1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: The Huddle with New Zealand Southby's international realty, local and 2 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: global exposure like no other. 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 2: Mike Munroe on the Huddle, former chief of staff to 4 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:10,959 Speaker 2: just send out doing a nic negative infrastructure New Zealand. 5 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 3: Hello lads, Hello goa Mike. 6 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 2: I don't I don't know if you're the target market 7 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 2: for the warehouse. Do you do you still shop there 8 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:18,920 Speaker 2: or you're more of a nold lemon guy? 9 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 3: Yeah? 10 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 4: Well, I live a stone throw from one actually out 11 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 4: at Layle Bay and Wellington, so I do. I do 12 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 4: drop in there, but it's only to buy some incidentals. 13 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 4: I must say I have noticed in recent times it's 14 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 4: very empty. 15 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 5: You know. 16 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 4: I've just been up an organo over the weekend. On 17 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 4: the way out, my wife and I dropped into that 18 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,479 Speaker 4: new Mana Bay retail out the airport and it was 19 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 4: just absolutely charker. You know, there are hundreds and hundreds 20 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 4: of people there to have crushed into that place. I 21 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 4: know it's a new player on the block and people 22 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 4: like to try, you know, the latest new thing going 23 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 4: in retail. But the fact is that it's a very 24 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 4: competitive market now, that sort of low price chain market, 25 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 4: and I guess the warehouse is also feeling a bit 26 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 4: of that pressure. 27 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 3: It was interesting John didn't touch on that. But but 28 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 3: but surely that. 29 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 4: Has to be a factor that there are other players 30 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:09,679 Speaker 4: coming into that part of the market. 31 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, that he probably doesn't want to have to say 32 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 2: their names out and exist. Nick, what about you, do 33 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:17,679 Speaker 2: you still go to the warehouse? 34 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: No? 35 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 5: Not not really, And you know, I think it's a 36 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 5: shame because it's a New Zealand institution and a New 37 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 5: Zealand success story. Really, but look, you do have to 38 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:34,040 Speaker 5: think that online shopping things like Timu are really having 39 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 5: a big impact on the retail sector and not just 40 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 5: at the top end either, And that's I think what 41 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 5: we're seeing here. So I mean the question will be, 42 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,679 Speaker 5: and this is the great commercial challenges, can it reinvent itself? 43 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 5: And obviously they're backing themselves to be able to try 44 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 5: and turn things around them and good luck to them. 45 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, I really hope they're able to. Mike, what do 46 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 2: you make of the government crackdown on truancy? 47 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: Uh? 48 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 4: Well, look, these punitive measures just sort of don't they 49 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 4: They don't work, and they won't work. 50 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 3: I've been tried elsewhere. It's a very complex problem. This truancy, and. 51 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 4: When you sort of look online, you know there's other 52 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,639 Speaker 4: countries are suffering the same trends. Australia, Great Britain, even 53 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 4: dear old Japan, where people you know, we're etiquette and 54 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:22,079 Speaker 4: sort of rules based, following the rules is very very important, 55 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 4: they're also suffering the same issues. I just think that 56 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 4: there's got to be more of a of a multi 57 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 4: agency approach to what's a very complex problem slapping fines 58 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 4: on people who don't send their kids to school. I mean, 59 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 4: one define is not probably not going to be paid. 60 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 4: But how's that going to change their behavior and how's 61 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,359 Speaker 4: it going to change their attitude. I just think it's 62 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 4: more it's a more complex issue than that. 63 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 2: You know, like I think, is it about It's not 64 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 2: really about the dar pearance, right, the daar O parents 65 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 2: are never going to send their kids to school. They 66 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: don't give an ath, they're not going to pay the fines. 67 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 2: Is this not about the middle class parents who thinks 68 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 2: it's okay to fly to Fiji for a week in 69 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 2: school holidays, who might go. I actually know, actually you 70 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 2: shouldn't do it. 71 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 3: I don't disagree with that. I think it is partly 72 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:06,639 Speaker 3: about that I think. 73 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 4: I think we're suffering the consequences of what happened during 74 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,639 Speaker 4: the COVID years, where you know, schools were closed for 75 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 4: a long time, the months of school closures. In fact, 76 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 4: twenty and twenty one, we've had teacher strikes where teacher 77 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 4: are not in the classrooms and the kids are at 78 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 4: home for often one, two, three days. So I just 79 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:27,239 Speaker 4: think it's sort of scene now, is okay. 80 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 3: To have the kids out of school for a while. 81 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, there's just been a bit of a change in 82 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 4: thinking around that from maybe a generation ago. 83 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, Nick, I want your take. We'll do it. 84 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 2: We'll get it from you. After the break, it's call 85 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 2: to two, right, and you're back with a huddle, Nick 86 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 2: Leagan and Mike Munroe. Nick, what do you make of 87 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 2: the crackdown on the truancy. 88 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 5: Well, look, I think that we know that the longer 89 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 5: kids spend in schools, the better they perform academically and socially, 90 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 5: and prosecution will be rare. So I think what the 91 00:03:57,280 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 5: governor has done is to say, hey, look, this is 92 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 5: a combined if it to ensure that we get the 93 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 5: best education outcomes for our kids. And you know, there's 94 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 5: an expectation that society has that schools will play their 95 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 5: part and that parents will play their part too by 96 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 5: helping sure that sure they get there. 97 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 2: I'm seeing this Nick a little bit more, you know. 98 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 2: I mean, these are rules that exist already, right Teacher 99 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 2: only days should be taken in the breaks. There are 100 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 2: fines existing for parents. It's not like he's introducing new rules. 101 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 2: He's only threatening to enforce them. And it feels to 102 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 2: me like it's just resetting the very thing that Mike 103 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,719 Speaker 2: was talking about before, which is a complacency about education. 104 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:31,919 Speaker 2: It's just reminding you. 105 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 5: Got to go yeah, yeah, yeah, I think I think 106 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:38,280 Speaker 5: Mike was right, and we do need you know, at 107 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 5: times we relax. We all relax, don't we We eat 108 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 5: too much, or we don't exercise, or we let standard 109 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 5: slip in some of our public systems. And so that's 110 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 5: what is happening here. The government's just stepping up and saying, look, 111 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 5: we're going to take this a little bit more seriously 112 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 5: and enforce the rules. And I think that will be 113 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 5: you know that, I think the results will begin to 114 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 5: speak for themselves after sure a certain amount of time. 115 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,359 Speaker 2: What do we do, Mike about Dunedin hospital. 116 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 3: Well, it works underway, it's happening. 117 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 4: The outpatient building is understand it is well advanced and 118 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 4: will be open by twenty twenty six. They've got to 119 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 4: push on and finish it. Look, I think this government 120 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 4: government's discovering whither that you know, running sound, first world 121 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 4: public services costs a huge amount of money. And they 122 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 4: go around with all the chest beating bravado about slashing 123 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 4: billions off spending. Well, when you do that, it costs somewhere, 124 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 4: and you'll end up having to trim public services or 125 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,159 Speaker 4: not go ahead with some public services. And I think 126 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 4: this is an example of that happening. 127 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:40,840 Speaker 3: Now. 128 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 4: Hospital should be built on the basis of clinical needs, 129 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 4: not where Nikola Willis thinks a spending cap should be set. 130 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 5: Yeah. 131 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 2: Do you know what's gone wrong here, Nick? Why it's 132 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 2: blown out quite to the extent it has. 133 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:57,119 Speaker 5: Well, the first thing I'd say is it's not because 134 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 5: the government's imposed a spending cap that this project has 135 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,160 Speaker 5: blown out. And yeah, I mean I think that probably 136 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,360 Speaker 5: the structure of the project from the start wasn't great. 137 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 5: I mean, this is this is a much bigger question. 138 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 5: I mean, it's obviously a big problem for and a 139 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 5: big challenge for Otago and Dunedin, and we all want that. 140 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 5: We all want there to be a decent hospital service 141 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 5: therein for the southern part of New Zealand. But why 142 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 5: why does New Zealand get this wrong? We seem to 143 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 5: be failing our major projects. We used to be innovative 144 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 5: and smart and things have slipped. And so yeah, this 145 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 5: is going to be the most expensive hospital per bed 146 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 5: ever built in Australasia. Now, I think we all want 147 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 5: really high quality public services, but actually we shouldn't be 148 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 5: aiming for the most expensive. We've got to cut our 149 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 5: cloth and so this we need to examine ourselves more broadly. 150 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 5: It is not MICA's right. It's not just about cutting 151 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 5: costs of the bone, but it is about extracting more 152 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,600 Speaker 5: value for the money we spend. If I think every 153 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 5: key we would expect that. 154 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, fair enough, Hey Mike, Okay, what about Hastings District 155 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 2: Council giving the non elected youth councillors voting rights and 156 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 2: five hundred bucks per meeting. 157 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 4: Well, on the financial side of it, I've got no 158 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 4: problem with that. These youth councils are performing an important 159 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 4: role and making decisions or help make decisions. Around the 160 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 4: well being and mental health sort of issues for young people. 161 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 4: I mean, councilors and Willington in Auckland get about one 162 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 4: hundred k year, I understand, so five hundred dollars a 163 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 4: meeting to me sounds a very sort of minor payment. Look, 164 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 4: I'm all in favor of giving the younger voice in 165 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 4: terms of their voting rights. You know, there's any number 166 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 4: of people now who sort of have a say in 167 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 4: the affairs of our cities via their councils. And I'm 168 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 4: talking here about the management teams and the chief executives 169 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 4: who are putting up ideas and proposals which are effectively 170 00:07:57,760 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 4: just getting rougher stamped by councils. 171 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 3: So I don't, I don't. 172 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 4: I don't have any difficult at all with the idea 173 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 4: of these young people having to say about services that 174 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 4: will affect them. 175 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 2: I hate everything you're saying. 176 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 5: What do you say, Nick, Well, somebody is somebody. I 177 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 5: got elected to a council when I was nineteen. 178 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 2: Elected. 179 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 5: Yeah, no, No, that's the that's the point I'm making. 180 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 5: And actually it's easier for young people to get elected 181 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 5: these days than it ever has been. So no, I 182 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 5: take a pretty dim view. I think that I mean 183 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,719 Speaker 5: youth Obviously, I believe that youth participation is important and 184 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 5: should be encouraged. But I think voting rights is a 185 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:39,839 Speaker 5: step too far because what we we have, you know, 186 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:42,319 Speaker 5: we've got a bit complacent, you know, about democracy, and 187 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 5: we've seen to be prepared to erode it. We elect 188 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 5: a council to make decisions on behalf of a community 189 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 5: and resource the youth council, get them involved. But the 190 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,439 Speaker 5: truth is that a couple of young people on a 191 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:59,559 Speaker 5: committee of council not going to represent young people effectively 192 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:02,439 Speaker 5: any not at all. Sorry, and I say that with 193 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 5: twenty five years of experience. 194 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,959 Speaker 2: Apologize to me, Nick Ashle, you made my frown turn 195 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 2: upside down. 196 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: Love it. 197 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 2: Thank you very much. Huddle This Evening, Mike Munroe and 198 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 2: Nickoley gets seven Away from. 199 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 1: Six For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive. Listen live 200 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: to news Talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or 201 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.