1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,880 Speaker 1: And standing in for the Finance Minister. Tonight we have 2 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:04,480 Speaker 1: Chris Bishop, the Associate Finance Minister, and of course the 3 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:08,079 Speaker 1: Minister for Housing and Transport. Halo bish Hello, right, I 4 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:09,480 Speaker 1: want to talk to you about the Roads of National 5 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: Significance announcement today. See you guys are sitting aside half 6 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: a billion dollars to buy up houses where the roads 7 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: need to go. It seems like a lot. 8 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 2: Well there's a lot of roads. 9 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 3: I mean seventeen roads around the country. We've announced a 10 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 3: lot of investment cases today. They've all gone through the 11 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 3: Transport Agency Board and that's now the next step. 12 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 2: It's then the acquisition. 13 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 3: That's consenting, that's designations, that's geotech works, there's all the 14 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 3: stuff you need to do before you actually build a road. 15 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 2: People think you can sort of start it tomorrow. You can't. 16 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 2: You've got to do all this work. 17 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 3: I mean relation to Mount Vick, you know tunnel for example, 18 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 3: they're still that are property purchased to go there's East 19 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:44,839 Speaker 3: West Link and Aucklanders and property purchasing to go to 20 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:46,279 Speaker 3: Wide and corridors and things like that. 21 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 2: So yeah, it is quite a bit of money. 22 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 3: But then when you you know, you put it in 23 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 3: the in the round of the investment we're making and 24 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 3: the importance of these roads. 25 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 2: It's you know, just what it is. 26 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: How many of these roads are going to get told? 27 00:00:58,400 --> 00:00:59,959 Speaker 3: The starting point for all of them will be told. 28 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 3: That's a really clear government direction that we will we 29 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 3: will look to. 30 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 2: Toll all of them. 31 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 3: And the reason for that is it's a revenue stream 32 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 3: that means the road can happen sooner than otherwise would 33 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 3: it would you know, it can be brought forward. And 34 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 3: then of course it gives you a revenue stream to 35 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:16,839 Speaker 3: cover the maintenance costs of the roads as well, because 36 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 3: once you've built a road, it's all very well to 37 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 3: have it there, but you've got to look after it 38 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:21,759 Speaker 3: as well. 39 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:23,320 Speaker 2: Well. 40 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 3: The toll well, in relation to some of the roads 41 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 3: we've already got told, like the Toyron Eastern Link from memory, 42 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:31,839 Speaker 3: that's a twenty five year toll started in twenty and ten, 43 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 3: I think from memories, about fifteen years into it, so you. 44 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 2: Roll them out for twenty five or thirty year period. 45 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 3: But I want to be really clear that tolling is 46 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 3: not a magic money tree like people sort of think 47 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 3: tolling covers everything in a road. 48 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 2: It doesn't. It covers some of the cost of it, 49 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 2: but it doesn't cover all of it. 50 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: Okay, did you like Labour's Future Fund? 51 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 2: I thought it was a bit of a brain fart 52 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 2: put to paper. 53 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 3: I mean honestly, like I had a read of it, 54 00:01:57,440 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 3: Like there's more detail in my Uber Eats order than 55 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 3: there is and what they put in their document. I mean, honestly, 56 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 3: it's just it's eleven pages. Three of three of them 57 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 3: are photos. One of them is like something that you 58 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 3: take out of a clip art manual and check on 59 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 3: the front page. I mean, honestly, it's there's nothing there. 60 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 3: There's just literally nothing there. 61 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: Like GP, it's a crappy idea, because what it is 62 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: is it's a good idea. The Singaporean idea is a 63 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: good idea, but then they hobble it in the way 64 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: that only Labor is able to. But do you like 65 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 1: the Singaporean idea that it's based on, which is that 66 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: you put all the state assets into a into a 67 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: fund that's independently managed and we don't have an emotional 68 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: connection to it. They can sell and buy and do whatever. 69 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 3: But it's the it's the opposite of Timisi. So TMR Sik, 70 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 3: for example, allows the assets owned by the company to 71 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 3: be sold. 72 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 2: Labor said they won't do that. 73 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 3: And it also says that you can invest overseas, and 74 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 3: Labor said, you won't invest overseas well, only if it's. 75 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 2: In New Zealand. 76 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 3: So it's like it's like literally the opposite of the 77 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 3: Temasik model. It's like appalling defamation of the Singaporeans frankly. 78 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 2: To say that. It's like, it's not like that. 79 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: No, they've taken a good idea and they've but do 80 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: you like the original good idea? Could you guys do 81 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: the original good idea? 82 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 3: Well, it's been kicked around a bit in the past, 83 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 3: and you know, I think Shane Jones did a bit 84 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:10,239 Speaker 3: of work on it when he was in government with 85 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 3: later last time. You know, it's not the world's worst idea, 86 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 3: and you know, we do want to see investment grow 87 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 3: in New Zealand, there's no no doubt about that. But 88 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 3: this is this is not I mean, there's no numbers 89 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 3: to this, there's no detail, there's no policy, there's just nothing. 90 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 3: It's just a pile of words on a piece of paper, 91 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 3: that's all it is. 92 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: Are you going to compromise with Act on the surcharge ban. 93 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:32,919 Speaker 3: We're not intending to change the position, the government position 94 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 3: on the surcharge ban. The Commerce Commissions come out and 95 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 3: as drastically lowered the interchange fees that retailers will be paying, 96 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 3: and what we're doing on the surcharge ban is making 97 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 3: sure that those costs get passed on to consumers. 98 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: Okay, are you open to get getting rid of the BSA, Well, 99 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: I think it's. 100 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 2: Worth it's worth having a look at what's gone on here. 101 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 3: I mean I think you know, I had a sort 102 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 3: of stuff over the weekend about you know, Sean Plunkett's 103 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,119 Speaker 3: operation and is it a broadcasters not? I mean, look, 104 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 3: the problem is the law is just out of date, right, 105 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 3: you know it was written in nineteen eighty nine, I 106 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 3: think is the Broadcasting Act back then, you know you 107 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 3: had terrestrial TV and you know Sky was coming and 108 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 3: you know eventually we included that and that was that. Well, 109 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 3: now you know you've got engineers and you've got the platform, 110 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 3: and you've got all these other shows. So the law 111 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 3: is just a bit out of date. And you know 112 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 3: we're going to gold Is going to have a look 113 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 3: at it. Paul Goldsmith and Miss is going to. 114 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 2: Have a lot. 115 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: Please tell me you're not going to give the BSA 116 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: greater powers. 117 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 2: I don't think that's the intention of government policy. No. 118 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 2: I mean it's possible it will. 119 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 1: Get abolished, rolled into the Media Council or something like that. 120 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 3: Well, we're just going to figure out exactly what's happened here, 121 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 3: because they seem to have asserted a power that many 122 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 3: people don't think that they have right and why they've 123 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 3: done that is, you know, unclear frankly, So Goldie is 124 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 3: having a good look at it. 125 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 1: And I think we weren't giving them enough work anymore. 126 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 1: That's the problem. They were bored. 127 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 3: Do you think, Well, the people make complaints of the 128 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:57,479 Speaker 3: BSA all the time. You would have believed what people 129 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 3: complain about on TV about unbelievable. Oh so they publish 130 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 3: the results the complaints sometimes and they deal with them. 131 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 2: People can play about all sorts of you great, believe. 132 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: What they uphold bish, it's ridiculous. Now did you like that? 133 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 2: You know more about it than I went? 134 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 1: And I do? Did you like that fresh water pole 135 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 1: that came out last week that said that you were 136 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 1: the successor in waiting? 137 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:21,719 Speaker 2: I don't pay much attention to that stuff. 138 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: Whatever. 139 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:25,599 Speaker 3: No, I'm just head down, bump up on my portfolios. 140 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 3: We've got seven things, seven portfolios I'm working on. 141 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 1: Okay, So you're not the next National Party prime minister, 142 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: then are you? 143 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 2: Bish? 144 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 3: We have a prime minister and he's doing a great 145 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 3: job and we've all just got to get him behind 146 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 3: him and the team and make sure we get the 147 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 3: recovery underway. 148 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: Okay. 149 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,359 Speaker 1: Is there any chance that you would be open to 150 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,799 Speaker 1: the AA's idea of bumping up the level of fines 151 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: that we pay in this country significantly. 152 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're going to have a look at that. 153 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 3: Give you an example, if you go ten k over 154 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 3: the speed limit, it's a thirty dollar fine. 155 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 2: Well, guess guess when. 156 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: That level was set nineteen ninety nine. 157 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 3: Nineteen eighty eight. No, yes, so most of them were 158 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:03,840 Speaker 3: set in ninety nine, so you're part right. But the 159 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 3: thirty bucks for going eight k over the speed limit 160 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,239 Speaker 3: was set in nineteen eighty eight, which is thirty seven 161 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 3: years ago, and during that time, well, we're having a 162 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 3: look at it. It was actually part of a piece 163 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 3: of work we've got underway already, is to look at 164 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 3: the fines and you lift them because they have got 165 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 3: massively out of step. And you know, I think people 166 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 3: you know, no one likes paying fines obviously, but you 167 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 3: need them there to make sure that people do keep 168 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 3: to the speed limit and you know, where your seat 169 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 3: belt and you you know, don't look at your phone 170 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 3: while they're driving and all that stuff. So some of 171 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 3: these things are now wildly out of date, and they're 172 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 3: miles out of date with you know, say Victoria in 173 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 3: Australia for example, it's like from memory, it's like five 174 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 3: hundred bucks if you get caught with your phone on Victoria. 175 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 3: And so I'm not saying we're going to head to 176 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 3: that level, you know, but we're going to have a 177 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 3: good look at it. 178 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:48,159 Speaker 2: And so that works underway. 179 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: Now listen, I've got an idea for you, okay, because 180 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: I know you're trying to find money all the time, 181 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: you know, and get rid of wastage. How about ditching 182 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: the fees free policy. 183 00:06:58,000 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, well it didn't work, did it. 184 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 3: I mean, Labor put it and you remember back in 185 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 3: twenty eighteen, I think it was Chris and said, oh 186 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 3: it's going to be great, this great progressive move is 187 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 3: going to raise participation. Well, numbers actually went down after 188 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 3: they introduced it, so we said that, well, we did 189 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 3: a deal with New Zealand first and said, look, well 190 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 3: let's make it the third year because at least that 191 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 3: makes some logical sense, right, Like you get kids into 192 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 3: university and then you want to make sure they finish 193 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 3: off the third year, which is you know, your BA 194 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 3: or your b COM or whatever. So at least your 195 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 3: third year makes makes sense to keep kids at it 196 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 3: because there is a bit of a drop off, so, 197 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 3: you know, no doubt, well that's the position at the moment. 198 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: But then they just did a report last week and 199 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: they said, even that's not working and it's just a 200 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: dead weight policies. Literally, we're just wasting money. 201 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. 202 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 3: Well, it's a form of student support that is great 203 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 3: for the kids who kids keep saying their kids and 204 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 3: not all of them the kids. Great for the people 205 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 3: who get it, students who get it. But of course 206 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 3: there are trade offs with all of this stuff, right, 207 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 3: so it's money that you can't spend on, you know, 208 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 3: for example, improving the overall tertiary education system, focusing on 209 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 3: teaching and research and all the things that you go 210 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 3: to university for. So we actually have one of the 211 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 3: most generous student support schemes in the Western world. From memory, 212 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 3: we're second in the OECD in terms of student support, 213 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 3: you know, because you've got interest for student loans as well, 214 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 3: and student allowances and interest, you know, grants for students 215 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 3: that aren't inflation adjusted. 216 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 2: So well, let's have a look at it. I'm not 217 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 2: rolling it out. 218 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: I like that, Thank you, Bush. I appreciate that. Chris Bishop, 219 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: Associate Finance Minister and Minister of Housing and Transport as well, 220 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 1: it's going to take a look at it. Happy days. 221 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: I hate that policies. For more from Heather Duplessy Alan Drive, 222 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: listen live to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, 223 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.