1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: Heller DU two ninety two is the text number standard 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: text FECE applied. By the way, the coal is with 3 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: us after half past five. Now Wellington's longest running drama 4 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,319 Speaker 1: were maybe second longest running drama, because there's lot of 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: dramas in Wellington at the moment has ended. Darlene has 6 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: been kicked out of Parliament by the Speaker Jerry Browny 7 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: this morning declared her seat as vacant. And this is 8 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:22,080 Speaker 1: of course after the Greens triggered the Wacker jumping law 9 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: late last week. Chloe Sworewick as the Greens coly to, hey, 10 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: Chloe d when is she out? She out? Already she gone? 11 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 2: As I understand that the gazette noticed that was issued 12 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 2: this morning by the Speaker does mean under the way 13 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,480 Speaker 2: that the law functions that it is effectively as though 14 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,560 Speaker 2: she were never elected. So my understanding is the Parliamentary 15 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 2: Services is in direct contact with Darlin and will be 16 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 2: working with her to figure out moving things out of 17 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 2: the Parliamentary building. 18 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: I didn't, I didn't. I didn't look at that a 19 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 1: question time today did she turn up? 20 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 2: No, she did not, as I understand it, and again 21 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 2: per that gazette this morning, it means that she is 22 00:00:57,840 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 2: no longer a member of Parliament. 23 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: How do you feel, Chloe, I mean, you must be relieved, 24 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: because I'll tell you what. I watched your press conference 25 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:06,040 Speaker 1: the other day. You were grinningly in a way I 26 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: haven't seen you grin like that for ages. 27 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 2: I think I need to kind of counterbalance that by 28 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 2: pointing to the fact that this is a really sad situation. 29 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 2: You know, Look, I will be completely honest about the 30 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 2: fact that I'm grateful to have a position now where 31 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 2: we can draw a line under this. But it's been 32 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 2: a several months long process that obviously has ensued the 33 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 2: likes of legal battles in other ways, which I don't 34 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: think has been a nice situation for anybody that's been involved. 35 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 2: But ultimately, for us to get to that position last week, 36 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 2: where one hundred and eighty five Green Party who represent 37 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 2: thousands of members from all across the country, coming to 38 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 2: that position unanimously, for that consensus to put that request 39 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 2: to the speaker, I think speaks really proudly to me, 40 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 2: or rather I speak really proudly to the point that 41 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 2: that goes to the core of who we are as 42 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 2: a grassroots lead party. 43 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: Okay, so when does Benjamin start. 44 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 2: So our mustera Racardo Minindez March has been directly in 45 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 2: touch with them, and we'll be working through all of 46 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 2: the usual processes whenever any new member of Parliament comes 47 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 2: into this place. Obviously it requires putting notice into their 48 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 2: current job, and yet working through when the best time 49 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: to be sworn in and made inspects and otherwise. 50 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: Have you Are you absolutely confident that Benjamin is not 51 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: going to embarrass you? And the reason I'm not picking 52 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,960 Speaker 1: on Benjamin, I'm just picking generally on your candidacy selection. 53 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: Your candidate selection has let you down. Are you sure 54 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 1: that everybody that you're bringing in now is being properly vetted? 55 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 2: Yeah? I hear you on that point, and that of 56 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 2: course has been something which has been forefront of my 57 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 2: mind since taking this mental alongside the honorable Madame and 58 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:42,239 Speaker 2: Davidson as co leader. I mean, this issue literally occurred 59 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 2: the first week that I became co leader, So it'll 60 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 2: come as no surprise that we are working with the 61 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 2: party to tighten up those processes. But look, you know, 62 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 2: I'm really excited to be welcoming Benjamin into the team. 63 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 2: They've got a long, proud history of working in the 64 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 2: education sector, which obviously right now is forefront of mind 65 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 2: with the government's reforms and cuts, especially in the likes 66 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,920 Speaker 2: of the tri or Mahoru space. So I think that 67 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 2: they'll have a lot to contribute. 68 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 1: Hey, what do you make of the government deciding to 69 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: intervene in Wellington City Council. 70 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 2: I think that the broader point remains, which is that 71 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 2: governments are both stripes, both national and labor led. Governments 72 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 2: have initiated inquiries and sought advice externally, independently and expert 73 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 2: over the past few decades into the issues with local government, 74 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 2: and they've consistently found, most recently in the Future of 75 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 2: Local Government review tabled at the end of last year, 76 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 2: that local governments across this country do not have the 77 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 2: resources to achieve their mandate basically to do what it 78 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 2: says on the tin. And we're actually it's. 79 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: Not the problem here though, Chloe. That's not the problem 80 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: with this council. 81 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 2: It is part of the problem if you think about 82 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 2: the legacy of issues that have got to that place 83 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 2: where that kind of deficit and the decisions and trade 84 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 2: offs that are having to be made, and I'd say 85 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 2: that this is actually even something that Sami and Brown 86 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 2: said on the campaign trail during twenty twenty three when 87 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 2: he spoke to the fact that there would need to 88 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 2: be some form of what he called local or SETI 89 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 2: deals I think appealing. 90 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, but come one, look at look at all the 91 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: councils around the country who are managing to make the 92 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: situation work without having the infighting that's going on with 93 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: this council, without having to go back and relitigate really 94 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: really significant parts of their long term plan. This is 95 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: a Wellington City Council problem. And the reason I'm asking 96 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: you about it is because this is the only council 97 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 1: in the country that has a Green mayor, so it 98 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: reflects badly on the Green Party. 99 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. Sure, and I'm sure that those points that we 100 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 2: made and plenty of commentary and throughout talkback, but the 101 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 2: point again remains that we're not addressing the fundamental issue here. Sure, 102 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:34,919 Speaker 2: there are observers coming in, but that doesn't address the 103 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 2: basic fundamental premise that local governments across the country do 104 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 2: not have the resources to achieve the infrastructural. 105 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: I get that, I get what you're saying, but I'm 106 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: asking you about something else, which is how you feel 107 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 1: about the situation where you've got this one. You guys 108 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: have celebrated the fact it's the first Green mayor and 109 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 1: there's a complete stuff up. 110 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 2: I'm not a Wellingtonian. I have voted in the awkward 111 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 2: local body elections, but Wellingtonians voted for this counsel, and 112 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 2: this council has made that democratic decision. And there's a 113 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 2: lot of different political machinations that are obviously at play there, 114 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 2: and again we'd say that this is simply a function 115 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:13,280 Speaker 2: of a need to sort out those fundamental problems with 116 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 2: the government. 117 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,359 Speaker 1: Speaking of candidates, you know Tory wants to come and 118 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: become an MP with you guys, are you going to 119 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: let it. 120 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 2: That we're getting far ahead of ourselves on that one? 121 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 1: I think yeah, that's actually a very good answer. We are, 122 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: aren't we. Chloe? Thank you very much, Chloe Swaarbrick, co 123 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: leader of the Greens. For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive, 124 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: listen live to News Talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, 125 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.