1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Christchurch, I got to tell you is awesome, awesome. I've 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: told you this before, but anyway, I told her room 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: this on Friday. I was in christ Church on Friday. 4 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: It was a fun hour with a bunch of christ 5 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: Church businesses and a panel of local experts and basically 6 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: we just chatted about what an amazing story christ Church is. 7 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: I mean, not perfect, a few issues remain. I note 8 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:19,239 Speaker 1: on the same day I was there that Winston Peters 9 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: was there promising money for the cathedral, which, as I 10 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: drove through the square on Friday, is a shame beyond 11 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: shame that it remains in the state. It's in just 12 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 1: a few blocks down. Of course. Also on the same 13 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: day took it Ripe and me was Prime Minister, was 14 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,239 Speaker 1: there opening that stadium. That's christ Church for you, so 15 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:39,599 Speaker 1: forward thinking, so successful, and yet bits remain that remind 16 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 1: you that you know, if you want to get bogged 17 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 1: down and drama and angst, you will be left behind. 18 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:45,919 Speaker 1: And the cathedral is a classic example of that. Anyway, 19 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: interesting part of our discussion, which by the way, was 20 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: at the town Hall, which remains to my mind one 21 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: of the great architectural triumphs of modern New Zealand artistry. 22 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:58,279 Speaker 1: And I note that Miles Warren I got some art 23 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: up for auction tonight. I think it is a Webb's 24 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: and he's raising money for a project in christ heuch, 25 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 1: she's got quite the collection. Anyway. I asked the room 26 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: about the war. Give me a number, I said, around angst. 27 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:11,399 Speaker 1: As far as angst is concerned, what's your number? We 28 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 1: seem to settle on six or seven. So the angst 29 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: is real. As much as the day was filled with 30 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:18,680 Speaker 1: the joy of the stadium, and as much as Canterbury 31 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 1: is a region is booming. No matter how good life is, 32 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: there is nothing like the prospect of running out of 33 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: diesel to send the shivers up a collective spine. Anyway, Canterbury, 34 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: by the way, is very good study in the art 35 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: of remembering your blessings. Traffic's bad, they told me, that's 36 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: what they said. I was talking to one of the Blakes. 37 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: Their traffic's dreadful here. I said, no, it's not. They 38 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: need a bit more positivity. That was the other thing 39 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: they told me. He said, oh, we could probably use 40 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: a bit more positivity. They need some more spending decisions, 41 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: they were telling me, Do they? I mean everyone probably does. 42 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: But from a person who flew in from another city, 43 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,559 Speaker 1: let me tell you this outside looking in, it's easy 44 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: to simply enjoy your success, clearly so much to become 45 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: possibly even complacent in your upbeatness. So yes, there's always 46 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: more to do. But my word, if I was the government, 47 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: I would look at handing out day passes to christ 48 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: Church for everyone who wants a blueprint on what the 49 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: future looks like. For every town, suburb or city that 50 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: is stuck in some sort of infrastructural quagmire, spend some 51 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: time in christ Church. Drive it, look at it, soak 52 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 1: it up. Talk to a few locals. Yes they want more, 53 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 1: but that's what happens when you're on a roll. Cheapish housing, 54 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: good education, decent weather, access to the city, to the country, 55 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: to the open spaces, international air connections, new facilities everywhere 56 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: you look, and you're already in the South Island to 57 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,679 Speaker 1: start with. Christ Church is what New Zealand can be. 58 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 1: For more from the Mike Asking Breakfast, listen live to 59 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: news talks. It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 60 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.