1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 1: Yoda. 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 2: I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is a summer special of 3 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 2: The Front Page, the Enzid Herald's. 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: Daily news podcast. 5 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 2: While The Front Page is on summer break, we're taking 6 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 2: a look back at some of the biggest news stories 7 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 2: and top rated episodes from the podcast in twenty twenty four. 8 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 2: New episodes will return on January thirteenth. The twenty twenty 9 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:38,479 Speaker 2: three general election was a battle between the two Chris's 10 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 2: Labour's Chris Hipkins and National's Christopher Luxen. It was a 11 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,879 Speaker 2: battle that Luckxon ended up winning thanks to the support 12 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 2: of two coalition partners in Act and enz First, but 13 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 2: it's a matchup that currently looks to be repeated next year, 14 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 2: with Hipkins sticking around as Labour's leader and showing no 15 00:00:58,200 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 2: signs of stepping aside. 16 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: That's likely because. 17 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 2: The polls between the Coalition and labor the Greens and 18 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 2: Tabati Maldi remain pretty evenly split. 19 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: At the end of twenty twenty four. 20 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 2: We caught up with both leaders a week apart for 21 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 2: a rap of the year. First, we spoke with Chris 22 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 2: Hipkins a few days after Labour's annual party conference. First 23 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 2: Off Press, We're a year into this new coalition government. 24 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 1: What do you make of it? 25 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 3: Oh, I mean, I think the government's had a pretty 26 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 3: bumpy start. Was always going to be challenged for them 27 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 3: to pull together three parties with quite different views of 28 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 3: the world and sort of certainly some personal animosity amongst 29 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 3: the party leaders. You know, Winston Peters and David Seymour's 30 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 3: dislike for one another is well known and clearly hasn't 31 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 3: debated since the government has been formed. But they've made 32 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 3: things worse for New Zealand in the decisions that they've taken. 33 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 3: So it's a challenging time economically around the world at 34 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 3: the moment, and the government making decisions to massively cut 35 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 3: back government spending, cutback infrastructure projects and so on has 36 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 3: actually made a tough economic environment even tougher for Kiwi's. 37 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 2: Well, Winston and David haven't ripped each other's heads off 38 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 2: in public yet, have they. 39 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 3: They've certainly be you know, if anything, they've both been 40 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 3: taking pop shots at the Prime minister instead, and you know, 41 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,959 Speaker 3: I think that's somewhat new for New Zealand to see 42 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 3: the deputy prime Minister from a different party saying that 43 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 3: he thinks the Prime Minister is struggling in his job, 44 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 3: and to have David Seymour and Christopher Luxen basically criticizing 45 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 3: each other in public, I don't think we've seen that before, 46 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 3: even an MMP where there's agreed to disagree. I think 47 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 3: generally there's still been a respectful relationship between party leaders. 48 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 2: Luckson's leadership has been called into question in recent weeks. 49 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: How do you rank him personally? 50 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 2: Like, where do you think he sets compared to other 51 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 2: former prime ministers? 52 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 3: I think probably the one and only time you'll find 53 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:55,959 Speaker 3: me agreeing with Winston Peters actually is I think he 54 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 3: is struggling in the job. I think he's brought border 55 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 3: court mindset to running the country, and the country isn't 56 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 3: a corporation, and a corporation you can decide to make 57 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 3: people redundant and basically then there's someone else's problem, and 58 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 3: you can say this group of customers is a group 59 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 3: of customers, we're no longer going to chase as a company. 60 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 3: You don't get to make those sorts of decisions in 61 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 3: running a country. Everybody is your problem, everybody is your customer, 62 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 3: everybody is your responsibility. I think he's kind of struggling 63 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 3: with that. A little bit, because the process of government 64 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 3: doesn't stop just because you've decided that your priorities are elsewhere. 65 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: Is he a bad prime minister? 66 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 3: Oh? I mean people for form their own views about that. 67 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 3: I think a lot of New Zealanders think he's a 68 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 3: bad prime minister, and I think they've got good grounds 69 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 3: for that. 70 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 2: You've said Labor needs to regain the public's trust after 71 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 2: a historic defeat. How are you going to start. 72 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 3: I think the public want to see us getting back 73 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 3: to the basics of what Labour stands for, making sure 74 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 3: that we are focused on how we can bring the 75 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 3: country back together. I think government's creating a lot of 76 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 3: division and they want to know that we have an 77 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 3: approach that's going to end that division and bring people 78 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 3: back together again. And I think also just demonstrating that 79 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 3: we do know we lost. You know that we have 80 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 3: reflected on why we lost, and that we change as 81 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 3: a result of that. You know, we we're not going 82 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 3: to rerun the twenty twenty three election campaign. That's that's 83 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 3: a campaign we lost, and so twenty twenty six we 84 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,799 Speaker 3: need to offer different things and we need to be different. 85 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 4: We're making sure that we've got inflation now within the 86 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 4: band first time in three and a half years. You've 87 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 4: had three interest rate cuts in twelve months. That's fantastic. 88 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 4: You've got rising confidence at annual highs right in the. 89 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 5: Last three years. 90 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 1: Construction especially credibility. We see growth, that's what we've got 91 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: to go. 92 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,719 Speaker 6: We're not seeing growth. We're actually again you can't point 93 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 6: to any growth. 94 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 4: Gette naive to be honest with you, to say, look, 95 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 4: we had six years of economic mismanagement and in twelve 96 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 4: months we're supposed to fix that all. 97 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:56,119 Speaker 6: Or someone I need to say that the previous government 98 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 6: had a credibility problem because they pushed the service practice 99 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:00,480 Speaker 6: years and government when you're doing e the same thing 100 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 6: about twelve months. 101 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 2: When do you think the cutoff period is when a 102 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,160 Speaker 2: new government can stop blaming an old governments. 103 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 1: For its problems. Do you reckon it's about now? 104 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:18,039 Speaker 3: I think it's totally. I think it's long gone. Actually, 105 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 3: I mean they up to their first budget, yep. I 106 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 3: guess you get to say, oh, the previous government made 107 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 3: all these decisions and you know, we're just having to 108 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 3: live with those. But once you get through a budget, 109 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 3: you know that's your chances of government to really reset 110 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 3: everything and to say, well, okay, that spending decisions that 111 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 3: the government's taken are now ours, and I think you 112 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 3: know it's well and truly time for them to accept 113 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 3: responsibility for the fact that under their watch and as 114 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 3: a result of their decisions, the New Zealand economy is 115 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 3: getting worse and kew we households are going backwards. 116 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: Isn't the economy getting better? 117 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 3: Though? If you've just lost your job and unemployment is 118 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 3: forecast to continue to increase, I think you'll find the 119 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 3: economy is getting worse. Overall, New Zealand is not where 120 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 3: it needs to be. Other economies are rebounding much more 121 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 3: healthily than New Zealanders. 122 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:07,599 Speaker 1: So let's get to the weekend. 123 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:12,359 Speaker 2: Labor held its conference in christ Church. Labor will build 124 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 2: dened In Hospital, as it was committed to prior to 125 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 2: the election in twenty twenty three. Now the project's been 126 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 2: dogged by delays. There's been a budget overruns. The cost 127 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 2: has now belonged to three billion dollars from an original 128 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 2: one point two to one point four in twenty seventeen. 129 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 1: How on earth are you planning on paying for this? 130 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 3: To be fair, there were delays in the beginning, but 131 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 3: actually we have made a lot of progress on we 132 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 3: did and government make a lot of progress on the 133 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 3: Darnedan hospital. So the outpatients building, which is about a 134 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 3: third of the new hospital, is almost finished actually and 135 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 3: should be opening shortly. That's great news for Dunedin in 136 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 3: terms of the main part of the hospital, so you 137 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 3: know the part where if you're admitted you stay overnight, 138 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 3: that that larger part of the hospital. The current government 139 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 3: have made a number of claims about the cost escalation 140 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 3: of that that simply don't stack up when closer scrutiny 141 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 3: is applied. So they've included in the supposed cost blowout 142 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 3: things that were never in the original cost in the 143 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 3: first place, like car parking buildings and a new lab 144 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 3: which was always envisioned probably to be built by a 145 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 3: private sector contracted provider, because that's the way lab services 146 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 3: across the country often end up being provided. But it 147 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 3: all comes down to choices and trade offs as well. 148 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 3: So they found two hundred million dollars to give a 149 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 3: tax break to tobacco, They found nearly three billion dollars 150 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 3: for tax breaks for landlords, and then overall, I think 151 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 3: the tax breaks for other kiwis that they gave out 152 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 3: it was about twelve billion dollars in the budget. So 153 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 3: it comes down to choices that you make as a government. 154 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 2: Won't the cost climb even more by the time you're 155 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 2: in government. 156 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: If you win, the. 157 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 3: Cost of these projects never goes down, But the longer 158 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 3: you take to do them, the more expensive they become, 159 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 3: which is one of the reasons why they should just 160 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 3: get on with it and build the hospital. And my 161 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 3: experience and I oversaw a lot of school rebuilding projects. 162 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 3: You just want to get them done. Every time slow 163 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 3: them down for another review. You're just the cash ridge 164 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 3: is to those kitching kitchin kitching. You know, all of 165 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 3: these reviews are one of the reasons why everything, the 166 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 3: costs keep blowing out on everything. 167 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 2: Also, a publicly owned into island ferry connection including some 168 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 2: kind of rail transport. 169 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: What does that look like, Well. 170 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 3: It means that we've got to have fairies that you 171 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 3: can drive trains on and off. And bear in mind 172 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 3: too that this is about making sure that we've got 173 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 3: the most efficient ferry service for New Zealand. A ferry 174 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,599 Speaker 3: service that you can't drive trains on and off. Ultimately, 175 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:36,559 Speaker 3: then transfers cost back on to freight providers, which then 176 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 3: transfers cost back on to customers. An investment in a 177 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 3: reliable ferry service is actually an investment in a productive economy. 178 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 3: Then did Treasury do this thing called a BCR benefit 179 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:52,079 Speaker 3: to cost ratio analysis. The benefit cost ratio, even at 180 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 3: the higher price for the inter island ferry was something 181 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 3: like four point eight, So for every dollar you spend 182 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 3: you get about four point eight dollars back. The cost 183 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:01,840 Speaker 3: benefit ratio for the billions of dollars they're going to 184 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 3: spend on the road from Auckland to fungad A is 185 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 3: about one, so you get one dollar back for every 186 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 3: dollar that you spend. So you know, again it's about 187 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 3: choices and trade offs. This government a choosing to say, well, 188 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:17,319 Speaker 3: roads are everything, and interrland furies and rail connections are 189 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 3: not important. Actually they are important because if you want 190 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 3: better roads, getting freight off the roads and onto rail's 191 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 3: going to be a good way of delivering that. 192 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 2: New Zealand won't be signing up to AUCUST Pillar two 193 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 2: under a labor government. We know that Pillar one involves 194 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 2: the nuclear powered subs, but Pillar two involves sharing and 195 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:44,719 Speaker 2: developing high tech defense technology. 196 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: Why this turnaround on aucust Pillar two. 197 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 3: We've always been very skeptical of UCUS. Aucus fundamentally is 198 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 3: a nuclear powered submarine pact between those three countries, and 199 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 3: we're a nuclear free country. 200 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 1: But that's the pillar one. 201 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,439 Speaker 2: We're looking at Pillar two now, that's the technol an 202 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 2: ai aspect of it. 203 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 3: Right. The two things are related though, you know, the 204 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 3: Pacific is a proudly nuclear free region. Who are in 205 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 3: the Pacific countries have made it very clear, and they're 206 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 3: very important relationships for New Zealand that they are also 207 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:16,560 Speaker 3: opposed to AUCUS. So I think you can't separate those 208 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 3: two things completely. In terms of coordinating with those other 209 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 3: countries around things like military technology, around things like intelligence sharing, 210 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:29,200 Speaker 3: we already have arrangements to do that. So you know, 211 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 3: we have a formal alliance, a formal ally relationship with Australia. 212 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 3: We have a five country relationship with those three countries, 213 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 3: including and then adding Canada into that, which gives us 214 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 3: access to a lot of the stuff that's happening around 215 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 3: intelligence but also around technology, and we think that we're 216 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 3: best to stick with those relationships rather than be involved 217 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:55,079 Speaker 3: in a relationship which is proving to be incredibly antagonistic. 218 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 3: In it within the. 219 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:00,440 Speaker 2: Region antagonistic to China, though primarily right China. 220 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 3: Actually the Pacific of finding have raised a lot of 221 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 3: concerns about nuclear prospect of nuclear ships in the Pacific 222 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 3: as well, and so I think we shouldn't be blind 223 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 3: to that. 224 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 2: Andrew Little's come out backing the current government's decision to 225 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 2: investigate our potential involvement in Pillar two. Here's, of course 226 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 2: are former Defense Minister and Intelligence Agencies Minister, and of 227 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 2: course a former leader of the Labor Party. 228 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: Do you trust his judgment? 229 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 3: I think Andrew Little's got you know, he was a 230 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 3: fantastic minister. Doesn't mean we're going to agree on everything. 231 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:33,719 Speaker 3: We didn't agree on everything when we're in government, and 232 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 3: I'm sure we won't now. And as a former you know, 233 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 3: parliamentary and he's free to share his used however he wishes. 234 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 2: And the parties are passed a proposal to take forward 235 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 2: work on a capital gains tax and a wealth tax 236 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 2: and stop any work on other forms of tax. Does 237 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 2: this mean it'll very likely be a part of your 238 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six campaign. 239 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 3: Well, I don't comment on the remits that get pasted 240 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 3: at conference, but I've said right at the beginning of 241 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 3: the year that we needed to do work on tax 242 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 3: policy and we needed a different tax policy ahead of 243 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 3: the next election, which is what we're working on at 244 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 3: the moment. Any remits that get past at party conference 245 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 3: helped to inform that policy development process. But we're a 246 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 3: long way away at this point from having a finalized 247 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 3: approach to tax because you can't just look at tax 248 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 3: and isolation. You've also got to look at you know, 249 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 3: what are you taxing for, what are the things that 250 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 3: you're funding, where's that money going to go, how's it 251 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 3: going to be applied, what are the consequences for other taxes, 252 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 3: and also, you know, what are the things you're trying 253 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 3: to do. Are you trying to you know, I believe 254 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 3: we need to incentivize more productive investment in our economy 255 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 3: rather than speculative investment. 256 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 2: In twenty twenty three, you ruled out in introducing a 257 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 2: wealth tax or CDT if re elected. That was before 258 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 2: the last election. Of course, now it's back on the table. 259 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 2: Has it got anything to do with labor likely needing 260 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 2: the Greens and Tabati Mali in order to form a 261 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 2: government next time? 262 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 3: No, not at all. I said before the last elections, 263 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 3: as I would say, you know, every election, you should 264 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 3: form your policies for the next term of government, and 265 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 3: then if you want to change those, then you change 266 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 3: them at the next election so that people can vote 267 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 3: on them. I said, when I said that we wouldn't 268 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 3: implement a wealth tax or a capital gains tax, I 269 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 3: was very clear that that was the commitment that I 270 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 3: was making for the next term of government. You know, 271 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 3: should our position change, that were the time we would change, 272 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 3: that would be at the next election. 273 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:25,959 Speaker 2: Last week we spoke to politics professor Bryce Edwards and 274 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 2: asked him about how the opposition parties were performing, and 275 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 2: he didn't think you guys were doing a great job 276 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 2: of holding the government to account. 277 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,319 Speaker 5: If you look back on the last year, I think 278 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 5: the government has had lots of areas that needed to 279 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 5: be more strongly critiqued on, especially things like the Fast 280 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 5: Track Act, especially on a lot of the ways that 281 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:51,960 Speaker 5: it seems to be governing for vested interests or the wealthy. 282 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 5: And I don't think that Labour's done it a good 283 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 5: enough job of highlighting some of those. 284 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:00,839 Speaker 1: Yeah, those deficits, what do you make of that? 285 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 3: Well? I disagree. I think if you look on issues 286 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 3: that where the government's been divided in the country, like 287 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 3: the Treaty Principal spill, you've seen a very united approach 288 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 3: from the opposition parties if you look at areas like 289 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 3: the health system, for example. I think we've applied real 290 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 3: pressure to the government on their issues, on the things 291 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 3: that they're trying to do around deregulation of guns. Again, 292 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 3: I think we've really kind of stepped up the pace 293 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 3: there in terms of the pressure we've applied. But what 294 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 3: I've also said, and I think you know New Zealanders 295 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 3: have a lot of sympathy for this, is they get 296 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 3: sick of politicians criticizing their opponents for doing something that 297 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 3: they themselves would do, or opposing something which then they 298 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 3: get into government and do exactly the same thing they've opposed. 299 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 3: So I've said that we're the government are doing things 300 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 3: that we would ourselves do in government. There will be 301 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 3: constructive rather than obstructive, and I think actually New Zealanders 302 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 3: want to see that from their politicians. 303 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 2: What's something the government's done that you've thought that that's 304 00:14:58,520 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 2: a good job. 305 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 3: Look, it's kind of difficult because there's not a give 306 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 3: a lot that I think they've been doing well, but 307 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 3: I think some of the there are a few decisions 308 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 3: they've taken that might have some early promise. So if 309 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 3: I look at the infrastructure space, for example, I agree 310 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 3: with the government that we need a much longer term 311 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 3: approach to planning infrastructure investment. The short term nature of 312 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 3: our thinking around infrastructure in New Zealand is one of 313 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 3: the reasons we're in the mess we're in now, and 314 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 3: so if they can come up with things that will 315 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 3: help the country to achieve that, then I think we 316 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 3: can be supportive and we can be constructive. 317 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, and that certainly makes sense when you're talking billions 318 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 2: of dollars for say a couple of ferries, or billions 319 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 2: of dollars for a second Auckland bridge, that kind of thing. 320 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 3: Right absolutely. I mean, if you look at Auckland light Rail, 321 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 3: you know, we had work underway on Auckland light Rail. 322 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 3: It's a big project and I think the time frames 323 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 3: that we had previously put out were unrealistic and I've 324 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 3: said that, but Auckland is going to need mass rapid 325 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 3: transit are given the scale of population growth there. Within 326 00:15:59,880 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 3: the next decade, Auckland could have two million people and 327 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 3: you've got to be able to get around, and even 328 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 3: with more investment in roads, there's still going to be 329 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:10,120 Speaker 3: road congestion. The only way you're going to tackle that 330 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,880 Speaker 3: is by making sure that you've got good alternative options, 331 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 3: which includes public transport. So I think we need a 332 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 3: plan around Auckland that says over the next twenty to 333 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 3: thirty years, what's the transport infrastructure we need. And so 334 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 3: even if the current government came in and said, Okay, 335 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 3: we don't think Auckland light rails an immediate priority, why 336 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 3: scrap it all together? Why not just continue with the planning, 337 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 3: the design, the consenting work so that at a future 338 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 3: point we can continue the momentum on it. Even if 339 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 3: they said and their priority for construction is going to 340 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 3: be new roads, why don't they continue with the planning 341 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 3: on the stuff which they might not want to do immediately. 342 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 3: I think that is the sort of that's the sort 343 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 3: of thinking that we need around infrastructure. So I've said 344 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 3: when we come into government next time, and I want 345 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 3: that to be after the next selection, that's what I'm 346 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 3: aiming for. We're not going to stop everything just because 347 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 3: the previous government started it. I think we've got to 348 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 3: make sure that we keep the wheels of infrastructure investment moving. 349 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 2: So if we look overseas, gaffes and controversial policies didn't 350 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 2: really stop Donald Trump getting re elected last month. Hey, 351 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 2: the economy and cost of living remains a top priority 352 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 2: for voters here and overseas. Do you think labour has 353 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:20,880 Speaker 2: a chance in twenty twenty six even if the economy 354 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 2: picks up under. 355 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,359 Speaker 3: National I think one of the things that Donald Trump 356 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:27,400 Speaker 3: tapped into, and I think it's very important for all 357 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:30,679 Speaker 3: Western democracies to think about, is the fact that the 358 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 3: economy isn't working as it should for a larger and 359 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:37,639 Speaker 3: larger group of people. So if you look at the US, 360 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 3: for example, under Biden, their economy was growing, they were 361 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 3: creating new jobs, but people weren't feeling that they were 362 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:47,119 Speaker 3: actually feeling at a household level like they were going backwards. 363 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 3: And I think the same thing is happening here. Is 364 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 3: even if say GDP growth numbers improve, and frankly, it'd 365 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:54,880 Speaker 3: be hard for them to do otherwise given how bad 366 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 3: they've been. But even if they do start to improve, 367 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,360 Speaker 3: then if people are still feeling like how US whole 368 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 3: costs are still going up, our salary and wages aren't 369 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 3: going up, and we feel like we're going backwards. I 370 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:11,439 Speaker 3: think that's the space where I think we're very rightly frustrated. 371 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 3: And I think if you look over the last forty 372 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 3: odd years since we embarked on some pretty radical reforms 373 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,919 Speaker 3: in the nineteen eighties, New Zealand households, a lot of 374 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:23,400 Speaker 3: New Zealand households have been going backwards. 375 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 2: And finally, Chris, while we're on Trump, he managed to, 376 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 2: of course win re election after a defeat. Are you 377 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 2: confident you can do the same in twenty twenty six. 378 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:34,919 Speaker 3: Absolutely. I wouldn't still be here if I didn't think that. 379 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:38,119 Speaker 3: You know, we're getting really strong support from New Zealanders. 380 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 3: Even you know, when I've been out and about, there's 381 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 3: plenty of people who have come up and said, look, 382 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 3: we didn't vote for you last time because x Y 383 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 3: and Z, but we're open to voting for you next time. 384 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:47,679 Speaker 1: What was x Y and Z? 385 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 3: Oh, it's the things that we just talked about before, 386 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 3: you know, cost of living, crime. I think people just 387 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 3: wanted to get over COVID. They just wanted to forget 388 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,439 Speaker 3: about it and move on, and also the fact that 389 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 3: they were but it's dissatisfied with the fact that we 390 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 3: had taken on so many big reform projects all at once, 391 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:07,719 Speaker 3: and they wanted a sense that we were focusing on 392 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 3: getting the basics right. So those are all messages that 393 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:11,120 Speaker 3: we've heard. 394 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:14,399 Speaker 2: And are you personally committed to lead Labor into the 395 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 2: next election? Will you be heading Labor? 396 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:18,880 Speaker 3: I absolutely will be wonderful. 397 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us, Spress good as gold, happy to 398 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 1: talk to you. 399 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 2: Next, we spoke with Prime Minister Christopher Luxen to get 400 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 2: his take on twenty twenty four. First off, Prime Minister, 401 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 2: how's the year gone? 402 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 4: Well, look, I mean it's been a really tough year 403 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 4: for many New Zelanders as we've dealt with sort of 404 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:50,639 Speaker 4: some of the economic challenges. But you know, to be 405 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:54,120 Speaker 4: Prime Minister is just a huge privilege and an awesome responsibility, 406 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 4: and it's also been a very inspiring one in the 407 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 4: sense of you you get to see Kiwi through incredible 408 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 4: things across this country each and every day. So yeah, 409 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:03,920 Speaker 4: I'm proud of the year in terms of I feel 410 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 4: like we've formed a good team, We've made some good progress. 411 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 4: You know, we're being able to lift you our international relationships, 412 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 4: been able to a number of things, and I feel 413 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 4: very very optimistic about our future as I go forward 414 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:12,920 Speaker 4: from here. 415 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:15,120 Speaker 1: What's been the biggest challenge so far? 416 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 4: I mean everything's challenging when you're Prime minister in the 417 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 4: sense of if they were easy decisions, they would be 418 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:23,199 Speaker 4: made somewhere else in the system. And so you know, 419 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 4: the difficult decisions come onto your desk and they're often 420 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 4: complex and a bit more layered than you may initially 421 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 4: think or observe from outside. So every day there's something 422 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,880 Speaker 4: new and different and complex and challenging, and that's you know, personally, 423 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 4: that's what I enjoy, is that you're there to solve 424 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 4: problems and you're there to make decisions and in the 425 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 4: interests of the country and trying to set it up 426 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 4: for long term success. And so there's no not one 427 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 4: particular thing per se. It's just that you know, every 428 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 4: day there's something different and complex to work your way through. 429 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:53,440 Speaker 4: You know, how do you get in place the funding 430 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 4: that you need to spend money on health and education 431 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:58,400 Speaker 4: when you might have a big interest bill at nine 432 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 4: billion dollars to pay. You know, it's those sorts of 433 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 4: challenges that we can counter each and every day. 434 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 2: You've faced a lot of criticism in recent weeks from 435 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 2: across the political divide. 436 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: Are you paying attention to any of that first off? 437 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:10,879 Speaker 1: Or is that just noise to you? 438 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 4: There is criticism every day in this job, so you're 439 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 4: informed of it, but you're not consumed by it. But look, 440 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:18,120 Speaker 4: I just say to you, Look, you know, we feel 441 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 4: really good. We've great to see that our support, the 442 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:22,919 Speaker 4: numbers that I see has actually improved over where we 443 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 4: were in the election. You know that means that people 444 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:27,119 Speaker 4: used to say the country was hitting in the wrong direction. 445 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 4: Now people say the country is hitting in the right direction. 446 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:31,680 Speaker 4: They know it's been tough, but they know that we're 447 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:33,120 Speaker 4: a government with a plan and we're having to face 448 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:35,360 Speaker 4: up some really difficult choices, but we're working our way 449 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 4: through it well. So you know, it's pretty good when 450 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,119 Speaker 4: you think about a government twelve months into it. To 451 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 4: be ahead of where we were on election night in 452 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:47,440 Speaker 4: public support as fantastic. And I get out of well 453 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:49,439 Speaker 4: Inton as quickly as possible, and you meet New Zealanders 454 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 4: all up and down this country, and yes it's been 455 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 4: challenging for many, but they can see that the interest 456 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 4: bills are coming down, their mortgages inflations come down. Crime 457 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 4: is starting to turn and come down. They can see 458 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:03,400 Speaker 4: that we're trying to drive our education system back to basics, 459 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:05,199 Speaker 4: that our kids are set up for success and not 460 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:08,399 Speaker 4: behind kids in Singapore or Australia or somewhere else in 461 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 4: the world. And we've got some real investment going to 462 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 4: healthcare and we've got to make sure it work that 463 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:14,920 Speaker 4: hard to get improved outcomes for people. We've got a 464 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 4: long way to go, so you know, we've got a 465 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 4: lot of work ahead of us. But in twelve months, 466 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:22,119 Speaker 4: you know, we're doing a big turnaround job. We're getting 467 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 4: you know, and we're getting get in the country moving, 468 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 4: which has been good. 469 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 6: Wouldn't an economically literate government have worked this out of 470 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 6: it sooner? 471 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 2: Jack? 472 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:33,640 Speaker 6: Jack, Jack, I just say to you, it tells everyone 473 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:35,960 Speaker 6: about your economic I just say, hang on, I haven't 474 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:36,680 Speaker 6: even asked a question. 475 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:38,640 Speaker 4: What I'm saying to you is it is challenging times 476 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:41,199 Speaker 4: when New Zealand, I'd say that I would say to 477 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 4: you that, well, I just say to you, we've seen 478 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 4: I'll just say to you. 479 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 6: Got more under your tax package. Well to say to 480 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:49,160 Speaker 6: you with relatives to the rest of the population. But but 481 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 6: what I say to you, Jack, You're saying a lot 482 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:52,959 Speaker 6: of things to me, but you're not Actually we actually answered. 483 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:56,159 Speaker 2: So I've heard that you acknowledge that you need to 484 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,440 Speaker 2: work on your tendency for corporate speak. There's also been 485 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 2: some reaction into your use of the phrase what I 486 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,120 Speaker 2: say to you is, are. 487 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 1: These things that you're going to be working on in 488 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five? 489 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 4: Well, I haven't heard about the second one. 490 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 1: But look, what I say to you is, Yeah, what 491 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:12,120 Speaker 1: I will. 492 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:13,960 Speaker 4: Say to you is that I am from outside the 493 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:16,600 Speaker 4: political system. You know, I'm not a career politician and 494 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:19,959 Speaker 4: that's a fantastic thing because right now New Zealand has 495 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 4: been in a huge economic mess, one that we haven't 496 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 4: seen for decades. And actually, I think my background, my 497 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:27,439 Speaker 4: experience coming to politics in the way that I have 498 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,440 Speaker 4: just four years ago and being Prime Minister and leading 499 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 4: a team to actually make sure we sought problems out 500 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 4: for people is exactly what New Zealand needs right now. 501 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 4: So if I get it the beltwegh and a lot 502 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,880 Speaker 4: of people who are pundits and commentators and say whatever 503 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 4: they want. They've been saying that for four years since 504 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:46,480 Speaker 4: I came to politics. Frankly, I'm informed about it, but 505 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:48,400 Speaker 4: I'm not consumed by it, because I know why I'm here, 506 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 4: because I choose to do this job. I chose to 507 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:53,679 Speaker 4: come to politics because I think this is a fantastic 508 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:55,679 Speaker 4: country with an awesome future, and I think I've got 509 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 4: something to offer. 510 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 1: We had Chris Hopkins on last week and he said. 511 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 3: I think a lot of New Zealanders think he's a 512 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 3: bad prime minister, and I think they've got good good 513 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:03,919 Speaker 3: grounds for that. 514 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:06,400 Speaker 1: What would you say to that? Was he a good pam? 515 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:09,879 Speaker 4: He was a terrible prime minister. He took the keys 516 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:12,160 Speaker 4: to the car, he drove it at tremendous speed, put 517 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 4: it into the ditch. We're hauling it out of the ditch, 518 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:17,359 Speaker 4: getting it our right way up, and then we're moving 519 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 4: it forward. I mean, honestly, he was a terrible prime minister. 520 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,399 Speaker 4: I mean, how do you increase government spending by eighty 521 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:26,640 Speaker 4: four percent? How do you drive inflation to highs? How 522 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 4: do you have twelve interest rate rises that for the 523 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 4: average New Zealand I meant they had to find seven 524 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 4: hundred dollars a fortnite if they were lucky enough to 525 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:35,640 Speaker 4: own a house. How do you spend more borrow more, 526 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 4: tax more, hire more people and deliver worse outcomes in 527 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:43,439 Speaker 4: every dimension. So you know, yeah, look, I mean, so 528 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:45,880 Speaker 4: don't take lectures from crecipians with all due respect. 529 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:49,919 Speaker 2: Well, speaking of the economy, how much credit do you 530 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 2: think the government deserves for how things have performed this year? 531 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:55,479 Speaker 4: I mean, that is job number one for us as 532 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 4: to put financial discipline back into the government. Businesses have 533 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 4: had to do that over last few years because of 534 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 4: the mismanagement from Chrislipkins team and himself. Families have had 535 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 4: to adjust their budgets and decide not to spend money 536 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 4: on things for their kids because of the mismanagement from 537 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:14,399 Speaker 4: the previous government. You cannot spend, drive inflation, interest rates up, 538 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:16,720 Speaker 4: put the economy into recession for the last three years, 539 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 4: and drive unemployment up. And that is the legacy and 540 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:22,399 Speaker 4: record of CRCIP cans and Labour team. So you know, 541 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:24,639 Speaker 4: this government we're fixing those things. We have to go 542 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 4: back and relearn some lessons that the country learned thirty 543 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:30,680 Speaker 4: five years ago. You've got to have good financial management, 544 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 4: just like you do in your family budget, just like 545 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 4: you do in your small business. You've got it, then 546 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:37,359 Speaker 4: get inflation down for people. It's now within the band 547 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 4: under three percent, which is fantastic. Because of that, and 548 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,919 Speaker 4: because we've been good fiscal plan operators, you end up 549 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 4: then lowering your interest rates. That doesn't just happen. It 550 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 4: doesn't just miraculously sort of happen. It happens because there's 551 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:52,439 Speaker 4: a plan and we're working our way through it. We 552 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 4: now have business confidence at a teen year high, we 553 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:57,879 Speaker 4: have consumer confidence at a three year high, and so 554 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:00,280 Speaker 4: and now we've got to focus on that trans adding 555 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 4: into economic growth. And they're obviously making sure that we 556 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:06,800 Speaker 4: keep our people in jobs and employment. Unemployment's the last thing, 557 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:10,439 Speaker 4: and unemployment sadly affects lower middle income New Zealanders. And 558 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 4: so if you care about lower middle income working News 559 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:15,439 Speaker 4: Islanders as I do, as my government does, as my 560 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 4: party does, that's why you need to manage the economy well, 561 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:20,680 Speaker 4: because when you don't and you take it for granted, 562 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 4: you end up with the mess that we inherited after 563 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 4: six years of a labor experiment that was horribly wrong. 564 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 2: Could they be an opportunity for New Zealand to welcome 565 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:44,119 Speaker 2: more public private partnerships with the stipulation of the funds 566 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 2: are key. 567 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:45,159 Speaker 1: We based. 568 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,400 Speaker 2: I mean, I saw a figure from Ossie and they're 569 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:50,600 Speaker 2: seeing something like one hundred and sixty billion dollars a 570 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 2: quarter in investments by super funds into infrastructure alone. Imagine 571 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 2: just half a percent of that, we'd have a second 572 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:00,359 Speaker 2: harbor bridge in Auckland and no time. 573 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 4: Right, Well, you're onto the right thing. We have major 574 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 4: challenges on infrastructure. We can't get things built, it takes 575 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:09,119 Speaker 4: too long, and also we don't always we don't have 576 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 4: the financial capacity to fund it all from within government 577 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 4: for the infrastructure that we want to see. So there's 578 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 4: two things. You're right. Yes, we could use domestic pools 579 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 4: of capital more and will continue to look at that. 580 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 4: But the other thing, frankly, Chelsea, is that we also 581 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 4: need to make sure that we attract foreign investment to 582 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,479 Speaker 4: New Zealand. New Zealand is thirty eight out of thirty 583 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:28,920 Speaker 4: eight now in terms of being an attractive place for 584 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:32,159 Speaker 4: big international superannuation funds all around the world, which is 585 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 4: lots of money in those funds looking for a home 586 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:37,639 Speaker 4: to invest who are very open to investing in New 587 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:40,120 Speaker 4: Zealand but don't because they think it takes too long, 588 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 4: it costs too much. And that's why things like our 589 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 4: fast tracked legislation have been important. That's why you're setting 590 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:49,440 Speaker 4: a thirty year pipeline of infrastructure projects that are actually 591 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:51,920 Speaker 4: laid out really clearly, like you see in New South 592 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:54,359 Speaker 4: Wales and other parts of the world. All of those 593 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:56,919 Speaker 4: things that we're putting in place are other things that 594 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 4: we need to do to make sure that we actually 595 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:01,680 Speaker 4: move on and she can access pools of capital from 596 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 4: overseas automistically to get things built quicker and faster in 597 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 4: New Zealand. 598 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,120 Speaker 2: Well, what we really need though, is long term plans. Hey, 599 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 2: last time you're on the front page, you said more 600 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:13,400 Speaker 2: cross party collaborations are needed when it comes to those 601 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:16,560 Speaker 2: big infrastructure projects. Is that something that we could see, 602 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 2: say next year. 603 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean we have been. What we've got to 604 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:22,920 Speaker 4: do is work on a thirty year pipeline that should 605 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:25,760 Speaker 4: be an independent list of infrastructure projects for the country 606 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 4: that are the right things for us to be doing 607 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:29,959 Speaker 4: at the moment. We get money together, we scrape it 608 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:32,679 Speaker 4: all around, we put it together on one project, we 609 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 4: work really hard to try and get that project done 610 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:36,399 Speaker 4: and everything it takes too long, and everybod there's a 611 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 4: cost over because it's been badly managed, partly by the 612 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:41,440 Speaker 4: previous government. Think to need in hospital, Think berries. And 613 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 4: then what we've got to do is have a longer 614 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 4: term pipeline of infrastructure projects and then have our city 615 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 4: regional deals and have an agency that actually knows how 616 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:50,719 Speaker 4: to get the funding and financing in place for it. 617 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 4: And so that's the mechanism we're putting in place. I 618 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 4: do agree with you. I think it'd be fantastic to 619 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 4: have bipartisan support. And so even just on our new 620 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:00,960 Speaker 4: statement around public private partnership, you know, we've reached out 621 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 4: to labor, We've got Barbara Edmonds to come on board 622 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 4: and actually support that that program as well. So that's 623 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:08,360 Speaker 4: a good development. That's a good thing. You know, it 624 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 4: shouldn't be as politicized as it is in New Zealand. 625 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 4: If you just think about a project like Auckland light rail, 626 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:16,120 Speaker 4: which the last government we mismanaged so badly. You know, 627 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 4: Montreal started a project similar to that. They started it 628 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 4: but later finished it within five years. People are on 629 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 4: the on the light rail trains. You know, we spent 630 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 4: two hundred and fifteen million dollars on it and we 631 00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 4: still didn't know where we were. We were putting the 632 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:30,520 Speaker 4: tracks if we could even get the tracks down, So 633 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 4: I mean we are terrible at it. You know, Cambridge 634 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:35,440 Speaker 4: to Party road gets turned on off depending on which 635 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 4: government's in place. That is just basics. Building roads is 636 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 4: not difficult or complicated. It happens all around the world. So 637 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:43,480 Speaker 4: we do have to manage infrastructure a much better way 638 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 4: going forward. 639 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:52,600 Speaker 7: This is a damaging piece of legislation. This government, Christopher Luxon, 640 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 7: is taking a wrecking ball to the work that has 641 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 7: been done by success of governments over the past fifty 642 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:02,000 Speaker 7: years since the White Time Tribunal was established. This BILLIP 643 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 7: would amount to the dictatorship of the majority this parliament 644 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 7: can it has passed racist laws in the past, and 645 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,560 Speaker 7: Marty are still paying the price and we all are 646 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 7: still paying the. 647 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: Price when it comes to the Treaty Principals Bill. 648 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 2: I know you're probably sick of talking about it, but 649 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 2: do you think voting against the bill at the second 650 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 2: reading is good enough? Because it seems like just the 651 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 2: mere existence of it has kickstarted a debate that will 652 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:32,920 Speaker 2: never end. And I mean Sima will no doubt bring 653 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:34,360 Speaker 2: it up again in twenty twenty six. 654 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 4: Well, what I say on that one is that you 655 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:40,880 Speaker 4: have to understand that under Hipkins and Adourn and when 656 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 4: they went off into things like the Maori Health Authority, 657 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 4: when they went off and forced Mark Marty Walls onto 658 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 4: local governments from Central Wellington, when they started to talk 659 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 4: about co governance and spent one point two billion dollars 660 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 4: on three waters projects that didn't even go anywhere. You know, 661 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 4: all of that created a huge division and frustration within 662 00:30:57,120 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 4: New Zealand. And unlike Jim Boulger who took New Zealanders 663 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:03,080 Speaker 4: on a journey and made the case for treaty settlements, 664 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 4: there was no political capital spent or any effort to 665 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 4: take New Zealanders with them on that agenda. So going 666 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:12,680 Speaker 4: into the last election there was immense frustration, and that 667 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 4: frustration sits on both sides of that debate. We just 668 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 4: happen to think that that frustration, as legitimate as it 669 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:21,960 Speaker 4: may well be, is not being served by a very 670 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:24,680 Speaker 4: simplistic Treaty Principles bill that with the stroke of a pinion, 671 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 4: overcomes one hundred and eighty four years of debate and discussion. 672 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:30,480 Speaker 4: We need to make sure these Landers have equal rights. 673 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 4: It's a fundamental and we also need to make sure 674 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:35,479 Speaker 4: that the Crown meets its obligations under the treaty and 675 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 4: so and that treaty process. We disagree on the issues, 676 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:42,960 Speaker 4: but we stay committed and we stayed talking to each 677 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 4: other over the last one hundred and eighty four years. 678 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 4: We haven't agreed on everything over that period of time, 679 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:49,240 Speaker 4: but I think the treaty has made us better. So 680 00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:51,520 Speaker 4: we should continue to grapple with it. We should continue 681 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 4: to wrestle author but we should also take the issues 682 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 4: case by case, issue by issue, and that's our approach. 683 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:58,920 Speaker 4: And so you know, we dismantled the Malori Health Authority 684 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:02,120 Speaker 4: because it just wasn't going in deoliver outcomes. We pushed 685 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 4: actually the decision on local wards and local governments should 686 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:07,360 Speaker 4: be a local community decision, not mandated out of here, 687 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:09,920 Speaker 4: out of Wellington. We have believed that the Marine and 688 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:13,320 Speaker 4: Coastal Court decisions were wrong. We're inconsistent with the legislation 689 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 4: subsequently been confirmed by the Supreme Court. But you know 690 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:18,200 Speaker 4: that's why we're legislating for that. You know, that's why 691 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:21,200 Speaker 4: we've pushed three Waters back to local communities and also 692 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:23,680 Speaker 4: given them funding and financing mechanisms to make sure they 693 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:26,280 Speaker 4: manage those assets. Well, so you know that's the way 694 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:28,840 Speaker 4: to deal with it is wrestle with each individual issue 695 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 4: that comes up, as we have done for one hundred 696 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:33,480 Speaker 4: and eighty four years, rather than have a simplistic bill. 697 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:37,480 Speaker 4: And then, most importantly, Chelsea, it's all about outcomes. And frankly, 698 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:41,240 Speaker 4: Mary want higher incomes. Mary want better quality housing, Mary 699 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:43,719 Speaker 4: want better education and comes with their kids. They want 700 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:45,760 Speaker 4: better access to healthcare, and they want to be less 701 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:49,120 Speaker 4: victims of crime across New Zealand. So the things that 702 00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:52,120 Speaker 4: we're focused on of rebuilding the economy, restoring law and order, 703 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:54,920 Speaker 4: delivering better health and education the same things that might want. 704 00:32:54,920 --> 00:32:58,440 Speaker 4: And we've got to deliver outcomes because frankly, six years 705 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 4: of labor talk a lot didn't deliver for Mari at all. 706 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:05,680 Speaker 2: When do you think the deadline is when you can 707 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:07,560 Speaker 2: stop blaming the previous government? 708 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 1: Do you think it's about now? Do you reckon you're 709 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:13,960 Speaker 1: still allowed to do that next year? I mean genuine question. 710 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 4: Well, the reality is that what you were doing a 711 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:20,360 Speaker 4: turnaround job here, right, I mean we are six years yeah, yeah, sure, 712 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 4: so six years of mismanagement doesn't get sorted in twelve months. 713 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 4: But you've got to under When you're doing a turnaround job, 714 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 4: you've got to face up to the reality and the 715 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 4: starting point. You may want to put your head in 716 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:31,920 Speaker 4: the sand and say it's all fine and not confronted, 717 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 4: but you actually have to call out that reality and 718 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 4: say this is where I'm starting on, this is the 719 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:38,920 Speaker 4: motivation or this is the problem that we now need 720 00:33:38,920 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 4: to solve. If you think about it, we have violent 721 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:45,600 Speaker 4: crime up thirty three percent. We've gained membership up fifty percent. 722 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:47,920 Speaker 4: We have a doubling of retail crime. We have fourfold 723 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:50,520 Speaker 4: increase in RAM rates. That's the starting point. That's what 724 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:52,840 Speaker 4: we inherited. Do we want to carry on and just 725 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:54,320 Speaker 4: let that carry on or do you want to do 726 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:56,960 Speaker 4: something about it. We chose to do something about it. 727 00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 4: As a result, we now have victimizations down three percent. 728 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:02,600 Speaker 4: Think we have ram raids down sixty four percent. You 729 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:04,240 Speaker 4: and I don't talk about ram raids. That what it 730 00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 4: needs to do with the media every single day. We 731 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 4: have a thirty percent increase of police out on the beat. 732 00:34:09,120 --> 00:34:11,719 Speaker 4: I said, total crimes down about three percent at this point. Now, 733 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:14,280 Speaker 4: we've got a lot longer to go, but we've done things. 734 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:18,640 Speaker 4: Gain laws, serious young offenders, sentencing laws, police recruitment efforts. 735 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,680 Speaker 4: We're doing that, but the actual tasks and the jobs 736 00:34:21,719 --> 00:34:23,080 Speaker 4: and the actions you need to do in order to 737 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:24,320 Speaker 4: get a different set of outcomes. 738 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:26,200 Speaker 1: Thanks for joining US, Prime Minister. 739 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:26,560 Speaker 3: Thanks so much. 740 00:34:26,640 --> 00:34:27,200 Speaker 4: Bye. 741 00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:34,840 Speaker 2: That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You 742 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:39,040 Speaker 2: can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage at. 743 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: Enzadherld dot co dot nz. 744 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:45,640 Speaker 2: The Front Page is produced by Ethan Sills and Richard Martin, 745 00:34:45,880 --> 00:34:47,719 Speaker 2: who is also our sound engineer. 746 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 1: I'm Chelsea Daniels. 747 00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:53,000 Speaker 2: Subscribe to the Front Page on iHeartRadio or. 748 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:56,600 Speaker 1: Wherever you get your podcasts, and tune in tomorrow for 749 00:34:56,680 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: another look behind the headlines.