1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: The Prime Minister's back in the country. Good to see you, 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: Good to see you too much. It seemed to go, 3 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: what do you make of Nolan Tahru. 4 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 2: Oh, look, I mean I don't actually understand what's actually 5 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 2: happened there. I mean, it's good that it's altately been resolved, 6 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 2: and it was good to see the silver Furn's come 7 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 2: back in that series. But unless that they lost twelve 8 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 2: to eleven, I think that extra time. But yeah, I 9 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:22,319 Speaker 2: honestly haven't been able to work out what's what's actually It. 10 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: Doesn't bother you that we spend millions of dollars on 11 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: a sport that seems dysfunctional. 12 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 2: Well, I mean I think it's about well, I don't 13 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 2: think it is. I think it's a really important sport. 14 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 2: I think as well, it's an important sport. 15 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: She's not well run. 16 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 2: Well, I mean that's that's that's up for them to 17 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 2: sort their act out with their employment disputes. 18 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 1: Okay, it seems to have gone well. I mean, you 19 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: didn't sign anything per se, but we got upgraded. You 20 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: met the right people. You didn't make a dick of 21 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: yourself the planet the. 22 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 2: Oh what are such a low bar? 23 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 1: You? 24 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 2: Said? 25 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: Michael the plane. The plane didn't break down, it seemed 26 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: to It seemed to go okay. 27 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 2: I think it was a great success. We transacted some 28 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: business with Malaysia, which is I'd be on there on 29 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 2: a state visit. We upgraded our relationship with the US 30 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 2: Young countries. We're only seven countries that have that level 31 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 2: of standard, which just means more investment, more exports. APEX 32 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 2: was good to see where seventy percent of our exports 33 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 2: go to those twenty one economies that are represented there. 34 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 2: And then we had some very good sort of bilateral 35 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 2: engagements with leaders, and we upgraded the relationship with Korea 36 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 2: as well, which is one of the top ten economies 37 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 2: in the world. So all of that's just designed to 38 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 2: create opportunity for New Zealand businesses. That's all all I 39 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 2: can do is create the conditions for growth and then 40 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 2: it's up to businesses to come forward and go smash it. 41 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 1: It was a smart thing to do to invite Trump 42 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: to play golf. Do you think it's possible he may 43 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: well one day do that. 44 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 2: Yeah? I reckon it could be. Yeah. I mean he 45 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 2: knew a lot about the golf assets that are here 46 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 2: in New Zealand. You know, the golf courses. He had 47 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 2: heard about them. You know, they generally are in the 48 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 2: top ten fifteen in the world. And if he's going 49 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: to come down to Australia and New Zealand and this 50 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 2: part of the world, then you know we should certainly welcome. 51 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: The problem with your recommendation, Tart was it's a links course, yes, 52 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: and he likes to nicely manicured PGA type corps. 53 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 2: We can find something. There's enough good, good courses here. 54 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 2: But yeah, that was good. That was a good meeting 55 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 2: because he had very formal meetings with China and Korea, 56 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:12,959 Speaker 2: and then he met with us just informally on me personally, 57 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 2: which was great. So it was very good. 58 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,519 Speaker 1: Okay, the China announcement this morning, the Chinese tourists say 59 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:19,359 Speaker 1: no longer need to do all the paper the way 60 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: they used to if they come through Australia. Would you 61 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: have liked to have done more because unless they do 62 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,119 Speaker 1: come through Australia, they've still got the same problems. 63 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 2: Well. No, Actually, back in June when I did the visit, 64 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 2: we did a few things. One as we got rid 65 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 2: of a whole bunch of complexity and actually cost that 66 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,800 Speaker 2: they have around getting all their applications translated and certified 67 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 2: and all those sorts of things. I think we're now 68 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 2: processing Chinese visas in less than a four or four 69 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:43,799 Speaker 2: or five days from memory. The second thing we did 70 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 2: is we said, look, if you're transitting through New Zealand, 71 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 2: you know that's we can have a lot more flexibility there, 72 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:51,639 Speaker 2: which has been great because there is new services that 73 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 2: are coming on stream between China and South America through Auckland, 74 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 2: which is really good. And the third thing is recognizing 75 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 2: that a vast number of a large proportion of the 76 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 2: on his visits actually due to Australia in his Zealand 77 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 2: and one trip. And if the Australians are actually saying, look, 78 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 2: you're good with a work travel or visit a visa, 79 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: then actually, why would we want to reduplicate all of 80 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 2: that work. It's good enough for us to so feel 81 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 2: free to come over to his zeland for three months. Okay, 82 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 2: we also have that five year multiple inches visa in 83 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 2: an out as well. 84 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:19,239 Speaker 1: I don't know how up on this you were, but 85 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: there's a lot of pushback last week on the education curriculum, 86 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 1: and there was some concern particularly because of all curriculum 87 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: got put out four years one to ten and a 88 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,399 Speaker 1: lot of teachers, educators, unionists, et cetera. I can't work 89 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: it out whether they just complain for the sake of 90 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: complaining because they don't like change, or they've got a 91 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: genuine point. They seem to be indicating that some of 92 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: the expectation around some of the things that kids will 93 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: learn at a certain age is too complicated, it's too difficult. 94 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: So are they dumbing us down well or have you 95 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: missed the boat here? 96 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 2: I feel very strongly about this might there's nothing more 97 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 2: important for our future success in the next twenty years 98 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 2: and getting our kids educated. There is a stack of 99 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 2: high paying jobs out there in the world and we 100 00:03:58,120 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 2: need them to come to His Zealand. And what's been 101 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 2: had as actually our standards have been slipping versus lots 102 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 2: of other countries. We actually had over half our kids 103 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 2: not at school regularly. We have half not where they 104 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 2: need to be at on reading, eighty percent not where 105 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 2: they need to be add on maths when they get 106 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 2: into high school. And I don't remember the Union's actually 107 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 2: going after Chrissiepkins when he was Education minister for six 108 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 2: years and saying hey, listen, we've got a dumbing down 109 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 2: on the standards. Actually we're actually underachieving and not doing 110 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 2: this service by our kids. I'm not having kiwe kids 111 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 2: lose to kids in Singapore, Ireland, Canada, New South Wales wherever. 112 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 2: And so we are strengthening the curriculum from year one 113 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 2: to ten because that's the single biggest thing that we 114 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 2: can do to set ourselves up for future. So you know, 115 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 2: the unions, there's a consult consultation period. Be constructive, don't 116 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 2: be political, get in behind. But where were you when 117 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 2: the last six years calling out the poor performance police? 118 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 1: Do we have trouble in the police? A bunch of 119 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:49,160 Speaker 1: people are now being investigated post them as swimming thing 120 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: and now we've got falsified breath tests. Is there something 121 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: going on in the police that you're concerned about? 122 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 2: No, no, no, I think you know that there are 123 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 2: obviously are issues that are going through the office have 124 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 2: their own investigations. The police is a large organization, but 125 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 2: it's very well led by the commissioner. He does a 126 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 2: really good job and he's very happy to be very 127 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 2: upfront and confront those issues when and where they do 128 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 2: a pair and that's a good thing all. 129 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: Right, standard and pores so that water done well is 130 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 1: going to be more expensive than the labor alternative. Part 131 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: of their reason is that, of course the debt mechanism 132 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: you've set up for councils to borrow could lead counsels 133 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 1: into some real debt trouble if it all goes wrong. 134 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: The water entity is the one that ends up and 135 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:29,839 Speaker 1: the problem. But the bill goes back to the councils. 136 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 1: Any regrets on that, No, no, it is what it is. 137 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 2: No, look, I mean Labor's meant one point two billion 138 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 2: dollars on three waters and it went nowhere. We went 139 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 2: to the credit agency's s and p as he'd give 140 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 2: us some financial structures that actually give the balance sheet 141 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 2: separation and so that those entities can actually borrow long 142 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 2: term debt over long run assets and separate them out 143 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:51,920 Speaker 2: from councils. And I think we've got to a very 144 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 2: very good place. 145 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:54,280 Speaker 1: But that's what is and P you're saying is, and 146 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: P're saying, well, yes, you've separated it down. But the 147 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:59,360 Speaker 1: council goes in up to their eyeballs and debt they 148 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 1: borrow more. Then the water entergy runs into trouble. Suddenly 149 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: the council's bankrupt. 150 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, but the whole point is, you know, councils should 151 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 2: be financed to a certain level of debt borrowing that 152 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 2: they can do as councils. But when you actually have 153 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 2: water enteries that have assets at are thirty, fifty, seventy 154 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 2: years long, the problem was that councils were funding those 155 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 2: assets out of short term money. And what they can 156 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 2: now do is like you can get a mortgage for 157 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 2: a house that you payoff over thirty years, it's the 158 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:26,039 Speaker 2: same thing here as well. So no, I'm really comfortable 159 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:27,840 Speaker 2: with that. I think actually it's the right solution, which 160 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 2: is you've got real assets that you can go borrow 161 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 2: against over the long term. You can borrow it at 162 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 2: a higher proportion than you could if you were just 163 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 2: a council, and all of that just means that you 164 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 2: then have the councils freed up to actually with the 165 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 2: cash that they've got to make sure they're doing the 166 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 2: right thing. So now I'm very. 167 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: Supportive for when we're covering the hospital bed announcement this morning, 168 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: this prefab thing. I mean, it's like school schools and 169 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: hospitals are now prefabs. It's sort of got that corner 170 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 1: of a car park, bit crappy, not what we want 171 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: third world vibe about it, doesn't it? 172 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 2: Well, we've got to do long term investment in the 173 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 2: hospital infrastructure. I think there's I remember Mike looking at 174 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 2: this twelve hundred buildings in hospitals infrastructure and he's on 175 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 2: the average age is forty seven years or something. So 176 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 2: in the intervening period and the short term, what can 177 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 2: you do? And I think some men has been very pragmatic, saying, 178 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 2: let's put in one hundred and forty new beds in 179 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 2: five different places next year. The thing that's interesting is 180 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 2: we used to spend a bunch of We spend a 181 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 2: bunch of money on classrooms. Right. It turned out when 182 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 2: we got to power, we discovered that it's like one 183 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 2: point two million dollars for a classroom and only twenty 184 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 2: percent were sanitized. We standardized them, and we lower the 185 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 2: cost of phalf you do twice as many classrooms for 186 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 2: the same price. Now labels say to us, oh, you're 187 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 2: not spending enough on class Well, no, actual, we're just 188 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 2: being smarter about doing it, and we're doing twice as 189 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 2: many as you were doing. Speaking of which, so that 190 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 2: thinking across healthcare, across if you think about military bases, 191 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 2: if you think about corrections, I think there's a real 192 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 2: opportunity there. 193 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 1: Okay, speaking of which, I'm reading over the weekend, the 194 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: Transmission gully. Over the summer period, we'll have thirty two 195 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 1: million dollars spent on it, fixing it up. It's a 196 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: brand new road, and thirty two million dollars needs to 197 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: be spent fixing up a brand new road. What's the 198 00:07:58,280 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 1: matter with us? 199 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 2: I'm not aware of what the specific issue they're trying 200 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 2: to fix is, but well, they didn't build it properly. 201 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 2: Well that may well be the case, but I think 202 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 2: the reality is that we have been in a situation 203 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 2: New Zealand. I think we had sixty three thousand potholes 204 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 2: across this country and it's because we weren't doing renewals 205 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 2: and maintenance and so you know, once you build a 206 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 2: road network, you do need to make sure it maintains. 207 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: It's amazing year, but if it's twenty years old, sure, 208 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: this is about three minutes old. Yeah. I don't know 209 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 1: why I asked the questions. It's not your fault, you 210 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: didn't build it. But all I'm saying is you do 211 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: have a program of roads national signeficancey and you've been 212 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 1: spending billions and we're going to spend many more millions 213 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: to just no, we need to build. 214 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 2: Them once and do it right from the beginning, and 215 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 2: you know, build them for one hundred and ten k 216 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:39,839 Speaker 2: so they're actually built and certified for that properly and 217 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 2: all those sorts of things which hasn't happened here all. 218 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: Nice to see Good to see you too. You've got 219 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: any questions for Nolanterra anymore? Do youn't want to know 220 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 1: anything more than just. 221 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 2: When are we going to start beating Australians. That's all 222 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 2: I care about. 223 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: Nice to see you, Christopher Lux. For more from the 224 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks. It'd be 225 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.