1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:01,680 Speaker 1: And with us on the huddle we have Morris Williams 2 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: and Auckland councilor former National Party cabinet minister, and also 3 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: Craig Rinny see to you economists, hire you. 4 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 2: Too good evening hear that even Craig do. 5 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: Either of you guys do referring do you do you 6 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: do any referring? 7 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 2: Morris? No, I'm too old to run around the field. 8 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: Now what about you? 9 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 2: Craig? 10 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 3: No, absolutely not. I can't think of anything worse to 11 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 3: be Frank. 12 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: No, because I mean, why would you when you hear 13 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: that this is the kind of stuff you have to 14 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 1: put up with. 15 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, it sounds as if, you know, some people have 16 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 3: just really sort of you know, lost their mains a 17 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 3: little bit. People shouldn't be put in situations where they're 18 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 3: you know, probably volunteering for their sort of role than 19 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:40,959 Speaker 3: having to cop that sort of abuse. I think it's, 20 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 3: you know, it's something we should probably be send people, 21 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 3: you know, just calm down a little bit. 22 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 2: That was a pretty unsatisfactory interview. You just did go. 23 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:50,200 Speaker 1: For goodness sake, you unsatisfied with me or him? 24 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: No, No, them, they should have been onto this, you know, 25 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 2: within Monday. They should have had themselves sorted, had some 26 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 2: interviews done. Something is ready to go, press ready to 27 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 2: go by Wednesday. You get to Thursday night and his answers, well, 28 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 2: we still don't know, not sure, haven't looked at that. 29 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 2: I can't really cover that. Don't want us get into that. 30 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 2: I mean, that is just appalling. 31 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:12,559 Speaker 1: I know I'm standing to get a little bit tired 32 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: of this kind of thing, But anyway, what can you 33 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: do other than just kind of be angry at it? 34 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 2: Now? 35 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: What do you, Morris, while you're all hit up, what 36 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: do you make of the revelation that FARO order funding 37 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 1: has been used to prop up a super rugby team. 38 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:32,400 Speaker 2: My gast was flabbered. I just couldn't believe. I mean 39 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 2: that money for health and for well being is so 40 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 2: short and there's always huge demands. The demand is always 41 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 2: greater than supply. And to find that money that should 42 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 2: have been focused on how do we get better health 43 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 2: outcomes for you know, the kids down at the level 44 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 2: of grassroots and make them better and healthier people, was 45 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 2: going to a professional rugby team. That is just I mean, 46 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 2: I don't know how ministers could allow departments who are 47 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 2: supposed to be monitoring how that money has been spent 48 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 2: to know exactly what they're getting backward. For that to 49 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 2: actually be allowed to happen is just outrageous. 50 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean they must have known, mustn't they, Craig, 51 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: And then they waved it through for another year. By 52 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: the sounds of things. 53 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 3: Well, you would hope that they would have known, you know, 54 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 3: you hope your minister will be on top of the 55 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 3: majority of the payments, particularly one that at first glance 56 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 3: looks as potentially controversial as this. You know, I think 57 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 3: there'd be one of the few occasions Morris and I 58 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 3: may be in complete agreements that I find it extremely 59 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 3: strange unless there's some other reason why this is the case, 60 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 3: whether it's being used for promotion, to support education Craig. 61 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: So what it is that there's a bunch of pillars 62 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: to find out order funding, and one of them health education, housing, 63 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: all the stuff that you would expect, but one of 64 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 1: them is also cultural enrichment, right, and it feels like 65 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: possibly these guys have funded the PACIFICA team for cultural 66 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: enrichment for PACIFICA people. Does that wash with you? 67 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 3: I don't think if you're I can see how you 68 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 3: make fund grassroots rugby. I can see how you make 69 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 3: funds a community rugby to put to fund professional rugby 70 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 3: in that space. Seems to me to would normally feel 71 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 3: any kind of normal cost benefit analysis that you would 72 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 3: normally put forward in this space. 73 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 2: Yeah, and here that whenever these things arise, the very 74 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 2: first thing that shoots my mind or we've got this 75 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 2: and it's exposed and it's an outrage, it's going to 76 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 2: be dealt to and focused on the Pacific miracle as 77 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 2: they've lost the contractor cause my first question always arise 78 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 2: in my brain is and how many others are there 79 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 2: of these? Well? 80 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: Exactly, And that is the worrying thing, isn't it? And 81 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: we've had texts along these lines, Morris. This does the 82 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: minute that something like this comes out, people go, oh, 83 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: there'll be heaps more of this, And it's it's such 84 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: a knock to public confidence, isn't it? 85 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 3: Correct? 86 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's really it's a real pity. All Right, we'll 87 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: take a break, come back to you guys, shorties shortly right. 88 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: You're back on the huddle with Marris Williamson and Craig Greennie. Now, Morris, 89 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: how much how much support do you think there are 90 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: in the affected areas? For fifteen story buildings in Auckland. 91 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 2: Oh look, I would imagine there'd be a level of 92 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 2: grumpiness in the very specific affected areas, but if you 93 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 2: look at it in the entire entirety of the old proposal, 94 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 2: it makes really good sense. What we had is the 95 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 2: stupid thing that both political parties agreed to. And let 96 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 2: me tell you, if they're ever going to have sort 97 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 2: of bipartis an agreement, we need to get something a 98 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 2: bit better than the medium densities stuff for Auckland. We 99 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 2: were building junkie pieces of things right in between nice 100 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 2: houses that people have paid a fortune for and had 101 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 2: a right to believe they could retain their value. And 102 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 2: they were not even on bus routes. And there's been 103 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 2: stuff all over the place. So what's been happening. And 104 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:45,799 Speaker 2: the council has been pleading for it, and the government's 105 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 2: come through and said, look, the best way you can 106 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 2: get intensification is down the rail corridors, down the major 107 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 2: bus routes, and there we should be prepared to go 108 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 2: up and build lots and lots of places where you 109 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 2: can walk out of your apartment walk one hundred meters 110 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 2: or two hundre meters. 111 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 1: On the fifteen stories, because that's there's bloody high man 112 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: like you would you would you start? Is it your 113 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: opening gambit? Can we negotiate your The government. 114 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 2: Have said and that specific thing, haven't They said a 115 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 2: minimum of fifteen within the central city. And we've got 116 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 2: plenty of buildings in the city that are fifteen and 117 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:17,600 Speaker 2: more stories now, So. 118 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 1: I don't think that city is a high thing. I mean, 119 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: if you've got a villa and then you have fifteen 120 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 1: stories next to it. 121 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 2: That salon, well, it'll only be on the rail They've 122 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 2: named Heaven, they Kingsland and Mount ead and railway station. Look, 123 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 2: what I think is that the vast bulk of destruction 124 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 2: of wealth of normal properties that was going on with 125 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 2: the MDRS was insanity. And I think that if you're 126 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 2: going to try to get people into public transport, you 127 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,599 Speaker 2: need to have them living as close to the major 128 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:50,919 Speaker 2: corridors and down that rail lines. They're putting five billion 129 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 2: or more into the CRL. If you're going to do that, 130 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 2: you need to get back an investment. I think it's 131 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:57,919 Speaker 2: a great idea. I think the government's been great to 132 00:05:57,920 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 2: do it, and I'm pretty sure most of the countis 133 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,599 Speaker 2: that we were being brief do on all this Yusterday 134 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 2: are pretty strongly in supportable as well. 135 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:06,720 Speaker 1: Okay, Craig, what do you think of this? 136 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 3: Well, I think we've made really not just this, not 137 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 3: just this, Successive governments have made really significant investments in 138 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:19,239 Speaker 3: these transport corridors. You know, not putting high density hasing 139 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 3: and not allowing high density hasing next to them would 140 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 3: seem to really miss an opportunity created by that investment. 141 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:29,479 Speaker 3: What worries me is that it's not so much the housing. 142 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 3: It's making sure that those new residents who are living 143 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 3: in that you know, very high density properties have access 144 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 3: to the amenities that mean that we're not just building 145 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 3: future ghettos, and so making sure that they've got access 146 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 3: to to retail, to GPS, to other public services. Because 147 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 3: we can build lots of housing, we need to be 148 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:49,840 Speaker 3: actually building communities and what. 149 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 2: We work, we're on tun on everything. 150 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 3: And what I wouldn't want to see is us building 151 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 3: huge numbers of new skyscrapers in various places or even 152 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 3: just veryos buildings. 153 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: See, this is why I hate bipartisanship, because both of you, 154 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 1: I disagree with both of you on the now nobody 155 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 1: represents me. 156 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 2: Well. 157 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 3: I think one of the things we also want to 158 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 3: make sure is that you know, we're building housing for 159 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 3: everyone's needs in the city. In one of the problems 160 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 3: that we know in Auckland, the city of more than 161 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 3: a million people, there's a real shortage of one and 162 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 3: two bedroom units in Auckland, and we need to be 163 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 3: building lots more of those for the communities that are 164 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 3: going to be in Auckland in the future. And this 165 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 3: is this is a means of doing that. But to me, 166 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 3: it's much more about building the amenities alongside of it, 167 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 3: the schools, you know, the GP practices, the retail, so 168 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 3: that we're building really long term communities, not just some 169 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 3: short term housing. 170 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 2: But if you look around Auckland, if you look closely 171 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 2: all around some of the rail corridors, and you know, 172 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 2: down through the South corridor and down the Eastern corridor 173 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 2: and even on the western one, there are sort of 174 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 2: big lines of car yards, and there are big lines 175 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 2: of industry and so on that literally could easily be 176 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 2: located elsewhere and you could use the land that is 177 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 2: within walkable distance, because that's the key where people no 178 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 2: longer need to use a car, because you cannot keep 179 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 2: putting more cars on Auckland's roads. They're already jammed, locked, 180 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 2: blocked and stopped. So you've got to find a way 181 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 2: of people finding public transport as more viable. 182 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 3: And can that can add to that? Morris that I 183 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 3: think it's not just an Auckland problem. We have the 184 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 3: same problem on subcrit Satire in Wellington and we have 185 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 3: you know on you know on Cambridge Terrace, we have 186 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 3: a whole heap of car yards within walking distance of 187 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 3: the CBD. 188 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: Would you have would you like me to hook you 189 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: up with each other? You're going out for dinner late, 190 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: that's the rate you'll go and no, off you go 191 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 1: the peer of you can have that conversation in private. 192 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: Thanks very much. It's Morris, Williams and Craig Rennie the Huddle. 193 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:44,559 Speaker 1: Next time somebody says that we need political consensus, No 194 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: you don't. That's what that looks like. 195 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 3: For more from Hither Duplessy Alan Drive, listen live to 196 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 3: news talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 197 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 3: the podcast on iHeartRadio.