April 10, 2025 • 8 mins
Tonight on The Huddle, Ali Jones from Red PR and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
One Gisborne District Councillor has copped some backlash once it was revealed they attended just 41 percent of meetings since October. Should attendance for councillors and MPs be mandatory?
After today's big reading - the Treaty Principles Bill is officially dead. Was it worth all the debate and discussion and fuss?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International Realty, the ones
with worldwide connections that perform not a promise.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Ali Jones read pr with us Hey, Alie, good a,
how are you good? Thank you? And Jordan Williams from
the taxpayers and in Jordan, good evening.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Good day guys.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Let's start with the attendance issue. This Gisbane counselor who's
only turned up and since October, I think it was
forty one percent of meetings. Alie, you obviously go to
a lot of these. How many would you know? What
would your percentage be?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (00:29):
I had a look the other day, actually, and I
think I've missed one. I think I've missed one. And
in fact, the attendance level and record of both city
councilors and community board members is pretty good. There is
one guy who was who had a similar one to
this Chaps about forty nine percent. But I mean the
point is, I don't think there should be a mandatory requirement.
(00:51):
There are well, there are guidelines already in the standing
orders that says, you know, you miss more than two
or three in a row, and then they start asking
questions and looking at you know, what you're.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Doing, uhappeny and gismon Yeah, well exactly exactly but laid
back life. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
But the point is the point is when we're not
employees either, we're self employed. And so if people believe
that they can do the job at attending forty nine
for us being there five percent, well, actually some of
the stuff we do is just waffle to be Frank
Jordan and you will know this as well. So I
don't think it should be mandatory. I think if it's
affecting someone's ability to do the job, where it becomes
(01:30):
an issue is a voting time and that's when the
public can have their say.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Well, I mean you're known as always there ally and
good on you, but I mean from a rate payer perspective,
you know you are. You might not consider it a job,
it's not you're not employed, but you should be there
and if some of the meetings are waffling on or
not worth the time, and look, I agree with that,
but that's actually the role of the council as the
(01:56):
governing body like any board, to enstruct the officials on
what they want one information they want and what decisions
they want to be making, and don't.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Need who to say they're not doing it though you
want to.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
And they're not doing all this Chapman and Gismond, you know,
never there nicks only churning up forty percent of the time. Well,
I'm sorry, he's clearly not doing the job and if
he wants to continue to stand, it's not unreasonable. Hey, Allie,
guys taking home six figures to be to turn out?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Allie, I'm interested. You know when you said a lot
of the meetings are waffle? Is that? Why is that?
And can you not change it so that there's not
so much waffle?
Speaker 4 (02:34):
This is why I'm running for council Ryan. There's little
I can do on community board. But actually, you know,
we do need to change that. I'm sick to death
of reading a paragraph when it could be said in
four words, and I know that that's a little different
to well, no, that is waffle. There you go, there's
a definition of waffle. And so yes, there are a
lot of, in my opinion, unnecessary meetings. There are meetings
(02:56):
that could be done as zoom or as distant meetings
done online, far better ways of doing things. Sitting on
your bum for eight hours a.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Day does not make you a member of a government.
I mentioned that, Jordan. I've always liked the idea of
stand up meetings. There was an it guy who started
nineteen business I can't remember which one, one of the
big ones, and he was a big fan of those,
because people are tired and they get the meeting over
and done with.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah. I had to laugh at the way the Auckland
mayor getting in trouble for doing a zoom call from
his car. I have to admit, when I'm running late,
I put on obviously not staring into the into the
video screen, but I turn it on on the hands
free to join our stand up calls in the morning,
because that's that's what sort of normal people with jobs do.
(03:44):
The idea that you're not turning up to two thirds
of the meetings though, but taking the full salary. I'm sorry, Aliva,
that's why local government has such a bad reputation. Let
me just.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Currently, let me just make clear that is an extreme,
That is an absolute extreme. But I don't think we
should be measured on how many times we turn up
to a meeting and sit on our bums for eight
hours a day.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Hi, Jordan Williams. We will be back in just a
few moments. Here on the Huddle.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
The Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International Realty achieve extraordinary
results with unparallel reach.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
News Talks, b Ellie Jones, Red pr and Jordan Williams
Taxpayers in on the Huddle tonight. David Seymour's bill, This
is the Treaty Principal's bill has failed on its second reading,
sale to be binned. But he told us tonight not
going away, not going anywhere. He is considering making it
a bottom line at the next election to have a
referendum on this issue. Ellie, what do you reckon?
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Oh, that's all I can do. I just it's exhausting.
I think I love it when someone takes up a
challenge and you know it doesn't give up and really
goes for what they believe in. Not in this situation,
give it a break, David. The bill received three hundred
thousand submissions, ninety percent of posed it. He keeps going
(05:01):
on about how that wasn't clearly reflective of what's really
happening out in you know, wide in New Zealand. So
if he can show that in some other way, good
on them. But he had his opportunity for God's sake,
Just let it go.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Jordan, Well, are you going to make a job a
funny noise?
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Representing well, representing the media party, the ninety percent BS,
the tens of thousands I know in Hobson's pleege case
it was I think nearly forty thousand. They just treat
as one submission. Hugely just disgraceful the way that select
committee process was run. When Ali you use the select
(05:39):
committee numbers but not the public opinion polling, which is
that the public are behind it regards from that regardless
it's scientific polling. I mean, it's opinion polling, multiple multiple
companies have done it and showing that the.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Public the democratic process.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
To all this, we were back up the truck out.
The democratic process is a referendum. What is so scary
about having a national conversation on things like equality of rights?
All the bill is about BS. Go and read the
principles they are Each individual principle has been told and
(06:19):
the public support all three of them. Do you disagree
public upholding? What do you disagree with upholding existing treaty settlements?
Do you disagree with that? No?
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I agree?
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Do you you're on one of them? You're on one
of them. Do you disagree all these Zealanders should be
treated equally? Before the end?
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Okay, sorry tapping up, it was too good. I was
enjoying myself. But what he does, He does have a point,
doesn't he that there is a lot of opposition Alie,
But but no one really identifies exactly what it is
that they're opposed to. Can you see that that point
from David? I can.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
I can see that. I think one of the issues though,
is that people don't understand it. I will concede that
I think there are elements of this that people didn't understand.
I think people jumped onto.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
A bad category.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Yeah, well no, I just think when you've got three
hundred thousand submissions and the number opposing it, even if
you talking about the blocks that were processed through Hobson's
Pledge or whatever, you have still got a massive number.
There is no doubt that the majority of people who
submitted on this opposed it. So what do you do then?
Go to referendum? Would you really think that we should
(07:36):
be spending money on a referendum on something that so
many people are opposing?
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Yeah? Yeah, because that's that determines it. Determined it.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Group in the world flag.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
At the same time, no text back group in the
world campaigns about the cost of democracy.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
All right, guys, you've got a bumper sticker with that
on you. Ellie Jones and Jordan Williams and a very
boisterous huddle.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
For more from hither to Plas Allen Drive. Listen live
to News Talks at b from four pm weekdays, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
The huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International Realty, the ones
with worldwide connections that perform not a promise.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Ali Jones read pr with us Hey, Alie, good a,
how are you good? Thank you? And Jordan Williams from
the taxpayers and in Jordan, good evening.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Good day guys.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Let's start with the attendance issue. This Gisbane counselor who's
only turned up and since October, I think it was
forty one percent of meetings. Alie, you obviously go to
a lot of these. How many would you know? What
would your percentage be?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (00:29):
I had a look the other day, actually, and I
think I've missed one. I think I've missed one. And
in fact, the attendance level and record of both city
councilors and community board members is pretty good. There is
one guy who was who had a similar one to
this Chaps about forty nine percent. But I mean the
point is, I don't think there should be a mandatory requirement.
(00:51):
There are well, there are guidelines already in the standing
orders that says, you know, you miss more than two
or three in a row, and then they start asking
questions and looking at you know, what you're.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Doing, uhappeny and gismon Yeah, well exactly exactly but laid
back life. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
But the point is the point is when we're not
employees either, we're self employed. And so if people believe
that they can do the job at attending forty nine
for us being there five percent, well, actually some of
the stuff we do is just waffle to be Frank
Jordan and you will know this as well. So I
don't think it should be mandatory. I think if it's
affecting someone's ability to do the job, where it becomes
(01:30):
an issue is a voting time and that's when the
public can have their say.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Well, I mean you're known as always there ally and
good on you, but I mean from a rate payer perspective,
you know you are. You might not consider it a job,
it's not you're not employed, but you should be there
and if some of the meetings are waffling on or
not worth the time, and look, I agree with that,
but that's actually the role of the council as the
(01:56):
governing body like any board, to enstruct the officials on
what they want one information they want and what decisions
they want to be making, and don't.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Need who to say they're not doing it though you
want to.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
And they're not doing all this Chapman and Gismond, you know,
never there nicks only churning up forty percent of the time. Well,
I'm sorry, he's clearly not doing the job and if
he wants to continue to stand, it's not unreasonable. Hey, Allie,
guys taking home six figures to be to turn out?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Allie, I'm interested. You know when you said a lot
of the meetings are waffle? Is that? Why is that?
And can you not change it so that there's not
so much waffle?
Speaker 4 (02:34):
This is why I'm running for council Ryan. There's little
I can do on community board. But actually, you know,
we do need to change that. I'm sick to death
of reading a paragraph when it could be said in
four words, and I know that that's a little different
to well, no, that is waffle. There you go, there's
a definition of waffle. And so yes, there are a
lot of, in my opinion, unnecessary meetings. There are meetings
(02:56):
that could be done as zoom or as distant meetings
done online, far better ways of doing things. Sitting on
your bum for eight hours a.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Day does not make you a member of a government.
I mentioned that, Jordan. I've always liked the idea of
stand up meetings. There was an it guy who started
nineteen business I can't remember which one, one of the
big ones, and he was a big fan of those,
because people are tired and they get the meeting over
and done with.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah. I had to laugh at the way the Auckland
mayor getting in trouble for doing a zoom call from
his car. I have to admit, when I'm running late,
I put on obviously not staring into the into the
video screen, but I turn it on on the hands
free to join our stand up calls in the morning,
because that's that's what sort of normal people with jobs do.
(03:44):
The idea that you're not turning up to two thirds
of the meetings though, but taking the full salary. I'm sorry, Aliva,
that's why local government has such a bad reputation. Let
me just.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Currently, let me just make clear that is an extreme,
That is an absolute extreme. But I don't think we
should be measured on how many times we turn up
to a meeting and sit on our bums for eight
hours a day.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Hi, Jordan Williams. We will be back in just a
few moments. Here on the Huddle.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
The Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International Realty achieve extraordinary
results with unparallel reach.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
News Talks, b Ellie Jones, Red pr and Jordan Williams
Taxpayers in on the Huddle tonight. David Seymour's bill, This
is the Treaty Principal's bill has failed on its second reading,
sale to be binned. But he told us tonight not
going away, not going anywhere. He is considering making it
a bottom line at the next election to have a
referendum on this issue. Ellie, what do you reckon?
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Oh, that's all I can do. I just it's exhausting.
I think I love it when someone takes up a
challenge and you know it doesn't give up and really
goes for what they believe in. Not in this situation,
give it a break, David. The bill received three hundred
thousand submissions, ninety percent of posed it. He keeps going
(05:01):
on about how that wasn't clearly reflective of what's really
happening out in you know, wide in New Zealand. So
if he can show that in some other way, good
on them. But he had his opportunity for God's sake,
Just let it go.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Jordan, Well, are you going to make a job a
funny noise?
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Representing well, representing the media party, the ninety percent BS,
the tens of thousands I know in Hobson's pleege case
it was I think nearly forty thousand. They just treat
as one submission. Hugely just disgraceful the way that select
committee process was run. When Ali you use the select
(05:39):
committee numbers but not the public opinion polling, which is
that the public are behind it regards from that regardless
it's scientific polling. I mean, it's opinion polling, multiple multiple
companies have done it and showing that the.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Public the democratic process.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
To all this, we were back up the truck out.
The democratic process is a referendum. What is so scary
about having a national conversation on things like equality of rights?
All the bill is about BS. Go and read the
principles they are Each individual principle has been told and
(06:19):
the public support all three of them. Do you disagree
public upholding? What do you disagree with upholding existing treaty settlements?
Do you disagree with that? No?
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I agree?
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Do you you're on one of them? You're on one
of them. Do you disagree all these Zealanders should be
treated equally? Before the end?
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Okay, sorry tapping up, it was too good. I was
enjoying myself. But what he does, He does have a point,
doesn't he that there is a lot of opposition Alie,
But but no one really identifies exactly what it is
that they're opposed to. Can you see that that point
from David? I can.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
I can see that. I think one of the issues though,
is that people don't understand it. I will concede that
I think there are elements of this that people didn't understand.
I think people jumped onto.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
A bad category.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Yeah, well no, I just think when you've got three
hundred thousand submissions and the number opposing it, even if
you talking about the blocks that were processed through Hobson's
Pledge or whatever, you have still got a massive number.
There is no doubt that the majority of people who
submitted on this opposed it. So what do you do then?
Go to referendum? Would you really think that we should
(07:36):
be spending money on a referendum on something that so
many people are opposing?
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Yeah? Yeah, because that's that determines it. Determined it.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Group in the world flag.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
At the same time, no text back group in the
world campaigns about the cost of democracy.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
All right, guys, you've got a bumper sticker with that
on you. Ellie Jones and Jordan Williams and a very
boisterous huddle.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
For more from hither to Plas Allen Drive. Listen live
to News Talks at b from four pm weekdays, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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