to They haven't even got a women's team yet,
and can they pull that together? I don't know. I mean,
they've got a long way to go to pull that up.
So we've got a good couple of years. But I
kind of back ourselves and our ownership group that will
always stay at least one step ahead of them.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Okay, that's confidence.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
We've got good ownerships, Nick, We've got good ownership, right, Glen.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
I also want to know from you, as a realtor
and a businessman in the city, how important are these
big events we talk about on the show quite a bit.
The fact that there's no rock concerts booked in to
sky Stadium in the coming eighteen months. There's nothing booked.
We don't have the big events. How important are those
big events to the actual city?
Speaker 4 (07:45):
Oh? Huge?
Speaker 5 (07:46):
I mean, look at what Wow brings in. I think
we had all blacks Australia here. Several weeks ago I
met a few friends who visited Wellington for the weekend
and it was absolutely pumping. Bars were steaming, restaurants fully
booked out.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
You know, it's a life blood. You know, that's what
we need.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
You know, you look at TSB, that's a great venue, Takina.
I know it gets a bit of a bit of
backlash in the media, but it seems to be going well.
We had the Champion's Charity Lunch there which was raising
money for Life Flight Charity about four or five weeks ago.
There was one thy and fifty people.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
In that and that in that whole. So yeah, it's great.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
So for us as well. Intonian's what do we have
to do to actually make sure that we do keep
doing these events because we're not We're not getting them.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
I think we need a It's good talking about it,
and you can talk about your local bar it's always there,
but actually never go there before it shuts down one
day and then you're blaming everyone else for it. You know,
when these events happen, you know, get friends, get family,
make it an occasion, go to the local cafe, meet
friends at the bar, or book a restaurant. We've got
a trigger these events.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Can I tell you that I came into town just
do something on Saturday morning and went into a cafe
in Cuba Street, very very busy. It was Saturday, about
ten o'clock and as I was paying, there was a
group of about ten or twelve people, all paying individually
in front of the line. Half of them had the
blue tops on and half had the yellow tops on.
And I just had a smile on my face. They
(09:20):
were so excited, David. They were like having their brunch.
They were young kids, probably at university and once come
down from Auckland. We're in the Auckland stuff. And I
thought to myself, did I ever think that I would
see the day in New Zealand that you'd see that happening.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Yeah, that's the joy of sport, right that you get
into the stadium and you're playing a game that really
means something to you, and you put everything aside and
everything is about that game and in that moment you're
just living and breathing it. And sport's one of those
few things that can take people to that space. And
you know now that we have this rival with Auckland,
we have that you know at least once a year,
(09:56):
hopefully maybe twice a year in Wellington and it's great
for the city it's great for the city and it's
great for this and I was just so pleased for
the fans that they could enjoy it. I mean it
wasn't great for yo Fever in terms of the result,
at least that they had the day out that they'll
remember for for a long time.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
I said on an Auckland Show New Zealand show on
the weekend that if I was you, I'd be looking at,
perhaps perhaps as a businessman and money, taking my home
fixture to Eaden Park.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
And somebody else has raised that. I mean it would
actually make financial sense. I know it would actually make fun.
But then that's taking your home game where you would
have most of the fans being supporters of you, to
the enemy territory where most of the supporters would be
for Auckland. It's all about the money, though, David, Well,
that's not always about their money. I mean, look, it's
not something we've ever say. It was definitely never going
to have.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
By the way, it was my idea. Whoever told you
it was my idea?
Speaker 3 (10:45):
I said at first look, I would be reluctant to
do that. We'll take you, I will play a game
in christ Church. I don't think We've ever take an
Auckland Derby to christ Chess because you want that to
be for Wellington. But I can totally see where you're
coming from news.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Talks that be Wellington Morning. So it see our business
panel with Wellington Phoenix general manager David Doman, Southerby's Real
Estate Wellington managed director Glenn Jones. I want to ask you, Glen.
I'm going to start with you on this because I
read on the weekend that big spenders are back. People
are buying expensive things range rovers, private jets, expensive houses, boats,
(11:21):
except has this been noticeable if you notice this? I
mean you're an international company, so you'd be getting data
from all over the world. Are you hearing that? Na?
Speaker 5 (11:28):
So we've got to live in one hundred company offices,
well White thirty up and down the country here in
New Zealand. There's a perception that we only sell sort
of medium the high end price point, but we sell
it all price brackets. We haven't quite seen that upper
end come back as yet. But in any market, a
well presented, well conditioned, well priced home will sell right.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
But you're not seeing the vibe feel like about more money.
Speaker 5 (11:55):
Look we have I mean our queens downe office can
see look at the airport from the office and see
private jets fly in and out, and certainly see a
bit of action there at that upper end, but not
at this juncture.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
It's weird because I from my lund see the planes
coming in and out as well, and I've seen a
lot of private jets arriving in one and I thought
over the weekend maybe some people from tied up with
Auckland FC might have been coming in and out on
private jets. There's one that very nice looking one that
came in at about eleven o'clock in the morning Saturday
morning and took off about seven o'clock at night.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Yeah, you know it wasn't what if it was Vold,
he wasn't with us, he might have gone. We did
give Auckland a box at the stadium so they could
watch the game. I know that Anamba and Ali Williams
are in there as loong as some of the other guys.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Or she'd probably have a private jet anyway, when does
she have a helicopter. But I mean, let's talk about sports,
because we're hearing and you know our tie up with
the Saints is we're having now more people knocking on
the door, people wanting to spend again trying to get involved.
And the other thing that's been surprising is people want
to buy into sports teams. Have you heard that?
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Not at our sort of level, certainly it is a
trend globally and internationally. The Americans of the big players,
I mean Bill Foley buying Auckland's obvious example, but it's
happening around the world. Is that the Americans are the
big movers in the space. It used to be for
a long time it was you know, the Chinese, we're
looking to expand and for various reasons, they're sort of retrenched.
(13:20):
But you know, we've sort of been We've always been
open to that as a concept. We just never found
the right partner for us.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Right.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
We're noticing it also not we, but we're reading about
it as the NBA players that are retiring with big
ballops and money buying and to the Australian AMBL Could
you see that happening with you know, Premier football, the
Beckhams of this world starting to look at buying into
the Australian A League teams.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Yeah, so there is a City Football group when they
did their analysis, because they've got now seven eight teams
or clubs. In their codery of clubs, they identified that
the Australian League was undervalued and one of the highest
growth potentials around the world. And that's when they Boughturn
Melbourne Heart which is now Melbourne City. So that's right.
(14:04):
There is certainly the track recorders there and I wouldn't
be surprised if this more investment into that into our league.
And due course, would.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
You would the Phoenix? I mean, I'm asking you to
speak for the owners of Phoenix, but of someone with
a big check book turned up and said we'd like
to buy the Phoenix. We want to hit go head
on head on with Auckland, and we want to do it.
Would you look at it.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
One hundred percent for the right partner. I think Rob
would be open to It's Rob Morrison, our owner, one
of our owners, would be open to the right deal.
I think he'd still like my gut feelers and this
was a very very good offer. He'd still want to
retain control. But if someone came in with the big
checkbook and you know, decided to splash one hundred million,
it would be hard to push to turn that down.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
I'd suggest I wasn't quite talking one hundred million. But
you know you're getting bit carried away now. Just lost
to nil. Yes, hard to get a one hundred million
when you lost too nil.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
But Bill Foley apparently put in twenty million to buy Auckland.
Now he wants to build a stadium and Western Springs somewhere.
That's one hundred million at least if you're going to
do that, I might not. I doubt it's going to
come off. But who knows.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Exactly what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
He's three and zero. Yeah, maybe maybe if we were
three game we could sell off one hundred.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Yeah, absolutely, glean. I want to talk real estate now.
I want to get away from sports for a second.
I want to talk about real estate. How is their
market looking right now? If I had a son or
a daughter that was out looking, what was what advice
would you give them right now?
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Look, it's been a tough three years, but there's a
small wind of opportunity to buy well at the moment.
I think people will get into February March April next
year when the ocr rate comes down even further and
people will think, hey, now is a good time to sell.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
Buyers we might think now is a good time to buy.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
At the moment, there's big supply demand and ballance balance,
so a lot of stock on the market. Not many
people still looking to buy. So with OCR rates coming down,
this is a good good time to buy.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Why is there a lot of properties on the market
right now.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Well, the last three years, with high mortgage rates, it's
made housing pretty unaffordable to most. If you look at
what we've sold, eighty percent of houses we've sold and
one acting region this year have been under one point
four million dollars. And yes, the year that'd be seven
seventy percent would be over one point four million.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
So first time home buy is the most active at
the moment.
Speaker 5 (16:18):
Trying to get a requisite deposit amount and afford the
mortgage rates at the sort of a two to three
million dollar house, it's quite challenging.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Glenn, you've spoken on the in the paper over the
weekend about the difference between selling and selling. Well, explain
that to me, because I saw that noment. That's an
interesting comment from a real time all.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
This relates to selling privately as opposed to using a
reputable agency, and I think it's sort of you know,
seller beware, if you if you try and sell privately
that there are significant risks in that our industry is
highly regular. Are the risks, Well, you don't get the
international or national reach that you would would do.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
You might better put it on trade me.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
But the likes of real estate dot Co for example,
one roof you can't get on.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
You have a database, you have.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
You know, market knowledge, the market, local market knowledge, comparable evidence,
negotiation skills, and northern sundry.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Okay, David, I want to bring you in this because
you have a number of players every year that you
bring in and you've got to find them places to live.
How do you go about that?
Speaker 3 (17:22):
A variety of ways. We often we work with their age,
and we work to player direct and we find, you know,
where do you Often when they come in, we put
them up in a hotel and they get a feel
for the city, like where do you want to go?
What sort of area? And then we work with them
to find either a rental or something that they want
to buy. A lot of them actually prefer CBD. Even
though we train out in Upper Heart, a lot of
them prefer a CBD type arrangement. The last to the
(17:43):
Japanese boys, I think are both gone to Roseney's and
there you.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
See, I was hearing stories that you guys, some of
your players were enjoying the thought of actually living out
at Plymouthton and those sort of areas out of the city,
but and then crossing over and getting.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
To are there's some of the women's players are out
in the west northwest, up in plymouton Paramatta, even Mana.
Some of them have actually gone to Upper Hooks. I
want to be closer, closer to try They want to
do the commute and son, they.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Trained twenty four hours a day. Can they go and
train ease time they want?
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Yep, So they've got swipe card access. The gym is
always there. They want to go in the gym they train.
Most of the players now they'll turn up at eight
o'clock in the morning and there'll be a three or
four in the afternoon, either doing the training or the
tactical session or some sort of review session or rehab
with physio.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
How easy is it to actually rent because some of
these guys are on big money. Let's be real, they're
professional athletes and have come from big money jobs. So
how easy is it to find stock that would be
good enough? They'd want, you know, three bathrooms and you know,
two garages and on everything in between.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Normally it's okay. We haven't really found too much problem.
I know that coming out of COVID was hard trying
to find stock that was at the right level for
some of them. Often with the women's players, they'll share
with other other players, which is the just the easiest
way to do it for them. Today has been relatively straightforward, Glina.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
You've talked about out there and buying over the summer.
What advice are you going to give the buyer? If
someone's listening to the show this morning, what advice are
you going to give them on what to look for
and how to go about it?
Speaker 4 (19:16):
Do your research.
Speaker 5 (19:17):
At the moment, there's lots of housing stock on the market.
That spring rush that we normally see September time hasn't happened.
There was a beg influx in October and November, and
I think that'll continue up until the Christmas period. A
good house and good condition, so good building inspection report,
well presented and if you do your homework, you know
(19:38):
what's priced one and what's not.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Can I ask you if the government cuts have actually
impacted the housing market either rental or buying and selling.
Speaker 5 (19:47):
Of course had an impact here in the capital. Absolutely,
but look, it's just another one. It's just another challenge
that we have to get through.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Thing's got a lot better.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
So you have noticed it, people ringing and saying, look,
I've just been made redundant. I think I go and
live in Auckland or I'm going to go and live
somewhere else.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
We had about a two or three month period where
we were getting.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
People who are saying, hey, look what I'd love to
offer right now, but I'm unable to because I'm not
too sure about where my job's going to be sitting.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
You were getting that, So those sort of calls absolutely, Yeah, Wow,
that's direct impact, isn't it. Us election? We just started
talking about it off here and we've got all over
the place where we're rounded around in circles. Come on,
David Dome, tell us what your reckon's going to happen?
What's what are you thinking? What's your gut telling you
what's best for New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Well, it's it's fascinating, isn't it In terms of the
political intrigue that's going on in the United States at
the moment, it's so I don't look, people can't pack it.
I think you'd have to say it's going to be very,
very even. And the problem with this is the problem
with democracy and the way it's set up. Right, It's
like you could still get more of the popular vote,
which happened last time Trump got him. When you get
(20:52):
Hillary kin Clinton, he got fewer votes than Clinton, but
still became the president because of the way their electoral
votes work. And if those seven swing states go for Trump,
then shall lose the election.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Are we that interested in New Zealand? It seems to
be that we're more interested time than ever before.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Well, I think it's hugely important because you know, if
you're looking at the international economy now, it's driven by
primarily the United States, the Chinese economy, and Europe, and
if any of those economies run into trable, then it's
going to impact on us. We can't have in this country,
we can't have a prosperous economy unless we're trading with
all three of those parties, and Southeast Asia in there
as well. But if they become isolationists and they start
(21:30):
putting on tarifs, which is what Trump says is going
to do. Then it could impact on us.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
And do you reckon that Americans might come over here
if they don't get the result they want over I
mean are they Are you seeing Americans come? Americans buy
in New Zealand?
Speaker 5 (21:41):
Yeah? Look, I mean that's a whole discussion panel on
it's own right. I think we have the foreign buy
ban here and which basically say it says New Zealand's
not open for business.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
You know.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
I think before it came in there was about ten
one hundred thousand houses being sold in a year, less
than three percent being sold to people foreigners based overseas.
I think if that's loosened up, we would see a
massive influx, particularly if the election go the wrong way
in the US.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
What do you think is going to happen? I'm going
to ask you what do you think is going to
happen and why? And what difference does it make to
New Zealander.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
I was in London when bricks it happened and it
was a device of politics. Officers, families, friends split up
over it. Over in the US now it's as bad
as it gets from a divisive perspective. Who I think
will win and who I want to win? Maybe two
different things, but I guess we'll watch.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
What do you think is going to happen? I mean,
you've obviously been following it, We're all following. Anyone you
know has any IQ is going to be following it
a little bit. What do you think is going to look.
Speaker 5 (22:41):
Like watching a bad Hollywood movie? I think with the
mixed genres between horror and comedy. I yeah, I mean
I think you need the world right now now needs
somebody with a calm, cool mind and is non reactive.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
So you leave it to that one?
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Know what? Come on, David, tell us all you think
is going win?
Speaker 3 (23:06):
I think Kamala horrise wi win, but by a nose.
It'll be very very close.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
What happens if she does win by a nose? Do
we have a real problem?
Speaker 3 (23:14):
I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
No, I don't think so. You think Trump's going to
and his supporters are going to go quietly into the back.
We've got beaten by seven We've got beaten by seven votes. Oh,
this corrupt. The world's corrupt.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
It will be well. I don't think when it starts
the next couple of next forty eight hours, I don't
think you'll have a result soon I think there will
be a lot of counting and double counting and triple counting,
and then there might be you can almost guarantee there
will be lawsuit after lawsuit after lawsuit that the Democrat
stole the legs. And if that's what happens, what's best?
And I'll quickly want you both to answer this what's
(23:43):
best for New Zealand David? And coming back to I
think what you know or Glens is absolutely right. I
think if you're looking at world's ability, probably Kamala Harris
Glynn absolutely Yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
I think the world has never been in worse shape
as it is now and I think Kamala Harris would
be the person to hope help stead of the ship.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
Yeah, I agree. I'm kind of confused on this one
whether people like you, guys that are doing business in
Wellington would think it's a good thing or a bad
thing that a Crown observer has been appointed to oversee
the Wellington City Council. This is this scene, David. I'll
start with you on this is a progressive for making
things better for business.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
Here Ida was making things better for business. It's just
not a great lot for our city. Wellington City Council
and the city used to be known for its progressiveness.
You know, absolutely positively Wellington. We were leading the country
and how we were perceived. We were the culture capital,
the coffee capital. We would go ahead, we were the
callers little capital in the world. That's not that long
(24:40):
ago and we're not at that stage anymore. And it's
a brain reckon.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
It's that bad. Are you? Are you starting to feel
when you try and recruit overseas players, they say, I
start asking questions about Wellrington when before they would talk
about movies and they would talk about coffee and they
would talk about breweries.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
No, because I think the macro in terms of recruiting players,
we sell the club, and we sell entitcy ies and
we sell sky Stadium on game day, you know, and
they see those videos and those pictures they go, that's great.
I want to be part of that. The micro level
of stuff in terms of the management of the city
doesn't really come into recruitment of players, but it does
when it certain extent, when it comes into your corporates.
You know, when you're trying to recruit corporate partners and
(25:20):
what's going on well Into and how's the team going,
how's it proceed in the city and we're lucky we
have good support from all councilors. We work with every
council in the Wellington Region.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Well, you have to Glenn, what do you think what
do you want to see come out of this idea
of the Crown Observer? And I see this morning Tories
are asking for Simeon Brown to actually.
Speaker 5 (25:39):
Hurry up confident confidence. We needed confidence, the public needed confidence.
But I think if we take a step back, only
forty five percent of people voted in the Wellington Region.
I think next time, that's a lesson learned for us all.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
I want to ask you both too, because I think
this is really important for our city. What do you
think the biggest issue right now for local businesses and
that the council can affect. Glenn, what do you think
that they can do that will make things different for business?
Speaker 5 (26:08):
And wanting to there needs to be a greater connection
between public and private partnership. You know, anything that comes
comes out of big cities and has done well, it's
done well with the combination of public and private partnerships. Yeah, yes,
I think yeah for me's you have to let businesses
get on and do what they do best.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
And just get out of their way. They just put
the factors in place enable businesses to do their jobs
to get in there to whether it's hospitality or selling staff.
At the moment, you know those poor god businesses down
on Thornton Key, because we used to have an office
down on Thornton Key and the Wall Store and that
was a really vibrant area and half of them gone
(26:51):
now because there's so much disruption down there. And I
just feel absolutely guarded because a lot of those people
have been working their arts out for twenty years to
build up these businesses and then within six months wiped
off the past of theirs.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
And I want to quickly ask you on self certifying too,
because I know that from Glenn from a real estate perspective,
there are many concerns here with leaky home saga in
the back of their minds. I mean I've seen you know,
real estate agents sued because they've sold the wrong house
with the wrong security. Are you all concerned by this?
Speaker 3 (27:18):
I'm not.
Speaker 5 (27:18):
I think things need to be loosened up a bit,
you know. I think the consents are done in Wellington
forty percent this year and thirty seven percent last year.
You know, some of that's a product of viability, you know,
high construction costs and low sales values. But the industry
needs a bit of a shake up, and I think
that this is a way forward.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
You don't have any thoughts that they might self license
property that you've sold and then there becomes a problem
they come looking at you.
Speaker 5 (27:45):
Look, real estate agents are always an easy target, but
I think contractors like that they'll be in the minority.
And that's the same in any industry.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
David, have you got any concerns with it?
Speaker 3 (28:00):
As long as there are strong mandatory standards that are
being managed and being more. Then again, coming back to
my other point, let people get on with their business right.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Remember that the plane arrives at about eleven o'clock. Could
be a little bit late, but normally on time. Plants
coming into Warrington, Glenn Jones, what are you going to
do with this very very special person that you pick
up at Wellington Airport at eleven o'clock on Friday.
Speaker 5 (28:26):
We're living a remarkable city. The waterfront here is top drawer.
I'd take them to Oriental bad Parade and I'd walk
the waterfront all the way up around to Parliament, up
to the beehive, tap them back down Lampton Key up
Cuba Street and stopping at the occasional pub or cafe
as you go.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
Good on you, David Doan. What are you going to
do with this import? You just talk about a Japanese import.
You just come in.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
You told me I wasn't allowed to say skyline again,
and I won't say. Mount Krko is beautiful up there, and.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
I'm talking about an imported player that you want to oppress.
You want to say that this is a city man.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
You take them for a walk up in the natural
native bush up to the top of the skyline. It's
pretty impressive view. But I actually agree with Glenn. I
think if you've taken down the waterfront and taken to
a cafe, you know, get him spending some of their
foreign money in our bars and our cafes. I think
that's that's hugely beneficial for everybody.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
I think when I when over, I pick up a
basketball player in the old days, I always take them
wherever there's good looking girls. You know, like you're taking
them to cafes where there's all like good looking people,
and then they walk in there and you have a
coffee and they go where have I come to you.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
You're nodding, Well, I don't go out that much neck anymore.
I wouldn't. I wouldn't know where to go.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
But I'm talking eleven o'clock at the morning. I'm not
talking one o'clock of the morning. I'm talking you like
for coffee and you know, taking where the good looking
people are and then they look at you and go, oh,
this is a beautiful city.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
Well you could take them to a Phoenix match at
sky Stadium if we're playing.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
My god, why did you have to put that in there?
Speaker 4 (29:52):
Rematch against Alta mate seventh to December.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Yes, way up there at Mount Smart, I meet him
Mount Smart. Yeah, that's the that's the return to the revenge.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Okay. It concerns me because that's the day that Barmi
Army are in Town, England versus the black Caps are
on at base in reserve Breakers play Sidney King in Wellington.
First time in five years we've had an AMBL game
not happening on that day.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Oh, it'd be a great day, great great day.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Okay, quickly, both of you. You've taken this person out
and you've impressed them. What do you think is if
you have you are mayor or you were in charge
for one day, one quick thing you'd each do to
make Wellington a better city. Glen, I'm looking at you
because you're deep in thought. Aha, look at one little thing,
A one little thing. I think just close to a
public private partnership. I think you need to talk to businesses.
(30:41):
You need to listen to businesses and then s to
be sort of cost benefit analysis of what your plans
are and how it's going to benefit the wider community. David,
one thing and one day, just one thing that you think, Think,
my god, what if someone would listen to me. I'd
change that in Wenington.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
Ah, that's a tough There's a lot of things that
we need to fix in the city. Maybe open up
a stadium and put a concert for the good people
of the city.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Or maybe change that yellow uniform. I don't know whether
I like that.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
Yellow uniform, our yellow unifory.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
I don't know whether I like it. Do you like it?
Speaker 3 (31:16):
I'm okay with it. I like to do next year
we might go a little bit more black.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
I think, yeah, I kind of like black and yellow,
a little bit yellow.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
We wanted to be fair, We wanted this one to
be a little bit more black then it's turned out
to be. But that was that's a fault on our
on our half. So yeah, maybe next year we'll go
a bit more black.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Yeah, I kind of think that, not a whole lot
of black because you're playing in the summertime, so you
don't want.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Our city colors. Yellow is the city. Cars get the city.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
I get that, all right, Thank you both so much
for joining me this morning. I have a great rest
of the day. Best of luck for the rest of
the season. You're you're away this weekend.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Yeah, Marin is, and then there's an international break and
then unfortunately a home game is in Sydney for your
night round, and then we're not back until mid December.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Okay, good luck with that and hopefully the crowd will
stick with you and hopefully we will get big crowd.
Lean all the very best for the Christmas break. If
I had to expak to you before, have a good one.
Are you're playing anything, You've got any anyone I've got
anything sorted out for Christmas? I know I've gotta go.
I've gotta go. I can't ask you that question. I
should have looked at the clock first. Sorry, apologize, Thank
you both very much for joining us.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
Thank you 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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