1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:02,080 Speaker 1: And on the huddle of Me this evening we have 2 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: David Farreh of KIWI Blog and Nick Legative Infrastructure New Zealand. David, 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 1: you're there, Oh, hold on there? Okay, yeah, hi David. 4 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: I forgot to pick up the phone. But look, I 5 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 1: mean it's been a long time since we've had landlines, 6 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: so you know. Now the trouble we've got, David is 7 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: do you know where Nicks? 8 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 2: I don't know when. Nick is usually in Wellington, so 9 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 2: Nick's time on the joint WhatsApp I don't see Ni. 10 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, well nobody knows where nickers. Nick is not answering 11 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: his phone. So Nick, if you're listening to the radio, 12 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: you need to answer your phone for this to work. 13 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: And also if your Nick's wife, can you please give 14 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: the phone to him. And if you're anybody around Nick, 15 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,240 Speaker 1: can you tell Nick that he had an appointment? Because 16 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: this is what we all need to just collectively work 17 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 1: together to help the man. Obviously, on this occasion. 18 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 2: I'll sell phone. 19 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: Hey guess what, David, it worked? Hello Nick, welcome. 20 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm so sorry about that. 21 00:00:59,200 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: What were you doing? 22 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 2: Oh? 23 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:05,199 Speaker 3: You know, after the infrastructure conference, it's good to talk 24 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 3: to people about what's going on and how we build better? 25 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: Did you drink some booze? 26 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 2: No, just a water? 27 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: Okay, that's all right. Then I love that you allowed 28 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: us to just get into your personal diary there, David. Okay, 29 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 1: now you heard that conversation with Jane Writes and about 30 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: super What do you think can we can we continue 31 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: to afford it? Do you agree with us? 32 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 2: No? I don't think we can. I think we should 33 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 2: be a lot. Point of principle, all welfare should be 34 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 2: means tested. We don't have unlimited money, and so welfare 35 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,399 Speaker 2: should go towards those whould need it. Now, the only 36 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 2: conter to that is if the cost of administry and 37 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 2: a means test will be almost the same as what 38 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 2: you say from means testing, then you might say, look, 39 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 2: it's just not worth the hassle. But as we saw 40 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 2: in that dark, there's not lots of people on two 41 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 2: hundred thousand dollars a year, and you know, I don't 42 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 2: think they need just teen thousand dollars from the tech power. 43 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: Okay. Jane writes and said Nick that it's choices, right, 44 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: you can choose to afford it, you just cut somewhere else. 45 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: What do you think, Well. 46 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 3: Of course it's about choices. But I'm with David. I mean, 47 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 3: we shouldn't be dolling out superannuation to people who don't 48 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 3: need it, and I think that's one point, so I 49 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 3: think it we should means test it. There is an 50 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:25,079 Speaker 3: argument that the universality is the best way to administer, 51 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,679 Speaker 3: the most sufficient way to administer, and therefore we actually 52 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 3: reduce deprivation among old people, and that's the best policy 53 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 3: prescription for that. But we've also got to project forward 54 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 3: tweeted twenty five years here the people in you're in 55 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 3: my generation, the government or a government should be having 56 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 3: a conversation with us and saying, look, you're not going 57 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 3: to get super at sixty five. We've got to increase 58 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 3: it for people who are currently forty or forty five 59 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 3: to sixty seven or sixty eight, and so there's no surprises. 60 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 3: You know, we actually have to prepare for the waves 61 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 3: of older people that are coming, and we should means 62 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 3: test in the meantime, are those who have got enough money? 63 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: Do you know what I love the most about this conversation, David, 64 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: is that you guys will never that this is not 65 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: going to happen, and you guys are you are in 66 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 1: the minority. 67 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 2: I have been advocating that I shouldn't get super aged 68 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 2: sixty five since I was in my twenties or tu. 69 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: Look and now you're in your in your seventies and 70 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: nothing's changed. 71 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 2: Yep, seven years to go, and yet sadly I get 72 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 2: to get her, even though I please welcome. 73 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,359 Speaker 1: And such it was. This is the way it will stay. 74 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 2: Thanks, of course, not the government offering me twelve thousand 75 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 2: dollars to do nothing. I mean, you take it. 76 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: They hipar crossing. 77 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 4: Nick. 78 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: Now, what do you make of Donald Trump? Don't From 79 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: what we know, this is the first time a sitting 80 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: president has dropped the F bomb at the press Corps 81 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: on the South lawn of the White House. What do 82 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 1: you make of it? 83 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 3: Well, I mean, not too much, to be honest. I mean, 84 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 3: we know that all president would talk like this in private. 85 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 3: You know, he's somebody who's under immense pressure at the moment, 86 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 3: and I think that's popped out. I mean, I guess 87 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 3: it's shocking for a lot of Americans, but he's you know, 88 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 3: he's he's in amongster and sometimes this is what happened. 89 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 3: So yeah, yeah, but I'm sorry, I can't be shocked 90 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 3: or or surprised. 91 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: No, not because the thing about it is, David, it's 92 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 1: not befeted, it's not it's not language befitting the office. 93 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 1: But frankly, it's coming out of the mouth of a 94 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: man who's not befitting befitting the office, isn't it. 95 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 2: I think what really shows is how badly he wants 96 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 2: that noble peace drize. He's just called it off. He bombed, 97 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 2: I run, they fired around ten blank missiles and then 98 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 2: there's a peace treaty or a cease fire, and then 99 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 2: he saw, ah, that efforts are going to ruin my 100 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 2: peace prize for me. So I think it was just 101 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 2: the frustration that came out there. He might not give 102 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 2: his noble peace I don't think he'll probably get anyway. 103 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 2: But once you've been president, what do you have left? 104 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 2: You want your noble peace prize? He's been going on 105 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 2: about how we should have once for twelve years. 106 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, would you give it to him based on if 107 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: this ceasefire holds? Nick, would you give it to him? 108 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 3: Well, it's got a sick I mean, and not just 109 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 3: for a month or six months. Look, we know that 110 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 3: he's asked a constant adulation and part of me just says, 111 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 3: we don't want to feed that, but like, if he 112 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 3: actually gets something over the line, he should be recognized 113 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 3: like everybody else. 114 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: Yep, all right, take a break, come back, maybe even 115 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:34,040 Speaker 1: come back to a bit more Donald Trump. 116 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 4: The huddle with New Zealand Southeby's international realty achieve extraordinary 117 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 4: results with unparallel reach. 118 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: Right, you're back of the huddle, Nick Leggan and David Farrett. Nick, 119 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 1: do you think that we can now say that Donald 120 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 1: Trump was right to start hassling the NATO countries to 121 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 1: lift their spending on defense. 122 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 3: I think Donald Trump is the weather, but the climate 123 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 3: has been moving in this direction for a while, has it. Unquestionably, 124 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 3: he's had an influence. You can feel that, you know, 125 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 3: every nation in the world that's thinking and has the 126 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,159 Speaker 3: economic means is now doing this. And I think he 127 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 3: has been an influence in this area. And frankly, I'm 128 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 3: not uncomfortable with it because I think that this is 129 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 3: what responsible NATO countries need to do given the circumstances 130 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 3: of the world's done. 131 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 2: Yep, David, he's been an influence both good and bad. Yes, 132 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 2: he's advocated for it to increase and This is definitely 133 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 2: needed because of what's happening Russia, especially that's the climate, 134 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:45,279 Speaker 2: but also his behavior has made it clear you cannot 135 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 2: rely on the US to come to your aid anymore. 136 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 2: Even if you're a NATO country, it will depend on 137 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 2: what he had for breakfast that morning. So Europe, the 138 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:58,040 Speaker 2: rest of nature is realizing we can't rely on the 139 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 2: US as a security guarantee. So that's a big reason why, 140 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 2: because Trump can't actually be relied to come to your 141 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 2: way up here. 142 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 4: Yeap. 143 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: Not a bad thing though, right, because they've got to 144 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 1: be grown up. David. 145 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 2: Well, yet, Block, Well, you do want a security partner 146 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 2: in the US. I don't think that's good. Certainly you're 147 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 2: being more self deficient is definitely a good thing. 148 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: Now, Nick, Okay, did you read all one hundred and 149 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 1: sixty four pages of the report before you started drinking 150 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: a glass of water with your. 151 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 3: Free No, of course not. But I've had verbal briefings 152 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 3: on it all day. 153 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: And what's the most exciting bit. 154 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 3: Well, I think that it says we've got to look 155 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 3: after what we've already built better. So if you think about, oh. 156 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: We've got to maintain our infrastructure, right, No, they're not 157 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: that sucks. Yep, I'm gonna because I'm going to tell 158 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: you something next. So I've been thinking about this order. 159 00:07:58,000 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: I was niggled by this. I thought, why am I 160 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 1: niggled by? And then I was like, I'm niggled because 161 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 1: they've put out a draft report today. It's not even 162 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 1: the final report. It's the draft report. We're paying thirteen 163 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: million dollars for this quango that we've set up. They 164 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: put out a draft report. They have told us absolutely nothing. 165 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: We didn't already know. What's the point. 166 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 3: That's well, that's true. But what we have to do 167 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 3: is have both major political parties, in fact, all major 168 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 3: all parties come to the party and agree that on 169 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 3: the system that delivers infrastructure. And so you talk about, 170 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 3: you know, looking after what we've got better we have 171 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 3: to do there. You know that five out of eight 172 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 3: major government agencies that own assets have no asset register 173 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 3: and don't have a plan for the assets they own. 174 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 2: That is appalling. 175 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 3: So, you know, there are very basic things in this 176 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 3: nation that if we want to continue to grow and 177 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 3: do you have healthy people and communities and kids learning 178 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 3: in decent schools. We've actually got to understand what we 179 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 3: already own, and we've got to invest in renewing and 180 00:08:56,960 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 3: maintaining it, and heither that hasn't been happening. That's a point. 181 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 3: So but we've now got to have the public pressure 182 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 3: and in the political follow through whoever, whichever party is 183 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 3: in power, Yeah, to change your behavior and put money 184 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 3: aside and make sure that money is invested in our 185 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 3: existence base. And then we've got to do building of 186 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 3: the new stuff better. And that's another but very related 187 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 3: to story. 188 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: David, tell me if I'm wrong here, but if what 189 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 1: we need is public pressure, you know what's not going 190 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 1: to create public pressure is one hundred and sixty four 191 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: page report. 192 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 2: No. And also you have to be slightly simplar. I'm 193 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 2: cynical of five year plans. Let alone do here year plans. 194 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:42,079 Speaker 2: I think back in two thousand would be interesting to 195 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 2: look up that there was a FUS year infrastructure plan 196 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 2: in two thousand, as there was, it probably talked about 197 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 2: how we need to lay copper everywhere, and of course 198 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 2: eight years later fives and new technology. So you have 199 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 2: to be Look, you do want a plan, you do 200 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 2: want parties to agree as much as possible on the 201 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,319 Speaker 2: non controversial stuff, but you also have to recognize parties 202 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 2: stand for election on the basis of different priorities national 203 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 2: like roads, labor like bridges to no cycle lanes, etc. 204 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 2: So don't think you're going to get agreement on a 205 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,679 Speaker 2: Suhi year plan, but let's focus on where you can 206 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 2: get agreement. 207 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: Like hospitals. Yeah fairpoint. All right, thank you guys, appreciate it. 208 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 1: David Fair and mcligan. 209 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:30,839 Speaker 4: For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to 210 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:33,959 Speaker 4: news talks they'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 211 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 4: the podcast on iHeartRadio.