1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: Barry Soper, senior political correspondent, raps the political week that 2 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: was for us. Of course this time every week. 3 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 2: Welcome back, Barry, Hello again, Heather. 4 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: It sounds to me like we're going to get a 5 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: new plane or a couple of new planes for the 6 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: defense Force. 7 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's inevitable. I mean, you know, to 8 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 2: see what happened to us in Japan was embarrassing, and 9 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:21,920 Speaker 2: I've seen it so many times before, having flown with 10 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 2: the URNSNAF on a number of occasions. And it's not 11 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 2: their fault. These are old planes. The Vice President of 12 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,840 Speaker 2: the United States flies at seven five seven, so they're 13 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 2: very good planes. But it's like anything, if you don't 14 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 2: use them, they're going to break down. And they're not. 15 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 2: They're used for haulage and you know, if we help 16 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 2: out New Caledonian places like that, they're used for that. 17 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,959 Speaker 2: But they're not used enough if you listen to defense. 18 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 2: So should we then go and buy a new plane? Well, 19 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 2: I think we've got to look the part if we 20 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 2: want to be a first world country. We're at the 21 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 2: bottom of the world. We're an export economy, and there's 22 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 2: nothing looks better and it is looks looks better than 23 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 2: an urn zav plane going onto the tarmac and the 24 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: red carpet being rolled out. 25 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: I mean, the the looks argument will only get you 26 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,399 Speaker 1: so far, right. Actually, the more compelling argument for me 27 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: is that you cannot put the defense force on a 28 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: plane that they're not sure is going to work and 29 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: then ask them to go to Antarctica or a war 30 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 1: zone or something like that, or an area where there 31 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 1: is a like a civil emergency happening. Right, they can't 32 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: be in an unsafe vehicle unable to get out. But 33 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: second of all, these planes are now costing us what 34 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: is it, thirty five million dollars a year. Actually, at 35 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 1: some point it becomes better finances to just buy a 36 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 1: new one and. 37 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 2: See, we concentrate on these planes and the ability that 38 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 2: they have to break down. They only used as VIP 39 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 2: aircraft about fifteen percent of the time, so you know, 40 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 2: it's a small part of it, but nevertheless, you know, 41 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 2: it's waving the flag and showing that we are a 42 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 2: country of some importance. We're tiny, but you know we 43 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 2: are a first world country. The other thing though, that 44 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 2: came out of the trip, that was the one thing 45 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 2: and the CEA listers, you know, I think Chris Luxen, 46 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 2: now that he's back in the country, will reflect on 47 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 2: that he made it as an aside, if you like, 48 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:32,239 Speaker 2: for trips that he's been on in the past over 49 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 2: the past six years. He hasn't been on a lot, 50 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 2: but he's been on a few, and I've got to 51 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 2: say the comment that he made was absolutely right. I've 52 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 2: sat down in the bucket section of the aircraft and 53 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 2: locked askance at some of the people that are on 54 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 2: the plane and have thought to myself, what on earth 55 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 2: are they doing here? I mean, what business can they 56 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 2: write other than getting in the Prime Minister's ear And 57 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 2: I think that's the attraction in the past of many 58 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 2: of these businesses, small businesses that go on these aircraft. 59 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:07,639 Speaker 2: But now, and you've got to look at the makeup 60 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 2: of the current trip that they did. The businesses were 61 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 2: well represented by very senior organizations, not that they haven't 62 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 2: been in the past, but predominantly on this one, they 63 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 2: were very senior business brokers in this country, if you like, 64 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 2: and they've done they did good business in Japan. So 65 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 2: you know, if we want to Japan, our fourth biggest 66 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 2: export market, to improve, we've got to really put on 67 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 2: a bit of a show. 68 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: Do you think Jinda's taking all these jobs overseas so 69 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: she doesn't have to come home? 70 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 2: Haha? Well who knows? 71 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: With us and our ongoing anger. 72 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, you know this is all about, you know, 73 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 2: global leadership and kindness and empathy. She said that it's 74 00:03:55,240 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 2: run by an organization called Global Progress and it will 75 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 2: create a network of like minded political leaders who use 76 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 2: wait for it, pragmatism, idealism and speak to people with 77 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 2: a hope and optimism. Well, I'm sorry. She may have 78 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 2: had a lot of words when she was Prime Minister, 79 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 2: and she always talked about well being and kindness, but 80 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:26,239 Speaker 2: there are so many instances during the COVID lockdowns where 81 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 2: she was anything but and she led the charge. And 82 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:34,919 Speaker 2: you know, I could name so many instances where people 83 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 2: felt as though, in fact they're birthright. If you look 84 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 2: at the people that were held out of the country 85 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,279 Speaker 2: who had New Zealand passports and had to win a 86 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 2: lottery to get home, it's unheard of in New Zealand 87 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 2: and that's hardly. 88 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 1: Kind, no fair enough, Nor is it what. 89 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 2: Well, it's hardly kind, nor is it looking after people's 90 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 2: well being too fair? 91 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: Hey, very quickly scrutiny. Week's been a success, isn't it. 92 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 2: It has been. You know, you got a lot out 93 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 2: of it. It's given the opportunity, I guess of opposition parties. 94 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 2: So one thing that it's done is they can no 95 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 2: longer complain that the government is not being held to account. 96 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 2: The number of select committee of committees have been meeting 97 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 2: throughout and all the senior ministers, including the Finance Minister, 98 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 2: has appeared before them for several hours and so they 99 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 2: cannot complain now that the government has not been and 100 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 2: hasn't been held to account. 101 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:32,119 Speaker 1: Barry, thank you very much, really appreciated. Barry Soper, Senior 102 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: political correspondent, wrapping the political week that was. 103 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 2: For more from Hither Duplicy Allan Drive, listen live to 104 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:41,239 Speaker 2: news Talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 105 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.