1 00:00:09,093 --> 00:00:12,892 Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from Newstalk SEDB. Follow this 2 00:00:13,053 --> 00:00:17,013 Speaker 1: and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:16,733 --> 00:00:20,172 Speaker 2: Big News Today. Moves have been announced on challenging the 4 00:00:20,293 --> 00:00:23,813 Speaker 2: supermarket duopoly. The government says it will remove barriers preventing 5 00:00:23,893 --> 00:00:28,373 Speaker 2: competitive supermarkets from launching or expanding in New Zealand. Senior 6 00:00:28,412 --> 00:00:31,933 Speaker 2: political reporter Azaria Howe has been at that media conference 7 00:00:31,933 --> 00:00:35,293 Speaker 2: and she joins us now afternoon, Azaria afternoon, good to 8 00:00:35,293 --> 00:00:37,653 Speaker 2: be with you. Yeah, thanks for joining us once again. 9 00:00:37,693 --> 00:00:38,892 Speaker 2: So break it all down for us. 10 00:00:39,253 --> 00:00:42,573 Speaker 3: Yes, So, Nikola Willis already sort of before this announcement 11 00:00:42,613 --> 00:00:45,013 Speaker 3: admitted it wouldn't be a silver bullet, but she does 12 00:00:45,053 --> 00:00:47,693 Speaker 3: say the government's been looking at red tape and regulation 13 00:00:47,933 --> 00:00:50,373 Speaker 3: in this sort of space. So the big headline of 14 00:00:50,373 --> 00:00:53,453 Speaker 3: this really supermarkets will be up for being fast tracked 15 00:00:53,492 --> 00:00:57,653 Speaker 3: if they can improve either regional or national competition. This 16 00:00:57,773 --> 00:01:00,853 Speaker 3: comes back from the government's request for information basically found 17 00:01:00,893 --> 00:01:04,813 Speaker 3: advice from different supermarket players across the country and the 18 00:01:04,853 --> 00:01:08,733 Speaker 3: world that there's too much red tape, regulation, stops and 19 00:01:08,773 --> 00:01:11,732 Speaker 3: things preventing people from actually wanting to set up a supermarket. 20 00:01:11,773 --> 00:01:15,333 Speaker 4: Here is that what's been stopping people. 21 00:01:16,693 --> 00:01:20,533 Speaker 3: That's what they the people who have responded to that 22 00:01:20,572 --> 00:01:23,652 Speaker 3: request for information as saying. They say the government's saying 23 00:01:23,733 --> 00:01:26,973 Speaker 3: legislation is set to be introduced in November and past 24 00:01:27,053 --> 00:01:27,653 Speaker 3: this year. 25 00:01:28,373 --> 00:01:31,773 Speaker 2: So those current barriers, I mean, did she mention specifically 26 00:01:31,813 --> 00:01:34,893 Speaker 2: what those barriers are? Clearly they're changing that legislation. But 27 00:01:35,013 --> 00:01:37,453 Speaker 2: is it just down to policy or are there other 28 00:01:37,533 --> 00:01:41,053 Speaker 2: barriers here? Competition? You know that talk about land banking. 29 00:01:41,253 --> 00:01:42,812 Speaker 2: Does that all come into it as well? As are 30 00:01:42,813 --> 00:01:43,693 Speaker 2: you Yeah? 31 00:01:43,693 --> 00:01:45,773 Speaker 3: I think one of the main things was this issue 32 00:01:45,773 --> 00:01:49,013 Speaker 3: of consenting. Finance Minister Nikola Willis said it can take 33 00:01:49,253 --> 00:01:52,493 Speaker 3: years and also millions of dollars to set up a supermarket, 34 00:01:52,533 --> 00:01:54,453 Speaker 3: but she's now saying she wants it to be a 35 00:01:54,493 --> 00:01:57,493 Speaker 3: matter of months and the government's also looking to put 36 00:01:57,533 --> 00:02:01,333 Speaker 3: that consenting down to one single authority, So that seems 37 00:02:01,373 --> 00:02:04,253 Speaker 3: like the big one in terms of their responses back. 38 00:02:04,373 --> 00:02:07,613 Speaker 3: Nicola Willis was also asked well does the New Zealand 39 00:02:07,613 --> 00:02:11,013 Speaker 3: economy and the relative slowness of it come into effect? 40 00:02:11,333 --> 00:02:14,693 Speaker 3: She said, not really as much in terms of compared 41 00:02:14,733 --> 00:02:17,133 Speaker 3: to these regulatory issues that we're seeing. 42 00:02:18,093 --> 00:02:21,213 Speaker 4: So is she talking about here a chain and is 43 00:02:21,252 --> 00:02:24,613 Speaker 4: anyone interested as an international chain or just set up 44 00:02:24,613 --> 00:02:29,213 Speaker 4: a supermarket. Yes, so just a major part a single 45 00:02:29,252 --> 00:02:31,973 Speaker 4: operator setting up a super market in competition, say you 46 00:02:32,013 --> 00:02:33,213 Speaker 4: know in a suburb. 47 00:02:33,613 --> 00:02:36,333 Speaker 3: A major part of this. And as an Aucklander you 48 00:02:36,413 --> 00:02:39,573 Speaker 3: might be aware with the West Auckland Costco. The government 49 00:02:39,613 --> 00:02:43,173 Speaker 3: has been in talks with Costco for potentially more shops 50 00:02:43,173 --> 00:02:45,733 Speaker 3: in New Zealand. Now this comes after that West Aukland 51 00:02:45,773 --> 00:02:48,893 Speaker 3: Costco has had quite some success in terms of bringing 52 00:02:48,893 --> 00:02:51,693 Speaker 3: people from a cross Auckland. When I was in Auckland, 53 00:02:51,733 --> 00:02:54,532 Speaker 3: I actually visited it as well, so it is sort 54 00:02:54,573 --> 00:02:58,692 Speaker 3: of attracting new customers. Finance Minister Nikola willis really hoping 55 00:02:58,733 --> 00:03:02,813 Speaker 3: this one will bring downward pressure on prices, essentially to 56 00:03:03,373 --> 00:03:05,773 Speaker 3: ease the cost of living. But there's been a bit 57 00:03:05,813 --> 00:03:08,813 Speaker 3: of disappointment as well from the government. They thought Aldi 58 00:03:08,893 --> 00:03:11,853 Speaker 3: and Little would be interested in that request for information. 59 00:03:12,293 --> 00:03:14,813 Speaker 3: They did not partake in that. But there is sort 60 00:03:14,853 --> 00:03:16,413 Speaker 3: of a glimmer of hope with Costco. 61 00:03:16,972 --> 00:03:19,692 Speaker 2: What does that say when the likes of Aldi and 62 00:03:20,093 --> 00:03:24,132 Speaker 2: you mentioned another outfit there they're not interested in that information? 63 00:03:24,293 --> 00:03:27,653 Speaker 2: I mean, does that say that they cannot see profitability 64 00:03:27,693 --> 00:03:30,852 Speaker 2: in this market even with those levers that have been pulled. 65 00:03:31,532 --> 00:03:35,493 Speaker 3: Yeah, well Nikola Willis. Her response to that really was 66 00:03:35,773 --> 00:03:38,453 Speaker 3: we now have a welcome Matt. We're sort of saying 67 00:03:38,453 --> 00:03:42,333 Speaker 3: that we can potentially put supermarkets forward to fast track them. 68 00:03:42,773 --> 00:03:45,613 Speaker 3: And really her message to Aldi and Little and those 69 00:03:45,613 --> 00:03:48,653 Speaker 3: companies that didn't take place is everyone should give New 70 00:03:48,773 --> 00:03:52,693 Speaker 3: Zealand another look. So really hoping that they do actually 71 00:03:52,733 --> 00:03:54,613 Speaker 3: take a look at that. But I mean, in terms 72 00:03:54,613 --> 00:03:56,893 Speaker 3: of the costco option, it seems much more on the 73 00:03:56,933 --> 00:03:58,533 Speaker 3: table than any other company. 74 00:03:58,853 --> 00:04:01,453 Speaker 4: Yeah right, okay, some red take being removed. 75 00:04:01,533 --> 00:04:01,732 Speaker 3: Yeah. 76 00:04:01,933 --> 00:04:04,253 Speaker 4: It's interesting though, because you'd think, with how much we've 77 00:04:04,253 --> 00:04:06,293 Speaker 4: been talking about it, you think that the amount of 78 00:04:06,333 --> 00:04:11,253 Speaker 4: profits was so huge from supermarkets that businesses would be 79 00:04:11,333 --> 00:04:12,973 Speaker 4: kicking down the doors to get in. But it doesn't 80 00:04:12,973 --> 00:04:13,693 Speaker 4: seem to be the case. 81 00:04:13,773 --> 00:04:17,573 Speaker 2: No, exactly. Yeah, Azariah, thank you very much for that breakdown. 82 00:04:17,613 --> 00:04:19,293 Speaker 2: Really appreciate it. We'll chat again tomorrow. 83 00:04:19,693 --> 00:04:23,173 Speaker 1: Cheers for more from News Talk st B. Listen live 84 00:04:23,333 --> 00:04:26,053 Speaker 1: on air or online, and keep our shows with you 85 00:04:26,133 --> 00:04:29,093 Speaker 1: wherever you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.