1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: Kilda. I'm Georgina Campbell in for Chelsea Daniels and this 2 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 1: is the Front Page, a daily podcast presented by The 3 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: New Zealand Herald. The year's biggest land deal has Wellington 4 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: a flutter, with rumors Sir Peter Jackson could be building 5 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 1: his long awaited movie museum. Interests associated with the Lord 6 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: of the Rings director have spent one hundred and five 7 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,879 Speaker 1: million dollars buying a large piece of land near the 8 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 1: city's airport in Lyle Bay. So why the secrecy and 9 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: could Jackson's vision be finally brought to life? Today on 10 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 1: the Front Page, we're joined by a business desk markets 11 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: reporter Gregor Thompson to discuss the famous filmmaker's latest property 12 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: acquisition and what his plans might be for Wellington. Let's 13 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: start with the land at south. Where is it and 14 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: what does it look like? 15 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 2: So it's a big block of land in the Wellington 16 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 2: suburb of Rongatai and Lyle Bay on the southern end 17 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 2: of the suburb. It's in between the airport retail space 18 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 2: and a big Bunnings warehouse just west of the Wellington Airport. 19 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: How has this land prime land? It's very close to 20 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: the waterfront. How has that land come to be sold? 21 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 2: Just so you know, I haven't talked to anybody directly 22 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:30,040 Speaker 2: related in the sale. That's their choice, not mine. I've 23 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 2: been trying very hard. But what we do know from 24 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:35,679 Speaker 2: triangulating kind of previous reporting, looking at the company's register 25 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 2: and you know, looking at property records, the land in 26 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 2: question was formerly under a leasehole arrangement between Wellington property 27 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 2: developer called Prime Properties and the Wellington International Airport. Now 28 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 2: it's a bit kind of complicated and esoteric, but basically, 29 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 2: under a leasehold arrangement, which is a form of ownership, 30 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 2: there is a freehold interest which means that you own 31 00:01:57,600 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 2: the land, and then there is a leasehold interest mean 32 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 2: that you're entitled to lease out the land, and the 33 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 2: lease holdy interest in this case as the airport was 34 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 2: paying money to the freehold interests in order to have 35 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 2: the right to lease out the land. That's not that interesting. 36 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 2: But what is interesting is that now if you look 37 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 2: at the property records, a company called lb HC, so 38 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 2: we think that means Lalo Bay Holding Company, which is 39 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 2: directed by Sir Peter Jackson and Dame fran Welsh, the filmmakers. 40 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 2: Now they have both interests in the land, so now 41 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 2: they only have a freehold. So we think what's happened 42 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 2: and we'll actually what the property records say is that 43 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 2: they have paid one hundred and four million dollars for 44 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 2: twelve properties in Lao Bay and now they both have 45 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 2: complete freehold ownership over the property. 46 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: And they also purchased land there last year. 47 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, so some reporting from our esteemed colleagues at The Herald, 48 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,919 Speaker 2: actually Matt Nippett managed to reveal last year that they 49 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 2: had bought sections or just south of the sections that 50 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 2: were recently reported to have been sold, and that was 51 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 2: for about thirty five million dollars. So that takes the 52 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 2: entire cost of all of these two blocks of land 53 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 2: to one hundred and forty million dollars. 54 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 3: The Jackson case is just so particularly fascinating because he's 55 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 3: a world class billionaire and artistic talent, and his real 56 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 3: estate purchases, particularly and Miramar, are not solely driven by profit. 57 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 3: He's not able to rent these churches out. It's a 58 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 3: very old school sort of feudal vibe almost about the thing. 59 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: Should we be concerned about that at all? 60 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 3: Well, as long as it's in the open, you know, 61 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 3: Jackson hasn't broken any laws, but definitely worth keeping an eye. 62 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 1: This recent purchase. They paid well over the RV, right. 63 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, so if you add up the rating valuation of 64 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 2: all the properties in this block that they've just purchased, 65 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 2: it comes in at about forty million dollars below what 66 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 2: they've paid. So, yeah, that's right. 67 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: I mean, why would somebody pay so much money for 68 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: a piece of land, you know, like that's quite a 69 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: significant amount over the RV. 70 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, just remember the RVs aren't perfect, I guess. 71 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 2: But at the same time, I think it indicates that 72 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,559 Speaker 2: the person who has bought the land, Jackson and Walsh 73 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 2: or the people, probably have some big plans for it. 74 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 2: In order, I mean, in order to pay that much money, 75 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 2: I think, yeah, you have to be willing to do 76 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 2: quite a. 77 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 1: Lot to it. The Wellington rumor mill has gone into 78 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: overdrive about this land sale, so many people are talking 79 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: about it. What is it about this deal that kind 80 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: of sparks that sort of interest? 81 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 2: The Wellington gossip stars have aligned on this one. So 82 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 2: at the moment, Wellingtonians are very obsessed with development, and 83 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 2: this is an infamously unproductive piece of brown field real 84 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 2: estate that hasn't been used for a long time. There's 85 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 2: obviously that it's right in the middle of a suburb 86 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 2: that is being pegged for having capacity to be developed 87 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 2: in the wrongion, Lal Bay. And then I think the 88 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 2: other thing, which is probably the most important aspect of 89 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:02,040 Speaker 2: this is Jackson and Walsh associated to it. Now. They're 90 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 2: both very private people, which I think means that whatever 91 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 2: they do Gune is quite a lot of speculation. But 92 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 2: then the other thing is that a lot of Wellingtonians 93 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 2: who are home proud are home proud about things that 94 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 2: they've been attached to. So Lord of the Rings, you know, 95 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 2: there's been some really good exhibitions that they've both done, 96 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 2: So yeah, I guess there's basically he's a high profile 97 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:23,679 Speaker 2: figure in the city. 98 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: So considering that secrecy and that they are so private, 99 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: what has it been like trying to get at the 100 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: truth or find out what's going on here? What have 101 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: people said when you've tried to talk to them about this? 102 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 4: Yeah? 103 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 2: I think it's actually quite a funny reporting story found 104 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:43,839 Speaker 2: out about this because my friend who goes to the 105 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 2: gym City Fitness on this lot of land, was complaining 106 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 2: because he found out that Peter Jackson had bought the site, 107 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:55,360 Speaker 2: and it was unlikely that the gym would live much longer. 108 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 2: Considering that, I don't know if Peter Jackson wants to 109 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 2: just have a gym on his land. I kind of 110 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 2: started out from there, thinking, oh, how can I get 111 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 2: at this story. I rang a couple of real estate agents, 112 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 2: you know. One of them confirmed to me off the 113 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 2: record that it had taken place. So then I started 114 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 2: looking at property records. I worked out that Prime Properties 115 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 2: Property Development Company had the freehold share. So I rang 116 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 2: up the owner. He wouldn't respond. I rang up one 117 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 2: of his staff, he wouldn't respond. I actually rang them 118 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 2: both several times. If you're listening to this, sorry about that. 119 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 2: And then I know that the leasehold land was owned 120 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 2: by the way Introon International Airport. So I rang the 121 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 2: one Inton International Airport. I didn't want to have anything 122 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 2: to do with me. The airport's owned two thirds by 123 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 2: infan Till I rang them, they didn't want anything to 124 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 2: do with me. I went to the Infant too AGM 125 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 2: and raised it with their investor relations guy, who again 126 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 2: just kind of referred me to the airport. And I 127 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 2: was like, oh, well, who owns the other share. Lingon 128 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 2: City Council owns one third of it, so I tried 129 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 2: to get in contact with the council and tried to 130 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 2: persuade them by telling them it was of public interest, 131 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 2: which they didn't buy so they denied to comment. Tory 132 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 2: Farno as well also mayor to not comment. But at 133 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 2: that stage my reporting was a bit troule because I coudn't 134 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 2: find anybody to confirm it. I also obviously tried to 135 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 2: call Jackson and fran Walsh's company, wing Nut Films. I 136 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 2: did get through to them, but they declined to comment. 137 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 2: So at this stage it's kind of in this position 138 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 2: where I hadn't confirmed it, but the lack of confirmation 139 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 2: from a whole bunch of people that I knew were 140 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 2: associated with it meant that there was definitely something going 141 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 2: on here. So then it turned into a process of elimination. 142 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 2: And after that I got in contact with Eastern Ward 143 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 2: Councilor Tim Brown, who luckily for me, was also a 144 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 2: former board member and chair of the Wellington International Airport 145 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 2: and he is actually quite familiar with this leasehold land 146 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 2: and what had been done and not done to it 147 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 2: over the last twenty odd years. And he confirmed to 148 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 2: me that there were three major projects that had been considered. 149 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 2: One of them was a kmart. I actually ended up 150 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 2: getting the resource consents for that, but that obviously didn't 151 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 2: come to fruition. And the other one was Concert was 152 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 2: going to move the bus depot to there, and about 153 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 2: a week prior to my starting reporting on this that 154 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 2: had been announced it had moved to Mirrama. So then 155 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 2: I actually rang up the Wellington Regional Council and ask 156 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 2: Councilor Thomas Nash if the reason that the bus depo 157 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 2: had moved to Miramars because Peter Jackson had bought it, 158 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 2: and then he declined to comment. I mean, I guess 159 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 2: all of this is a bit of a roundabout way 160 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 2: of saying that it was very difficult to report on 161 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:20,679 Speaker 2: and nobody wants. 162 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 3: To talk about it. 163 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: And then, of course, a couple of weeks after your 164 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: story was published, the property records kind of were updated 165 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 1: and confirmed that you were indeed barking up the right tree. 166 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,719 Speaker 1: I think the reason this deal has attracted so much 167 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 1: public attention is because there's also speculation that it could 168 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: be the site for Wellington's long awaited movie museum. What 169 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 1: do you know about that potential plan. 170 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, a bit of an open secret in Wellington that 171 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,440 Speaker 2: Jackson and Walsh want to film museum. They've got an 172 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 2: enormous election that I think actually you know more about 173 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 2: I do Georgina of different movie props and that sort 174 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 2: of stuff. And there was an attempt to put it 175 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 2: into the Taquina Convention Center on Wellington's waterfront or just 176 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 2: behind it in twenty seventeen, but as far as I remember, 177 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 2: those talks soured with the council and then that fell through. 178 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 2: I guess people have always known that Jackson wanted to 179 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 2: build a museum. The question was really where, And you 180 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 2: know there's the big Chlley Bay site in the eastern 181 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 2: suburbs and they had previously ruled out that the museum 182 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:30,679 Speaker 2: was going to be there, So we do know that 183 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 2: he wants to build one. And then the other thing 184 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 2: I think, which is quite probably suggestive, is that I 185 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 2: talked to Counselor Tim Brown and when he was with 186 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 2: the Wellington Airport they were in talks for a long 187 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 2: time about a potential museum. So there was at one 188 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 2: stage a plan to build it on top of where 189 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 2: the car park is, I'm told, and then another plan 190 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 2: was to build it in the site that Peter Jackson 191 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 2: has just bought. So, you know, we can't confirm absolutely 192 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 2: one hundred percent that this will be the site of 193 00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 2: a museum, because Jackson and Welsh haven't said that them. 194 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 2: But I think there are a couple of strong, pretty 195 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 2: strong indications, so that's slightly the case. 196 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, And as you say, there was that previous plan 197 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 1: to include the movie museum as part of Tarkina, the 198 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: Council's convention center. Essentially, that ideas sort of soured because, 199 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: as former Mayor Justin Lester puts it, things were just 200 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: taking too long, and he says they couldn't get more 201 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 1: detailed designs from Sir Peter Jackson and Dame fran Welsh, 202 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: and they couldn't keep pushing out the construction timelines. But 203 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 1: the thing about that plan is that it does offer 204 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:39,080 Speaker 1: a bit of insight into what a movie museum could 205 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: look like and what it could bring to Wellington. So 206 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: Council documents from the time say that the museum would 207 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: attract three hundred and fifty thousand visitors annually, create two 208 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty eight jobs, and generate twenty eight point 209 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 1: two million dollars in new spending each year. 210 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 4: Wellington is in line for a multimillion a movie museum 211 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 4: that back is a calling Disneyland. The museum will feature 212 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 4: thousands of Hollywood set pieces, props and models, including the 213 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 4: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car and miniatures from King Kong. 214 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:14,680 Speaker 4: Valgueing reports the complex is expected to give the region's 215 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 4: economy a multimillion dollar boost. 216 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 1: It was touted as a must see visitor attraction. Then 217 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 1: Chairwoman of Tourism New Zealand, Kerry Prendigar said, apart from Tapapa, 218 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 1: Wellington doesn't really have any of those sorts of attractions. 219 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:35,199 Speaker 1: And then of course there is his film collection and 220 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 1: one of the exciting things that we know is in 221 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: that collection that I think appeals to a lot of 222 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 1: people is the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car. But also 223 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: the Council Documents said that the sort of exhibitions that 224 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:51,319 Speaker 1: we could expect to see in the film museum would 225 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: span wetter groups, award winning Hollywood scale productions, some of 226 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: their earlier homegrown movies. Is thousands of designs, props, models 227 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 1: and pieces that would all be featured. So some pretty 228 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:06,680 Speaker 1: cool stuff in the summary, I think, but back to 229 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: the land sale at South Korea. Is this a significant addition, 230 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 1: would you say, to Peter Jackson's property portfolio in Wellington, 231 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: because he already owns quite a lot of land, doesn't he. 232 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,559 Speaker 2: It's by any metric, a pretty big pass of land, 233 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 2: particularly in suburb just on the edge of the middle 234 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 2: of our capital city. So two point seven hectares is 235 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:30,199 Speaker 2: rough estimate of all of the land he owns there now, 236 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 2: which yeah, I think is a pretty substantial property holding. 237 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 3: Yeah. 238 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 1: And the other thing is that this particular purchase has 239 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: topped the list as New Zealand's largest purchase this year. 240 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: CBRE recently released its transition monitor and this single sale 241 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: comprised about seventy percent of the total value of development 242 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: site and land transactions, So a big deal in its 243 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: own right. But as you pointed out, Peter Jackson and 244 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 1: fran Welsh have recently purchased at Shalli Bayland, which they've 245 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: ruled out for the movie museum, and their plans there 246 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 1: are really to restore it, to become a reserve, to 247 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 1: bring nature back. And if you go out there at 248 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 1: the moment, the Chocolate Fish Cafe has reopened and it's 249 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:19,560 Speaker 1: so popular that it's almost impossible to get a table 250 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 1: if you're there on a sunny Saturday morning, and then 251 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: there is a lot of fencing up around the site 252 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: as they do replanting, and you know they've selen some 253 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 1: grass and things like that. But you know, Challie Bay 254 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: and this property at Lyle Bay significant sites, along with 255 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: the other land that the couple owned. Do you think 256 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: this is a good thing for locals to have Sir 257 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: Petter Jackson investing in the community as much as he 258 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:49,080 Speaker 1: does with these building acquisitions, or a developers councils and 259 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:53,319 Speaker 1: businesses concerned that this person who has accumulated a lot 260 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:56,960 Speaker 1: of whilst through his success can kind of do whatever 261 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 1: he likes with these pretty significant sites. 262 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 2: Whether or not Wellingtonian should be worried about that, I 263 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 2: guess that's what the question is first, But I don't 264 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 2: think it's really up to me to decide whether or 265 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 2: not that's true. But I do see both sides. I 266 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,719 Speaker 2: can understand why people would be worried about perhaps the 267 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 2: power that Peter Jackson does have to develop and buy 268 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 2: land and then do what he wants with it. But 269 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 2: we do live in a country that respects private property 270 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 2: and that's kind of has entitledment, I suppose, but I 271 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 2: can understand why people would not want someone to do 272 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 2: that also have so much ability to do that in 273 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:31,520 Speaker 2: one certain place. But then the other thing is, you know, 274 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 2: lots of this stuff. I think, particularly the site that 275 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 2: we're talking about in Laal Bay has sat relatively underdeveloped 276 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 2: for the last twenty years. So if you're measuring whatever 277 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 2: it is that he builds relative to what is there currently, 278 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 2: it seems quite difficult to me that you would have 279 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:48,960 Speaker 2: a worse outcome than what is currently the status quo. 280 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 2: I guess those are the two arguments, and Wellington needs development. 281 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 2: I know lots of people are really pleased about what 282 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 2: is effectively kind of a city sugar daddy. 283 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: I mean, I was chatting to Parrot Dog, which has 284 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 1: a venue out there serving up craft beer, and they 285 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 1: sort of said, look like anybody who wants to invest 286 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:13,480 Speaker 1: money in beautifying areas of Wellington and that regeneration they 287 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: were supportive of, and they certainly felt that it was 288 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: pretty cool having Sir Peter Jackson attached to Wellington, caring 289 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: about it and willing to invest in it. But we 290 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 1: haven't heard from Sir Peter or Dame friend, have we 291 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: They haven't publicly confirmed anything. I mean, when will this 292 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: speculation turn into something concrete? 293 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 2: Do you think, Well, we know that they own the property, 294 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 2: we just don't know what they're going to do with it. 295 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 2: And my short experience in reporting on Jackson and Walsh's 296 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 2: property holdings, they are not very communicative, so honestly, I 297 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 2: don't know, but I would imagine that this is now 298 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 2: in the hands of architects and eventually they will file 299 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 2: resource consent on whatever they wanting to build. And once 300 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 2: they do that, some nosey journalists will find out they're 301 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 2: intending to do unless someone else talks about it before then. 302 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 2: But yeah, I guess we have to see. 303 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: Hey, thanks so much for joining us, Gregor. That's it 304 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: for this episode of The Front Page. You can read 305 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 1: more about today's stories and extensive news coverage at inzidherld 306 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: dot co dot nzied. The Front Page is produced by 307 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 1: Ethan Sills and sound engineer Patti Fox. I'm Georgina Campbell. 308 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: Subscribe to the Front Page on iHeartRadio or wherever you 309 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 1: get your podcasts, and tune in tomorrow for another look 310 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: behind the headlines.