1 00:00:09,093 --> 00:00:11,972 Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talk sed be 2 00:00:12,373 --> 00:00:16,173 Speaker 1: follow this and our Wide Ranger podcasts now on iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:16,733 --> 00:00:20,333 Speaker 2: Breaking news in the last fifteen minutes. Sad breaking news 4 00:00:20,332 --> 00:00:22,493 Speaker 2: that Sir Bob Jones has passed away at the age 5 00:00:22,533 --> 00:00:25,053 Speaker 2: of eighty five. He passed away in his family home, 6 00:00:25,133 --> 00:00:28,213 Speaker 2: surrounded by his family members. A man that knew Sir 7 00:00:28,253 --> 00:00:32,213 Speaker 2: Bob Jones very well was our senior political correspondent, Barry Soaper, 8 00:00:32,253 --> 00:00:34,172 Speaker 2: who joins us now Barry, Good afternoon. 9 00:00:35,333 --> 00:00:39,133 Speaker 3: Good afternoon, so Barry, you knew Sir Bob both professionally 10 00:00:39,173 --> 00:00:39,772 Speaker 3: and personally. 11 00:00:41,213 --> 00:00:45,132 Speaker 4: He is very sad to hear of his death. We 12 00:00:45,213 --> 00:00:48,893 Speaker 4: knew though for some weeks that he was Ailey and 13 00:00:49,293 --> 00:00:52,413 Speaker 4: I talked to one of his daughters this morning, and 14 00:00:52,853 --> 00:00:56,853 Speaker 4: you know, he at least died where he would have 15 00:00:56,933 --> 00:01:00,253 Speaker 4: wanted to die, and that's an his home and Lower Hut, 16 00:01:00,293 --> 00:01:04,413 Speaker 4: surrounded by his family. So for that, I'm sure Bob 17 00:01:04,453 --> 00:01:05,253 Speaker 4: would appreciate. 18 00:01:06,533 --> 00:01:09,053 Speaker 3: Yeah, because it all started for him in Lower didn't it. 19 00:01:10,293 --> 00:01:12,853 Speaker 4: Well, it all started for him really when back in 20 00:01:12,973 --> 00:01:17,693 Speaker 4: nine I and he was one of the original pupils 21 00:01:17,733 --> 00:01:21,213 Speaker 4: at nine I School and went on unlike most of 22 00:01:21,253 --> 00:01:25,373 Speaker 4: the others to the sixth form and then went to university, 23 00:01:26,093 --> 00:01:28,733 Speaker 4: which was sort of almost unheard of in those days. 24 00:01:29,133 --> 00:01:33,293 Speaker 4: But Bob was a man that never was one to 25 00:01:33,292 --> 00:01:37,173 Speaker 4: toe anybody's line. And the thing that I liked about him, 26 00:01:37,212 --> 00:01:41,053 Speaker 4: he was a person that always spoke his mind. And 27 00:01:41,333 --> 00:01:44,413 Speaker 4: you know, I've been at many dues, been around many 28 00:01:44,453 --> 00:01:49,413 Speaker 4: dinner tables, and had many conversations with Bob Jones, and 29 00:01:49,453 --> 00:01:53,573 Speaker 4: the conversations that you treasure because you'll never forget them. 30 00:01:53,613 --> 00:01:57,013 Speaker 4: Bob was a reverent he was you know, he was 31 00:01:57,693 --> 00:02:02,693 Speaker 4: deliberately obnoxious at times, but for those of us who 32 00:02:02,733 --> 00:02:05,693 Speaker 4: knew him well, we knew the cut of the man's cloth, 33 00:02:06,173 --> 00:02:08,252 Speaker 4: and he was a thoroughly decent individual. 34 00:02:08,933 --> 00:02:11,053 Speaker 3: Was he the same guy in private as he was 35 00:02:11,093 --> 00:02:11,613 Speaker 3: in public? 36 00:02:12,933 --> 00:02:16,333 Speaker 4: Oh? Pretty much so. I mean, I remember when Bob 37 00:02:16,413 --> 00:02:18,893 Speaker 4: reached seventy, he said to me, Locke, when you get 38 00:02:18,933 --> 00:02:22,533 Speaker 4: to seventy, he said, speak your own bloody mind, because 39 00:02:23,213 --> 00:02:26,413 Speaker 4: you know you're at an age that you're entitled to 40 00:02:26,493 --> 00:02:29,453 Speaker 4: say what you think. And Bob, I don't think it 41 00:02:29,493 --> 00:02:32,532 Speaker 4: took him until he was seventy to say what he thought. 42 00:02:33,213 --> 00:02:37,773 Speaker 4: He basically let you know how he thought. And to 43 00:02:37,853 --> 00:02:41,333 Speaker 4: that end, of course, he let Muldoon. Rob Muldoon know 44 00:02:41,972 --> 00:02:44,172 Speaker 4: in the early eighties how he thought, he went out 45 00:02:44,213 --> 00:02:48,933 Speaker 4: and formed the New Zealand Party and collared twelve percent 46 00:02:49,013 --> 00:02:54,692 Speaker 4: of the vote. Now you know it was the oh 47 00:02:54,813 --> 00:02:59,213 Speaker 4: he would have been most unsuited as an MP. But nevertheless, 48 00:02:59,333 --> 00:03:01,613 Speaker 4: mose days it was first past the post. But it 49 00:03:01,733 --> 00:03:05,093 Speaker 4: saw the end of Rob Muldoon and his government in 50 00:03:05,173 --> 00:03:10,373 Speaker 4: the beginning of the longy Labor government whose policies under 51 00:03:10,413 --> 00:03:14,933 Speaker 4: Rogernomics Bob Jones light. But you know when it came 52 00:03:14,972 --> 00:03:18,173 Speaker 4: to Muldoon, even though there may have been enemies at 53 00:03:18,173 --> 00:03:22,453 Speaker 4: one stage, it was Bob along with Audrey Young, who 54 00:03:23,173 --> 00:03:26,733 Speaker 4: of course one of the senior correspondents for the Herald, 55 00:03:26,773 --> 00:03:30,532 Speaker 4: her father being Young. They put on a fearwell dinner 56 00:03:31,213 --> 00:03:34,693 Speaker 4: for Rob Muldoon in the Wellington Club and it was 57 00:03:34,853 --> 00:03:39,173 Speaker 4: really the most wonderful occasion. And Muldourne I had a 58 00:03:39,253 --> 00:03:42,173 Speaker 4: radio show in those days in the morning, and Muldourn 59 00:03:42,213 --> 00:03:44,973 Speaker 4: and Bob Jones came on the show the morning after 60 00:03:45,053 --> 00:03:49,133 Speaker 4: the dinner. Bob was traditionally running late, arrived there during 61 00:03:49,173 --> 00:03:52,573 Speaker 4: the ad break, but Muldoon was there and it's the 62 00:03:52,613 --> 00:03:57,253 Speaker 4: first time I've ever seen Muldoon cry, and he cried 63 00:03:57,893 --> 00:04:03,493 Speaker 4: over gratitude for Bob Jones and maybe how they should 64 00:04:03,533 --> 00:04:05,493 Speaker 4: never have had a falling out in the first place. 65 00:04:05,973 --> 00:04:08,013 Speaker 3: Wow, there are some great Bob Jones stories over the 66 00:04:08,093 --> 00:04:12,253 Speaker 3: years and some great wounds around the eighty four election. 67 00:04:12,373 --> 00:04:15,293 Speaker 3: Anyone's specific ones that you can remember around that time. 68 00:04:16,573 --> 00:04:20,413 Speaker 4: Well, I remember the foundation of the New Zealand Party 69 00:04:21,013 --> 00:04:27,093 Speaker 4: and it was a wonderful for the media because the media. 70 00:04:27,093 --> 00:04:29,253 Speaker 4: I don't think I've ever been looked after as well 71 00:04:29,733 --> 00:04:33,452 Speaker 4: at any political conference. That the wine and the beer 72 00:04:33,573 --> 00:04:38,533 Speaker 4: flowed throughout the conference. The food was sublime. So Bob 73 00:04:38,613 --> 00:04:41,813 Speaker 4: really knew how to look after the media, even though 74 00:04:42,373 --> 00:04:45,613 Speaker 4: he got frustrated with the media very much so from 75 00:04:45,653 --> 00:04:48,773 Speaker 4: time to time. But when it came when it came 76 00:04:48,813 --> 00:04:52,133 Speaker 4: to the election, you know, Bob was in his element 77 00:04:52,693 --> 00:04:58,133 Speaker 4: and he spoke when he was on stage very quietly 78 00:04:58,373 --> 00:05:01,773 Speaker 4: for him and quite deliberately. There was a man who 79 00:05:01,893 --> 00:05:05,413 Speaker 4: got his message across and no one left any meeting 80 00:05:05,973 --> 00:05:08,053 Speaker 4: not understanding what Bob Jones meant. 81 00:05:08,653 --> 00:05:11,253 Speaker 3: I had a great story and you can maybe confirm 82 00:05:11,373 --> 00:05:13,013 Speaker 3: or deny this, but it was on the way to 83 00:05:13,253 --> 00:05:15,933 Speaker 3: a television debate and Bob Jones was going to debate 84 00:05:16,293 --> 00:05:21,053 Speaker 3: David Longi and Rob Muldoon and as he was being 85 00:05:21,133 --> 00:05:23,933 Speaker 3: driven in, Bob Jones noticed that he was had pulled 86 00:05:24,013 --> 00:05:27,293 Speaker 3: up beside the car of Rob Muldoon and for a joke, 87 00:05:27,333 --> 00:05:29,493 Speaker 3: he got his driver to give it a little bang. 88 00:05:29,853 --> 00:05:33,133 Speaker 3: He got a driver to turn into it and give 89 00:05:33,133 --> 00:05:35,133 Speaker 3: her a little bang, and then drove off. Do you 90 00:05:35,133 --> 00:05:35,933 Speaker 3: know if that's true? 91 00:05:37,053 --> 00:05:40,693 Speaker 4: Well, I've heard the story, but look, I would have 92 00:05:40,813 --> 00:05:43,613 Speaker 4: my doubts about it because it will have been an 93 00:05:43,773 --> 00:05:48,893 Speaker 4: LTD in those days that Muldoon cohorts used to get 94 00:05:48,893 --> 00:05:53,053 Speaker 4: around it, and they were revered cards, and I think 95 00:05:53,053 --> 00:05:56,213 Speaker 4: it would take even somebody bigger than Bob Jones to 96 00:05:57,013 --> 00:05:58,333 Speaker 4: nudge one of those cars. 97 00:05:58,453 --> 00:06:02,413 Speaker 2: Yeah, he had obviously a compeative public image, Bowie, but 98 00:06:02,453 --> 00:06:04,893 Speaker 2: also a wicked sense of humor. But from what you're saying, 99 00:06:04,933 --> 00:06:07,373 Speaker 2: it sounds like he didn't hold a grudge if he 100 00:06:07,413 --> 00:06:07,933 Speaker 2: could help it. 101 00:06:09,253 --> 00:06:12,293 Speaker 4: No, he didn't. Actually some people that he held a 102 00:06:12,333 --> 00:06:18,253 Speaker 4: grudge for, but probably the ones that he have grudges 103 00:06:18,493 --> 00:06:22,573 Speaker 4: were fairly deserved, I would imagine. But no, Bob was 104 00:06:23,173 --> 00:06:25,893 Speaker 4: not unlike dare I say it, another old mate who's 105 00:06:25,933 --> 00:06:29,333 Speaker 4: in politics, Winston Peters. That Peters and I have had, 106 00:06:30,573 --> 00:06:34,413 Speaker 4: you would have to say, a volatile relationship over the years. 107 00:06:35,253 --> 00:06:41,653 Speaker 4: But Bob, like Winston Peters, they generally wouldn't hold grudges 108 00:06:42,053 --> 00:06:45,893 Speaker 4: and would get over things. And Bob was very like that. 109 00:06:46,053 --> 00:06:49,613 Speaker 4: He wrote a very good column He used to write 110 00:06:49,733 --> 00:06:53,973 Speaker 4: very good columns up until relatively recently online and that 111 00:06:54,093 --> 00:06:58,413 Speaker 4: was rather ironic in itself. And that Bob he never 112 00:06:58,653 --> 00:07:02,893 Speaker 4: liked much to do with technology. And if you were 113 00:07:02,933 --> 00:07:04,973 Speaker 4: at a dinner table with him with a cell phone, 114 00:07:05,613 --> 00:07:08,293 Speaker 4: the likelihood is that the cell phone would end up 115 00:07:08,373 --> 00:07:10,893 Speaker 4: from the water jue. He hated them so much. 116 00:07:11,493 --> 00:07:14,533 Speaker 3: Yeah, he once reached out to me though via email, 117 00:07:14,573 --> 00:07:16,493 Speaker 3: to complain about my grammar and an article I wrote 118 00:07:16,533 --> 00:07:20,613 Speaker 3: for the Herald. So he was very very staunch on grammar. 119 00:07:20,933 --> 00:07:23,613 Speaker 3: So you know, one of the most famous instants in 120 00:07:24,293 --> 00:07:28,173 Speaker 3: his in his legacy, I guess, is the Rod Vaughan situation. 121 00:07:28,973 --> 00:07:32,413 Speaker 3: How do you remember that going down back in the day. 122 00:07:33,373 --> 00:07:37,013 Speaker 4: Well, I remember when Bob was he was convicted of 123 00:07:37,053 --> 00:07:40,733 Speaker 4: assault for it and find two thousand dollars and he 124 00:07:40,773 --> 00:07:43,533 Speaker 4: said to the judge, can I pay another two thousand 125 00:07:43,573 --> 00:07:47,653 Speaker 4: dollars and do it over again? Of course, you know, 126 00:07:47,773 --> 00:07:49,613 Speaker 4: great sad to hear. I don't know what the judge thought, 127 00:07:49,653 --> 00:07:51,773 Speaker 4: but he didn't allow him. It didn't allow him to 128 00:07:51,813 --> 00:07:57,693 Speaker 4: pay it. But no, again, it'll be interesting if Vard 129 00:07:57,853 --> 00:08:01,573 Speaker 4: was around, which I don't think he is unfortunately, but 130 00:08:02,773 --> 00:08:06,573 Speaker 4: he and Bob probably I would have imagined and patched 131 00:08:06,573 --> 00:08:10,853 Speaker 4: things up. Bob was really hoosed off about his fishing spot, 132 00:08:12,213 --> 00:08:15,093 Speaker 4: upset by the blades of a helicopter and that's what 133 00:08:15,213 --> 00:08:18,093 Speaker 4: really pissed him off, and that's why he said upon 134 00:08:18,173 --> 00:08:18,693 Speaker 4: the journalist. 135 00:08:18,933 --> 00:08:21,733 Speaker 3: Well, he was a huge boxing enthusiast, Sir Bob Jones, 136 00:08:21,813 --> 00:08:25,213 Speaker 3: wasn't he? And that punch did actually break Rod Faughn's nose, 137 00:08:25,253 --> 00:08:27,413 Speaker 3: so he obviously had some skill. So that was a 138 00:08:27,453 --> 00:08:32,253 Speaker 3: lifelong love and he was involved and Joseph Parker early 139 00:08:32,293 --> 00:08:34,053 Speaker 3: on as well, wasn't he Bob Jones? 140 00:08:34,133 --> 00:08:38,133 Speaker 4: Yes, Well, he started boxing when he was at university 141 00:08:38,773 --> 00:08:44,372 Speaker 4: and indeed he was the university lightweight boxing champion I 142 00:08:44,413 --> 00:08:47,573 Speaker 4: think for a number of years. So he was very 143 00:08:47,612 --> 00:08:50,173 Speaker 4: deaft with his fists, there's no doubt about that. But 144 00:08:50,252 --> 00:08:53,133 Speaker 4: the only time he used them, as to my knowledge 145 00:08:53,333 --> 00:08:56,973 Speaker 4: and anger, was against Rod Vaughan on that fateful day 146 00:08:56,973 --> 00:08:58,813 Speaker 4: and to rangie yees. 147 00:08:58,892 --> 00:09:01,732 Speaker 3: So if you could and putting on the spot here, 148 00:09:01,933 --> 00:09:04,772 Speaker 3: you know, sum up your thoughts on sir Bob Jones, 149 00:09:05,053 --> 00:09:08,492 Speaker 3: you know, personally and publicly in a couple of seat, 150 00:09:08,533 --> 00:09:10,132 Speaker 3: it says, that would be awesome. 151 00:09:10,852 --> 00:09:15,613 Speaker 4: Barry. Well, I'm very sadden that Bob is no longer 152 00:09:15,612 --> 00:09:20,133 Speaker 4: around because he was a character plus and a very 153 00:09:20,252 --> 00:09:24,653 Speaker 4: enjoyable company A laugh a minute, and I think the 154 00:09:24,693 --> 00:09:28,652 Speaker 4: world won't be quite the same, certainly for me, without 155 00:09:28,693 --> 00:09:29,813 Speaker 4: Bob Jones being in it. 156 00:09:30,173 --> 00:09:32,973 Speaker 2: Yeah, Barry, thank you very much for having a chat 157 00:09:33,012 --> 00:09:35,693 Speaker 2: with us. Really appreciate it, and we'll catch up again soon. 158 00:09:36,012 --> 00:09:37,293 Speaker 4: It's my pleasure. Chairs. 159 00:09:37,372 --> 00:09:40,213 Speaker 2: That is News Talks EDB, Senior political correspondent of course, 160 00:09:40,213 --> 00:09:42,693 Speaker 2: Barry Soaper and a close friend of Sue Bob. 161 00:09:43,132 --> 00:09:45,813 Speaker 1: For more from News Talks ed B, listen live on 162 00:09:45,852 --> 00:09:48,813 Speaker 1: air or online and keep our shows with you wherever 163 00:09:48,852 --> 00:09:51,453 Speaker 1: you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.