1 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: Kyota. 2 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 2: I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, a 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 2: daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. Eden Parks 4 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 2: gearing up for more gigs, more goals and more growth. 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 2: The number of concerts allowed each year at Auckland's eden 6 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 2: Park Stadium will almost triple under new rules announced today 7 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 2: by the government. Under the new settings, the stadium will 8 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:37,599 Speaker 2: be allowed to host up to twelve large and twenty 9 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 2: medium sized concerts a year without the need for resource consent. 10 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 2: We'll speak to Sir Graham Lowe about eden Park hosting 11 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 2: New Zealand's first ever State of Origin match next year. 12 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 2: But first on the Front Page, Former Auckland Mayor Phil 13 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 2: Goff is with us to chat about the wider changes 14 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:05,559 Speaker 2: to the stadium and whether it's neighbors or mind. First off, Phil, 15 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 2: what was your first reaction to this news. 16 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: Oh, look, I think it's great that we've got the 17 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: State of Origin coming a year. This is the first 18 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 1: time I think in forty years of the State of 19 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: Origin that it's been held outside of Australia. And I 20 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: don't always watch it because sometimes it's not on at 21 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: a convenient time of the day, but they are fierce competitions, 22 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: and I think it'll be really popular with the New 23 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: Zealand audience. It'll also be good economically for the city. 24 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: It'll bring their estimating maybe ten thousand people across from 25 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: Australia to watch the game, and that's maybe something like 26 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: seventeen million dollars worth of expenditure into the local economy. 27 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: So I think there's a lot to celebrate there. 28 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 2: And what about all the concerts though, Phil like had 29 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 2: the battle over concerts at Eden Park. Had that been 30 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 2: brewing while you were Auckland met Yeah. 31 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: Look, I think it was a process. At one point 32 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: in time, the local residents Association in Mount Eden was 33 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: fiercely again any extension of the hours that the stadium 34 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: could be open. But I think over time the mood 35 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: has changed. I had a chief of staff at one 36 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:10,959 Speaker 1: point that was living just across the road from Eden Park, 37 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: and I asked him how he felt about it, and 38 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: he said, oh, look, you know, we moved into this 39 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: flat because we knew, you know, we knew it was 40 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 1: near Eden Park. Yeah, it's lively. It doesn't worry as 41 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: too much traffic can be a bit of a hassle, 42 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: but if you live here you know, that's what you're 43 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: going to expect. You know, we did extend the number 44 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 1: of concerts that could be held. I think we were 45 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:31,519 Speaker 1: able to hold up to about twelve. The current proposal 46 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: is to nearly treble that. But I'm just wondering whether 47 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: they will actually achieve thirty two concerts a year at 48 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: eden Park. And if they do, of course, some of 49 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: that might be just zero sum game. You know, it'll 50 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: be concerts that might otherwise have been held at Mount 51 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: Smart or Western Springs, so that won't necessarily be a 52 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: net increase in the number of concerts. But for eden Park, 53 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: which is not owned by the council, it's owned by 54 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: a trust that will enable it to make more money. 55 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: That means that they won't come cap in hand to 56 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,519 Speaker 1: Council asking for rate payer subsidies as they have done 57 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: in the past. And maybe they can start repaying, you know, 58 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: the forty million dollars in debt that they owe the 59 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: Auckland Council for the time in which Eden Park was 60 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: renovated to cater for the Rugby World Cup. So from 61 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 1: a rate point of view, I think it's also a positive. 62 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 2: It sounds like you've still got that b and your bonnet. Phil. 63 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: Look, you know, I understand there'll be people that won't 64 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: be in favor of this. And you know, when I've 65 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: gone to rugby matches at eden Park, you park. I 66 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: usually park somewhere down Dominion Road and do the long walk. 67 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: My own personal preference was, of course, to have a 68 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: new stadium and to have it more to what's the 69 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: center of town, downtown, perhaps around where the old railway 70 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: station is. And the reason for that is that all 71 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: of the transport converges in that area. The motorway, the fairies, 72 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: the trains, the buses. Pre match and postmatch are downtown. 73 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:00,839 Speaker 2: Now. 74 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: The one thing we didn't have was the money to 75 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 1: build that stadium. You know, there were particular suggestions that 76 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: a stadium could be built. In the meantime, we've got 77 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: Eden Park, and while we've got eden Park, let's make 78 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 1: the most of it. Let's enable the trust that owns 79 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: eden Park too, you know, sufficient instead of reliant on 80 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 1: the rate payer. 81 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 2: Do you reckon there's enough interest from overseas acts to 82 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 2: actually book Eden Park or are we just going to 83 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 2: end up with a twenty more six sexty concerts. 84 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: Well that wouldn't be a bad thing six sexs. He 85 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: is pretty good. Look, they will come athot economic to 86 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 1: come and with a bigger stadium than something that will 87 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: encourage them as an additional fact, But yeah, they'll be 88 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: looking at the bottom line. I've been to all sorts 89 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: of concerts at Mount Smart, you know Elton John and 90 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: Adele and Fleetwood Mac, and the atmosphere there has been fantastic. 91 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,159 Speaker 1: You've fit a lot of people eleven they were probably 92 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: pretty happy with Mount Smart and my guess is that 93 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: Mount Smart would be a bit cheaper to higher. That 94 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:09,919 Speaker 1: is the case with eden Park. Eden Park can be 95 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,160 Speaker 1: quite expensive and some of the people that will have 96 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: sporting competitions there have remarked that they haven't gone there 97 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: because of the cost. So that's something that the people 98 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: that are running eden Park, the trust board and the 99 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: manager Nick Saortner, have got a look at and find 100 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 1: out the best way to make a reasonable income out 101 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 1: of it while not detering groups because of the cost. 102 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 2: Well. I see. One of the changes though, is that 103 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 2: nighttime sport will be allowed on any day as long 104 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 2: as the game's finished by ten thirty PM. Now, I 105 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 2: don't know what your bedtime is feel, but mine is 106 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 2: well before ten thirty And if I lived next to 107 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 2: Eden Park and was kept awake until ten thirty eleven 108 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:54,360 Speaker 2: on a Tuesday, I wouldn't be to come happy about it. 109 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: Yeah. No, and there will be people that won't be 110 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:58,799 Speaker 1: happy about that. You know the fact that the games 111 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: can now be held on a Sunday, it's on a 112 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,279 Speaker 1: Saturday night. You've got Sunday off. Generally it's on a 113 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: Sunday night. You might have to get up early to 114 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: go to work. That's why I say this isn't something 115 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: that everybody will welcome, but I think the majority of people, 116 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: even maybe the majority of people in the neighborhood, will feel. 117 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 2: Okay with Well, hopefully we can go to a Taylor 118 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 2: Swift concert or something next time she comes around. She 119 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:22,279 Speaker 2: won't mess us out. 120 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, we have missed out on some of those things. 121 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 1: And with Auckland, you know, if you're going to have 122 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: an international concert here, Auckland is the place where it 123 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,480 Speaker 1: will be because it's a third of the country's population. 124 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:36,679 Speaker 1: That also means other people coming up from other parts 125 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 1: of New Zealand. So good for the hotel industry. And 126 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: if the government ever allows the council to put a 127 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: bed tax in place, you know, that will be a 128 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: bit of an income earner for the council as well. 129 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:50,359 Speaker 1: I tried with both national and labor to get a 130 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: bed tax, didn't succeed. We put in a rating tax 131 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: that was taken to the Supreme Court. We finally won there. 132 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: But the current council isn't used for that provision. A 133 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 1: bad TAXI by much simpler, and I hope the government 134 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:06,040 Speaker 1: that seems to want to tell counsel to do everything 135 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 1: when they can do it, how high they should jump, etc. 136 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: Even this decision, actually, the fact that it's being taken 137 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: by central government rather than Auckland Council itself is a 138 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: bit of a reflection on the controlling element, the centralization 139 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: of central government at the current time. I think, you know, 140 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: maybe council could have moved on it earlier. They could 141 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: have moved on it, I think with persuasion. But to 142 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 1: have the government interve something as small as how often 143 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: you can have concerts at a local stadium seems to 144 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: me overreached by central government when local government can and 145 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: should make those decisions itself. But local government does have 146 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: to answer the question that they could have moved a 147 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 1: bit more quickly on it and that's a fair criticism. 148 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 2: Thanks for joining us, Phil. 149 00:07:52,120 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 1: Thanks Chelsea. It's a pleasure, no problem at all. 150 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 2: Hosting State of Origin is expected to attract over ten 151 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 2: thousand of our Aussie neighbors, generate more than fifty thousand 152 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 2: international visitor knights, and inject an estimated seventeen point four 153 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 2: million dollars into the local economy. We speak to Sir 154 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 2: Graham Lowe about why Kiwis should get behind the game. 155 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 2: First off, Sir Graham, what does this mean for New Zealand. 156 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 3: History will be the judge and I think it's going 157 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 3: to judge it really favorably because State of Origin, the 158 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 3: concept of state of Origin is really one of the 159 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:44,960 Speaker 3: most successful brands in the sporting world. It's got proven 160 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 3: success since nineteen eighty. It attracts an audience that is 161 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 3: now global in many ways. I mean, if you are 162 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 3: fortunate enough to go along to an Origin game over 163 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 3: in Australia, you know you would have experienced the just 164 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:03,559 Speaker 3: the excitement that is very unusual and what it means 165 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 3: when it comes over here in New Zealand. There's something 166 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 3: really special because this is a rugby union country, this 167 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 3: is a rugby union country, but there are a few 168 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,680 Speaker 3: of us. I'm one of them who've been rugby league 169 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 3: since we were five years old and maybe even longer. 170 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 3: And those people always look to Australia and have wondered, 171 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 3: you know, I wonder what it's like over there, and 172 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,719 Speaker 3: then they've seen this State of Origin come along and 173 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 3: they've thought, Wow, how fantastic is that. Well, I'm the 174 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 3: only one really from this country that has actually been 175 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 3: in the engine room as a coach of Weenesday and 176 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 3: back in ninety one and ninety two, and what I 177 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 3: experienced in those times I can't put really put into 178 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 3: words Chelsea, because it's just it's galvanized into my soul. 179 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 3: How exciting, how privileged I felt as a key week 180 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 3: to be invited into that, into that cauldron, and it's 181 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 3: it's just fantastic. I was fortunate I coached North and 182 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,959 Speaker 3: Brisbane in nineteen eighty and when the first State of 183 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 3: Origin game came along in nineteen eight or nineteen eighty, 184 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 3: I remember taking all my team along. We all went 185 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 3: along to have a look at this game, and at 186 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 3: that particular stage, basically no one's the south of the 187 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 3: border believed it would be a success and Arthur beat 188 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 3: the Arthur beats on the lead side. Nineteen eighty Queensland 189 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,680 Speaker 3: Side just really laid the foundation for what was going 190 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 3: to become what it is now the greatest sporting event 191 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 3: on the planet. I believe. 192 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,200 Speaker 2: You got to say that, don't you, Sir Graham call 193 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 2: me lowly Helloe right well, Lowe, You're not only the 194 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 2: only kei We coach that's been involved, but I believe 195 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 2: the only other only coach not to have been in 196 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:58,199 Speaker 2: Queensland or New South Wales. Now this has got to 197 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 2: bring back some pretty big emotions for you. 198 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 3: Surely it is. I think you know that. I can 199 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 3: still remember vividly I was coaching. I was actually coaching 200 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 3: mainly in Sydney. This is in late nineteen ninety and 201 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 3: I got a call from one of the board members 202 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 3: from the QRL, from the Queensland Rugby League, who invited 203 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 3: me to come up and have a meeting with him 204 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 3: and talk about being the coach for nineteen ninety one. 205 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 3: And I just, I mean, I just the excitement and 206 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 3: pride and thrill of it all. It is impossible to 207 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,559 Speaker 3: put into words, but it was a you know, I've 208 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 3: spoken about it to a lot of people over the years, 209 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:39,680 Speaker 3: and the excitement just never goes away, even now. I'm 210 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 3: eighty years old this year and it's just, you know, 211 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 3: I feel like it was yesterday. And the worrying thing 212 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 3: is Chelsea, I think I could still go out and 213 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 3: do it. That's still really work. 214 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,439 Speaker 2: Well, you hid it up already, you could. Well. My 215 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 2: first reaction was I'm South Australian, so all we care 216 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 2: about down south is AFL of course you know that, 217 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 2: but even I have heard about the State of Origin. Hey, 218 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 2: and the vibe even of a League game versus a 219 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 2: Union game when you're actually there, does seem a bit 220 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 2: more electric, doesn't it. 221 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:18,199 Speaker 3: It does, and it's I think it's because there's a 222 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 3: lot of a lot more, a lot more confrontational, and 223 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 3: it's it's easy. It's it's tribalism at its absolute best. 224 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 3: And I think what you're going to see when the 225 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 3: State of Origin comes to Auckland, I'm tipping that there 226 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 3: will be it'll be like a Queensland home crowd because 227 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 3: obviously there's a lot of New South Wild supporters here 228 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 3: and I'd advise them to get gate into Wallis now 229 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 3: and get their boxes. The tissues ready because they're going 230 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 3: to need them, so get it, get in, get in 231 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:48,440 Speaker 3: there early. But because I think it's going to be 232 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:52,080 Speaker 3: a Queensland pro Queensland crowd, and it's going to be 233 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 3: it's going to be fantastic. I mean, Eden Park has 234 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 3: delivered a lot of excitement, you know, and it's in 235 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 3: its long history, but nothing will be any more exciting 236 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:03,679 Speaker 3: than what the state of origin will be. It'll be 237 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 3: something different. 238 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:06,079 Speaker 2: Well, what you're telling me is that I've got to 239 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 2: get my Maron's gear out for for next. 240 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 3: Year for you, Chelsea, and I hope you hope you 241 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 3: Maroon's lady. I know you're from an area of ping Pong, 242 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 3: but this is proper. 243 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 2: Forty Well, look I've got to be a devil's advocate here, Lowie. 244 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 2: Critics will say, you know this is spending big money 245 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 2: on one night. How do you answer people who do 246 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 2: who will question the government and local government spending on 247 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 2: this big. 248 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 3: Night, And it's a fair enough question as well, but 249 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 3: it's I mean, you have to spend money to make 250 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 3: money at times. And what this will generate, you know, 251 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 3: it will be. It's not it doesn't come along in 252 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 3: a simple package. This will be widespread and far reaching 253 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 3: as well. It could change the trend of of how 254 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 3: we see sport here, you know, it could. It could 255 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,719 Speaker 3: help the for another NRL team into the n r 256 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 3: L from christ Church. It could, it could evolve into 257 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 3: And I've got it. I've had a concept in my 258 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 3: mind for quite a quite a long time. Now that 259 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 3: I've spoken with the Australian League about it, or the 260 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:17,599 Speaker 3: Australia League as it was then, and the n r 261 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 3: L about and the government about I think New Zealand 262 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 3: can come up with its own concept. I'll let you 263 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 3: be the first journalist I've ever said anything to or 264 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 3: what it's called. We called it roots. So where you 265 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 3: where your initial routes were, you know where you where 266 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 3: you where you felt you could be the South Island 267 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 3: or it could be the North Island, but wherever the 268 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 3: wherever you were initial roots came from because we can't 269 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 3: be called state of origin. There's no states there obviously, 270 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 3: but but there's still there's still enough player power and 271 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 3: there's still enough energy and excitement to bring along New 272 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 3: Zealand's own version of it. So you never know what's 273 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 3: going to happen in the future. And this is this 274 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 3: is a far bigger thing than the game of footage. 275 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 2: So it could be like the roots around where all 276 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 2: of the key we players who are playing over there 277 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 2: can come and you know to have a crack maybe 278 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 2: North versus South or something. 279 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's what I say. No, it's it's very it's 280 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 3: hard to come up with a concept of of you know, 281 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 3: what what the eligibility would be. But so we just 282 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 3: came up with this, this this concept called roots. You know, wherever, 283 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 3: wherever your initial family roots came from. That can be. 284 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 3: That's one way of There's there's other eligibility methods as well, 285 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 3: but that was just one to be simple. 286 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 4: We are super excited to be hosting State of Origin 287 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 4: here in New Zealand. For many of us kids like me, 288 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 4: we grew up in the eighties and nineties watching some 289 00:15:56,400 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 4: absolutely fantastic battles. We remember those heroes even today, of 290 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 4: those great players that we got to watch on TV 291 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 4: and Mom and Dare would let us stay up late 292 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 4: and watch it and it was absolutely fantastic. So we 293 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 4: are very excited in securing a game like this here 294 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 4: is very significant moment for rugby league in New Zealand. 295 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 4: It's going to inspire our young players and it's going 296 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 4: to help to grow the game nationally. 297 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 2: Well, I mean this, this could do things for the 298 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 2: sport in New Zealand. I mean we've just had the 299 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 2: up the wires phenomenon over here. Obviously, could origin in 300 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:35,160 Speaker 2: Auckland inspire that next generation of kei we league talent? 301 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 2: Do you think? 302 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 3: Well, there's no doubt about that. I mean, the Warriors 303 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 3: have done the wis. You know, they've They've done an 304 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 3: incredible thing, not only for rugby league, but I think 305 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 3: for the psych of sport in this country. You've only 306 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 3: got to look at the crowds. I mean, rugby union 307 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 3: is the national game, you know, that's that's how that's 308 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 3: our national game. Even though I'm a rugby league person, 309 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 3: but there's there's three or four blokes and a few 310 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 3: flies at most of the games. Now there's there's no one, 311 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,919 Speaker 3: no one watching it because and I'm not being disrespectful 312 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:12,440 Speaker 3: to rugby union, but it is it's a different spectacle 313 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,879 Speaker 3: and the NRL has taken things to another level and 314 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:18,640 Speaker 3: led in this country by the Warriors, who I think 315 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 3: are doing a fantastic marketing job. You know, they're not 316 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 3: far away from being the premiers and they've done a 317 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 3: fantastic job. And they've taken the general sic of sport 318 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:32,639 Speaker 3: in this country and the expectations of sport in this 319 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 3: country to another level. They've done a fantastic job. 320 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:37,880 Speaker 2: So what would you say to someone arming and a ring. 321 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 2: We don't really know Queensland, we don't really know New 322 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 2: South Wales. All we know is the wars. Should we 323 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 2: even go, should we even show up? How would you 324 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 2: get them across the line? 325 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:57,159 Speaker 3: Well, just just just back Queensland, just get don't be 326 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 3: subtle about it. I mean, you've got to. I always 327 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 3: remember when I when I first went to Australia, my 328 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 3: first president of I cotched norths and Brisbane and I 329 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:07,880 Speaker 3: always remember having a beer with us bloke one day 330 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 3: and I said to him, and the heck's is going on? 331 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:12,640 Speaker 3: He said, You've got to remember, remember Lowie over here, 332 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:15,159 Speaker 3: it's only a root if you're not in it. And 333 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:18,160 Speaker 3: I was that sort of stuck him all the time there, 334 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:20,880 Speaker 3: that sort of thinking the OSSes have And I think 335 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:23,200 Speaker 3: we've got to be a be a bit brash and 336 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,880 Speaker 3: we're here in New Zealand, we're a little bit precious 337 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 3: at times. We are a little bit precious and we 338 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 3: and that's like rugby union they clap like that, you know. 339 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:37,679 Speaker 3: Just that's exactly how the games. 340 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:40,120 Speaker 2: Because Dad would come back from a footy game and 341 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 2: not have a voice because it'd be yelling at the umpire. 342 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 2: At the umpire could hear him. And I came to 343 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 2: a game here and I was like, why isn't everyone yelling? 344 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:51,359 Speaker 3: Well, you know, and I think if you watch a 345 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 3: Warriors game, you'll see the excitement that's in the in 346 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,440 Speaker 3: the crowd at the Warriors games because you know, they 347 00:18:57,600 --> 00:18:59,920 Speaker 3: play a brand of footy that's that's full of excit, 348 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:02,920 Speaker 3: and you know there's there's a lot of hope there 349 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 3: for them, and you know that they're they're going fantastic. 350 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 3: And I think that the psyche and the hype and 351 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 3: expectation of of of sport in general, I think it 352 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 3: has been led on on a new journey with with 353 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:22,440 Speaker 3: the Warriors and it's I think it's just fantastic. And 354 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 3: now to get the crown in I mean the duel 355 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 3: and the crown of Australian sport, you know, it's just 356 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 3: it's just a big two for this for this Auckland, 357 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 3: for our city here in Auckland and it's a fantastic 358 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 3: job done by I think by the government and the 359 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 3: Auckland Council. It's got it all together. 360 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 2: Thanks for joining us, Lowly, Thank you. 361 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 3: Very much, and I'm sorry if I called you a 362 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:50,199 Speaker 3: game aerial ping pong, but but what else can you 363 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 3: call it? 364 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 2: I'll tell Dad not to watch this episode, thanks very much. Else, 365 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,880 Speaker 2: that's it for this episode the Front Page. You can 366 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:05,680 Speaker 2: read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage at 367 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 2: enzidherld dot co dot nz. The Front Page is hosted 368 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 2: and produced by me Chelsea Daniels. Caine Dickie is our 369 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 2: studio operator, Richard Martin, our producer and editor, and our 370 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 2: executive producer is Jane Ye. Follow the Front Page on 371 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:25,120 Speaker 2: the iheartapp or wherever you get your podcasts, and join 372 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 2: us next time for another look beyond the headlines.