/on-air/wellington/rss 九一星空无限 Tue, 06 May 2025 09:10:46 Z en /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/music-time-james-irwin-on-50-years-of-the-new-zealand-music-charts/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/music-time-james-irwin-on-50-years-of-the-new-zealand-music-charts/ It's fifty years since the official New Zealand music charts were launched - and there have been plenty of number ones from Kiwi artists in the five decades since.  Many records have been broken in that time too - including some artists who managed the feat of knocking one of their own songs from the number one position. To discuss the history of the charts, Wellington Mornings' music man James Irwin joined Nick Mills for Music Time.  LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 06 May 2025 01:16:13 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/john-barnett-former-south-pacific-pictures-boss-on-what-trumps-film-tariffs-could-mean-for-nz/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/john-barnett-former-south-pacific-pictures-boss-on-what-trumps-film-tariffs-could-mean-for-nz/ US President Donald Trump has pledged to introduce a 100 per cent tariff on all films produced outside of the United States - and while details are light, it could have a large impact on New Zealand's growing film production sector. To discuss what it could mean, film and television producer and former South Pacific Pictures boss John Barnett joined Nick Mills.  LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 06 May 2025 01:12:56 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/beehive-buzz-do-we-have-too-many-ministers/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/beehive-buzz-do-we-have-too-many-ministers/ Act party leader David Seymour says the size of New Zealand's government is too big - and there are too many ministerial positions, including some ministers with multiple portfolios.  So what does Prime Minister Christopher Luxon make of the suggestion some ministerial positions should be cut? Also, we're just weeks away from Finance Minister Nicola Willis unveiling this year's budget. What can we expect over the coming weeks? 九一星空无限talk ZB political editor Jason Walls joined Nick Mills for the Beehive Buzz. LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 05 May 2025 00:39:24 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/kieran-mcanulty-labour-party-campaign-chair-on-australian-labors-election-success/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/kieran-mcanulty-labour-party-campaign-chair-on-australian-labors-election-success/ It was a big weekend in Australia, with Anthony Albanese's Labor Party returned to power over Peter Dutton's Liberal/National coalition. The result flew in the face of multiple polls, which as recent as two months ago were predicting a resounding win for Dutton. The 'Trump effect' has been widely attributed to Labor's rise in the polls during the campaign. Could we see something similar in New Zealand?  New Zealand Labour's campaign chair Kieran McAnulty, who was at Albanese's election night party, joined Nick Mills to discuss the result.  LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 05 May 2025 00:33:04 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/ian-cassels-wellington-property-developer-on-his-friendship-with-sir-bob-jones/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/ian-cassels-wellington-property-developer-on-his-friendship-with-sir-bob-jones/ Wellington property magnate, one-time politician and Wellington icon Sir Bob Jones died last week at the age of 85.  Jones, raised in a state house in Naenae, built one of New Zealand's largest commercial property companies - as well as founding the New Zealand Party in 1984 and writing a series of bestselling books.  His friend, Wellington property developer Ian Cassels, said Jones was a loyal friend who enjoyed excessively long lunches.  He joined Nick Mills to remember one of Wellington's greatest personalities.  LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 05 May 2025 00:29:13 Z /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/riley-higgins-hurricanes-midfielder-on-his-return-from-injury-the-teams-success-in-australia/ /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/riley-higgins-hurricanes-midfielder-on-his-return-from-injury-the-teams-success-in-australia/ The Hurricanes and Chiefs meet for the first time in Super Rugby this season - 11 months on from the Chiefs' dramatic win in last year's semifinals in the capital.  The Hurricanes season has been given a new lease of live with the return from injury of starting midfielders Billy Proctor and Riley Higgins.  Higgins joined Adam Cooper to talk about his return from injury and the team's recent success in Australia.  LISTEN ABOVE  Fri, 02 May 2025 21:57:56 Z /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/glenda-swan-royal-wellington-captain-ahead-of-the-interclub-final-talks-the-growing-space-for-young-women-in-golf-wellington/ /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/glenda-swan-royal-wellington-captain-ahead-of-the-interclub-final-talks-the-growing-space-for-young-women-in-golf-wellington/ The two dominant teams in Wellington women's golf do battle in this season's interclub final, with top qualifiers Royal Wellington meeting 2024 champions Shandon at Paraparaumu Beach on Saturday.  Royal Wellington captain Glenda Swan talks about her team's preparation and her wider role overseeing the growing young female space at Golf Wellington.  Golf Wellington General Manager Steve Weir also joined the chat to look ahead to the busy golfing weekend.  LISTEN ABOVE  Fri, 02 May 2025 21:54:06 Z /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/wellington-club-rugby-may-3-2025-preview/ /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/wellington-club-rugby-may-3-2025-preview/ Max Rodgers from the Wellington Rugby Union brings Adam Cooper up to speed with the weekend's action in the Swindale Shield and Rebecca Liua'ana Trophy. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 02 May 2025 21:21:53 Z /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/central-league-football-may-3-2025-preview/ /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/central-league-football-may-3-2025-preview/ Local football analyst Dale Warburton brings Adam Cooper up to date with the men's Central League, heading into round six of the competition. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 02 May 2025 21:18:31 Z /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/wellington-bowls-report-may-3-2025/ /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/wellington-bowls-report-may-3-2025/ Jason Puddick brings Adam Cooper up to speed with the latest on the Wellington bowls scene. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 02 May 2025 21:14:56 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/friday-faceoff-justin-lester-and-nicola-young-talk-tory-whanaus-legacy-and-whether-we-have-too-many-ministers/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/friday-faceoff-justin-lester-and-nicola-young-talk-tory-whanaus-legacy-and-whether-we-have-too-many-ministers/ Wellington mayor Tory Whanau has announced she isn't seeking another term as Mayor and instead will run for the city's Maori ward council seat. What's her legacy as mayor, and has she made the right call? Also, Act leader David Seymour says there are too many ministerial portfolios and government departments in New Zealand. Is he right, and what should we slash?  To answer those questions, former Wellington mayor and DotLovesData director Justin Lester and Wellington City Councillor Nicola Young joined Nick Mills for Friday Faceoff. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 02 May 2025 01:26:29 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/friday-sport-kickoff-jason-pine-and-adam-cooper-talk-indian-panthers-hurricanes-v-chiefs/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/friday-sport-kickoff-jason-pine-and-adam-cooper-talk-indian-panthers-hurricanes-v-chiefs/ The Indian Panthers have been suspended from the NBL effective immediately - after allegations players weren't paid and were left to ask for food from a foodbank.  The Panthers – owned by India’s INBL Pro league and CEO Parveen Batish – have had a turbulent tenure off the court since announcing they would join the New Zealand competition late last year, which in turn has led to a winless start to the season from nine games. How does this happen - and did the NBL do their due diligence? Weekend Sport host Jason Pine and All Sport Breakfast host Adam Cooper joined Nick Mills for the Friday Sport Kickoff.  LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 02 May 2025 01:22:17 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/mark-williams-holder-of-the-first-ever-nz-number-one-song-50-years-ago-today/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/mark-williams-holder-of-the-first-ever-nz-number-one-song-50-years-ago-today/ It was 50 years ago today that the New Zealand Official Music Charts were launched - which also coincides with New Zealand's first official number one hit.  Produced by Recorded Music NZ, the charts reflect the most popular singles and albums in Aotearoa each week. They are the only charts endorsed by the music industry and are compiled according to globally recognised guidelines. The first Kiwi musician to take the top spot was Mark Williams, with his 1975 hit 'Yesterday Was Just The Begginning of My Life'.  The artist, who now lives in Australia and performs as the frontman of Dragon, joined Nick Mills to discuss the milestone.  LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 02 May 2025 01:09:31 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/chris-mackenzie-ferry-holdings-ltd-chair-on-the-negotiations-for-new-ferries/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/chris-mackenzie-ferry-holdings-ltd-chair-on-the-negotiations-for-new-ferries/ 九一星空无限 that Kiwirail is retiring the Aratere this year has sparked questions about just how soon we will have contracts for the new Interisland ferries.  To answer those questions, the man in charge of negotiating the new contracts, Ferry Holdings Ltd chair Chris Mackenzie, joined Nick Mills to discuss the progress.  LISTEN ABOVE Thu, 01 May 2025 00:52:00 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/politics-thursday-ginny-andersen-and-mike-butterick-talk-aratere-budget-and-prisoners-voting/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/politics-thursday-ginny-andersen-and-mike-butterick-talk-aratere-budget-and-prisoners-voting/ Kiwirail has announced the Interislander Aratere will be retired – leaving us with just two ferries until new ones arrive in 2029. Can the country cope with a reduced ferry fleet? Also, Finance Minister Nicola Willis has given herself barely any new money this budget,  and most of the money she has got has already been spent. Are we likely to see substantial cuts? To answer those questions, Labour's police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and National's Wairarapa MP Mike Butterick joined Nick Mills for Politics Thursday. LISTEN ABOVE Thu, 01 May 2025 00:50:14 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/boh-runga-stellars-lead-singer-on-the-upcoming-atomic-20-gig-in-wellington/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/boh-runga-stellars-lead-singer-on-the-upcoming-atomic-20-gig-in-wellington/ There’s a very exciting gig coming up in Wellington next week.  Atomic 2.0 will see an all-women group of Kiwi music stars performing the hits of some of history’s greatest female artists, including Blondie, Eurythmics, Pretenders, Patti Smith, Garbage, Alanis Morissette, Hole, Joan Jett and more. Atomic 2.0 is made up of Vera Allen, Julia Deans, Diane Swann and Boh Runga - all acclaimed Kiwi artists in their own right.  Runga, the lead singer of Stellar, joined Nick Mills to discuss the concert.  LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 30 Apr 2025 01:22:45 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/josh-thomson-comedian-ahead-of-his-nz-international-comedy-fest-show-old-mate/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/josh-thomson-comedian-ahead-of-his-nz-international-comedy-fest-show-old-mate/ Wellington is in for a month full of laughs as the New Zealand International Comedy Festival returns for another year.  There are more than 150 shows across the month, including renowned New Zealand comedian Josh Thomson and his show Old Mate.  Thomson, as seen on 7 Days, Taskmaster NZ, The Project and the Australian adaption of The Office, told Nick Mills the show is about how he is slowly finding himself becoming an old man - far from the young buck he used to be.  The show comes to Wellington on the 15th and 16th of May at Te Auaha. Tickets from comedyfestival.co.nz.  LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 29 Apr 2025 21:31:01 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/nick-mills-what-is-tory-whanaus-legacy-as-wellington-mayor/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/nick-mills-what-is-tory-whanaus-legacy-as-wellington-mayor/ OPINION Tory Whanau has said no. She's said no to standing for Wellington mayor for the three terms she always said she’d run for. She's out; she's thrown in the towel. We won't get the exciting election campaign of Tory Whanau v Andrew Little, which I must say I was looking forward to. And I’ll be honest; I wanted her to run. I wanted to know if Wellington as a city really believes in the green idealisms she promotes. This election was going to tell me whether it was a flash in the pan or whether it was real. But Tory has pulled out. What I can't quite work out is why this was announced on the same day that she stood on Courtenay Place with her brand new Bunnings shovel, digging up the ground to celebrate the start of the Golden Mile redevelopment works. Clearly, the hole she dug was simply too big. She couldn't climb out of it. Tory says her decision not to run is a better outcome for everybody involved. She now wants to run for the Māori ward on council. She also told the Herald this morning she’d like to be a government Minister one day. You can make your own mind up on that one. Now there have been rumours around Tory pulling out for a while now. Firstly, the rumour was she was going to pull out to let Justin Lester have a crack. Then Andrew Little stepped out of the shadows, and the rest is history. So now all we can do is reflect on her legacy. And what a legacy it is. Tory will always talk about the Golden Mile and her ambition to get the work underway. She’ll always mention the amount of work the council has done on our pipes. She’ll mention her fight to upgrade the council's social housing, and of course she'll praise her work on building the cycleways that split the city in more ways than one. She told me she rates her mayoralty a nine out of ten. But that’s her saying those things. Wellington as a city will reflect on some more colourful aspects of her leadership. The drinking; Whanau admitted to being a bit tipsy when she left The Old Quarter restaurant without paying her bill, and how can we forget the alleged 'do you know who I am' comment. Who will forget Whanau bringing her dog into the council office. That was a no no. And in November 2023 she publicly acknowledged having an alcohol problem following a drunken incident at a bar. Then there was that interview on Wellington Mornings that made national news. Whanau, who earns $180,000 a year, mentioned she was selling her car to help pay her bills. She later admitted that the car had been sold months earlier, and her comments were supposedly taken out of context. But that’s her personal legacy. What’s her political legacy? Well she pushed the terrible Reading Cinema deal that was going to cost Wellington City Council $32 million in a corporate welfare deal. That failed. She advocated for the sale of the Wellington City Council’s 34% stake in the Wellington International Airport. That failed. She got her Bunnings shovel out yesterday to dig up the Golden Mile, but most contracts still haven’t been signed and it may never fully go ahead. I think it's fair to say most people in this city feel Wellington has gone backwards in the last three years. That’s her legacy. Personally, I have always had a good relationship with Tory. Yes, she cut her connections with our programme. She felt it wasn't talking to her people, and she probably thought I was too tough on her. But we got along. I respected her, and while I didn’t like a lot of what she did as mayor, she was a character. I did like the fact we had a character as mayor. Unfortunately for us, it went too far. We started to be the butt of everybody's jokes. Her decision yesterday is a bad good thing for Wellington. I’m sad we won’t have an exciting race or a strong contest of ideas. But it means the city is guaranteed a new direction - something a lot of us have wanted for a long time. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 29 Apr 2025 00:14:02 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/tory-whanau-wellington-mayor-on-her-term-dropping-her-bid-andrew-littles-run-for-mayor/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/tory-whanau-wellington-mayor-on-her-term-dropping-her-bid-andrew-littles-run-for-mayor/ Tory Whanau is bowing out of Wellington's mayoral race.  The incumbent's confirmed she'll instead stand for the council's Māori ward seat to give former Labour Leader Andrew Little a clear run.  She says Little will do a good job, and she hopes people see her withdrawal as a gracious move.  Whanau told Nick Mills she had to consider what was going to deliver the best outcomes for Wellington, and that meant shifting to running for council.  She says she’ll still very much be there fighting for Wellington.  Whanau says that while she does have a few regrets from her term as Mayor, she’s mostly proud of what she’s done. When asked to rate her performance, she gave herself a high score.   “If I look back on what I campaigned on, what I said I would deliver to the city, you know, I’d give myself a 9/10.   LISTEN ABOVE  Mon, 28 Apr 2025 22:31:17 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/beehive-buzz-azaria-howell-on-irds-family-boost-blunder-and-questions-over-police-fitness-tests/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/beehive-buzz-azaria-howell-on-irds-family-boost-blunder-and-questions-over-police-fitness-tests/ The Government has admitted the number of families it said would be eligible for the full $75 a week benefit of its flagship childcare tax policy was wrong.  The government said 21,000 families would be eligible - but just 249 families had received the full entitlement since the policy came into force last year. So who is responsible for the blunder?  Also, police have launched a wide-ranging investigation of hundreds of police recruit applicants after learning some prospective cops who failed physical tests got approval to start police college anyway. How many officers are impacted? To answer those questions, 九一星空无限talk ZB political reporter Azaria Howell joined Nick Mills for the Beehive Buzz.  LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:39:18 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/business-panel-working-style-boss-chris-dobbs-and-tommys-real-estate-ceo-ben-castle/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/business-panel-working-style-boss-chris-dobbs-and-tommys-real-estate-ceo-ben-castle/ Businesses in the capital city are still feeling glum - Westpac's latest survey has found Wellington has the lowest business confidence of any region in the country. With interest rates dropping and spending increasing, when will confidence return?  Also, Wellington mayor Tory Whanau has officially turned the sod at the first tranche of Golden Mile works this morning. How will the plan affect businesses? To answer those questions, Working Style director Chris Dobbs and Tommy's Real Estate CEO Ben Castle joined Nick Mills for the Business Panel.  LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:30:52 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/thursday-faceoff-fleur-fitzsimons-and-brigitte-morten-discuss-the-definition-of-a-woman-and-pope-francis/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/thursday-faceoff-fleur-fitzsimons-and-brigitte-morten-discuss-the-definition-of-a-woman-and-pope-francis/ New Zealand First has introduced a member's bill to Parliament which would define in law what a woman is - but is this really necessary?  Also, Pope Francis has died at the age of 88. What's his legacy, and what do you hope to see in the next Pope? To answer those questions, PSA national secretary and former Wellington City Councillor Fleur Fitzsimons and Franks Ogilvie director and political commentator Brigitte Morten joined Nick Mills for Thursday Faceoff - moved forward due to ANZAC Day.  LISTEN ABOVE Thu, 24 Apr 2025 02:38:32 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/kevin-arlidge-wellington-rsa-president-on-the-significance-of-anzac-day/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/kevin-arlidge-wellington-rsa-president-on-the-significance-of-anzac-day/ Tomorrow marks 110 years since Australian and New Zealand troops landed on the shores of Gallipoli, Turkey. A total of 2709 New Zealand soldiers lost their lives - and countless more were injured.  Memorial services will be held across the Wellington region to remember those who served in the New Zealand armed forces.  To discuss the plans, Wellington RSA president and retired army Colonel Kevin Arlidge joined Nick Mills.  LISTEN ABOVE Thu, 24 Apr 2025 02:31:03 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/give-way-the-musical-dave-armstrong-and-bronwyn-turei-on-the-latest-play-to-hit-circa-theatre/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/give-way-the-musical-dave-armstrong-and-bronwyn-turei-on-the-latest-play-to-hit-circa-theatre/ It's an unusual topic to base a musical on; the change of a road rule.  But that's exactly what Give Way The Musical does, putting a satirical spin on the 2012 change to the 'give way' law.  The story follows idealistic Sophie who, wanting to make the world a better place, joins the Ministry of Transport. She seizes on fixing New Zealand’s 'give way' rule, but not everyone’s keenon a change. A protest movement gathers, the sides go to war, and dirty tactics begin. The musical is produced by renowned New Zealand playwright Dave Armstrong, and stars Bronwyn Turei, as seen in Go Girls and The Brokenwood Mysteries, who also took out Actor of the Year at last year's Wellington Theatre Awards.  Dave and Bronwyn joined Nick Mills to discuss the performance, opening at Circa Theatre this week and running until May 24.  LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 23 Apr 2025 00:44:11 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/music-time-how-to-tell-a-dodgy-concert-promoter-from-a-reputable-one/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/music-time-how-to-tell-a-dodgy-concert-promoter-from-a-reputable-one/ There's been a string of concerts cancelled across the country this year, with some concert-goers unable to access refunds after the promoters entered liquidation.  So how do you keep your money safe, and how can you tell a reputable promoter from a potentially dodgy one?  Wellington Mornings' music man James Irwin joined Nick Mills for Music Time. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:33:21 Z /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/izayah-leafa-wellington-saints-point-guard-previews-their-nbl-clash-against-nelson/ /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/izayah-leafa-wellington-saints-point-guard-previews-their-nbl-clash-against-nelson/ The Wellington Saints headed into the Easter weekend round of the National Basketball League at the top of the table following road wins over Southland and Otago. They next meet Nelson at Wellington's TSB Arena on Easter Monday. Saints point guard Izayah Le'afa joined Adam Cooper to preview the game, and discuss his return to the Breakers in the Australian Basketball League. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 18 Apr 2025 23:23:26 Z /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/vikki-lee-remuera-lawn-bowler-on-her-success-and-future-plans-for-the-game/ /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/vikki-lee-remuera-lawn-bowler-on-her-success-and-future-plans-for-the-game/ Wainuiomata bowler Vikki-Lee Remuera has ticked off a number of achievements as a junior lawn bowler - a category for those who've played the sport for five years or under. Now at that five year mark, Vikki-Lee joined Adam Cooper to look back on her success, and look at what's next for her bowls journey. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 18 Apr 2025 23:21:13 Z /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/cam-roigard-hurricanes-halfback-on-the-teams-selection-changes-upcoming-matches/ /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/cam-roigard-hurricanes-halfback-on-the-teams-selection-changes-upcoming-matches/ The Hurricanes will look to salvage their Super Rugby playoff hopes across the Tasman over the next fortnight, with away matches against the Force and Brumbies.  The coaching staff have brought in Ruben Love to the injury-plagued number 10 jersey for Saturday's match against the Force.  All Black and Hurricanes halfback Cam Roigard joined Adam Cooper to chat about the selection change and how the team is approaching the must-win matches.  LISTEN ABOVE  Fri, 18 Apr 2025 22:22:17 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/thursday-faceoff-nick-leggett-and-maddy-burgess-smith-talk-andrew-little-wellington-water-and-trust-in-media/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/thursday-faceoff-nick-leggett-and-maddy-burgess-smith-talk-andrew-little-wellington-water-and-trust-in-media/ Former Labour leader and Cabinet minister Andrew Little finally announced this week he is running to be the city's mayor. Is he automatically the hot favourite?  Also, we learnt this week that Wellington Water received a report in 2021 outlining many of the concerns around spending identified in the most recent report. But this report was seemingly lost - or ignored. How on earth does this happen? To answer those questions, Nick was joined by former Porirua mayor and Wellington Water chair Nick Leggett, and Iron Duke Partners senior consultant Maddy Burgess Smith for Thursday Faceoff, ahead of a long Easter weekend.  LISTEN ABOVE Thu, 17 Apr 2025 00:45:28 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/andrew-little-wellington-mayoral-candidate-says-city-needs-urgent-change/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/andrew-little-wellington-mayoral-candidate-says-city-needs-urgent-change/ Former Labour leader Andrew Little has today confirmed he will stand for the Wellington mayoralty in the upcoming local body elections. Little said he is standing for mayor because Wellington needs “urgent change” and “serious leadership”. “I’m confident I can win,” he said today. He had previously ruled out throwing his hat in the ring but has revealed this morning that he wants to “end the chaos at council” which he believed he had the experience to do. He wanted to return the council to “what it should be doing” and serving the people. Little says he’s been approached by “quite a cross-section” of Wellingtonians asking him to run. “Obviously Labour people but also National Party, Green Party people, community leaders, business people.” He said the city was in a fragile state and believed some major projects could be reconsidered. “We need to make sure what we are doing isn’t causing disruption at a particularly sensitive time.” The first phase of the Golden Mile project was scheduled to start this month, but Little suggested further work could be deferred. “For the remainder of the project, I’m not saying don’t do it, what I am saying is let’s have a think about when it might be best to do that.” The city needed to recover, he said. Little’s main priorities have been listed as investing in parks, swimming pools and libraries, prioritising cheaper transport and housing development, supporting small businesses, taking action on climate and honouring the Treaty. He said it was clear to him that Wellington “is in trouble”. He highlighted the city’s cost of living crisis, public service cuts and the council being “out of touch” as three of the major issues facing Wellington residents. He said he wants to do away with “regressive” policies like asset sales, closure of community facilities and “millions of dollars in corporate welfare for an international cinema owner”. “My focus as mayor will be getting the best for Wellington. That means being able to work constructively with the Government in the city’s interests and it means standing up to the Beehive when needed. It means being clear in my Labour values but always working across political lines to be a mayor for all of Wellington.” “This council [has] on the block a number of community facilities like the Khandallah pool, like Begonia House - those things should be our priorities, they’re certainly my priorities. Those are the things that strengthen communities and make a city.“ He said the recent rates rises were “not acceptable” and making the city unaffordable, and thought the council needed a “much tighter grip on council finances”. While he believed cycleways were a good thing some routes had been poorly executed. He said his track record showed he was able to work with people from across the political spectrum. “We all love this city. We’re creative, we’re full of talent, we’re diverse, and we’re a place where people from all walks of life can feel included and make a home. “Wellington is the place I chose with my wife Leigh to raise our family and there’s nowhere else we would rather be.” He has submitted his nomination seeking the Wellington Labour Party’s support for his mayoral campaign and a formal campaign launch will follow in the coming weeks. Little entered Parliament in 2011 and was leader of the Labour Party and leader of the Opposition from 2014 to 2017. Little was a senior minister under former prime ministers Dame Jacinda Ardern and Chris Hipkins. Candidates who have confirmed plans to run for the mayoralty are Tory Whanau, councillor Ray Chung, businessman Karl Tiefenbacher, conservationist Kelvin Hastie, Wellington Live owner Graham Bloxham and former city councillor Rob Goulden. The election will be held on October 11. Little joined Nick Mills to discuss his candidacy.  LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 16 Apr 2025 00:55:10 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/business-panel-wellington-is-a-talent-repellant-tech-ceo-says/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/business-panel-wellington-is-a-talent-repellant-tech-ceo-says/ A successful Wellington business owner says if he were starting again today, he wouldn't start his business in Wellington.  "Whether you should do it in Wellington though, I would say no. I think Wellington is actually talent repellent system at the moment," Raygun founder John-Daniel Trask told Nick Mills.  "We’ve had people in our own organisation who have left and said I’m going to places like Auckland because they are so tired – their own words – of the abject wokeness that is in this city."  Trask's business sells software that monitors other software for faults, with 93% of its customers based overseas. The company employs 25 staff in Wellington.  Also joining Trask was Jugnu's Little India founder Jugnu Gill.  Gill owns three of the Indian restaurants across Wellington, having opened his first restaurant in the city in 1997.  "Wellington is not in good shape. There are very few places that are doing really well in Wellington at the moment," Gill said.  LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:50:28 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/beehive-buzz-is-there-a-spat-between-christopher-luxon-and-winston-peters/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/beehive-buzz-is-there-a-spat-between-christopher-luxon-and-winston-peters/ Foreign Minister Winston Peters has been in Hawaii this week, where he gave a speech discussing the United States tariffs on the rest of the world.  But in that speech he criticised use of the term "trade war" - despite Prime Minister Christopher Luxon using the term himself.  It also comes after Luxon had a number of conversations with world leaders. Peters said the pair hadn’t discussed Luxon’s speech or his calls with world leaders ahead of time: “So I hope that he’ll get my message and he’ll call me next time”. Is there a row brewing between the pair? 九一星空无限talk ZB chief political reporter Sophie Trigger joined Nick Mills for the Beehive Buzz.  LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:43:01 Z /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/shea-ili-wellington-saints-player-on-his-return-to-the-new-zealand-nbl/ /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/shea-ili-wellington-saints-player-on-his-return-to-the-new-zealand-nbl/ Tall Black Shea Ili is back playing in New Zealand's National Basketball League for the first time since 2019. Ili's linked back up with the Wellington Saints, on the back of being named the Australian NBL's defensive player of the year for two seasons in a row at Melbourne United. He spoke to Adam Cooper about his time across the Tasman, and why he's returned to Wellington for the 2025 NBL. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 11 Apr 2025 22:03:07 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/friday-faceoff-mark-sainsbury-and-bryce-edwards-talk-treaty-principles-bill-andrew-little-and-the-chase-nz/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/friday-faceoff-mark-sainsbury-and-bryce-edwards-talk-treaty-principles-bill-andrew-little-and-the-chase-nz/ David Seymour's Treaty Principles Bill is dead and buried - but was it worth having the conversation as a country?  Also, former Labour leader Andrew Little says he is considering running to be Wellington's next mayor. Would he be right for the job?  And TVNZ has confirmed production of a four-episode New Zealand version of The Chase. Who should host it? To answer those questions, Integrity Institute director Dr Bryce Edwards and broadcaster Mark Sainsbury joined Nick Mills for Friday Faceoff. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 11 Apr 2025 01:16:42 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/friday-sport-kickoff-can-the-hurricanes-top-the-crusaders-at-sky-stadium-tonight/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/friday-sport-kickoff-can-the-hurricanes-top-the-crusaders-at-sky-stadium-tonight/ The Hurricanes take on the Crusaders at Sky Stadium tonight - a spectacle that will include fireworks for the first time at Sky Stadium in a decade. What can we expect from the game - and might we see a big crowd? Also, the Wellington Saints are at the top of the table after beating Southland last night. Who are the stars?  九一星空无限talk ZB Weekend Sport host Jason Pine and All Sport Breakfast host Adam Cooper joined Nick Mills for the Friday Sport Kickoff. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 11 Apr 2025 01:09:59 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/politics-thursday-ayesha-verrall-and-tim-costley-debate-defence-organised-crime-and-treaty-principles-bill/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/politics-thursday-ayesha-verrall-and-tim-costley-debate-defence-organised-crime-and-treaty-principles-bill/ The government has announced $12 billion of funding for the Defence Force as part of it's new capability plan - but where will the money come from?  Also, a new report from a the Ministerial advisory group says NZ is losing the fight against organised crime, with Customs "swimming against the tide" as meth use doubles. How do we better fight organised crime? To answer those questions, Labour's health and Wellington issues spokeswoman Ayesha Verrall and National's Otaki MP Tim Costley joined Nick Mills for Politics Thursday.  LISTEN ABOVE  Thu, 10 Apr 2025 02:30:31 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/campbell-barry-lower-hutt-mayor-on-his-decision-not-to-stand-for-re-election/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/campbell-barry-lower-hutt-mayor-on-his-decision-not-to-stand-for-re-election/ Lower Hutt mayor Campbell Barry has announced he’s not seeking reelection after two terms as mayor of Hutt City.  Barry was first elected as Mayor in 2019 at 28, making him New Zealand’s youngest-ever elected mayor of a city.  He joined Nick Mills to discuss his decision, and his legacy as mayor.  LISTEN ABOVE Thu, 10 Apr 2025 02:26:28 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/wahine-disaster-57-years-on-from-wellingtons-darkest-day/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/wahine-disaster-57-years-on-from-wellingtons-darkest-day/ It was on April 10th 1968, as Cyclone Giselle was bearing down on Wellington, that the Interisland ferry Wahine ran aground on Barrett Reef.  A total of 52 passengers died, while rescuers - both professional and amateur - saved the lives of just under 700 others found in the harbour or along it's shores.  Wellington Mornings dug into the archives and found reporting from the day.  LISTEN ABOVE Thu, 10 Apr 2025 02:24:39 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/chris-hipkins-labour-leader-says-andrew-little-would-be-a-very-good-wellington-mayor/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/chris-hipkins-labour-leader-says-andrew-little-would-be-a-very-good-wellington-mayor/ Labour leader Chris Hipkins has thrown his support behind Andrew Little as the former party leader mulls a run for the Wellington mayoralty. Speaking to Nick Mills today, Hipkins said Little is a “top bloke” and would be a “very, very good option for Wellingtonians”. “He’s both a leader and a capable manager and I think Wellington city needs both at the moment,” Hipkins said. “No one can doubt Andrew’s left-wing credentials, he’s a true Labour Party stalwart.” He also discussed the government's new Defence Capability Plan, his party's standings in the polls and the fight against organised crime. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:35:54 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/jared-savage-investigative-journalist-and-author-on-nzs-fight-against-organised-crime/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/jared-savage-investigative-journalist-and-author-on-nzs-fight-against-organised-crime/ A new report from the Ministerial advisory group on organised crime says New Zealand is losing the fight, with Customs "swimming against the tide" and some stakeholders raising concerns about people in influential positions being corrupted.  How bad really is organised crime in New Zealand - and what can be down to crack down on it? NZ Herald investigative reporter and bestselling author Jared Savage joined Nick Mills to discuss the issue.  LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:18:16 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/music-time-who-are-this-years-aotearoa-music-award-finalists/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/music-time-who-are-this-years-aotearoa-music-award-finalists/ The list of finalists for this year's Aotearoa Music Awards is out - and while there's fewer household names than in previous years, there's plenty of finalists who are making waves overseas. Who are they?  Also, an international pop star of the 1980s has announced he is on his way to Wellington this year - who is it?  Wellington Mornings' music man James Irwin joined Nick Mills for Music Time.  LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 08 Apr 2025 00:54:07 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/beehive-buzz-what-happens-next-with-the-treaty-principles-bill/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/beehive-buzz-what-happens-next-with-the-treaty-principles-bill/ The Treaty Principles Bill could return to Parliament's order paper for its doomed second reading this week, after the select committee considering the bill recommended it be voted down. Are we likely to see the Prime Minister in the house to speak against the bill? Also, the government has released its secondly quarterly action plan. What are the surprises on the list? 九一星空无限talk ZB political editor Jason Walls joined Nick Mills for the Beehive Buzz.  LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:20:17 Z /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/iain-mcpeake-wellington-firebirds-paceman-reflects-on-his-decade-long-career/ /on-air/wellington/all-sport-breakfast-wellington/audio/iain-mcpeake-wellington-firebirds-paceman-reflects-on-his-decade-long-career/ The conclusion of the domestic cricket season brought an end to the 10-year career of Wellington Firebirds paceman Iain McPeake.  Over his 10 seasons McPeake took more than 200 wickets for the Firebirds, the last of which came as the match-winning wicket in Wellington's season-ending Plunket Shield win over Canterbury at the Basin Reserve.  Speaking ahead of the Pearce Cup final —which McPeake is representing Hutt District in— he spoke to Adam Cooper about his time as a domestic cricketer.  LISTEN ABOVE  Fri, 04 Apr 2025 21:08:12 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/friday-faceoff-justin-lester-and-jason-walls-talk-trumps-tariffs-benjamin-doyle-and-suspicious-deaths-in-the-capital/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/friday-faceoff-justin-lester-and-jason-walls-talk-trumps-tariffs-benjamin-doyle-and-suspicious-deaths-in-the-capital/ Wellington has seen five suspicious deaths in around two weeks; a daylight shooting in Featherston, a man found dead on a footpath in Miramar, a suspected murder-suicide of a couple in Roseneath, and a person found dead in Northland. But do these sorts of crimes shock us like they used to?  Also, all New Zealand exports to the United States will be stung with a 10% tariff, announced by President Donald Trump as part of his "liberation day" announcement. How will this impact NZ, and should we be grateful it's only 10 per cent?  To answer those questions, former Wellington mayor Justin Lester and 九一星空无限talk ZB political editor Jason Walls joined Nick for the Beehive Buzz. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 04 Apr 2025 01:41:51 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/friday-sport-kickoff-jason-pine-and-adam-cooper-talk-hurricanes-v-blues-wellington-saints-narrow-win/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/friday-sport-kickoff-jason-pine-and-adam-cooper-talk-hurricanes-v-blues-wellington-saints-narrow-win/ The Hurricanes take on the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland this weekend - and while its not a do-or-die game, the Hurricanes are in desperate need of a win. What can we expect? Also, the Wellington Saints went from a 26-point lead over the Franklin Bulls in the third quarter to winning by just six points at the end of the match. How did they perform?  九一星空无限talk ZB Weekend Sport host Jason Pine and All Sport Breakfast host Adam Cooper joined Nick Mills for the Friday Sport Kickoff.  LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 04 Apr 2025 00:21:17 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/politics-thursday-ayesha-verrall-and-tim-costley-talk-tariffs-ferries-and-benjamin-doyle/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/politics-thursday-ayesha-verrall-and-tim-costley-talk-tariffs-ferries-and-benjamin-doyle/ It’s what US President Donald Trump is calling Liberation Day in the US today; dishing out tariffs on almost every nation on earth. New Zealand exporters will now face 10% tariffs on everything imported into the United States. How should the government respond?  Also, Rail Minister Winston Peters has announced his plans for the Interisland ferry replacements. He’s decided they’ll be 200m long and rail enabled - but no contracts have yet been signed. Was this an underwhelming announcement?  To answer those questions, Labour's health and Wellington issues spokesperson Ayesha Verrall and National's Otaki MP Tim Costley joined Nick Mills for Politics Thursday.  LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 02 Apr 2025 23:40:46 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/nick-mills-winston-peters-interisland-ferry-announcement-told-us-very-little/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/nick-mills-winston-peters-interisland-ferry-announcement-told-us-very-little/ OPINION After Sunday's very underwhelming announcement on supermarkets from Finance Minister Nicola Willis, I was a bit worried that yesterday’s announcement on the future of the interisland ferries would be much the same. Lately the coalition government has made a bit of a habit of making announcements that mean very little. And to some extent, that's exactly what we got from Rail Minister Winston Peters yesterday. Now first; a bit of background. Finance Minister Nicola Willis cancelled the brand new interisland mega ferries shortly after the election, pointing to the extreme cost blowout. She spent a year working on replacements and late last year we were told she was about to announce her bold new plan. It turned out Winston Peters was made Minister of Rail and given until the end of March to devise a plan. Yesterday was the end of March and up steps Winston Peters. And he seems to have done a good job. Yes, the new ferries will be rail-enabled which KiwiRail chief executive Peter Reidy said was great news for the public. I think most of us would agree that rail-enabled fairies is the right way to go. The two new ferries are also going to be 200 metres long - a bit longer and wider than the current fleet but smaller than the mega fairies that Nicola Willis cancelled. And all of this sounds great. But there’s one big glaring problem. We haven’t actually ordered these ferries. This was Winston Peters confirming what the government wants to buy. It was an announcement of a shopping list, not a contract. It's an announcement of an announcement. My biggest problem here is that our existing fleet of three ferries, which have broken down, run aground and lost propellers, have to last us until 2029. That's four years away at best. And according to the former chair of the Ferry ministerial advisory group Mark Thompson, that might not be possible. He says that is an ambitious timeframe. We still don't even know exactly what the ships are going to look like and who's going to build them. We also don't know how much these replacements are going to cost. And keep in mind we have to pay the contract break fee for the mega ferries. And there's one other concern I have. What happens if next year there's a change of government and a new government changes the plans again? Ultimately we need to rely on these ferries lasting until 2029. Yes, we've had a good summer with no breakdowns. But history tells us there's a lot of water between now and 2029 that these old ferries have to cross. And these old girls are getting older not younger, and they are certainly not without their issues. For me this is still a case of wait and see. I can tell you it's definitely not the plan I expected to come out yesterday. LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 31 Mar 2025 23:18:35 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/business-panel-restaurant-association-president-mike-egan-and-method-recycling-co-founder-india-korner/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/business-panel-restaurant-association-president-mike-egan-and-method-recycling-co-founder-india-korner/ It was a huge weekend in Wellington with Cuba Dupa, three nights of Graham Norton, Sir Bob Geldof, the Hurricanes, the Phoenix and one of the world's largest cruise ships in. So what does a weekend like that do for the city's economy?  Also, work on the controversial Golden Mile project begins this month, starting at the Cambridge/Kent terrace end of Courtenay Place. But we've also learnt work on the rest of the project won't begin until next year. Is this about to become the key issue of this year's local body elections?  To answer those questions, Restaurant Association president and Monsoon Poon owner Mike Egan and Method Recycling co-founder India Korner joined Nick Mills for the Wellington Mornings Business Panel.  LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 30 Mar 2025 23:50:05 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/beehive-buzz-jason-walls-on-the-the-impending-announcement-on-the-interisland-ferry-replacements/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/beehive-buzz-jason-walls-on-the-the-impending-announcement-on-the-interisland-ferry-replacements/ Minister for Rail Winston Peters is expected to finally reveal his long-awaited plan for Interisland ferry replacements today - but will we see the full details of the new ferries?  Also, Finance Minister Nicola Willis is seeking advice on whether the supermarket duopoly needs to be broken up. Is it likely we'll see decisions on the grocery sector soon?  To answer those questions, 九一星空无限talk ZB political editor Jason Walls joined Nick Mills for the Beehive Buzz.  LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 30 Mar 2025 23:43:38 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/karl-tiefenbacher-wellington-businessman-throws-his-hat-in-the-ring-to-be-wellingtons-mayor/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/karl-tiefenbacher-wellington-businessman-throws-his-hat-in-the-ring-to-be-wellingtons-mayor/ Business owner Karl Tiefenbacher has officially joined the Wellington mayoral race. Speaking exclusively to 九一星空无限talk ZB Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills, Tiefenbacher announced he plans to stand as an independent candidate for the mayoralty. He has yet to announce any policies but said his core priorities include changing the culture of Wellington City Council, keeping rates down, and stopping wasteful spending. Tiefenbacher, who calls himself “Wellington’s ice cream guy” as the founder of Kaffee Eis, has previously run for council twice and lost. Last year he fell short by only 45 votes to the Green Party’s Geordie Rogers in a byelection for the Pukehīnau Lambton Ward. His campaign website is now live, with the slogan “Wellington, It’s Time!”. “Wellington has expensive challenges ahead. As a business owner I understand it’s essential to invest wisely, with responsible and affordable decisions”, his campaign site states. This time around he also plans to run for a council seat in the Motukairangi Eastern Ward. His biography states Tiefenbacher was born and raised in Wellington and had “a successful career in the finance sector for 18 years” before starting cafe and gelato manufacturer Kaffee Eis. Tiefenbacher has previously been critical about the Golden Mile project and moves to pedestrianise Cuba St. He describes himself as a centrist. Earlier this month, the local branch for the Labour Party confirmed it had to extend nominations for a mayoral candidate, after no one put their hand up to run for the party. Confirmed candidates for the mayoralty include incumbent Tory Whanau, city councillor Ray Chung, predator-free champion Kelvin Hastie, Wellington Live owner Graham Bloxham, and former city councillor Rob Goulden. Of the confirmed candidates, all but Bloxham and Whanau have previously run for the mayoralty unsuccessfully. Diane Calvert, a third-term councillor and former mayoral candidate, is rumoured to be eyeing up running, telling the Herald this month she still hasn’t decided. “As an independent, I’m not on a deadline set by a political party,” Calvert said. John Apanowicz, another current councillor, said he’s still keen to run but is seeking the support of his family and will announce his plans at a later date. Luke Pierson, a businessman and founding member of lobby group Vision for Wellington, had been rumoured to be considering a run for the top job, but has confirmed he’s not going for it. “I can rule it out. My focus is on Vision for Wellington - which is inherently apolitical,” Pierson said. The local election will be held on October 11. Candidate nominations open on Friday, July 4 and close on August 1. Sun, 30 Mar 2025 22:23:21 Z