November 7, 2024 • 32 mins
Donald Trump has won the US election - and not just the electoral college, but the popular vote too. How did he manage it?
Also, with unemployment biting, students are struggling to find summer jobs. How important is working over the summer break?
To answer those questions, and to give their views on Wellington's new tunnel plan, Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett and Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls joined Nick Mills.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk said B dissecting the week sublime and ridiculous.
Friday faceoff with Quinovic Property Management a better rental experience
for all. Call eight hundred Quinnovic. Thursday starts.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Way doing us Friday face off This week is Infrastructure
New Zealand CEO and former Party You Doer Mayor Nick Legate.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Good morning, Nick, Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Do you get sick of people saying you're former mirror poty?
Speaker 4 (00:47):
No, because I still live there and I'm proud of
where I'm from, and yeah, it was a great privilege
to be the mayor, so yeah, I mean it does
get more distant as the years ago.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Yeah, of course.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah. I don't know why I have to read what's
in front of me. It's so good, That's that's what
I'm reading. And new Stalks there be political editor and
made of mine. I'm going to call him a mate?
Am I allowed to call you a mate? Even four
times as old as you.
Speaker 5 (01:08):
You can, I don't think you're four times as old
as Mathagan Dawae as old as me.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
May Jason Wall's good to have you on the show again.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Younger than his children, as we've just discovered.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Yes, stop aging me. I have a producer that does
that every day of the week. I don't need you, guys.
I'm very young. I feel like I'm very young.
Speaker 6 (01:26):
You sound very young. You sound sprightly.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
I am sprightly.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
Yeah, although you've never really say sprightly unless you're talking
about somebody that's getting old in years.
Speaker 6 (01:33):
You never call somebody in their thirties.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Why do you call eighty year old sprott?
Speaker 6 (01:37):
Yeah no, no, no, no, no no.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
I call young people sprightly if they've got lots of
energy and stuff that sprightly young chap.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Okay, man, they's wrong with that. Right, Let's get into it.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Let's I'm going to officially say this is the last
time on the show that I'm going to give any
long term talking about the election.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
Which election, neck, what could you possibly be talking?
Speaker 3 (01:56):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Let's let's let's put the actual election to bed and
start looking what's going to happen from now on.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
But let's dissect it.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Trump had a studying victory and the Republican control role
the White House, the Senate, and I reckon they're going
to control the House too, but my writer keeps telling
me that it might not be confirmed yet, but I
think it's pretty close. It's start with you, Jason Wills.
What does it do?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
What does it change? How do you feel?
Speaker 6 (02:19):
How do I feel?
Speaker 5 (02:20):
Well? I, you know, it was quite I quite like
the US election in the so far as the fact
that I don't really have much to do with it.
I mean, with the New Zealand election and everything political,
I'm very embedded in everything, and I'm very very across
every detail. With the US election, I just get to
be an observer and watch it all. But I think
the thing for me is that the Democrats have got
(02:41):
a problem in a number of areas, and I think
one of them, for me particularly is the celebrity endorsement
side of things. And I think it's been talked about
quite a bit this morning and in the aftermath about
how little the lakes of you know, Usher or Eminem
coming out in for Kamala Harris actually did anything. You've
got these millionaire celebrities that have probably exploiting a lot
(03:03):
of the same tax loopholes that the Republicans are standing
up on stage saying you should support Kamla Harris and
then you've got on the other side, Donald Trump, who's
actually making and made quite a good pitch to the
middle class. And I think that when they are dissecting
all of this, I mean, the fact that Biden took
as long as he did to resign essentially from the
(03:24):
race is probably a factor. But for me, I mean,
just watching it was cringe. I mean Kamlala Harris watching
she had a brat summer.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
What else?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Come on, Nick, tell me what you thought. What went
wrong for Kamala.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
I think it's what went wrong for the Democrats. And
I think Jason's talked, He's mentioned that one issue around elites,
and I think that is a huge problem. You know,
Trump has tapped into a large you know, different parts
of the United States who feel as though the Democrats
(03:57):
and those potentially particularly more probably on the left of
the Democratic Party talk down to them. Remember Hillary called
them deplorables, judge their lifestyle, judge their their values, and
are not that sympathetic to their economic plight. It would
seem whereas Trump speaks to all those things, he says,
it's okay to be you. It's okay. I recognize you'reine.
(04:20):
You know you're up against it. Inflation's massive. I'm going
to do something about it. Now. I'm not one of
those people that has faith that Donald Trump is going to.
Speaker 6 (04:28):
Do something about it.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I will say this.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
You don't think he will.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
No, I don't. But I also have been really careful
to not turn it into a judgment or a hate thing.
Like there are very millions of very good Americans that
voted for Donald Trump, and they did so for very
legitimate reasons. I'm really happy that the Democrats have come
(04:53):
back and said, yep, we accept the result. Trump wouldn't
have done the same, and there will be a democratic
and a fair transfer of power. I think that the
Democrats have got a lot of soul searching to do.
Like I was a I was a Karmala Harris fan,
like I liked her before she was vice president. I
think she's got the goods.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
I think would she stay on?
Speaker 4 (05:15):
No, she will be she was hampered. I think Jason
also made the point Joe Biden came out left the
race too late. I'm a huge Biden fan, and let's
just look at what happened. Joe Biden was crunched by
Obama to let Hillary through because the deal had been
done he was not supported by many in the Democratic Party,
(05:36):
and you know, but he got up on that primary South.
That was the African American community in South Carolina that
pushed his candidacy forward. He could win over he could
speak to enough Americans to beat Donald Trump. He's the
only person that's beaten Donald Trump. So yeah, yeah, people
talk about he's not sprightly, Nick. He's a non sprightly
(05:56):
eighty one year old, but he has the goods. And
I think that the Democrats, you know, if they wanted to,
are you trying to?
Speaker 3 (06:07):
I don't.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
I don't think that. What I'm saying is that a
Biden like candidate, a centrist Democrat, is what is required.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Now, I'm always did they have anyone else apart from her?
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Well, no, I think she was the only option because
it was so late in the piece. And I think
that Carmela Harris, if she had been tested and had
to face the Democratic electorate in a primary, you know,
she would have been a better candidate. She would have
had she would have been able to test her centrist chops.
But she didn't have that luxury because she came in,
(06:41):
you know, only a hundred days ago. So look, it's sad.
I am concerned about the world. I was one of
those people. I like Hillary Clinton too. Look, I'm laying
it all.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Bare for you, Michelle Obama.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
But but I thought that Trump would govern. I thought
he campaigned in twenty sixteen in quite a crazy way,
but I thought he'd come back and sort of be
fairly sensible. That din't occur, So I'm not I don't
hold out much hope now. But I'm concerned for the world.
I'm concerned for geopolitics. I'm concerned for the Ukraine. I'm
concerned for trade, being a free trader, but we we
(07:21):
just now actually have to adjust and we have to accept,
and we have to make the most of what we've got.
And like Trump's there for four years hopefully there.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Let's be fair, They're going to be there for a
hell of a long, long four years, aren't they Trump?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
No, No, no, not Trump. But they're Republicans, not necessarily.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
I think it's I think that if the sensible Republicans
can take the part.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
You reckon that agreed, they're talking twelve years over there.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Oh they always talk twelve years though, I mean, they'd
be stupid not to talk themselves over years ago.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
We thought that Trump was gone wiped off the face
of the earth.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
So Jason Walls, what does it mean for New Zealand?
What does it really mean for us? We boil it down,
Let's put the terrorists to well, I know you can
talk about terrorifts if you want.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
Well, I think to tariffs is probably the big thing.
I mean at this stage, the thing with Donald Trump.
And I don't think any Republicans listening. I don't know
how many are tuning in from anywhere in the US,
but they would probably be the first to admit that
he is quite bolsterous when he talks. You know, he
makes a lot of grandiosis promises. So separating the promises
and the bluster from the reality is going to be
(08:22):
the first thing. I mean, what we do have as
we do have a track record for Donald Trump. We
know he is a protectionist. We know when it comes
to trade, he doesn't like multilateral agreements. We know that
that's an agreement between a number of countries. When Obama
was keen for the cp TPP, it was Donald Trump
that torpedoed that because he doesn't like the idea of
US being in these big agreements. Because the US often
(08:45):
and I do have some sympathy for this argument of
his pulls much more than its weight than anybody else.
So what he's looking to do is make a lot
of these just run of the milled free trade agreements.
And it's been interesting listening to Winston Peters. He was
on with carry Woodam yesterday talking about how last time
Trump was in office, the and so was Winston, and
(09:07):
they were close to getting a free trade deal across
the line. This is what Winston said, that they were
very close to actually doing it. And then I've obviously
COVID hit and a various different other things. So he
makes the point that, you know, it's very hard to
get a free trade deal across the line with the USA,
and he knows that it's going to be an uphill
battle to be able to do it. But these ten
percent or twenty percent tariffs that he's talked about, you know,
(09:29):
there are carve outs. I mean, Scott Morrison got a
carve out because he was close to Trump. If you
read Claire Trevette's piece yesterday, she makes the very good
point that Luxon is actually well liked by the likes
of Elong Musk, who's tweeted about him a few times
if if Luxon's able to exploit that personal relationship and
really get in, kick the door in and say, you know, people.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Don't like last, but we have the last ambassador to
New Zealand who had We had him on the show
yesterday and they was it yesterday on the day before
a couple of yesterday and he was saying that the
relationship between Trump and New Zealand's very good. Yeah, I
mean he helped out in christ Church, he helped out
in White Island. He did everything he could and the
relationship's good. He's not saying that it's going to be
(10:09):
a terriff. It's going to be done and.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
We've got to make the most of the of the
government we've got. I think I think you're right. Luxon
and Peters are the team, and they're not. They don't
have a they don't have a dog in the hunt
and US politics. They want to do what's best for
the country. And if you can work with Trump, hey
all power to them.
Speaker 5 (10:26):
And who do you think, out of all the politicians
that have ever been in New Zealand would be the
best place to deal with somebody like Donald Trump?
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Winston not even any question with that.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
They probably written the same kindergarten.
Speaker 6 (10:39):
Yeah, you were there as well.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
A God, that's a low blow, Jason.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I'm going to take a break. Then I need to
get myself off the floor. It's a low There was
a left hook. We might go back to the U
S election we if we have time, because but I
do want to move on to some other things because
one of the main not one of the reasons, well,
one of the reasons why we've got Nick Legged here
is I wanted to really get someone else's idea of
what went wrong or what went wrong with the Mega tunnel.
(11:05):
The idea of the Mega tunnel through Wellington is now
dead and gone. The government said to builders that are
going to build a second Mount Victoria Mount Victor Tunnel
and a second Terroce tunnel.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Nick Leg, this is right down your alleyway.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Is this the right move or is it just the
money couldn't We weren't going to be able to afford
it and it was a pipe dream.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Well, I think it was an idea, and it was
it was an idea that was it was massive, it
was billions, It was going to be costly, and the
NZTA board have come back to a solution that will
meet the same you know I get the same results.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
You know I won't get theame same result because we
still have State Highway One running through the middle of
a CBD of a capital center.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Yeah, but there'll be there'll be some tunneling right there.
And it doesn't mean that it can't be trenched. You know,
you don't actually have to dig a mega tunnel. But look,
the point is this, Nick, This is the sort of
principle I want to go to because I did when
the Mega Tuttle came out. Wellington needs to start saying
yes to some opportunities. All we hear is no. And
you know we wonder why well Wellington's in the doldrums.
(12:08):
It's because we don't grab opportunities. Now, whether it's let's
get Wellington moving, whether it's the idea of fixing for
once and for all the base and reserve and the
Terrace tunnel, we've got to have. What we've got to
talk about as well is not just more vehicles and
buses through the city faster and out to the airport.
(12:29):
It is State Highway One. It's what does that create
in the city more easier for people to get around,
to get to and from better public transport, better walking
and cycling. These things are not just about cars, and
we've got to do this. We often only just talk
about one thing or the other and it becomes a
sort of a Greens versus National on these topics. Actually
(12:51):
transport is for everybody, and investing in transport better road,
be at a bus lane, better train, there are benefits
for all of society. And so Wellington has an old
road network. Whether people who live in in a city
suburbs like it or not, State Highway one belongs to
(13:12):
every keiw and everybody in the Wellington region. And you know,
on Wellington City is quite small, but actually a city
is an hour from you know, it is an hour commute.
So anyway that's hospital airport's your hospital in your airport.
So the Wellington CBD belongs to people who live in
the Carpitty Coast, who live in the whited Upper and
(13:35):
all of us need to access that and have to
do that safely and quickly. And I'll tell you what
this is about saving people's time. I think that we
should also think about tolling these tunnels because it's really
important that we pay for them and that users pay
a bit and We've got to get into that discipline
in New Zealand if we want to be a first
world country. The infrastructure needed to do that is going
(13:57):
to cost a lot and I tell you what, we
don't have a lot of money. So what I want
to see is Wellingtonians get behind this. It doesn't mean
that they have to agree with it, but let's have
a constructive discussion and get the best Resultful Well.
Speaker 6 (14:09):
It sounds like a meryal pitch, doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Nick, Well, we've asked him a few times.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
I'll tell you this. It is not a mirror.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
It's down to a salary.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
I've got the T shirt.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Days.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Were the government really serious about the Mega Tunnel? You were,
you were listening to it, you were seeing it, you
were amongst it. Was this just a time sort of
holding patent sort of idea or.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Were they serious?
Speaker 5 (14:33):
Listen, honestly, with all these things, I'll believe it when
I see it. I've been here long enough that they
make these grand plans. Whether it's labor, whether it's national,
whether it's a tunnel, whether it's an overpass, whether it's
a spaceship.
Speaker 6 (14:48):
It just then.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
Promised the world and I've just lost trust in the
governments and council's ability to actually do things. I've just
been knocked around as a ratepayer and as a taxpayer
so many times that I just don't trust it. I
just do not trust it. And I read it from
Simeon Brown yesterday. I know Simeon Brown. I've been I've
been a reporter as long as he's been in Elam,
and I know him quite well. I think he's a
decent guy. I still just don't believe it. It doesn't
(15:11):
matter if it's Simeon Brown, doesn't matter if it's Chris
Lux And it wouldn't even matter if Obama himself or
Trump came and promised it. They wouldn't really do anything
in terms of their their control of the purse strings.
Speaker 6 (15:20):
I just don't believe it.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
But now you live in the Eastern Subjects, you live
out there, so I do know how difficult it is
and it's problematic, and that's something has to be done.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
Oh yeah, I agree, and I hope it does. I
very much hope it does. I hope that they can
do it on time. I hope that they can do
it on budget. I hope that they can do it
in a way that doesn't disrupt people. I hope that
they don't get the council involved because they'll just make
it into a bloody cycle way. I just hope that
it all works out, but I'm just not confident that
it will.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
And Jason's touched on something that's really important and you know, infrastructure.
New Zealand spent a lot of our time focusing on
how to get infrastructure consented funded faster, and it is
about It is about consenting and it is about funding.
That's why Jason has identified why it's so frustrating why
we don't trust New Zealand with a which government, whichever
(16:05):
council to get things done. It's because, you know, like
we talked about let's get well into moving, and it
was built up in such a way to make it
sound like it was happening. All it was being done
was sort of business cases and design. We've got to
cut through that and say a project is only a
happening project when it's got a consent and the money
is there to build it and we know when the
start data is so the government do have a challenge
(16:25):
here and my challenge first of all is to Wellington,
is to get on the bus and have the discussion
and help the government get to a point where it
can actually action this project.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
I've got to go to a break, so I need
you both to be really quick with this. Well, what
do you say to that group of protests as it
stopped it last time? Basically a whole lot of mount
people remember that when they got an unstopped, when the
whole big plan was to go around the basin and
to fly over and all that. Apparently they're sharpening up
their pens and are ready to go again to start objecting.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
What do you say to them get a job.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
I would say to remember that this is a regional
and a national road and this is about, you know,
many hundreds of thousands of people having the right to
excess these parts of the city, for hospitals, for schools,
for airports. This is about well being an economy and
you don't own those things just because you live. Highway
(17:19):
Wan is just outside.
Speaker 6 (17:20):
And his answer was way better than mine. Let's let's
go with what he said, Jason.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
I want to start with you with this, the controversial
bill Treaty Principal's Bill has been introduced to Parliament slightly
ahead of schedule. What do you make of the bill.
Is there any surprises and what about the timing.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
Oh, the timing is interesting because you can theorize till
the cows until the cows come home. About why it
was introduced earlier, Now, David Seymour and the Prime Minister
have been playing it down. They say lesson legislation just
bounces around. Oh, this is just the way that it is.
There's no grand conspiracy here. But you have to look
at a couple of key factors, and one of them
is the hikoy that was scheduled to arrive at Parliament
(17:56):
a day before this was supposed to be introduced. So
obviously that has all been kaibashed and it was introduced
in the House yesterday. The other thing is it's the
fact that Nick is Christopher Luxen won't be in the
country when this bill receives its first reading. According to
Parliament's rules, once something's tabled, it has to be at
least three sitting days before it has its first reading.
(18:17):
So being introduced essentially just means the Clerk of the
House says this bill has been introduced, and then it
goes on Parliament's website.
Speaker 6 (18:23):
We can all read it.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
The fact that it hasn't got its first reading until
next Thursday. That's what the Prime Minister said next Thursday,
or David Semol says there's a few still, a few
logistical things to work out. Means that he's not going
to be here. He's going to be on his way
to Apec, is what it sounds like. So I think
it's quite tactical from the government here, especially from the NATS,
because as we know, Christopher Luxen doesn't want anything to
(18:45):
do with this bill. Time and time and time again,
he gets up in the House and has to distance
himself from it, saying, yes, we're voting for it in
the first reading, but we're not voting for it in
the second reading. And every single time he's been chipped
away since February when we first started asking about this
issue in the House, it started off with, oh, you know,
we'll have to see what's happening in the second reading.
It's in our coalition agreement that we'll do our first
(19:07):
and that's now morphed into we don't like this bill,
we didn't get what we wanted.
Speaker 6 (19:11):
We're voting against it.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
So his position is changed as I think he sees
the public have really turned on the government on this issue.
David Seymour has a different perspective. He says, it's the
quiet majority that actually want this bill to get through.
They want somebody to have an argument and a conversation
about the treaty's principles, and once the National Party sees
that there is this silent majority that are actually keen
(19:34):
for this, they're going to change their mind.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Nick.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
One thing that I've sort of thought in my own mind,
I wonder if they brought it forward because of the
American election too, because really it wasn't you know, normally
it would have been the first story on every news channel,
and it was actually the third story on some channels
because it was all about the election. So the skiptic
of me says, I reckon it's had something to do
with it as well.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Well, it was.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
It was well timed, wasn't it, Because if you I mean,
I regard this legislation as unnecessarily divisive for our society.
So the more it's pushed off the front page, the better.
It doesn't mean that I don't think we should discuss
the treaty and what it means. It is the Treaty
is alive, right, and there are people on all sides
(20:16):
of these arguments that we should do what the Americans
can't and come together and have a discussion and a
debate about, you know, what nationhood looks like in twenty
twenty four. But this, this bill and the approach taken
by it, really it calls into question the partnership that's
been established in this nation over the last forty to
(20:38):
fifty years, a really active partnership between the Crown and Marty,
and I don't want that upset because frankly, we are
actually seeing more ewe being able to take control of
(20:58):
their own people and their destinies and their livelihoods through
the sentiment process and the great work that's come out
of that, and I think there are opportunities for that
that will benefit Marty and all New Zealanders. And it's
this bill I think takes us back. So you know,
there might be ten or twenty percent of people who
(21:20):
support this bill, and they will you know, obviously be
wound up for the act Party at the next election
of things go well for them. But as a nation,
I think the principles we want to talk about should
be around what does it mean to be what does
the treaty mean? For all of us, and that the
point is, you know, there are three of us here
I'm assuming who are pakiher? The treaty should be as
(21:43):
important to us as kiwis as it is to Marty,
but it is often just seen as something for Marty.
Actually it's the it's all of us that it's what
brings all of us here and helps give us our rights.
So I think we've got to turn this stuff on
our head on its head and have a mature, grown
up conversation, not a divisive one. And that means talking
(22:05):
to your neighbor and coming together, not blurting out over
social media and reacting to everything that you find offensive
from Tapati Marti or whoever else. You know, let's get real.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
What about the hekoys? What are you hearing? Jas?
Speaker 2 (22:20):
How big are they going to be? Are we in
for a torrid time in Wellington when they hit down?
Speaker 5 (22:25):
Oh yeah, it's going to be disruptive, And I think
that's the point. I mean, you don't have a hickoy
for like sunshine and rainbows. I mean it's probably it's
going to be peaceful. I'm sure the Tipati Marti, for
all their faults, have demonstrated up to this point that
they run peaceful hikoys and peaceful protests, and one thing
about them that they're remarkably good at is activating their base.
They can get people just like that. And I think
(22:46):
that that David Seymour might have underestimated the fact that
moving the bill like this would actually inspire more people
to get out and walk across the country and then
bring it to Parliament eventually. But this also works in
David Seymour's favor. People are not going to like roads
being shut down, They're not going to like the Harbor
Bridge being shut down. They're going to get annoyed. They're
going to use that frustration and they're going to pin
(23:08):
it back on Tea Party, Marty, the Greens and Labor
and they're going to say, you know, this is this
is annoying you, this is a really annoying thing that's happening.
I'm going to I'm holding you responsible for this. And
they're going to they're going to have that in their brain.
They're going to have this connection between them inconveniences and
these hikoys going forward. And if you're somebody that's not
into politics, you're not really involved that much. That might
(23:31):
be enough to tip you over the edge.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
I'm into politics, but I'm not into extremes. And what
we have here are the extreme is the extremes playing
out on both sides of the argument, one reacting against
the other. This is and I don't believe that most
New Zealanders are on on extreme here. I think this
is where those of us that are sensible and want
proper partnership and want a place for Marty is tangue
(23:54):
at to Fenoua and a place for everybody else that's need.
We need to come forward and start leading this debate.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Cats.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
I don't know why we're talking about cats. Who here
has cat city board? You have a cat chose?
Speaker 5 (24:04):
No? No, no, We've got an apartment that's so smaller
than your studio by quite some measure, so where I
don't think we.
Speaker 6 (24:09):
Could have a cat.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Now I now know what apartment you live in.
Speaker 6 (24:13):
That's creepy.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
How would be standing outside watching?
Speaker 2 (24:15):
I actually went, well, I'm the developers are very good
friends of mine, and I went when they were building them.
I really liked the penthouses. But you didn't get one
of the penthouses.
Speaker 5 (24:23):
Did you?
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Well?
Speaker 5 (24:24):
No, I didn't get the penthouse at I don't go
on a basketball team. I don't have a pet house.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
If you if you owned a basketball team, you will
definitely not thoseleag at those exactly right. But we're talking
about cats, Nick, do you have a cat?
Speaker 4 (24:38):
It's a bit of a soll point because our cat
got run over last year. We've got a little dog
and we had a cat, a beautiful cat, and I'm
a cat person, so it's.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Look like a cat person, I know, but a cat
doesn't look like.
Speaker 6 (24:56):
Listeners.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
He's pointing at his producer right now, right, Well.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Let's do you know that the government has decided against
legislating for a register of that's in New Zealand, despite
a recommendation from a select committee. Do we actually, nick
leg it have a problem with feral cats and uzelm.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
I think we do, But the issue is that we'll
register and cats deal with the feral problem. No, because
feral cats feel my nature won't be registered because they
don't have own.
Speaker 6 (25:24):
It's a very good point. So look, I do think
we have.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Over the years, I've seen sort of some good specia
type things where they go into a feral cat comdony
and desect them all and then so they just die out.
But you know that there are smart ways of doing this.
But I just wonder about more bureaucracy, you know, having
to register every cat.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
I think you should.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
I'm sorry, I think you should create It'll create cost
and bureaucracy and a whole lot of paperwork. What will
it actually solve?
Speaker 5 (25:55):
I thought that you already did have the register cats.
I was actually surprised with this story.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
No, there you go, let's move on.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
I'm not against it. If you can show it actually
does something other than just create paper.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Yeah, I think it would would. I think it would
make people do more.
Speaker 5 (26:09):
I'm not get Gareth Morgan on the case. That's a
man that I want in charge of this initiative.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
I should actually get him on Friday. Face off some time, Gareth.
We're going to be a good gift on them.
Speaker 5 (26:17):
As long as you only talked about cats, you'd be fine.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I think you could talk. I could talk about several
things with Gareth Morgan. I don't think that I would
be limited to talking about cats with Gareth Morgan is
a very fine man. Student job search now, we all
had jobs, right, you know, didn't we when we were students.
I'm hopefully, hopefully, hopefully we had Jason's looking at me
with this black thing. I'm an educated person. I didn't
have the partner.
Speaker 6 (26:38):
Oh god, I had a job since I was fifteen.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Okayon like a worker to me?
Speaker 6 (26:43):
Oh yeah, I'm a laborer all right.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Well, we found out that actually getting jobs in the
school holidays has becoming very problematic, and companies that normally
took staff on during the holiday periods aren't and lots
of cvs are floating around Jason. How important is it
for a student to be actually doing some work and
actually getting in the real life experiences of work life experience.
Speaker 5 (27:04):
Oh, hugely important, hugely important, And not just for the
fact that they have a little bit of I was
gonna say pocket money. It almost sounds condescending, but some
money they actually get by with. But as you say,
getting into that real workforce, because if you get if
you finish uni high school, go into university and then
go into the workforce, it can be quite a shock
to the system. And I think that preparing you for
(27:24):
that transition is very helpful. But you know, this story
comes at the same time as we saw something from Australia.
I'm not sure if you saw it next plural, because
there's two next here about the recruiter that said that
the attitude of young people these days is absurd.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
They want to be they want to be the boss.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
Neither they will, we won't get out of bed for
one hundred K and that sort of thing. And they
want to work from home the whole time, and bosses
are saying, no, you can't do that. I wonder how
much of that actually factors into it, if it's the
attitudes as well.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Nick Leggett, did you have a part time job when
you come out of school?
Speaker 4 (27:58):
I had several, several. I mean I worked from when
I was sort of about thirteen or fourteen, and I've
always worked had part time jobs. And I think it's
agree with the other it's important, you know, and you know,
it's also quite costly to be a student these days,
so you know, any extra dollars as well as building
you know, the work habits, I think it's vital. And
(28:19):
but let's let's let's face it, the New Zealand economy
is in struggle street at the moment. They're you know,
businesses are not you know, are not in great positions
in many cases. And if you think about retail and food,
it's probably harder still. So a lot of people that
would traditionally employ a student, you know, I'm not doing
they just they don't have the business at the moment.
So that's the reason. But it is interesting because that's
(28:41):
where all parts of society suffers when the economy is
like this, and it's a it's worth highlighting this.
Speaker 6 (28:46):
I think, what was your job when you were thirteen?
Just out of it?
Speaker 4 (28:48):
I worked in a Chinese takeaway?
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Oh I can, and it was great. It was great.
It was a great job. They were they good to
they were great, great.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
Whitby Chinese takeaway for anybody who's interested in things, Jason,
what was yours?
Speaker 5 (29:00):
I was a support worker for kids with disabilities. I
did it from when I was fifteen all the way
through it.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
You would be really good, you know what I had
to I had a cleaning job and then I got
into hospitality. But one of the jobs that I always
remember is Dodd's die Casting were a little factory and tower,
a little factory that made steel products. And mister and
missus Dodd, we're the most amazing people. And I worked
for them for three or four weeks and I remember it.
Fifty years later they missus. Dodd came around with the
paypack at every Tuesday. Mister Dodd tried to improve everything
(29:27):
I did, and it was just a family business.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
You do have really strong memories of those kind of
you're doing so when you know they make a real impact,
don't they.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
And that's impacted my life, believe it or not. Four
weeks are working at Dodd's die casting.
Speaker 6 (29:39):
It was only four weeks.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
I was in a school holiday.
Speaker 5 (29:41):
Job and they discovered your work ethic and you're out
the door.
Speaker 4 (29:44):
He left school after they liked me.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
They liked me, they thought I was good.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
The Friday.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
Hot Okay, I'm gonna go with Jason Walls with his
hots and dots. First, I'm bit concerned about timing.
Speaker 5 (30:01):
My hot is it hasn't happened yet. It's happen at
lunchtime today. I'm going to my favorite plan. This sounds ridiculous,
but Noodle Plus it's great, great value, a huge bowl
of noodles, super tasty, and I've been thinking about it
all morning, and then when Nick was bringing up working
at a Chinese takeaway before, I thought about it more so.
Noodle Plus hates to see me coming and Courtney Place.
(30:23):
There's one in Courtney, there used to be one at
Courtney Place.
Speaker 6 (30:25):
There's one on.
Speaker 5 (30:27):
Lampton Key, i think, and then there's one opposite Mount
or Victoria University as well, so I'm gonna be dropping
by there. Mine not hot is being included in my
ex boss's brick bat of the Week. So Audrey Young
used to be political editor of The Herald and I
was working under her there. She now does a weekly
(30:49):
political newsletter where she says it's sort of like her
hot or not for politics, so she does the best
thing that she thinks happened in the week and the
worst thing that's happened in the week. And for the
first time I was included in the worst thing that
happened in the week because at the post Cabinet press
conference on Monday, I had a bit of a bee
in my bonnet about Winston Peter's going over to the
Melbourne Cup and asked the Prime Minister wa Winston's KPIs
(31:10):
would be while he's over at the races. And she
thought that that was a bit dismissive of the New
Zealand racing industry, but she did say it was a
rare misstep from me, So that's time.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
I would say the same thing, Nick Leggott. You've got
exactly one minute and twenty seven second.
Speaker 4 (31:24):
Okay, I can do it. My hot is the peaceful
transfer of power in the largest democracy earth.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
So we don't know yet which is well.
Speaker 4 (31:36):
President Biden has said it will be and I believe him.
So I think that's you know, like democracy has been
preserved in the United States, and long mate continue. My
not is Sound's air canceling. It's Wellington to Topol route
and that comes on the back of the service canceling
(31:57):
the service between Wellington and Westport. In my previous role
working for the road transport industry, I used both of those.
And you know, these regional flights connecting to large centers
are really important connections. Now clearly they're not economic for
the company at the moment. Once again it's that it's
the wider economic picture, but they're important connectors to get
(32:17):
people to places for friends, family and business, and I
think that's a shame and I hope they come back.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Nick Leggan, always a pleasure to have you in the studio,
Thank you very much, and Jason will has always got
to see you keep up the good work.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
Both of you.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Have a great weekend. You know that every venue in
Wellington's got something on the Saturday night. It isn't that
great news, Crowded House, August Throw, Jason Mina, everything, Every big,
major venue's got an event on. So we're heading in
the right direction.
Speaker 6 (32:42):
We long live Wellington, Long Live Wellington.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks There'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk said B dissecting the week sublime and ridiculous.
Friday faceoff with Quinovic Property Management a better rental experience
for all. Call eight hundred Quinnovic. Thursday starts.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Way doing us Friday face off This week is Infrastructure
New Zealand CEO and former Party You Doer Mayor Nick Legate.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Good morning, Nick, Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Do you get sick of people saying you're former mirror poty?
Speaker 4 (00:47):
No, because I still live there and I'm proud of
where I'm from, and yeah, it was a great privilege
to be the mayor, so yeah, I mean it does
get more distant as the years ago.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Yeah, of course.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah. I don't know why I have to read what's
in front of me. It's so good, That's that's what
I'm reading. And new Stalks there be political editor and
made of mine. I'm going to call him a mate?
Am I allowed to call you a mate? Even four
times as old as you.
Speaker 5 (01:08):
You can, I don't think you're four times as old
as Mathagan Dawae as old as me.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
May Jason Wall's good to have you on the show again.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Younger than his children, as we've just discovered.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Yes, stop aging me. I have a producer that does
that every day of the week. I don't need you, guys.
I'm very young. I feel like I'm very young.
Speaker 6 (01:26):
You sound very young. You sound sprightly.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
I am sprightly.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
Yeah, although you've never really say sprightly unless you're talking
about somebody that's getting old in years.
Speaker 6 (01:33):
You never call somebody in their thirties.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Why do you call eighty year old sprott?
Speaker 6 (01:37):
Yeah no, no, no, no, no no.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
I call young people sprightly if they've got lots of
energy and stuff that sprightly young chap.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Okay, man, they's wrong with that. Right, Let's get into it.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Let's I'm going to officially say this is the last
time on the show that I'm going to give any
long term talking about the election.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
Which election, neck, what could you possibly be talking?
Speaker 3 (01:56):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Let's let's let's put the actual election to bed and
start looking what's going to happen from now on.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
But let's dissect it.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Trump had a studying victory and the Republican control role
the White House, the Senate, and I reckon they're going
to control the House too, but my writer keeps telling
me that it might not be confirmed yet, but I
think it's pretty close. It's start with you, Jason Wills.
What does it do?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
What does it change? How do you feel?
Speaker 6 (02:19):
How do I feel?
Speaker 5 (02:20):
Well? I, you know, it was quite I quite like
the US election in the so far as the fact
that I don't really have much to do with it.
I mean, with the New Zealand election and everything political,
I'm very embedded in everything, and I'm very very across
every detail. With the US election, I just get to
be an observer and watch it all. But I think
the thing for me is that the Democrats have got
(02:41):
a problem in a number of areas, and I think
one of them, for me particularly is the celebrity endorsement
side of things. And I think it's been talked about
quite a bit this morning and in the aftermath about
how little the lakes of you know, Usher or Eminem
coming out in for Kamala Harris actually did anything. You've
got these millionaire celebrities that have probably exploiting a lot
(03:03):
of the same tax loopholes that the Republicans are standing
up on stage saying you should support Kamla Harris and
then you've got on the other side, Donald Trump, who's
actually making and made quite a good pitch to the
middle class. And I think that when they are dissecting
all of this, I mean, the fact that Biden took
as long as he did to resign essentially from the
(03:24):
race is probably a factor. But for me, I mean,
just watching it was cringe. I mean Kamlala Harris watching
she had a brat summer.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
What else?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Come on, Nick, tell me what you thought. What went
wrong for Kamala.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
I think it's what went wrong for the Democrats. And
I think Jason's talked, He's mentioned that one issue around elites,
and I think that is a huge problem. You know,
Trump has tapped into a large you know, different parts
of the United States who feel as though the Democrats
(03:57):
and those potentially particularly more probably on the left of
the Democratic Party talk down to them. Remember Hillary called
them deplorables, judge their lifestyle, judge their their values, and
are not that sympathetic to their economic plight. It would
seem whereas Trump speaks to all those things, he says,
it's okay to be you. It's okay. I recognize you'reine.
(04:20):
You know you're up against it. Inflation's massive. I'm going
to do something about it. Now. I'm not one of
those people that has faith that Donald Trump is going to.
Speaker 6 (04:28):
Do something about it.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I will say this.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
You don't think he will.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
No, I don't. But I also have been really careful
to not turn it into a judgment or a hate thing.
Like there are very millions of very good Americans that
voted for Donald Trump, and they did so for very
legitimate reasons. I'm really happy that the Democrats have come
(04:53):
back and said, yep, we accept the result. Trump wouldn't
have done the same, and there will be a democratic
and a fair transfer of power. I think that the
Democrats have got a lot of soul searching to do.
Like I was a I was a Karmala Harris fan,
like I liked her before she was vice president. I
think she's got the goods.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
I think would she stay on?
Speaker 4 (05:15):
No, she will be she was hampered. I think Jason
also made the point Joe Biden came out left the
race too late. I'm a huge Biden fan, and let's
just look at what happened. Joe Biden was crunched by
Obama to let Hillary through because the deal had been
done he was not supported by many in the Democratic Party,
(05:36):
and you know, but he got up on that primary South.
That was the African American community in South Carolina that
pushed his candidacy forward. He could win over he could
speak to enough Americans to beat Donald Trump. He's the
only person that's beaten Donald Trump. So yeah, yeah, people
talk about he's not sprightly, Nick. He's a non sprightly
(05:56):
eighty one year old, but he has the goods. And
I think that the Democrats, you know, if they wanted to,
are you trying to?
Speaker 3 (06:07):
I don't.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
I don't think that. What I'm saying is that a
Biden like candidate, a centrist Democrat, is what is required.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Now, I'm always did they have anyone else apart from her?
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Well, no, I think she was the only option because
it was so late in the piece. And I think
that Carmela Harris, if she had been tested and had
to face the Democratic electorate in a primary, you know,
she would have been a better candidate. She would have
had she would have been able to test her centrist chops.
But she didn't have that luxury because she came in,
(06:41):
you know, only a hundred days ago. So look, it's sad.
I am concerned about the world. I was one of
those people. I like Hillary Clinton too. Look, I'm laying
it all.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Bare for you, Michelle Obama.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
But but I thought that Trump would govern. I thought
he campaigned in twenty sixteen in quite a crazy way,
but I thought he'd come back and sort of be
fairly sensible. That din't occur, So I'm not I don't
hold out much hope now. But I'm concerned for the world.
I'm concerned for geopolitics. I'm concerned for the Ukraine. I'm
concerned for trade, being a free trader, but we we
(07:21):
just now actually have to adjust and we have to accept,
and we have to make the most of what we've got.
And like Trump's there for four years hopefully there.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Let's be fair, They're going to be there for a
hell of a long, long four years, aren't they Trump?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
No, No, no, not Trump. But they're Republicans, not necessarily.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
I think it's I think that if the sensible Republicans
can take the part.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
You reckon that agreed, they're talking twelve years over there.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Oh they always talk twelve years though, I mean, they'd
be stupid not to talk themselves over years ago.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
We thought that Trump was gone wiped off the face
of the earth.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
So Jason Walls, what does it mean for New Zealand?
What does it really mean for us? We boil it down,
Let's put the terrorists to well, I know you can
talk about terrorifts if you want.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
Well, I think to tariffs is probably the big thing.
I mean at this stage, the thing with Donald Trump.
And I don't think any Republicans listening. I don't know
how many are tuning in from anywhere in the US,
but they would probably be the first to admit that
he is quite bolsterous when he talks. You know, he
makes a lot of grandiosis promises. So separating the promises
and the bluster from the reality is going to be
(08:22):
the first thing. I mean, what we do have as
we do have a track record for Donald Trump. We
know he is a protectionist. We know when it comes
to trade, he doesn't like multilateral agreements. We know that
that's an agreement between a number of countries. When Obama
was keen for the cp TPP, it was Donald Trump
that torpedoed that because he doesn't like the idea of
US being in these big agreements. Because the US often
(08:45):
and I do have some sympathy for this argument of
his pulls much more than its weight than anybody else.
So what he's looking to do is make a lot
of these just run of the milled free trade agreements.
And it's been interesting listening to Winston Peters. He was
on with carry Woodam yesterday talking about how last time
Trump was in office, the and so was Winston, and
(09:07):
they were close to getting a free trade deal across
the line. This is what Winston said, that they were
very close to actually doing it. And then I've obviously
COVID hit and a various different other things. So he
makes the point that, you know, it's very hard to
get a free trade deal across the line with the USA,
and he knows that it's going to be an uphill
battle to be able to do it. But these ten
percent or twenty percent tariffs that he's talked about, you know,
(09:29):
there are carve outs. I mean, Scott Morrison got a
carve out because he was close to Trump. If you
read Claire Trevette's piece yesterday, she makes the very good
point that Luxon is actually well liked by the likes
of Elong Musk, who's tweeted about him a few times
if if Luxon's able to exploit that personal relationship and
really get in, kick the door in and say, you know, people.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Don't like last, but we have the last ambassador to
New Zealand who had We had him on the show
yesterday and they was it yesterday on the day before
a couple of yesterday and he was saying that the
relationship between Trump and New Zealand's very good. Yeah, I
mean he helped out in christ Church, he helped out
in White Island. He did everything he could and the
relationship's good. He's not saying that it's going to be
(10:09):
a terriff. It's going to be done and.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
We've got to make the most of the of the
government we've got. I think I think you're right. Luxon
and Peters are the team, and they're not. They don't
have a they don't have a dog in the hunt
and US politics. They want to do what's best for
the country. And if you can work with Trump, hey
all power to them.
Speaker 5 (10:26):
And who do you think, out of all the politicians
that have ever been in New Zealand would be the
best place to deal with somebody like Donald Trump?
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Winston not even any question with that.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
They probably written the same kindergarten.
Speaker 6 (10:39):
Yeah, you were there as well.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
A God, that's a low blow, Jason.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I'm going to take a break. Then I need to
get myself off the floor. It's a low There was
a left hook. We might go back to the U
S election we if we have time, because but I
do want to move on to some other things because
one of the main not one of the reasons, well,
one of the reasons why we've got Nick Legged here
is I wanted to really get someone else's idea of
what went wrong or what went wrong with the Mega tunnel.
(11:05):
The idea of the Mega tunnel through Wellington is now
dead and gone. The government said to builders that are
going to build a second Mount Victoria Mount Victor Tunnel
and a second Terroce tunnel.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Nick Leg, this is right down your alleyway.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Is this the right move or is it just the
money couldn't We weren't going to be able to afford
it and it was a pipe dream.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Well, I think it was an idea, and it was
it was an idea that was it was massive, it
was billions, It was going to be costly, and the
NZTA board have come back to a solution that will
meet the same you know I get the same results.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
You know I won't get theame same result because we
still have State Highway One running through the middle of
a CBD of a capital center.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Yeah, but there'll be there'll be some tunneling right there.
And it doesn't mean that it can't be trenched. You know,
you don't actually have to dig a mega tunnel. But look,
the point is this, Nick, This is the sort of
principle I want to go to because I did when
the Mega Tuttle came out. Wellington needs to start saying
yes to some opportunities. All we hear is no. And
you know we wonder why well Wellington's in the doldrums.
(12:08):
It's because we don't grab opportunities. Now, whether it's let's
get Wellington moving, whether it's the idea of fixing for
once and for all the base and reserve and the
Terrace tunnel, we've got to have. What we've got to
talk about as well is not just more vehicles and
buses through the city faster and out to the airport.
(12:29):
It is State Highway One. It's what does that create
in the city more easier for people to get around,
to get to and from better public transport, better walking
and cycling. These things are not just about cars, and
we've got to do this. We often only just talk
about one thing or the other and it becomes a
sort of a Greens versus National on these topics. Actually
(12:51):
transport is for everybody, and investing in transport better road,
be at a bus lane, better train, there are benefits
for all of society. And so Wellington has an old
road network. Whether people who live in in a city
suburbs like it or not, State Highway one belongs to
(13:12):
every keiw and everybody in the Wellington region. And you know,
on Wellington City is quite small, but actually a city
is an hour from you know, it is an hour commute.
So anyway that's hospital airport's your hospital in your airport.
So the Wellington CBD belongs to people who live in
the Carpitty Coast, who live in the whited Upper and
(13:35):
all of us need to access that and have to
do that safely and quickly. And I'll tell you what
this is about saving people's time. I think that we
should also think about tolling these tunnels because it's really
important that we pay for them and that users pay
a bit and We've got to get into that discipline
in New Zealand if we want to be a first
world country. The infrastructure needed to do that is going
(13:57):
to cost a lot and I tell you what, we
don't have a lot of money. So what I want
to see is Wellingtonians get behind this. It doesn't mean
that they have to agree with it, but let's have
a constructive discussion and get the best Resultful Well.
Speaker 6 (14:09):
It sounds like a meryal pitch, doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Nick, Well, we've asked him a few times.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
I'll tell you this. It is not a mirror.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
It's down to a salary.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
I've got the T shirt.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Days.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Were the government really serious about the Mega Tunnel? You were,
you were listening to it, you were seeing it, you
were amongst it. Was this just a time sort of
holding patent sort of idea or.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Were they serious?
Speaker 5 (14:33):
Listen, honestly, with all these things, I'll believe it when
I see it. I've been here long enough that they
make these grand plans. Whether it's labor, whether it's national,
whether it's a tunnel, whether it's an overpass, whether it's
a spaceship.
Speaker 6 (14:48):
It just then.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
Promised the world and I've just lost trust in the
governments and council's ability to actually do things. I've just
been knocked around as a ratepayer and as a taxpayer
so many times that I just don't trust it. I
just do not trust it. And I read it from
Simeon Brown yesterday. I know Simeon Brown. I've been I've
been a reporter as long as he's been in Elam,
and I know him quite well. I think he's a
decent guy. I still just don't believe it. It doesn't
(15:11):
matter if it's Simeon Brown, doesn't matter if it's Chris
Lux And it wouldn't even matter if Obama himself or
Trump came and promised it. They wouldn't really do anything
in terms of their their control of the purse strings.
Speaker 6 (15:20):
I just don't believe it.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
But now you live in the Eastern Subjects, you live
out there, so I do know how difficult it is
and it's problematic, and that's something has to be done.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
Oh yeah, I agree, and I hope it does. I
very much hope it does. I hope that they can
do it on time. I hope that they can do
it on budget. I hope that they can do it
in a way that doesn't disrupt people. I hope that
they don't get the council involved because they'll just make
it into a bloody cycle way. I just hope that
it all works out, but I'm just not confident that
it will.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
And Jason's touched on something that's really important and you know, infrastructure.
New Zealand spent a lot of our time focusing on
how to get infrastructure consented funded faster, and it is
about It is about consenting and it is about funding.
That's why Jason has identified why it's so frustrating why
we don't trust New Zealand with a which government, whichever
(16:05):
council to get things done. It's because, you know, like
we talked about let's get well into moving, and it
was built up in such a way to make it
sound like it was happening. All it was being done
was sort of business cases and design. We've got to
cut through that and say a project is only a
happening project when it's got a consent and the money
is there to build it and we know when the
start data is so the government do have a challenge
(16:25):
here and my challenge first of all is to Wellington,
is to get on the bus and have the discussion
and help the government get to a point where it
can actually action this project.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
I've got to go to a break, so I need
you both to be really quick with this. Well, what
do you say to that group of protests as it
stopped it last time? Basically a whole lot of mount
people remember that when they got an unstopped, when the
whole big plan was to go around the basin and
to fly over and all that. Apparently they're sharpening up
their pens and are ready to go again to start objecting.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
What do you say to them get a job.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
I would say to remember that this is a regional
and a national road and this is about, you know,
many hundreds of thousands of people having the right to
excess these parts of the city, for hospitals, for schools,
for airports. This is about well being an economy and
you don't own those things just because you live. Highway
(17:19):
Wan is just outside.
Speaker 6 (17:20):
And his answer was way better than mine. Let's let's
go with what he said, Jason.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
I want to start with you with this, the controversial
bill Treaty Principal's Bill has been introduced to Parliament slightly
ahead of schedule. What do you make of the bill.
Is there any surprises and what about the timing.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
Oh, the timing is interesting because you can theorize till
the cows until the cows come home. About why it
was introduced earlier, Now, David Seymour and the Prime Minister
have been playing it down. They say lesson legislation just
bounces around. Oh, this is just the way that it is.
There's no grand conspiracy here. But you have to look
at a couple of key factors, and one of them
is the hikoy that was scheduled to arrive at Parliament
(17:56):
a day before this was supposed to be introduced. So
obviously that has all been kaibashed and it was introduced
in the House yesterday. The other thing is it's the
fact that Nick is Christopher Luxen won't be in the
country when this bill receives its first reading. According to
Parliament's rules, once something's tabled, it has to be at
least three sitting days before it has its first reading.
(18:17):
So being introduced essentially just means the Clerk of the
House says this bill has been introduced, and then it
goes on Parliament's website.
Speaker 6 (18:23):
We can all read it.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
The fact that it hasn't got its first reading until
next Thursday. That's what the Prime Minister said next Thursday,
or David Semol says there's a few still, a few
logistical things to work out. Means that he's not going
to be here. He's going to be on his way
to Apec, is what it sounds like. So I think
it's quite tactical from the government here, especially from the NATS,
because as we know, Christopher Luxen doesn't want anything to
(18:45):
do with this bill. Time and time and time again,
he gets up in the House and has to distance
himself from it, saying, yes, we're voting for it in
the first reading, but we're not voting for it in
the second reading. And every single time he's been chipped
away since February when we first started asking about this
issue in the House, it started off with, oh, you know,
we'll have to see what's happening in the second reading.
It's in our coalition agreement that we'll do our first
(19:07):
and that's now morphed into we don't like this bill,
we didn't get what we wanted.
Speaker 6 (19:11):
We're voting against it.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
So his position is changed as I think he sees
the public have really turned on the government on this issue.
David Seymour has a different perspective. He says, it's the
quiet majority that actually want this bill to get through.
They want somebody to have an argument and a conversation
about the treaty's principles, and once the National Party sees
that there is this silent majority that are actually keen
(19:34):
for this, they're going to change their mind.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Nick.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
One thing that I've sort of thought in my own mind,
I wonder if they brought it forward because of the
American election too, because really it wasn't you know, normally
it would have been the first story on every news channel,
and it was actually the third story on some channels
because it was all about the election. So the skiptic
of me says, I reckon it's had something to do
with it as well.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Well, it was.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
It was well timed, wasn't it, Because if you I mean,
I regard this legislation as unnecessarily divisive for our society.
So the more it's pushed off the front page, the better.
It doesn't mean that I don't think we should discuss
the treaty and what it means. It is the Treaty
is alive, right, and there are people on all sides
(20:16):
of these arguments that we should do what the Americans
can't and come together and have a discussion and a
debate about, you know, what nationhood looks like in twenty
twenty four. But this, this bill and the approach taken
by it, really it calls into question the partnership that's
been established in this nation over the last forty to
(20:38):
fifty years, a really active partnership between the Crown and Marty,
and I don't want that upset because frankly, we are
actually seeing more ewe being able to take control of
(20:58):
their own people and their destinies and their livelihoods through
the sentiment process and the great work that's come out
of that, and I think there are opportunities for that
that will benefit Marty and all New Zealanders. And it's
this bill I think takes us back. So you know,
there might be ten or twenty percent of people who
(21:20):
support this bill, and they will you know, obviously be
wound up for the act Party at the next election
of things go well for them. But as a nation,
I think the principles we want to talk about should
be around what does it mean to be what does
the treaty mean? For all of us, and that the
point is, you know, there are three of us here
I'm assuming who are pakiher? The treaty should be as
(21:43):
important to us as kiwis as it is to Marty,
but it is often just seen as something for Marty.
Actually it's the it's all of us that it's what
brings all of us here and helps give us our rights.
So I think we've got to turn this stuff on
our head on its head and have a mature, grown
up conversation, not a divisive one. And that means talking
(22:05):
to your neighbor and coming together, not blurting out over
social media and reacting to everything that you find offensive
from Tapati Marti or whoever else. You know, let's get real.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
What about the hekoys? What are you hearing? Jas?
Speaker 2 (22:20):
How big are they going to be? Are we in
for a torrid time in Wellington when they hit down?
Speaker 5 (22:25):
Oh yeah, it's going to be disruptive, And I think
that's the point. I mean, you don't have a hickoy
for like sunshine and rainbows. I mean it's probably it's
going to be peaceful. I'm sure the Tipati Marti, for
all their faults, have demonstrated up to this point that
they run peaceful hikoys and peaceful protests, and one thing
about them that they're remarkably good at is activating their base.
They can get people just like that. And I think
(22:46):
that that David Seymour might have underestimated the fact that
moving the bill like this would actually inspire more people
to get out and walk across the country and then
bring it to Parliament eventually. But this also works in
David Seymour's favor. People are not going to like roads
being shut down, They're not going to like the Harbor
Bridge being shut down. They're going to get annoyed. They're
going to use that frustration and they're going to pin
(23:08):
it back on Tea Party, Marty, the Greens and Labor
and they're going to say, you know, this is this
is annoying you, this is a really annoying thing that's happening.
I'm going to I'm holding you responsible for this. And
they're going to they're going to have that in their brain.
They're going to have this connection between them inconveniences and
these hikoys going forward. And if you're somebody that's not
into politics, you're not really involved that much. That might
(23:31):
be enough to tip you over the edge.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
I'm into politics, but I'm not into extremes. And what
we have here are the extreme is the extremes playing
out on both sides of the argument, one reacting against
the other. This is and I don't believe that most
New Zealanders are on on extreme here. I think this
is where those of us that are sensible and want
proper partnership and want a place for Marty is tangue
(23:54):
at to Fenoua and a place for everybody else that's need.
We need to come forward and start leading this debate.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Cats.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
I don't know why we're talking about cats. Who here
has cat city board? You have a cat chose?
Speaker 5 (24:04):
No? No, no, We've got an apartment that's so smaller
than your studio by quite some measure, so where I
don't think we.
Speaker 6 (24:09):
Could have a cat.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Now I now know what apartment you live in.
Speaker 6 (24:13):
That's creepy.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
How would be standing outside watching?
Speaker 2 (24:15):
I actually went, well, I'm the developers are very good
friends of mine, and I went when they were building them.
I really liked the penthouses. But you didn't get one
of the penthouses.
Speaker 5 (24:23):
Did you?
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Well?
Speaker 5 (24:24):
No, I didn't get the penthouse at I don't go
on a basketball team. I don't have a pet house.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
If you if you owned a basketball team, you will
definitely not thoseleag at those exactly right. But we're talking
about cats, Nick, do you have a cat?
Speaker 4 (24:38):
It's a bit of a soll point because our cat
got run over last year. We've got a little dog
and we had a cat, a beautiful cat, and I'm
a cat person, so it's.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Look like a cat person, I know, but a cat
doesn't look like.
Speaker 6 (24:56):
Listeners.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
He's pointing at his producer right now, right, Well.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Let's do you know that the government has decided against
legislating for a register of that's in New Zealand, despite
a recommendation from a select committee. Do we actually, nick
leg it have a problem with feral cats and uzelm.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
I think we do, But the issue is that we'll
register and cats deal with the feral problem. No, because
feral cats feel my nature won't be registered because they
don't have own.
Speaker 6 (25:24):
It's a very good point. So look, I do think
we have.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Over the years, I've seen sort of some good specia
type things where they go into a feral cat comdony
and desect them all and then so they just die out.
But you know that there are smart ways of doing this.
But I just wonder about more bureaucracy, you know, having
to register every cat.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
I think you should.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
I'm sorry, I think you should create It'll create cost
and bureaucracy and a whole lot of paperwork. What will
it actually solve?
Speaker 5 (25:55):
I thought that you already did have the register cats.
I was actually surprised with this story.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
No, there you go, let's move on.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
I'm not against it. If you can show it actually
does something other than just create paper.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Yeah, I think it would would. I think it would
make people do more.
Speaker 5 (26:09):
I'm not get Gareth Morgan on the case. That's a
man that I want in charge of this initiative.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
I should actually get him on Friday. Face off some time, Gareth.
We're going to be a good gift on them.
Speaker 5 (26:17):
As long as you only talked about cats, you'd be fine.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I think you could talk. I could talk about several
things with Gareth Morgan. I don't think that I would
be limited to talking about cats with Gareth Morgan is
a very fine man. Student job search now, we all
had jobs, right, you know, didn't we when we were students.
I'm hopefully, hopefully, hopefully we had Jason's looking at me
with this black thing. I'm an educated person. I didn't
have the partner.
Speaker 6 (26:38):
Oh god, I had a job since I was fifteen.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Okayon like a worker to me?
Speaker 6 (26:43):
Oh yeah, I'm a laborer all right.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Well, we found out that actually getting jobs in the
school holidays has becoming very problematic, and companies that normally
took staff on during the holiday periods aren't and lots
of cvs are floating around Jason. How important is it
for a student to be actually doing some work and
actually getting in the real life experiences of work life experience.
Speaker 5 (27:04):
Oh, hugely important, hugely important, And not just for the
fact that they have a little bit of I was
gonna say pocket money. It almost sounds condescending, but some
money they actually get by with. But as you say,
getting into that real workforce, because if you get if
you finish uni high school, go into university and then
go into the workforce, it can be quite a shock
to the system. And I think that preparing you for
(27:24):
that transition is very helpful. But you know, this story
comes at the same time as we saw something from Australia.
I'm not sure if you saw it next plural, because
there's two next here about the recruiter that said that
the attitude of young people these days is absurd.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
They want to be they want to be the boss.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
Neither they will, we won't get out of bed for
one hundred K and that sort of thing. And they
want to work from home the whole time, and bosses
are saying, no, you can't do that. I wonder how
much of that actually factors into it, if it's the
attitudes as well.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Nick Leggett, did you have a part time job when
you come out of school?
Speaker 4 (27:58):
I had several, several. I mean I worked from when
I was sort of about thirteen or fourteen, and I've
always worked had part time jobs. And I think it's
agree with the other it's important, you know, and you know,
it's also quite costly to be a student these days,
so you know, any extra dollars as well as building
you know, the work habits, I think it's vital. And
(28:19):
but let's let's let's face it, the New Zealand economy
is in struggle street at the moment. They're you know,
businesses are not you know, are not in great positions
in many cases. And if you think about retail and food,
it's probably harder still. So a lot of people that
would traditionally employ a student, you know, I'm not doing
they just they don't have the business at the moment.
So that's the reason. But it is interesting because that's
(28:41):
where all parts of society suffers when the economy is
like this, and it's a it's worth highlighting this.
Speaker 6 (28:46):
I think, what was your job when you were thirteen?
Just out of it?
Speaker 4 (28:48):
I worked in a Chinese takeaway?
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Oh I can, and it was great. It was great.
It was a great job. They were they good to
they were great, great.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
Whitby Chinese takeaway for anybody who's interested in things, Jason,
what was yours?
Speaker 5 (29:00):
I was a support worker for kids with disabilities. I
did it from when I was fifteen all the way
through it.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
You would be really good, you know what I had
to I had a cleaning job and then I got
into hospitality. But one of the jobs that I always
remember is Dodd's die Casting were a little factory and tower,
a little factory that made steel products. And mister and
missus Dodd, we're the most amazing people. And I worked
for them for three or four weeks and I remember it.
Fifty years later they missus. Dodd came around with the
paypack at every Tuesday. Mister Dodd tried to improve everything
(29:27):
I did, and it was just a family business.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
You do have really strong memories of those kind of
you're doing so when you know they make a real impact,
don't they.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
And that's impacted my life, believe it or not. Four
weeks are working at Dodd's die casting.
Speaker 6 (29:39):
It was only four weeks.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
I was in a school holiday.
Speaker 5 (29:41):
Job and they discovered your work ethic and you're out
the door.
Speaker 4 (29:44):
He left school after they liked me.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
They liked me, they thought I was good.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
The Friday.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
Hot Okay, I'm gonna go with Jason Walls with his
hots and dots. First, I'm bit concerned about timing.
Speaker 5 (30:01):
My hot is it hasn't happened yet. It's happen at
lunchtime today. I'm going to my favorite plan. This sounds ridiculous,
but Noodle Plus it's great, great value, a huge bowl
of noodles, super tasty, and I've been thinking about it
all morning, and then when Nick was bringing up working
at a Chinese takeaway before, I thought about it more so.
Noodle Plus hates to see me coming and Courtney Place.
(30:23):
There's one in Courtney, there used to be one at
Courtney Place.
Speaker 6 (30:25):
There's one on.
Speaker 5 (30:27):
Lampton Key, i think, and then there's one opposite Mount
or Victoria University as well, so I'm gonna be dropping
by there. Mine not hot is being included in my
ex boss's brick bat of the Week. So Audrey Young
used to be political editor of The Herald and I
was working under her there. She now does a weekly
(30:49):
political newsletter where she says it's sort of like her
hot or not for politics, so she does the best
thing that she thinks happened in the week and the
worst thing that's happened in the week. And for the
first time I was included in the worst thing that
happened in the week because at the post Cabinet press
conference on Monday, I had a bit of a bee
in my bonnet about Winston Peter's going over to the
Melbourne Cup and asked the Prime Minister wa Winston's KPIs
(31:10):
would be while he's over at the races. And she
thought that that was a bit dismissive of the New
Zealand racing industry, but she did say it was a
rare misstep from me, So that's time.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
I would say the same thing, Nick Leggott. You've got
exactly one minute and twenty seven second.
Speaker 4 (31:24):
Okay, I can do it. My hot is the peaceful
transfer of power in the largest democracy earth.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
So we don't know yet which is well.
Speaker 4 (31:36):
President Biden has said it will be and I believe him.
So I think that's you know, like democracy has been
preserved in the United States, and long mate continue. My
not is Sound's air canceling. It's Wellington to Topol route
and that comes on the back of the service canceling
(31:57):
the service between Wellington and Westport. In my previous role
working for the road transport industry, I used both of those.
And you know, these regional flights connecting to large centers
are really important connections. Now clearly they're not economic for
the company at the moment. Once again it's that it's
the wider economic picture, but they're important connectors to get
(32:17):
people to places for friends, family and business, and I
think that's a shame and I hope they come back.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Nick Leggan, always a pleasure to have you in the studio,
Thank you very much, and Jason will has always got
to see you keep up the good work.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
Both of you.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Have a great weekend. You know that every venue in
Wellington's got something on the Saturday night. It isn't that
great news, Crowded House, August Throw, Jason Mina, everything, Every big,
major venue's got an event on. So we're heading in
the right direction.
Speaker 6 (32:42):
We long live Wellington, Long Live Wellington.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks There'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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