1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 1: The most contentious of plans is underweing Wellington the Golden 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:05,560 Speaker 1: Mile April. It's starting new details show the first eight 3 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: months includes road layout changes, pipeworks and trees. Then it's 4 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 1: two years worth of work widening foot paths, adding cycle ways, 5 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: specialist bus lanes and rain gardens which don't require watering anyway. 6 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 1: The Business Central CEO Simon Archuss with as Simon, very 7 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: good morning. 8 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 2: To you, very good willing to you too, Mike how I. 9 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,159 Speaker 1: I'm well, thank you remind me you four again this. 10 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 2: For this in a sense that something has to be done. 11 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 2: If you've walked down Courty Placed in the last few years, 12 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:35,560 Speaker 2: it's a pretty depressing site and it needs and Key's 13 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 2: getting that way too, so we need a bit of 14 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 2: a lift. The again, that is the lack of conversation 15 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 2: for businesses. But no doubt we may discuss that. 16 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: Why didn't we learn that lesson from the CRL in 17 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: Auckland where businesses have fallen by the wayside and everyone went, jeez, 18 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:51,919 Speaker 1: we better do it better when we do it somewhere else, 19 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: And we're doing it somewhere else and we're not doing 20 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: it better. 21 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,319 Speaker 2: Well, it's the lesson learners we're talking about the Mike. 22 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 2: I mean, I think in terms of an act, the 23 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 2: council in terms of you know, this area, they ended 24 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 2: up with a twelve million dollar front. They were that 25 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 2: aware of the of the risks. It doesn't necessarily all 26 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 2: need to be spent, but you've got to make sure 27 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 2: that businesses they put it in peril and people's livelihoods, 28 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 2: their employees are protected. And this Council isn't doing it. 29 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 2: And it's not good enough. 30 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 1: As an exercise. From go to we're not at the 31 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: woe yet, but from go to when eventually the woe comes, 32 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: how would you rate this? 33 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,320 Speaker 2: Look, I mean, we're go to a way. We're talking 34 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 2: about let's get Willington moving the ghosts of and that 35 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 2: was seven point two billion dollar fantasy and we're down 36 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 2: to one hundred and thirty million to get the two streets. 37 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 2: George up a bit. Look to me, I don't want 38 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 2: to sound cynical because I am. I'm thrilled they're going 39 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 2: to be doing it, but it has been a careening 40 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 2: mess over time, and I just hope that this can 41 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 2: be delivered on time and on budget, and that will 42 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 2: be a pledge that we should help hold all of 43 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 2: those counselors for it to account online. 44 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: I wouldn't better lunch on it being on budget or 45 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 1: on time. Do you want to take that bet or not? 46 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 2: Really, I think we're worth saving each other lunch that way, Mark, 47 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 2: because I think I'd be on the same side. So 48 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 2: I think, Look, I mean these projects are big, but 49 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,639 Speaker 2: I really do think those businesses out there that will 50 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 2: suffer to just say there is no money available there 51 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 2: actually and often of course we say that these days, 52 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 2: but there is money. The council collects eighteen million dollars 53 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 2: extra not rates, an extra levy from the businesses of Wellington, 54 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 2: of central Wellington, and that money is there to be 55 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 2: used for business. Is the purpose of the taxation or 56 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 2: the levy, and the reality is they're not spending it 57 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 2: on that and they need to and that is what 58 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 2: we will have a particular issue with publicly. 59 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: Do you think outside your wheelhouse, do you think all 60 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: of this angst of Wellington in the last year or 61 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 1: so is going to generate some good turnout in the 62 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: local elections this year or not? 63 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 2: I think that I think that we will see some 64 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:03,799 Speaker 2: motivated voters are ratepayers, and that's probably the one plea 65 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,239 Speaker 2: with commercial and residential ratepayers to get out there and 66 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 2: vote because we had such quatune out. I think, I 67 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 2: think we'll see some candidates who are really keen to 68 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: make a difference, and probably for me in this role, 69 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 2: the most motivated people about making the change are certainly 70 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 2: That's what I'm seeing much more of this year. 71 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: So it's good, good, good, good, all right, Simon, good 72 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: to have you on the program. As always, sign an 73 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 1: Archist Business Central CEO. 74 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 2: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 75 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 2: news talks that'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 76 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.