1 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Yoda. 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:08,239 Speaker 2: I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, a 3 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:16,759 Speaker 2: daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. Cost of living, 4 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 2: crime and supermarkets remain a source of concern for the government. 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: The Coalition has released its latest quarterly. 6 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 2: Action plan and it's come with a reiteration from the 7 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 2: Prime Minister that they're going to get on top of 8 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 2: the cost of living. It comes as surveys show that 9 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 2: Nationals lost voter's confidence in managing the issue, with many 10 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 2: voters now seeing Labor as the better party to tackle 11 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 2: the number of issues facing the country. Crime is another 12 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 2: major concern with a string of policy announcements in recent weeks, 13 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 2: but the opposition's attempts to weigh in on the subject 14 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 2: have only furthered the controversy. Today on the Front Page, 15 00:00:55,760 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 2: we speak to Newstalk zb's political editor Jason Walls about 16 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 2: what's behind the beehives top headlines lately and whether the 17 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 2: tide is turning when it comes to. 18 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:08,680 Speaker 1: Who Kiwi's really trust. 19 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 2: So jas another quarter, another action plan, but it looks 20 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 2: like the government's giving itself a bit less to do 21 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 2: with this new plan. 22 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 1: Tell me about it. 23 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 3: Well, I think Chris Luxon would push back on you 24 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 3: quite strongly on that one. In fact, it's exactly what 25 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 3: happened when he was asked that very question. He said 26 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 3: that some of the things that they're working on are 27 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 3: more sort of meaty options and more bigger, sort of 28 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 3: profile things that they're doing. So it's not that they're 29 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 3: doing less, it's the things that they're doing might take 30 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 3: a little bit more time. But I've always been quite 31 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 3: a fan of these quarterly action plans. I mean, the 32 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 3: way that the news is it was always going to 33 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 3: be the first one was the biggest and most exciting, 34 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 3: and then they would sort of peter off and not 35 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 3: be as newsworthy as they happen. But it's a good 36 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 3: way of the public having a good idea of what 37 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 3: the government is doing. It gives them a bit of 38 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 3: a roadmap to say, well, I can't be surprised at anything. 39 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 4: That the government is doing. 40 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 3: That's not to say that the government don't surprise by 41 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 3: doing things that aren't in the action plan. But one 42 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,799 Speaker 3: of the big criticisms of the former government is this people, 43 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 3: particularly in business, were blindsided quite often by various different things. 44 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 3: I mean, think the oil and gas ban, the reserve 45 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 3: Bank's dual mandate, things like that which weren't as forecast 46 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:23,679 Speaker 3: and as maybe that there should have been. 47 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 4: So it's always been. 48 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 3: Something this government has touted itself on as being having 49 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 3: much more of a roadmap, especially for that business community. 50 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 1: Are there any major highlights from this one? 51 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 3: Listen, Honestly, I wouldn't say anything that I would stop 52 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 3: the press for and say, holy moly that this is happening. 53 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:41,639 Speaker 4: It's a lot of business as usual. 54 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 3: But as a government, that's exactly what you want to 55 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 3: be doing midway through your first. 56 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 4: Term of government. 57 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 3: You don't want to be doing anything particularly groundbreaking. You 58 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 3: want to reserve that closer to the time of the 59 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 3: election so you have a little bit more ammunition. 60 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 2: But it's a lot of things that you would expect, 61 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 2: I say, Luckson's been quick to remind New Zealander is 62 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 2: that the cost of living is still front of mind. 63 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:05,679 Speaker 2: The latest IPSOS and z Issues Monitor survey, which was 64 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 2: done immediately after the May budget, found that national had 65 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 2: lost a voter's confidence in managing inflation and the cost 66 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 2: of living. Labor was actually more trusted with what is 67 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 2: considered the main issue for the country at the moment. 68 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 2: Why do you think this is. 69 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 4: I don't know. 70 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 3: I was quite curious about that as well I saw 71 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,360 Speaker 3: those numbers. It might be because people are just really 72 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 3: doing it tough and they're looking for somebody to blame. 73 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 3: And it would be the same case if labor was 74 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 3: in government, they would probably look to the oppositions. They 75 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 3: probably could do a better job, because it can't get 76 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 3: much worse than this. On inflation, it's a bit of 77 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 3: a strange one as well too, because it's the Reserve Bank. 78 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 3: It's their job to deal with inflation and it's their 79 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 3: mandate to keep that between one and three percent. But this, 80 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 3: I mean, the government can't really have its cake and 81 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 3: eat it too on this one. I mean it talks 82 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 3: so much about how the fact because it's brought down 83 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 3: at spending is a reason behind the fact that the 84 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 3: Reserve Bank has been able to reduce it's official cash rates. 85 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 3: So they can't exactly get upset and say, well, it's 86 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 3: the reserve banks fault when people stop blaming them for 87 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 3: the level of infletion as well. 88 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 5: We wouldn't be the right way to look at it 89 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 5: just on sheer numbers. There's some complexity to a lot 90 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 5: of those actions. That we've got on that big pieces 91 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 5: of work. Ending in oil and gas band for example, 92 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 5: was a pretty big piece of work. And so it's 93 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 5: just making sure that we focus the public service. They 94 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 5: know exactly what we're focused on in the next three months. 95 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 5: We focus the ministers and the coalition government so they 96 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 5: know exactly what's needed to be delivered in the next 97 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 5: three months. All so that we can actually rebuild and 98 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 5: grow the economy, to lower the cost of living, make 99 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 5: sure that we restore law in order, and obviously deliver 100 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 5: a better public services, particularly in health and education. 101 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, is the government doing actually anything directly to target 102 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 2: the cost of living today? I mean, they keep harping 103 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 2: on about the investment and growing the economy, but that's 104 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 2: not putting more money in your back pocket straight away 105 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 2: because that takes time, doesn't it. 106 00:04:57,920 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 3: H Yeah, I mean, but people do forget about things 107 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 3: the tax cuts because it happened quite early on in 108 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 3: the government's tenure. You just have to look at the 109 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 3: counterfactual about how much tax you would be paying if 110 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 3: you didn't have those tax cuts. Now, the government will 111 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 3: consistently talk about things like that, and they'll always come 112 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 3: back to the fact that look we're not spending as 113 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 3: much money as the previous government. Yes, New Zealand's national 114 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 3: debt level as a net figure, is rising, but it's 115 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 3: not as fast as it has been in the past, 116 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 3: and as a proportion of GDP it's actually projected to 117 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 3: start going down soon as well. But what this government 118 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 3: does tend to forget about quite often is the fact 119 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 3: that the last government did have to deal with COVID 120 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 3: and that was no matter how you pitch it, no 121 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 3: matter your thoughts on the response, it was a big 122 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:43,799 Speaker 3: economic shock to the economy. 123 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 2: Is this why supermarkets remain in the firing line? 124 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: That was right up there on the quarterly Plan? 125 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 2: And Nikola Willis has been talking a bit about them recently, 126 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 2: But honestly, Jason, we've been talking about sorting out the 127 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 2: supermarkets for years and I'm so sick of hearing it's coming. 128 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 1: But nothing seems to add actually change. 129 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 2: We're still seeing reports and stories about misleading prices and 130 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 2: the like every week. 131 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,159 Speaker 3: Yeah, and Nicola Willis is always talking about how she's 132 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 3: going to bring them in line and they're on notice 133 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 3: and they should pull their socks up, But it doesn't 134 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 3: really seem that anything can pick really that tangible it 135 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 3: is happening. 136 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 4: I mean a couple of weeks ago, she sent a. 137 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 3: Couple of letters to say what her expectations were, and 138 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 3: I wouldn't think that a minister of the Crown needed 139 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 3: to do that. I just thought expectations were expectations. She 140 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 3: did have a point in the fact that these are 141 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 3: big the supermarkets that were eventually caught for this misleading 142 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 3: price information. She does make a good point that in 143 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:40,479 Speaker 3: twenty twenty five this shouldn't be happening, and she does 144 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 3: have a responsibility to publicly rebuke them. But this just 145 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 3: consistently keeps happening. And it's They're an easy target for 146 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 3: a government because that is where the cost of living 147 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 3: crisis hits most people. It's where the rubber hits the road. 148 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 3: So they're an easy target. But the government actually at 149 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 3: some point needs to start putting us money where its 150 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 3: mouth is. It can do a thousand commerce inquiries into 151 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 3: the level of competition and find out, surprise, surprise, New 152 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 3: Zealand's only two major supermarket players have a monopoly or 153 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 3: a duopoly. You know who would have thought, But here 154 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 3: we are, and this is the situation that we're in. 155 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 3: I will say that, you know, there are some other 156 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 3: issues that the government and the supermarket can't really control. 157 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 3: The price of butter is in vogue at the moment, 158 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 3: it's because milk prices are quite high. 159 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 4: The other side of. 160 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 3: That coin, as farmers, you know, traditionally not really happy 161 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 3: all that often, we're actually quite happy about this because 162 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 3: it means it's more money in their back pocket. 163 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 4: So it really depends how you spin it. 164 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 2: The government has also, unsurprisingly been firing off a lot 165 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 2: of crime related and announcements in the last week, on 166 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 2: everything from coward punchers to trespassing to shoplifting. 167 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: What's been the motivation here, Laura? 168 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 4: In order week, they like. 169 00:07:58,120 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 3: To have a theme of the week. In this week 170 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 3: they chose law and order. And again this is I mean, 171 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 3: it's a national government. You shouldn't be surprised to be 172 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 3: seeing these types of policies being unveiled by the NATS. 173 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 3: I mean a lot of them. Most people would agree with. 174 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 3: If somebody power punches somebody, they should be in jail 175 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 3: for a long time. If somebody is shoplifting, there should 176 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 3: be harsher consequences for that. It's pretty basic law and order. 177 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 3: Right wing politics, and I would even argue that it's 178 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 3: not really all that right wing, it's just sort of 179 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 3: a lot of it does seem to make sense. I mean, 180 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 3: the fact that they're making it more of a punishable 181 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 3: offense to assault frontline health workers, people like ambulance workers 182 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 3: and correction stuff. Again, these things make sense. So they're 183 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 3: really tapping into that idea that most of Middle New 184 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 3: Zealand would look at the fact that they're going a 185 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 3: bit harder on these very basic but very obvious crimes 186 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 3: and thinking we'll hang on a second, and that makes sense. 187 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 2: I saw Green mpay Tamotha Pole suggested last week that 188 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 2: people with no money to buy food could turn to shoplifting, 189 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 2: which prompted, obviously Paul Goldsmith to say suggest the Greens 190 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 2: were excusing shoplifting. Do opposition parties need to tread carefully 191 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 2: perhaps when it comes to anything to do with law 192 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 2: and order, as to not be seen siding with offenders 193 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 2: because the government is so hard on a law and 194 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 2: order Yeah. 195 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 3: Well, I mean I think the Greens especially should probably 196 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 3: stay away from commenting on shoplifting. But that's a whole 197 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 3: other problem. But the thing with it, I mean, you're right, 198 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 3: it does kind of back them into a bit of 199 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 3: a corner here, because you don't want to be seen 200 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 3: to be siding with the people that hit somebody with 201 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 3: a card's punch, Like you don't want to be the 202 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 3: one saying, well, hang on a second, what was their motivation? 203 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 3: We don't want them in jail, and they seem to 204 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,679 Speaker 3: have this the ethos behind it all is they don't 205 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 3: want more people in prison. They don't want these and 206 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 3: what they keep coming up with is these American style 207 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 3: mega prisons. But the government is being quite consistent. They're like, 208 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 3: we don't care as long as these people aren't on 209 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 3: the streets and the Greens, you know, you can you 210 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 3: can discount the way of thinking and say that it's 211 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:57,319 Speaker 3: university style politics. 212 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 4: That most people don't agree with. 213 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 3: But if you look at their polling, they're actually up 214 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 3: higher than the likes of the app Party and they're 215 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,599 Speaker 3: consistently pulling at about twelve percent. So there's nuts that 216 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 3: some people might say that their thinking is on some 217 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:11,680 Speaker 3: of these issues. It still resonates with quite a few 218 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 3: people across the country, and Chloe Sawbrick is tapping into 219 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 3: that sort of more left wing side of New Zealand politics. 220 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 3: And has found quite a comfortable home. 221 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 2: And speaking of prime, Labour's Chris Hipkins got himself into 222 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 2: a bit of hot water over a throwaway line last 223 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,959 Speaker 2: week on Newstalk zb's Wellington Mornings program. 224 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 6: Can I just quickly ask you there, we don't ever 225 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 6: hear of ram rage anymore? 226 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: Is that because of the system that you put in place? 227 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: Or is it since the coalition's come in now. 228 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 6: It's because your Tory owners that enzied me have just 229 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 6: decided not to put it on the front page anymore. 230 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 1: It's still happening. 231 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 6: It's just ensied me have decided that it's not in 232 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:49,960 Speaker 6: the government's best interests and they do the National parties 233 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 6: singing for them, so they are. They're not covering it 234 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 6: as much anymore. 235 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 2: It looks like he had support from some fellow Labor MPs, 236 00:10:57,280 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 2: but it feels like it's the latest in a string 237 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 2: of politicians targeting media that believe they're treating them unfairly. 238 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: Hey, just look at David Seymour and John Campbell. 239 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, and I've noticed it quite a lot in 240 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 3: the press gallery. 241 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 4: I mean David Seymour specifically was the first one to 242 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 4: be doing this. 243 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 3: He comes to his press conferences with a camera crew 244 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 3: and then puts the whole thing on YouTube. And it's 245 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,439 Speaker 3: the ones that don't do very well are the ones 246 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 3: where it's just him answering questions with the media, Whereas 247 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 3: nine times out of the ten that's what happens. 248 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 4: But every time he gets into. 249 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 3: A bit of a scuffle with a journalist, the video 250 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 3: is always David Seymour destroys wokey journalists or something like that, 251 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 3: and that gets thousands and thousands, sometimes even tens of 252 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 3: thousands of views, and you can start to see his 253 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 3: rhetoric changing a little bit when he's talking to reporters, 254 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 3: almost like he has a kpi to have a bit 255 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 3: of a clash so they. 256 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:50,959 Speaker 4: Can get more views on YouTube. And I'm not saying 257 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 4: it's wrong. 258 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 3: I mean I think that if a political if a 259 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 3: political leader wants to have an entire exchange with the 260 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 3: media put on YouTube, that's absolute their prerogative. But I 261 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 3: think we just need to be quite clear on why 262 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 3: this is happening. I think it's a lot of it 263 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 3: is to generate outrage so you can have more people 264 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 3: looking at your videos. 265 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 4: And seeing Chris Hipkins do it. 266 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 3: Was a bit strange because the center right, the center 267 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 3: parties that is, National and Labor don't haven't traditionally tended to. 268 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 4: Be doing these sorts of stuff. It was more for 269 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 4: the smaller. 270 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 3: Parties on the side to get a little bit more airtime. 271 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:26,439 Speaker 3: So it was quite curious to see him having a 272 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 3: go at the quote unquote Tory owners of news talks 273 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 3: that'd be in the Herald. That's end Zeta me an 274 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 3: obvious reference to Steven Joyce, who used to be a 275 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 3: National Party cabinet minister and was a Finance minister for 276 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 3: some time, who is now the chairman of the board. 277 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 3: But what he was saying wasn't technically correct. He was 278 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 3: having a crack at the fact that we don't cover 279 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 3: ram raids as. 280 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 4: Much as we used to. 281 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 3: Well, as my colleague Thomas Coglin points out, it's because 282 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 3: there are fewer ram raids and they're not on the 283 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 3: front page of the Herald anymore because there are fewer 284 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 3: of them. And I think that he didn't really he 285 00:12:58,040 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 3: might have not understood that, or if he did, he 286 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 3: we just wanted to, you know, pull in a little 287 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 3: bit of Winston, pull in a little bit of symore. 288 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 2: Do you think this signals quite a different election campaign 289 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 2: ahead of next year's vote. 290 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm interested to see how the election is going 291 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 3: to play out, because we have seen in the past 292 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 3: year and a half that political parties are starting to 293 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 3: do a lot more of their own media and not 294 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 3: relying so much traditionally on the fourth estate, and I 295 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 3: am interested to see how that translates to an election campaign. 296 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 3: But at the end of the day, these political parties 297 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 3: will talk about how they don't want to interact with 298 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,719 Speaker 3: the media, how we're all biased, how it's not as 299 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:37,679 Speaker 3: good as it used to be. 300 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 4: But then at the end of. 301 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 3: The day, they will still send us their locations for 302 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 3: where the press damn ups are happening. They'll still still 303 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 3: send us their policies. They'll still interact with us the 304 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:49,080 Speaker 3: same way that they always have. The only difference now 305 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 3: is that they'll take this sort of counter intuitive approach 306 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 3: about how bad that both the state is now when 307 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 3: really they need us more than ever. 308 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 7: Well, I get that you were surprised we'd accept the interview. 309 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 7: I didn't, so there you. I gather you used the 310 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 7: sea word in reference to her. We were supposed to 311 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 7: regard you. I don't think I did that oh, fair enough, 312 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,719 Speaker 7: maybe it was a misunderstanding, and I guess. 313 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 2: To wrap up, Jason, I was wondering if any political 314 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 2: party or politician feels like they've particularly stood out recently 315 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 2: for the right or wrong reasons, what comes front of 316 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 2: mine to you. 317 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I would say probably Tamatha Paul sticks 318 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 3: out for the wrong reasons coming out and again it 319 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 3: comes back to this idea of shoplifting. For the Greens, 320 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 3: it's just probably something that they shouldn't have touched. She 321 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 3: should have been able to identify the very very obvious 322 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 3: political risk in the Green Party talking about shoplifting. 323 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 4: However, she will argue that it got. 324 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 3: The Green Party view in the media, so she might say, well, 325 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 3: I did what I sort out to do as an MP. 326 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 3: In terms of people that have been doing quite well, listen, 327 00:14:57,040 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 3: it's been a recess week, so it's a lot harder 328 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 3: to pinpoint people that have done quite well, I guess 329 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 3: you know, Paul Goldsmith has been in the media quite 330 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 3: a lot for these law and order of these justice 331 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 3: policies and law and order weeks, so it's an easy 332 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 3: easy to point at him and say that he's been 333 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 3: doing some things that are you know what he's supposed 334 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 3: to be doing as a minister. But you know, it's 335 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 3: just been sort of a mid couple of weeks for 336 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 3: political for or four politicians, so it's quite hard to 337 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 3: pick them. 338 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 4: I'll pick a youth youth MP instead. 339 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: Maybe, Yeah, go on, man, I don't know that. 340 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 4: I didn't I don't know their names, to be honest. 341 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 3: I had a lot of involvement in helping organizing it, 342 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 3: and so I was watching as they stood up in 343 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 3: the house and talked about how the youth have no 344 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 3: voice and then sat down and somebody else stood up 345 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 3: and talked in the house about the youth having no voice, 346 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 3: and I thought it was a little bit, a little 347 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 3: bit counterintuitive at times, but good on them for. 348 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 1: Having a crack right. 349 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 2: So no no future PM standing out just yet. 350 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 4: Oh, there's definitely a future Prime minister in there. 351 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 3: I mean, the thing that you find out about youth 352 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 3: Parliament is there's always a crop for future MPs. And 353 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 3: in fact, the likes of Chris Bishop and Katherine wab 354 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 3: who are at col Bates who are all National MPs now, 355 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 3: and Kamala Balleich who's a lead REMP, they all used 356 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 3: to be Eth MPs, so there's no doubt a few 357 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 3: of them in there. 358 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 2: Thanks for joining us, Jason, no problem at all. That's 359 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 2: it for this episode of the Front Page. You can 360 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 2: read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage at 361 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 2: enzedherld dot co dot nz. The Front Page is produced 362 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 2: by Ethan Sills and Richard Martin, who is also our 363 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:33,720 Speaker 2: sound engineer. 364 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: I'm Chelsea Daniels. 365 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 2: Subscribe to the Front Page on iHeartRadio or wherever you 366 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:43,240 Speaker 2: get your podcasts, and tune in tomorrow for another look 367 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 2: behind the headlines.