GOOD MORNING. I AM REBECCA WRIGHT, AND THIS IS NEWSHUB NATION. WELL, IT'S BEEN A MONTH SINCE ELECTION DAY, BUT STILL NO GOVERNMENT ` WE CHECK IN ON THE VERY CLOAK AND DAGGER HAPPENINGS AROUND PARLIAMENT. GERRY BROWNLEE, THOUGH, HAS BEEN GETTING ON WITH THE JOB. HE'S BEEN AT THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM THIS WEEK ` COULD HE BE OUR NEXT FOREIGN MINISTER? HE JOINS US LIVE. AND EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS WENT ON STRIKE THIS WEEK. WE HEAR FROM ONE ABOUT WHY THE SECTOR IS AT BREAKING POINT. CAPTIONS BY SAM BAKER AND KITTY WASASALA. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 WELL, WHILE WE WAIT FOR A NEW GOVERNMENT TO BE FORMED, THE WORLD KEEPS ON TURNING... AND THAT WAS UNDERLINED AT THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM IN RAROTONGA THIS WEEK. USUALLY, OUR PRIME MINISTER WOULD ATTEND, BUT GIVEN THAT WE'RE BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS, IT WAS UP TO OUTGOING DEPUTY PM CARMEL SEPULONI AND NATIONAL'S GERRY BROWNLEE TO REPRESENT US THERE INSTEAD. GERRY JOINS US NOW FROM PARLIAMENT, WHERE HE'S PROBABLY ONLY HAD A FEW HOURS SLEEP SINCE ARRIVING BACK. GOOD MORNING, GERRY. GOOD MORNING, REBECCA. GEOPOLITICS HAVE BEEN HEATING UP DOWN THERE IN THE PACIFIC, WITH BOTH CHINA AND THE U.S. COMPETING TO BE THE MAJOR STRATEGIC PARTNER TO NATIONS THERE. WHAT IS THE INCOMING GOVERNMENT'S VIEW ON THAT TUSSLE? CAN I SAY FIRSTLY THAT THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM THIS YEAR WAS THE BIGGEST THAT HAS EVER BEEN HELD. VERY WELL RUN BY THE COOK ISLANDS. THERE WERE THE 18 COUNTRIES WHO MAKE UP THE PACIFIC FORUM REPRESENTED, ALONG WITH 15 OTHER COUNTRIES FROM THE DIALOGUE PARTNERS. AND THEN A GROUP OF ANOTHER SEVEN WHO WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A DIALOGUE PARTNER, AND THEN ALL OF THE ASSOCIATED NGOs WHO TURN UP TO THESE THINGS AS WELL, SO AROUND 700 DELEGATES IN WHAT WAS A VERY, VERY GOOD FEW DAYS OF DISCUSSION AND FOCUS ENTIRELY ON THE PACIFIC, SO WELL DONE TO THE COOK ISLANDS. I THINK AS FAR AS OUR PRIORITIES ARE CONCERNED, THEY DO LINE UP VERY MUCH WITH THE BLUE PACIFIC STRATEGY, WHICH IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE WORK GOING FORWARD FOR THE FORUM. THERE ARE 12 ACTION POINTS IN THERE ALL FOCUSED ON THE WELL-BEING OF PEOPLE, THEIR PROSPERITY, THEIR MOVEMENT, THE ISSUE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE EFFECTS IT IS HAVING ON SOME PACIFIC ECONOMIES AND POPULATIONS, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE JUST ESSENTIALLY ABOUT THE PACIFIC SPEAKING AS A UNITED VOICE ON ISSUES THAT AFFECT ALL OF THOSE COUNTRIES. COMING BACK TO THAT QUESTION, THOUGH, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT LOOMS OVER THE REGION AT THE MOMENT ` THAT STRATEGIC COMPETITION GOING ON DOWN IN THE PACIFIC WITH CHINA'S INFLUENCE ON THE RISE. WE HAVE SEEN THE U.S. COME BACK INTO THE REGION. MANY PEOPLE FELT THAT IT NEGLECTED THE PACIFIC FOR QUITE A WHILE. WE ARE SEEING THAT HEAT UP. I WONDER WHAT THE INCOMING GOVERNMENT'S VIEW IS ON THAT SITUATION ` WHERE WE SIT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR DEEP AND IMMEDIATE CONCERN. FIRSTLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THE LAST 18 MONTHS, WHERE CERTAINLY THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER TURNED UP. HE MADE A NUMBER OF VERY ENTICING OFFERS TO PACIFIC NATIONS. THEY WEREN'T TAKEN UP IN ANY GREAT NUMBER. THEN YOU HAD THE U.S. SAYING, 'WELL, ACTUALLY, WE PROBABLY COULD DO A BIT MORE IN THE PACIFIC. 'WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP FROM THE RHETORIC OF THE LAST FEW YEARS.' YOU HAVE SEEN NOW TWO SUMMITS IN WASHINGTON WITH PACIFIC LEADERS AND PRESIDENT BIDEN. THE COMMITMENT FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDING, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE REAFFIRMING OF THE LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE EXISTED BETWEEN ALL OF THE FORUM COUNTRIES AND THE UNITED STATES. I SPOKE AT LENGTH WITH LINDA... OH, SORRY, HER NAME HAS JUST GONE STRAIGHT OUT OF MY HEAD. THOMAS-GREENFIELD, THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UN ` SHE SITS AT CABINET LEVEL IN THE UNITED STATES SYSTEM AND WAS VERY KEEN TO HEAR WHAT MORE THE UNITED STATES CAN DO TO HELP. SO, YOU LOOK AT, TOO, OF THOSE 15 OTHER COUNTRIES THAT TURNED UP, ALL OF THEM CAME WITH OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE IN SOME SORT OF WAY. YOU COLLECT ALL THAT UP, AND IT'S A VERY LARGE SUM OF MONEY. THE PACIFIC HAS A DEGREE OF OPPORTUNITY HERE THAT I THINK DOES NEED TO BE CAPTURED, AND I'M SURE THAT WHOEVER IS SITTING IN THE FOREIGN MINISTRY IN NEW ZEALAND IN THE MONTHS AND YEARS AHEAD WILL BE ABLE TO BE PART OF ENSURING THAT THAT BIG AMOUNT OF FUNDING IS SPENT TO THE BETTERMENT OF THE MOST PACIFIC ISLANDERS AS POSSIBLE. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. OUR PARTNERS, I SUPPOSE ` OUR TRADITIONAL PARTNERS, ANYWAY ` THE U.S., THE UK, AUSTRALIA ` DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT CHINA'S RISE DOWN THERE IN THE PACIFIC. AUSTRALIA SEEMS TO BE REALLY THE LINCHPIN TO THE U.S. EFFORT TO COUNTER CHINA, AND IN PARTICULAR ITS MILITARY PARTNERSHIPS. IT COULD PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ANY FUTURE CONFLICT, AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT IMMINENT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR PARTNERS ARE THINKING ABOUT. SO HOW DO WE WALK THAT LINE? GIVEN THAT THESE ARE OUR TRADITIONAL REGIONAL AND SECURITY PARTNERS, BUT WE HAVE A REALLY IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP, OBVIOUSLY, WITH CHINA AS WELL. WE DO, BUT CAN I JUST TAKE YOU TO ONE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT CAME OUT OF THIS FORUM WAS THE SUGGESTION, RECOMMENDATION MOTION IF YOU LIKE, FROM FIJI ` FROM PRIME MINISTER RABUKA ` THAT THE PACIFIC FORUM EMBRACE THE CONCEPT OF A PEACEFUL PACIFIC, AND THAT IS THEIR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT IT COULD BECOME A CONFLICT ZONE. I DON'T SEE THAT BEING SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN ANY TIME SOON. I THINK THERE ALWAYS ARE CONCERNS ABOUT GEOSTRATEGIC SHIFTS AND WHO HAS THE GREATEST INFLUENCE IN ANY PARTICULAR PLACE, BUT IN THE END, I THINK, RECOGNISING THE INDIVIDUAL CULTURES OF EACH OF THE PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS IS ALSO VERY MUCH THESE DAYS REFLECTED IN THEIR EMBRACING OF THE WESTMINSTER SYSTEM ` FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I NOTE TOO THAT THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER HAVING VISITED THE UNITED STATES IMMEDIATELY VISITED PRESIDENT XI IN CHINA. WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE 25 MINUTES WITH MR ALBANESE AT THE FORUM, AND I THINK THE TENSION THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THERE CAN BE MANAGED, IF YOU LIKE, AND THE RECOGNITION TOO THAT CHINA HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PACIFIC DONOR FOR AT LEAST 30 YEARS... SO THERE'S NOTHING PARTICULARLY NEW IN ALL OF THIS. YEAH, LISTENING TO THAT, IT SOUNDS LIKE PERHAPS YOU KNOW, THAT THE COUNTEROFFENSIVE, I SUPPOSE, BY THE U.S., OR ITS RE-ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PACIFIC AND THE REGION DOWN HERE IS HAVING SOME SUCCESS. WELL, I THINK... THE INDICATIONS FROM THE AMBASSADOR WHO WE SPENT SOME TIME WITH, WAS THAT THEY WANT TO LISTEN TO WHAT THE PACIFIC NEEDS. THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING, AND IT'S ONE OF THE SUCCESSES OF THE FORUM IN MOST RECENT TIMES, REMEMBERING IT HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1971, SO THIS IS THE 52ND FORUM MEETING. WE HAVE CERTAINLY MOVED FROM THE DAYS WHERE BIG COUNTRIES ` UK, UNITED STATES, NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA ` WERE CALLING THE SHOTS IN THE PACIFIC. THE PACIFIC NATIONS ARE FINDING A STRONG VOICE AT PIF, AND WE CERTAINLY SUPPORT THEM IN THAT. ABSOLUTELY. I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON SOMETHING THERE AS WELL ` AMID ALL OF THIS JOSTLING FOR INFLUENCE OR STRATEGIC REASONS WITHIN THE REGION, HAS NEW ZEALAND LOST ITS VOICE A LITTLE BIT? WE MUST HAVE HAD A DIMINISHED PRESENCE AT THIS SUMMIT PURELY BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE A PRIME MINISTER THERE. BUT OVERALL, HAS OUR VOICE BEEN DIMINISHED BY THIS JOSTLING IN THE REGION, OR NOT? I DON'T THINK SO. BECAUSE WE HAD THIS DUAL ARRANGEMENT ` CARMEL SEPULONI WENT TO THE LEADERS' RETREAT ON AITUTAKI AS IS APPROPRIATE, AND I WAS ABLE TO STAY BACK ON RAROTONGA AND ENGAGE IN A NUMBER OF BILATERAL MEETINGS. IT IS VERY CLEAR FROM THOSE BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ` IN FACT, ALL OF THEM ` SAW NEW ZEALAND AS BEING A PIVOTAL PARTNER IN WHATEVER THEY MIGHT LIKE TO ESTABLISH AS A RELATIONSHIP WITH PACIFIC NATIONS, AND I THINK IT'S OUR STRONG VIEW THAT PACIFIC NATIONS SHOULD BE RESPECTED FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL SOVEREIGNTY. THAT IS HELPFUL IN ENABLING OTHERS TO ENGAGE WITH PACIFIC GOVERNMENTS. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I SPOKE TO CARMEL SEPULONI ON THESE ISSUES EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND SHE WAS TALKING BACK THEN ABOUT OUR STRATEGY IN THE PACIFIC BEING AT THREE OR FOUR YEARS. I JUST WONDERED WHETHER THAT'S A MISTAKE, I SUPPOSE. SHOULD WE BE THINKING FURTHER AHEAD THAN THAT GIVEN THE CHALLENGES THE REGION IS FACING, AND ALSO THINGS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, OBVIOUSLY, WHICH IS HUGE FOR THESE NATIONS? IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT OVERALL STRATEGY FOR THE PACIFIC, THEN YOU'RE REQUIRING THOSE 18 NATIONS ALL TO AGREE TO EVERY BIT OF IT. I THINK THE BLUE PACIFIC STRATEGY THAT'S BEEN PART OF THIS PIF DISCUSSIONS WITH ITS 12 ACTION POINTS AND THE ABILITY FOR COUNTRIES TO PARTICIPATE AT ONE LEVEL OR ANOTHER, IS A MUCH BETTER WAY TO ENSURE THAT SOMETHING IS DONE, RATHER THAN JUST THE ASSEMBLING OF A DOCUMENT THAT GETS TOSSED IN THE CORNER AND BECOMES EVENTUALLY A DUST TRAP. I THINK THE NUMBER OF YEARS THAT YOU MIGHT PUT ON IT ARE ALSO SOMEWHAT EXPONENTIAL, BECAUSE THE PIF MEETS ANNUALLY, AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THERE ARE MANY SUBGROUPS OF BUREAUCRATS FROM ALL OF THE PIF NATIONS ` AND, INCREASINGLY, THE DIALOGUE NATIONS ` WHO ARE DISCUSSING ALL ASPECTS OF IT. SO ANY STRATEGY IS A LIVING DOCUMENT AND WILL CHANGE. THE FOUR-YEAR HORIZON IS NOT NECESSARILY A LIMITATION. GERRY, YOU SAID EARLIER THAT THIS IS ABOUT LISTENING. I WONDER WHAT MESSAGE YOU BRING BACK TO THE INCOMING PRIME MINISTER, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM. WELL, THE FIRST THING WOULD BE THAT NEW ZEALAND IS WELL REGARDED, THAT THE WAY WE HAVE APPROACHED ` PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST PROBABLY 15 YEARS ` THE AID PROGRAMME WHICH NEW ZEALAND SPENDS A LOT OF MONEY IN THE PACIFIC BEING FOCUSED ON ACTUAL OUTCOMES BUT ALSO ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ABILITY OF ISLANDS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES ABOUT THAT IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. I THINK IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED FROM THE PACIFIC LEADERS I SPOKE TO THAT WE CAN BE QUITE A CONDUIT FOR THEM. REMEMBER, SOME OF THESE POPULATIONS ARE VERY, VERY SMALL. THE OVERALL AREA OF THE PACIFIC IS ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE, ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WORLD'S SEA SPACE, AND THE AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIGH SEAS ETC ` OR, SORRY, TERRITORIAL SEAS ` IS QUITE VAST. AND SO HAVING A FRIENDLY COUNTRY LIKE NEW ZEALAND WHO CAN BE ON THEIR SIDE IS VERY MUCH A VALUED THING BY PACIFIC LEADERS. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I WANT TO SWITCH TACTS JUST A LITTLE BIT HERE, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES. APEC IS TAKING PLACE NEXT WEEK, AND THAT IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER IMPORTANT GLOBAL MEETING. THERE WILL BE A MEETING THERE BETWEEN PRESIDENTS XI AND BIDEN WE'VE FOUND OUT THIS MORNING. IF A GOVERNMENT ISN'T FORMED IN TIME, COULD YOU BE OFF THERE TOO, GERRY? LOOK, THERE ARE CONTINGENCIES BEING DISCUSSED AS WE SPEAK. I'M NOT GOING TO SPECULATE ABOUT WHAT THE END DISCUSSION MAY BE. APEC IS AN IMPORTANT MEETING. NEW ZEALAND IS, AS WE ALL KNOW, A TRADING NATION THAT ENJOYS A LIFESTYLE HERE WELL IN ADVANCE OF WHAT A DOMESTIC ECONOMY ALONE WOULD GIVE US, SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE AT THE TABLE. WE WILL HAVE PRESENCE AT THE TABLE ` JUST EXACTLY WHAT THAT PRESENCE IS, WHETHER IT'S POLITICAL REPRESENTATION OR PEOPLE FROM OUR MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, IS YET TO BE FULLY DETERMINED. AND JUST FINALLY ` YOU WOULD HAVE HEARD THIS IN THE INTRO ` BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE THE FOREIGN MINISTER? I SENSE A RELISH FOR THE JOB FROM YOU, AND YOU HAVE BEEN THE FOREIGN MINISTER BEFORE IN THE PREVIOUS NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. I WAS ANTICIPATING YOU ASKING THAT RIGHT UP FRONT, ACTUALLY, SO YOU'VE SHOWN REMARKABLE RESTRAINT. I AM FAMOUS FOR IT. (CHUCKLES) ALL I'LL SAY TO YOU IS THAT THE MEDIA FASCINATION WITH WHO, WHAT AND WHEN SHOULD RECOGNISE THERE ARE CONSTRUCTIVE TALKS GOING ON, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE FORM A STABLE GOVERNMENT THAT GETS ON WITH THE JOB. DECISIONS ABOUT WHO DOES WHAT INSIDE THAT GOVERNMENT WILL BE FOR THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE LEADERS OF THE COALITION, AND I DON'T SPECULATE AT ALL ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR POSITION THAT ANYONE MIGHT HAVE INCLUDING ME. IT'S NOT A NO, THOUGH, IS IT, GERRY? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING, AND WE LOOK FORWARD` NO, HANG ON. LOOK, YOU ASK THESE QUESTIONS LIKE THEY'RE CATCH-22. THEY'RE PROBABLY ABOUT CATCH-88, REALLY. THERE'S ALL SORTS OF WAYS ROUND THEM. BUT I THINK I'VE ANSWERED THE WAY I SHOULD. I DON'T GET TO MAKE THAT CHOICE. IT'S MADE BY OTHER PEOPLE. I WILL DO WHATEVER I AM ASKED TO. IF IT IS SET ON THE BACK BENCH, I WILL DO IT, BECAUSE I THINK NEW ZEALAND DOES NEED A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT, A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, AND I KNOW THIS COALITION ARRANGEMENT WHEN IT COMES TOGETHER WILL ACHIEVE THAT. WONDERFUL. WELL, HOPEFULLY NOT LONG FOR US ALL TO WAIT NOW. WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND OUT EXACTLY HOW IT LOOKS. GERRY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE ON THE NATION THIS MORNING. WELL, AS GLOBAL LEADERS CONTEND WITH THOSE POWER PLAYS OUT IN THE PACIFIC, PASIFIKA LEADERS HERE ARE GRAPPLING WITH LOCAL CONCERNS. AMONG THEM, THE SUDDEN LACK OF PASIFIKA MPs IN CABINET. FINN HOGAN SPOKE WITH PUBLIC HEALTH ACADEMIC SIR COLLIN TUKUITONGA AND EDUCATION ADVOCATE DR LINITA MANU'ATU ABOUT THEIR HOPES FOR THE NEW GOVERNMENT. I HAVE A LOT OF HOPE IN THE THREE LEADERS OF THE THREE PARTIES TO FORM A NEW WAY OF THINKING ABOUT THIS GROUP THAT WE CALL 'PASIFIKA' OR 'PACIFIC'. THEY ARE SO DIVERSE. THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN THEIR VALUES, IN THEIR BELIEFS, IN THEIR LANGUAGES AND CULTURAL PRACTICES. BUT WITH THE TERM 'PACIFIC', WE LUMP THEM TOGETHER. IT'S ALL THIS ONE GROUP. LUXON, THE PRIME MINISTER-ELECT, SEEMED TO THINK, 'OH, WE'VE GOT THIS. WE CAN FIX THIS WITHOUT HAVING GOOD, STRONG, 'CREDIBLE PACIFIC VOICES' IN HIS GOVERNMENT. I THINK IF YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT ENGAGING WITH PACIFIC COMMUNITIES, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE PEOPLE IN YOUR GOVERNMENT WHO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHO CAN HELP YOU ENGAGE WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES MORE EFFECTIVELY. I MEAN, PEOPLE BELIEVE WHAT YOU DO, NOT WHAT YOU SAY. SO I THINK HE'S GOT A LONG WAY TO GO. EQUITY WOULD BE A HUGE ISSUE, NOT JUST FOR US, BUT FOR MIGRANTS WHO COME TO THIS COUNTRY. WE SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO LONG-LASTING INSTITUTIONS THAT WILL DO SOMETHING FOR PACIFIC PEOPLES, LIKE A LANGUAGE COMMISSION, FOR EXAMPLE. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CARING AND LOOKING AFTER OURSELVES WITH THE HELP OF THE GOVERNMENT. IT'S NOT TOTALLY UP TO THE GOVERNMENT, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE A SAY. HEALTH AND EDUCATION ARE ALWAYS THE BIG ONES. UNIVERSALISM ` YOU KNOW, A POLICY OF EVERYONE GETS THE SAME ` IS FINE IF YOU'RE WHITE AND MIDDLE CLASS IS WHAT I SAY. BUT IF YOU'RE BROWN AND STRUGGLING TO GET ACCESS, IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA. AND THAT'S WHY I THINK WE SHOULD CERTAINLY HAVE A BASELINE UNIVERSAL APPROACH FOR EVERYONE. BUT THEN YOU NEED SOME TARGETED PROGRAMMES. WE HAVE TO TRY DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE IF WE JUST TAKE A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL TO EVERYONE, WE'RE REALLY NOT GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON THOSE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN A CONCERN IN OUR COMMUNITIES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. AND NAU MAI, WELCOME TO OUR PANEL. WE HAVE JUSTIN LATIF WHO IS THE CHIEF OF STAFF AT PACIFIC MEDIA NETWORK, FORMER NATIONAL CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY AND JOURNALIST JANET WILSON, AND RADIO NEW ZEALAND'S POLITICAL EDITOR FOR A LITTLE WHITLE LONGER JANE PATTERSON. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO YOU ALL. BULA. I WANT TO START WITH YOU, JUSTIN, JUST ON THE ISSUE OF PACIFIC REPRESENTATION IN PARLIAMENT. WE HAVE SEEN THAT DIMINISHED IN THIS ELECTION. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PARLIAMENT RIGHT NOW? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HOW IT MAY SERVE OUR PASIFIKA COMMUNITIES? IT'S OBVIOUSLY GONNA BE AN ISSUE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, COS IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT PEOPLE FEEL LESS SEEN, DON'T THEY? WHEN THERE'S LESS PACIFIC MPs, PARTICULARLY IN GOVERNMENT. I THINK FOR OUR OLDER PACIFIC VOTERS, WINSTON PETERS AND SHANE JONES HAVE HUGE RESPECT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. WINSTON PETERS HAS A MATAI TITLE. SHANE JONES WAS AN AMBASSADOR TO THE PACIFIC, SO I THINK THEY FEEL LIKE HE IS THEIR MAN. BUT FOR YOUNGER VOTERS, IT'S GOING TO HURT NATIONAL. PARTICULARLY, NATIONAL HAS SHOWN THEY HAVE GOT POTENTIAL IN WEST AUCKLAND TO REALLY EAT INTO LABOUR'S STRONGHOLD THERE, AND SO NATIONAL DOES NEED TO LOOK AT HOW DO YOU HAVE MORE MPs WHO CAN TRY AND WIN THOSE SEATS? AND THE PACIFIC REPRESENTATION WILL HELP THEM THERE IF THEY ARE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS THEY'VE HAD IN THIS ELECTION. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. IT IS FASCINATING, ISN'T IT? DIVERSITY IS SOMETHING THAT CHRISTOPHER LUXON HAS SAID THAT HE DOES WANT TO ADDRESS. SO THERE IS MORE TO DO. WHAT ABOUT GERRY THIS MORNING? WHAT DID YOU THINK, JANET? A STATESMAN ` GLOBETROTTING STATESMAN? I THOUGHT BIG GER DID REALLY WELL THIS MORNING, ACTUALLY. WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING WAS HIS COMMENTS ABOUT CHINA. 'THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME; NOTHING TO SEE HERE,' WHICH IS A SLIGHT DEVIATION FROM WHAT WE WOULD'VE GOT FROM THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT WHO WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE NERVOUS NELLIE IN TERMS OF THEIR APPROACH TO THE PACIFIC. AND TO THEIR COMMUNICATIONS VIS-A-VIS THE U.S. VERSUS CHINA. SO I FOUND THAT INTERESTING. AND IS HE FOLLOWING THE KEY LINE THAT WE NEED TO BE SEEN TO BE MORE FRIENDLY TOWARDS CHINA? JANE, WHAT DID YOU THINK. YOU'VE BEEN TO LOTS OF THESE PACIFIC ISLAND FORUMS. I THINK I MIGHT HAVE COVERED A COUPLE WITH YOU. BUT THEY ARE IMPORTANT, AREN'T THEY, ACTUALLY, FOR NEW ZEALAND, FOR OUR REGION, AND NOW THEY HAVE GROWING IMPORTANCE GLOBALLY. WELL, THE PACIFIC HAS BECOME A REPRESENTATION, IN SOME WAYS, OR A SYMBOL OF THAT TUSSLE BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA. I WAS THINKING ABOUT 2012 IN THE COOK ISLANDS, THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM, HILLARY CLINTON, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, COMING TO SAY THAT, 'WE SEE YOUR REGION AS IMPORTANT.' AND THAT WAS WHEN IT WAS BECOMING OBVIOUS THAT CHINA WAS HAVING AN INTEREST IN THE REGION, AND OBVIOUSLY, THAT GEOPOLITICAL TUSSLE HAS JUST AMPLIFIED OVER THE YEARS. ONE OF THE REALLY INTERESTING THINGS COMING OUT OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM IS THAT DEAL BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND TUVALU, SO BASICALLY THE FIRST OFFER FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO AUSTRALIA ON THE BASIS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT IN RETURN, SAYING THAT AUSTRALIA WOULD HAVE A LOT OF SAY OVER ANY SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS THAT TUVALU MIGHT HAVE, AND OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD BE WITH THE LIKES OF CHINA, AND WE SAW THAT SOLOMONS PACT LAST YEAR. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. WITH ALL OF THIS ATTENTION, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, ISN'T THERE, FOR THE NATIONS IN THE PACIFIC. HOW DO YOU THINK THAT IT IS PLAYING OUT AT THE MOMENT? IT IS REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE I THINK NEW ZEALAND WAS IN A REALLY AWKWARD POSITION. IF YOU WATCHED THE FOOTAGE AND TALKED TO JOURNALISTS WHO WERE THERE ` GERRY WAS OFTEN ON THE SIDELINES. HE DIDN'T EVEN GO TO THE LEADERS' MEETING IN AITUTAKI. NEW ZEALAND WAS IN THIS POSITION WHERE THEY COULDN'T ACTUALLY MAKE COMMITMENTS AND THINGS AND SO AT A TIME WHEN THE WORLD IS REALLY SHOWING A HUGE INTEREST, WE HAD TO ALMOST SIT ON THE SIDELINES TO SOME EXTENT. I THINK THAT IS AN ISSUE, BUT WHAT YOU ARE ALSO SEEING IS THAT THERE IS HUGE MONEY COMING IN. BIDEN PROMISED ` HE HAD A MEETING WITH PACIFIC LEADERS IN SEPTEMBER, I THINK, OR JULY ` PROMISED $200M ON TOP OF AN $800M COMMITMENT LAST YEAR, SO I THINK THERE IS A LOT HAPPENING, AND WE HAVE TWO GET STUCK IN A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND WE HAVE PROBABLY MISSED A BEAT HERE BY NOT HAVING A REPRESENTATIVE WHO COULD ACTUALLY SPEAK FOR THE GOVERNMENT. YEAH, AT THE TOP TABLE. AND I THINK EVERYBODY ACCEPTS THAT CARMEL COULDN'T TAKE THOSE DECISIONS. JANET, WHAT ABOUT GERRY FOR FOREIGN MINISTER? I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT GERRY WOULD LOVE TO BE FOREIGN MINISTER. HE HAS A RELISH FOR IT. YES, HE DOES AND ALWAYS HAS HAD. AND, OF COURSE, AS YOU POINTED OUT IN THE INTERVIEW, HE HAS BEEN FOREIGN MINISTER FOR A TIME. I THINK THE PARTY PROBABLY HAS OTHER IDEAS ABOUT THAT. I THINK HE WILL BE SOMEWHAT RELUCTANTLY PUSHED INTO BEING SPEAKER. I THINK HE WOULD MAKE A GOOD SPEAKER, BUT WHETHER HE IS ENTHUSIASTIC FOR THE JOB WILL BE ANOTHER THING. THIS DOES NEED TO BE` BECAUSE DURING COVID, CARMEL'S ARGUMENT WAS THAT, ACTUALLY, YES, THE PACIFIC WAS NEGLECTED BY NEW ZEALAND. THAT WAS JUST A FEATURE OF BEING SORT OF BEING LOCKED DOWN, IN THE BUBBLE, FIGHTING THE PANDEMIC. WE HAVE SEEN A SMALL STEP UP FROM THE GOVERNMENT THIS YEAR AND OTHER COUNTRIES, BUT THIS DOES REALLY NEED TO BE A FOCUS FOR OUR GOVERNMENT, DOESN'T IT? WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE IF THEY DO HAVE THE PORTFOLIO OF THE PACIFIC PEOPLES, SHANE RETI, THE NATIONAL PARTY MP, HELD THAT PORTFOLIO IN OPPOSITION. THEY DON'T HAVE A PASIFIKA MP THAT THEY COULD GIVE THAT TO IN A CABINET OR OUTSIDE OF CABINET. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLY THE PACIFIC COMMUNITY WHICH IS, ALONG WITH AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND'S CLOSEST AND MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP. NOT ONLY NOT HAVING THAT VOICE AT THE TABLE OR IN THE EXECUTIVE BUT ALSO TO BE ABLE TO REALLY CONNECT DEEPLY INTO THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE THAT DIRECT ACCESS TO THEM FROM THE COMMUNITY INTO THE GOVERNMENT. IT IS A TWO-WAY STREET. I WOULD AGREE. I THINK, FOR TOO LONG, NATIONAL WOULD SAY TO YOU, 'OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE PACIFIC BLUES.' WHICH IS THE PASIFIKA PART OF THE PARTY. BUT THEY HAVE SUFFERED IN RECENT YEARS, BECAUSE WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'VE TACKED PASIFIKA CANDIDATES ON TO THE LIST AND NOT MADE THEM A PART OF THE WARP AND WEFT OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS, AND I THINK THEY'VE REALLY GOT TO MAKE HUGE EFFORTS IN THAT REGARD TO BE MORE REPRESENTATIVE IN FUTURE. WHAT I WOULD SAY IS` YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKING TO PEOPLE FROM NATIONAL YESTERDAY AND THEY SAID THAT SINCE LUXON HAS WON, THEY HAVE HAD HUGE INCREASE IN INTEREST IN PASIFIKA PEOPLE WANTING TO GET INVOLVED, GET ON THE LIST, BUT I THINK THE ISSUE... IS THAT THEY DON'T GET PUT INTO WINNABLE AREAS AND WINNABLE SEATS. BUT I MEAN THE OTHER SIDE OF IT IS THAT LABOUR` AUPITO NEVER SAT WITHIN THE EXECUTIVE. HE WAS ALWAYS A MINISTER OUTSIDE OF CABINET, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS THE MINISTER OF PACIFIC PEOPLES. SO BARBARA EDMONDS WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU HAD A MINISTER FOR PACIFIC PEOPLES ` IN A WHILE, ANYWAY ` IN CABINET, AND SO LABOUR HASN'T POTENTIALLY DONE WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO TO HELP PASIFIKA FEEL LIKE THEY WERE GETTING PROGRESS. YEAH, AND SO THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THERE, PERHAPS, AS WELL FOR NATIONAL TO STEP INTO. BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE FOR A SECOND. WE, OF COURSE, ARE GONNA BRING YOU RIGHT BACK, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A BREAKDOWN COMING UP OF WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK WITH COALITION NEGOTIATIONS. AND WE'LL HAVE MORE FROM OUR PANEL ` INLCUDING JANE, WHO HAS HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT TO IT ALL AS WELL ` ON WHEN WE MIGHT GET A GOVERNMENT. HOKI MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. WELL, WHILE MOST OF THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN ENJOYING A WELL-EARNED BREAK FROM OUR POLITICIANS, AT PARLIAMENT, IT'S BEEN ANOTHER TENSE WEEK OF STAKING OUT SECRET MEETINGS, WORKING SOURCES AND LOOKING FOR CLUES ABOUT THE SHAPE OUR NEXT GOVERNMENT. HOW ARE NEGOTIATIONS GOING? ARE YOU GOING TO MEET WITH LUXON NOW? (MAN COUGHS) HOW ARE THE COALITION TALKS GOING, MR PETERS? MR PETERS, WILL YOU ALLOW FOREIGN BUYERS TO BUY PROPERTY IN NEW ZEALAND? (LAUGHS) NO COMMENT. I'M ON MY WAY TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT. MORNING, MR PETERS. NO COMMENT ON ANY OF OUR NEGOTIATIONS. I'M JUST, UH, CATCHING UP WITH SOMEONE IN THERE. ARE YOU JUST CATCHING UP WITH SHANE JONES? WHAT DID HE` WHAT WAS HE AFTER? I'M NOT GONNA COMMENT ON ANYTHING. MR PETERS, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA MEET WITH MR SEYMOUR? WINSTON PETERS WALKING TO THE MEETING THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN WAITING FOR. ARE WE ANY CLOSER TO A DEAL? # PULL UP TO THE BUMPER, BABY. # SLOW LEARNERS, AREN'T YOU? (LAUGHS) DID YOU HAVE A GOOD MEETING WITH DAVID SEYMOUR? VERY, VERY, VERY SLOW LEARNERS. BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY IN WELLINGTON, ISN'T IT? I'LL TAKE THE FIRST FIVE QUESTIONS. HOW ABOUT THAT? HAVE ALL THREE PARTIES MET YET? UH, NO. NOT YET. UH, I'M JUST GOING TO SEE A MAN ABOUT A HORSE. NO GREAT NEWS. I'VE BEEN TO FARMERS TO BUY SOME UNDERWEAR. SOME OF US WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK HOME. (CHUCKLES) WE'VE GOT OTHER THINGS TO DO. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TOUGH TIME WHEN SHANE JONES IS TALKING ABOUT HIS UNDERWEAR, DON'T YOU? WELCOME BACK. THAT'S` YEAH. YEAH, WELL. JUSTIN LATIF, JANET WILSON AND JANE PATTERSON. JANE, I MEAN, THAT WAS PROBABLY... (STAMMERS) YOU WERE THERE THIS WEEK. WHAT DID YOU WITNESS? SO BASICALLY WE HAD THE GETTING-TO-KNOW-YOU COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER THE ELECTION WHERE THERE WERE SOME MEETINGS AND PHONE CALLS AND SOME OF THE RELATIONSHIPS HAD TO BE FORGED BECAUSE THEY WERE PRACTICALLY NON-EXISTENT, SO THEY WERE RACING AROUND IN AUCKLAND TO DIFFERENT HOTELS AND DIFFERENT VENUES AND THAT WAS ALL PRETTY UNDER THE RADAR, SO THEN THE ACTION CAME TO THE CAPITAL, AND THAT WAS BASCIALLY AFTER THE FINAL RESULTS HAD BEEN CONFIRMED, THOSE TALKS COULD START PROPERLY, SO ALL THE LEADERS AND THE NEGOTIATING TEAMS ALL CAME DOWN TO WELLINGTON, AND AS YOU SAW THERE, IT WAS BASICALLY THE DIFFERENT MEETINGS AND THEN STARTING TO GET TOGETHER AND NUT OUT SOME OF THE DETAILS OF THE DEALS. SO IT FEELS LIKE A LOT OF THE` I MEAN, WITH THESE THINGS, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S COMMON AGREEMENT, AND THERE'S QUITE A LOT OF AREAS OF COMMON AGREEMENT, ACTUALLY, BETWEEN ALL THREE, THAT THEY COULD JUST SAY, 'SETTLE, RIGHT, PUT ASIDE.' AND THEN THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME OF THE GNARLIER ISSUES, AND I IMAGINE ONE OF THOSE WILL BE LIKE THE TAX PLAN AS YOU SAW IN THAT TRACK, THE FOREIGN BUYERS' BAN, IN TERMS OF THE TAX, THE EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME FOR NZ FIRST. THERE ARE A LOT OF AREAS THAT WILL NEED TO BE IRONED OUT, SO THAT IS WHERE THEY ARE AT NOW. NATIONAL ARE STILL NEGOTIATING DIRECTLY WITH ACT, AND DIRECTLY WITH NEW ZEALAND FIRST. ONCE THEY'RE BOTH AT A POINT WHERE THEY'RE HAPPY WITH THE DEALS, THEY WILL COME TOGETHER. AS DAVID SEYMOUR SAYS, A TRIANGLE HAS THREE SIDES, AND THAT'S WHEN THEY'LL SEE THE WHOLE DEAL ALTOGETHER, BUT THEY'RE NOT THERE. IT'S SO INTERESTING, ISN'T IT? I WANT TO PICK UP ON THE TAX ISSUE, BECAUSE THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ONE. BUT ALSO, WE SAW LATER IN THE WEEK, DAVID SEYMOUR AND WINSTON PETERS FINALLY BRIEFLY GET IN THE ROOM TOGETHER HAVING TWO MEETINGS. UM, I'M SENSING A PINCER MOVEMENT'S BEING FORMED. THAT THOSE TWO SIDES OF THAT TRIANGLE ARE ACTUALLY WORKING FOR THEIR OWN INTERESTS, AND PROBABLY... GANGING UP WOULD PROBABLY BE TOO STRONG A WORD. BUT WORKINGG TO ADVANCE THOSE INTERSTS WITH NATIONAL. WELL, THAT IS SMART POLITICS, THOUGH, ISN'T IT, JUSTIN? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT... (STAMMERS) TOGETHER WE CONQUER, BUT DIVIDED WE FALL? SOMETHING LIKE THAT. KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSE AND YOUR... YEAH, AND SO... (LAUGHS) EVEN YOUR FRENEMIES YOU KEEP CLOSE. I MEAN, IT'S AN UNUSUAL WINSTON` YOU KNOW, IN THE PREVIOUS NEGOTIATIONS WITH LABOUR, HE DIDN'T INVOLVE THE GREENS AND THEY WERE CUT OUT AND ESSENTIALLY WERE OUTSIDE OF CABINET. SO THIS IS UNUSUAL INTHE SENSE THAT THEY'RE ALL, THE THREE-WAY YOU KNOW, KIND OF NEGOTIATION. UNUSUAL HISTORYICALLY AND SO... HOW THAT WORKS GOING FORWARD IS GOING TO BE REALLY INTERESTING, COS OBVIOUSLY THEY WANT ALL TO BE IN CABINET. I'M WONDERING IF THAT` SORRY TO INTERRUPT. BUT I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE COALITION TALKS OF BEING CONDUCTED WITH HEARD THAT DURING THE LABOUR PARTY TALKS IN 2017 THAT ARDERN WAS PREPARED DO ANYTHING TO GET A COALITION TOGETHER. DOES THIS SUGGEST TO US THAT LUXTON IS PUTTING STRICT BOUNDARIES AND GUIDELINES AROUND WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE AND WHAT'S NOT? IT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE ACT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN FAR MORE` WANTING FAR MORE RIGHT. YOU KNOW, AS EARLY AS JULY, THEY WERE SAYING, 'WE'RE PREPARED TO SIT OUTSIDE OF CABINET IF WE DON'T GET CERTAIN THINGS.' SO THEY'VE PROBABLY NEGOTIATED HARD, AND I THINK IT HURT THEM POLITICALLY THROUGH THE ELECTION. YES, YES IT DID. COS THEY MADE THESE SORT OF ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA PLAY BALL IF WE DON'T GET WHAT WE WANT. I THINK THAT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE COMING ON TOO. THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT DYNAMICS, THOUGH. CHRIS LUXON, OBVIOUSLY, HAS BEEN GIVEN MORE RESPONSIBILITY OF FORMING A GOVERNMENT. HE'S SET HIMSELF UP AS A NEGOTIATOR. NOBODY WANTS TO GO TO A SECOND ELECTION. SO THERE'S ALWAYS THAT IN THE BACKGROUND. WINSTON PETERS AND NEW ZEALAND FIRST ARE COMING BACK ` HE WILL BE WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS TERM US GOOD FOR THE BRAND, IS GOOD FOR HIM, IS GOOD FOR HIS PARTY AND CAN SEE THEM INTO THE FUTURE. ACT IS INCREDIBLY AMBITIOUS. THEY'VE BEEN ON THE OPPOSITION BENCHES WITH HAVE BIG IDEAS AND BURSTING TO GET THEM INTO GOVERNMENT, SO THEY COME IN WITH BIG EXPECTATIONS AND ALSO HAVING BEEN THE NATURAL PARTNER, OR SEEN AS THE NATURAL PARTNER, FOR NATIONAL, PROBABLY FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE THE INSIDE RUNNING A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENING IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS. BECAUSE THREE ARE NEEDED, AND THAT'S STRAIGHT MATHEMATICS. AS DAVID SEYMOUR WOULD SAY. I THINK DAVID SEYMOUR HAS MOVED. HE FEELS LIKE HE'S MOVED WITH THAT. HIS POSITION HASN'T BEEN QUITE AS TOUGH, AS CUT AND DRY. IT SEEMS LIKE HE IS NOW ON BOARD WITH THIS THREE-APRTY NEGOTIATION HE GETS THE POINT TO WHERE HIS CARRY ON AND PERSONALITY POLITICS OF THE CAMPAIGN CEASES TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE. THEY HAVE A GOAL. THEY HAVE A NAME. THERE ARE EXPECTATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC THAT THEY ACT LIKE PROFESSIONALS AND ADULTS AND ACTUALLY DO THE JOB THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO DO. YOU HAVE TO PUT SOME OF THAT ASIDE, AND IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT DYNAMIC FROM THE CAMPAIGN. YOU HAVE TO DRAW THE LINE AND GET ON WITH THE JOB AT HAND. TAX POLICY IS AN AREA WHERE ACT AND NZ FIRST HAVE QUESTIONS AROUND PARTICULARLY THE FOREIGN BUYERS PLAN, BUT IT IS WHAT NATIONAL CAMPAIGNED ON. IT'S A CENTRAL CAMPAIGN PROMISE. THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND IT WILL ONLY FALL ON THEM, WON'T IT, IF THEY CANNOT GET IT ACROSS THE LINE OR DONE OR THERE'S NO $752 MILLION MAGICALLY APPEARING FROM THIS TAX. FOR ALL THE INGLORIOUSNESS OF THE NUMBERS, AND THE NUMBERS WERE INGLORIOUS, IT IS THEIR BOTTOM LINE. IT IS THE ONE THING THEY NEED TO BE SEEN GETTING OVER THE LINE. THERE IS STILL WIGGLE ROOM ABOUT WHEN THEY INTRODUCE THAT. THERE'S STILL WIGGLE ROOM... DO YOU THINK THERE IS? THEY SAID JULY, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MINI BUDGET IN ANOTHER MONTH'S TIME. THAT IS WHAT THEY PROMISED ` BEFORE CHRISTMAS. IT'S A SHORT RUNWAY. THEY CAN THROW THEIR HANDS UP IN HORROR WHEN THEY LOOK AT THE BOOKS AND SAY, 'WE NEVER REALISED HOW TERRIBLE THEY WERE. 'THEREFORE, WE WILL STILL INTRODUCE THE TAX CUTS, 'BUT WE'RE ONLY GONNA DO IT...' I THINK THAT WOULD INVITE A LOT OF SCRUTINY IN TERMS OF THE HOLLOWNESS OF SAYING, 'WE HAD NO IDEA THE ECONOMY WAS THIS BAD,' WHEN THIS IS WHAT THEY CAMPAIGNED ON, AND EVERYONE, INCLUDING DAVID SEYMOUR... IT WOULD SHINE A LIGHT ON THE DUBIOUSNESS OF THEIR FIGURES. THERE'S GOING TO BE A NATURAL TENSION BECAUSE ACT HAS` THE QUESTIONS THAT ACT HAVE IS ON THE AFFORDABILITY OF IT. 'WE WANT LOWER TAXES,' THEY'VE SAID, BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO CUT SPENDING A LOT OVER HERE, AND THAT WILL BE IN CONFLICT WITH WHAT NEW ZEALAND FIRST AS SOME OF THEIR POLICIES WILL COST A LOT. BUT COMING BACK TO THAT FOREIGN BUYERS BAN, IT WILL BE A PARTIAL ROLLBACK ON TAXING PURCHASES, WHICH IS FUNDAMENTALLY IN CONFLICT WITH CORE NEW ZEALAND FIRST PRINCIPLES. WELL, IT'S CALLED NEW ZEALAND FIRST FOR THAT REASON, ISN'T IT? THEY VOTED IN THE COALITION TO IMPOSE THE BAN IN THE FIRST PLACE. THERE ARE AREAS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PRETTY DIFFICULT, BUT AS JANET SAID, FOR NATIONAL, IT'S GOING TO BE A CENTREPIECE. AND NICOLA WILLIS HAS SAID THAT SHE WOULD RESIGN IF IT WASN'T DELIVERED. I THINK THEY SHOULD BE RELIEVED IF THEY DON'T HAVE TO DELIVER IT, BECAUSE IT'S A POLICY WITH SO MANY HOLES, AND THIS GIVES THEM AN OUT. WHETHER THEY'RE PREPARED TO SWALLOW THAT RAT... I DON'T THINK SO. IT'S SUCH A DICEY POLICY, AND NO SOLID ECONOMIST HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT. SO THIS GIVES THEM AN OUT. YES, I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS ONE THEY WILL TAKE, BUT I SUPPOSE IT TECHNICALLY DOES GIVE THEM AN OUT. OFTEN, NEGOTIATIONS TOO ` IT FEELS LIKE A MONTH SINCE THE ELECTION, AND ONLY A WEEK SINCE THE FINAL RESULT ` OFTEN THEY GO SLOW AND THEN THEY CAN GO FAST BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING ALL THE NIGGLING STUFF AND THEN, BAM, THEY HAPPEN QUICKLY. DO YOU THINK WE'LL GET A GOVERNMENT THIS WEEK? I KNOW IT'S CRYSTAL BALL GAZING, I KNOW THAT, BUT IS IT NOT OUTSIDE OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY? NO, IT'S NOT. WE'RE CRYSTAL BALL GAZING ` WE NEED TO PREFACE EVERYTHING WE'RE SAYING THROUGHT THAT LENS ` BUT THE FREINDLINESS WE'RE SEEING DEMONSTRATED BETWEEN SEYMOUR AND WINSTON INDICATES TO ME THAT IF THEY CAN AGREE THEN WE'RE OVER MAJOR HURDLES, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. BUT I THINK YOU'RE COMPLETELY CORRECT. WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY WADE THROUGH THE DETAIL, AND THEN THINGS MOVE EXPONENTIALLY AND GO FASTER AND FASTER AND FASTER. IT LEAVES A VERY SHORT RUNWAY, DOESN'T IT? EVEN IF WE GOT A GOVERNMENT THIS WEEK, UNTIL CHIRSTMAS ` AND THOSE FIRST 100 DAYS ARE ALWAYS SEIZED UPON, PARTICULARLY BY A NEW PRIME MINSTER ` THAT ENERGY TO GET THINGS DONE, TO PROVE TO THEIR ELECTORATE THAT THEY'RE READY TO GO AND DO THE JOB, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE DISRUPTED, ISN'T IT? WITH THE RISING OF PARLIAMENT, THE SUMMER BREAK, KIWIS WILL TUNE OUT. WILL THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE ENERGY OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT? THEY WILL USE EVERY DAY THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR 100 DAY PLAN INTO PLACE. PARLIAMENT WILL GO INTO URGENCY, IT'LL SIT RIGHT UP INTO CHRISTMAS. I'M NOT SURE ON THE PUBLIC EXPECTATIONS ON THE NUTS AND BOLTS. I THINK THERE IS AN INTEREST IN WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL LOOK LIKE, WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO PROMISE, AND MAYBE PEOPLE WILL JUST GO, THE ELECTION IS DONE, THE NEW GOVERNMENT IS IN PLACE, WE MIGHT JUST GO AND LOOK AT SOMETHING ELSE WHILE THEY GO TO PARLIAMENT. LET'S GO TO THE BEACH. BUT I THINK THERE ARE OTHER AREAS THAT WILL BE CRUNCHY AS WELL, INCLUDING ACT'S TREATY REFERENDUM. THIS IS INTERESTING IN TERMS OF NZ FIRST AND ACT GETTING TOGETHER. THIS IS PROBABLY A LOT MORE COMMON GROUND BETWEEN THEM THAN NATIONAL. THEY COULD USE THAT ALLIANCE TO PUSH NATIONAL FURTHER THAN THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH. I DON'T THINK IT'LL GET TO A FULL REFERENDUM, BUT WE COULD SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, AN AGREEMENT` THEY'VE ALREADY AGREED TO SCRAP THE MAORI HEALTH AUTHORITY, THE RMA, THREE WATERS, WHICH ALL HAVE ELEMENTS. WE COULD SEE AN AGREEMENT TO NOT INCLUDE REFERENCES TO THE TREATY IN FUTURE LEGISLATION AND VERY CONTROVERSIALLY TO GO BACK AND REMOVE IT FROM EXISTING LEGISLATION. SO THESE ARE THE STRATEGIES TO PUSH NATIONAL MAYBE FURTHER THAN IT CERTAINLY CAMPAIGNED ON. A RETROSPECTIVE MOVE TO MOVE IT FROM EXISTING JURISPRUDENCE WOULD BE QUITE RADICAL, CAN I SUGGEST. IT'S A BIG CONVERSATION THAT WE HADN'T HAD AS A COUNTRY. THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD AS A COUNTRY YET. IT'S OUTRAGEOUS THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD IT AS A COUNTRY. IT'S IRONIC THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE RACE-BASED POLICIES HAS BEEN CHARTER SCHOOLS. THE PACIFIC ADVANCE SCHOOL AND WAATEA SCHOOL ARE BOTH ESSENTIALLY GOVERNMENT-SUBSIDISED SCHOOLS WHERE MAORI AND PACIFICA ARE ABLE TO SHAPE THEIR OWN SOLUTIONS, AND THAT'S AN ACT POLICY, AND IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING REALLY WELL. THE RHETORIC AND THE REALITY ARE OFTEN VERY DIFFERENT. I THINK ACT HAVE SAID THESE THINGS TO WIN VOTERS BUT, ESSENTIALLY, THEIR POLITICAL... IDEOLOGIES SUIT BEING MORE TARGETED WITH THINGS LIKE CHARTER SCHOOLS OR HAVING` FUNDING IWI HEALTH PROVIDERS DIRECTLY TO DELIVER SERVICES IN AN IWI-APPROPRIATE WAY. THAT'S SORT OF` WHAT WE SEE AND WHAT WE HEAR MIGHT ACTUALLY TURN OUT TO BE QUITE DIFFERENT. WE HOPEFULLY DON'T HAVE LONG TO WAIT NOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS, JANE PATTERSON, JANET WILSON, AND JUSTIN LATIF. COMING UP ` PARLIAMENT IS NOW FULL OF MPs WE'VE NEVER HEARD OF, SO WE WILL GET TO KNOW A NEW ONE ON BACKSTORY. PLUS ` AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TEACHER ON WHY SHE WENT ON STRIKE THIS WEEK. THAT'S NEXT. WELCOME BACK. EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTRES PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE FOR OUR TAMARIKI AND FOR WORKING PARENTS. THIS WEEK, ECE TEACHERS WENT ON STRIKE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, SAYING THEY'RE UNDERFUNDED, UNDER-RESOURCED AND OVERWORKED. HERE IS OUR SENIOR REPORTER LAURA WALTERS WITH ONE TEACHER'S DREAM FOR OUR PRESCHOOLERS. HENRY'S BIRTHDAY! HENRY! IS IT YOUR BIRTHDAY TODAY? WOW. SO I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE SECTOR FOR NEARLY 14 YEARS. I STARTED, UM... I STUDIED AT VICTORIA UNIVERSITY ` GOT A BACHELOR OF EDUCATION AND HAD MY FIRST JOB HERE. YOU KNOW, WATCHING THESE GUYS ` THESE ARE THEIR MOST PRECIOUS YEARS OF THEIR ENTIRE LIVES, AND BEING A PART OF THAT LEARNING JOURNEY FOR THEM ` IT'S SUCH A PRIVILEGE, AND IT REALLY IS... IT'S SUCH AN INCREDIBLE JOB WHERE YOU LITERALLY GET TO WATCH THEIR BRAIN CONNECTIONS FORM EVERY DAY. WHEN YOU FIRST BECOME A TEACHER, YOUR HOPES AND DREAMS ABOUT WHAT IT'S GONNA BE IS IT'S GONNA BE AMAZING. IT'S GONNA BE SUCH A GREAT JOB, WHICH IT IS. THE REALITY OF WORKING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD IN NEW ZEALAND AT THE MOMENT ` IT'S NOT OK. AND I CAN TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO GET OUT. I THINK FOR SOME REASON, PEOPLE THINK THAT THERE'S SO MUCH MONEY TO MAKE OUT OF CHILDREN, AND THEY JUST SEE IT AS A GOOD BUSINESS VENTURE. AND OFTEN PEOPLE THAT OWN THESE CORPORATE ECE CENTRES HAVE NO EDUCATION BACKGROUND AT ALL. SO THEY ACTUALLY HAVE NO IDEA, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS QUALITY OR WHAT EVEN THE CURRICULUM IS OR HOW DOES IT WORK. IT'S JUST SIMPLY MONEY. AND, YEAH, IT'S JUST TAKEN OVER. I FEEL FRUSTRATED AND ALMOST AT, LIKE, BREAKING POINT, PERSONALLY. IT'S REALLY HARD MANAGING A CENTRE. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'VE WORKED SO HARD TO CREATE THIS AMAZING PLACE, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT QUALITY ` AND I THINK THIS PLACE IS QUALITY ` AND I KNOW FOR MY TEACHERS, LIKE, WHEN THEY ARE SICK, THEY WILL CALL IN SICK, AND I KNOW HOW BAD THEY FEEL, AND THEY HATE DOING IT, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT I CAN'T GET A RELIEVER. WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR CHILDREN, THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE A SECURE ATTACHMENT FOR THEIR BRAIN TO BE IN A STATE TO BE ABLE TO LEARN AND PLAY. IF YOU WERE TO COME IN HERE AT LUNCHTIME ON A DAY THAT'S A MINIMUM RATIO DAY, TEACHERS MIGHT HAVE A BABY IN A FRONT PACK BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY HANDS LEFT TO BE ABLE TO HOLD THEM, AND THEY ARE CRYING, AND THEY NEED THEIR NEEDS MET. YOU COULD HAVE ANOTHER CHILD ON ONE HAND. YOU COULD HAVE A BROOM IN THE OTHER HAND SWEEPING WHILST, YOU KNOW, LIKE, THERE'S TEACHERS PUTTING CHILDREN TO BED, AND, YEAH, IT'S CRAZY. I MEAN, IF THEY'RE WATCHING SOMEBODY ELSE NOT HAVING THEIR NEEDS MET, THEN THEY'RE NOT GONNA TRUST THAT WE'RE GONNA MEET THEIR NEEDS EITHER. SO IF YOU'VE GOT YOUR ARMS FULL OF, LIKE, BABIES, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING, BUT YOU CAN SEE SOMEONE OVER THERE THAT NEEDS YOU AS WELL, AND JUST TO HAVE TO... THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ` JUST TO HAVE TO SIT THERE AND BE LIKE, 'I'M SORRY, THERE'S ACTUALLY NOTHING I CAN DO TO HELP YOU RIGHT NOW.' IS THAT OK? 'WE TALK ABOUT THAT LATER ON IN LIFE, 'YOU KNOW, CHILDREN NEED TO BE RESILIENT,' AND THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO BUILD RESILIENCY. BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCY AND BE ABLE TO MEET THEIR EMOTIONAL NEEDS AND EVEN TALK TO THEM ABOUT THEIR EMOTIONS AND WHAT'S GOING ON, WHICH IS WE KNOW WHAT BUILDS RESILIENCY, THEN WE'RE FAILING. I THINK IN, LIKE, 10 YEARS TO COME, LIKE, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME... LIKE, OUT OF THIS GENERATION THAT ARE COMING THROUGH THE ECE SECTOR AT THE MOMENT, LIKE, IT'S GONNA BE BAD. TEACHERS DON'T TALK TO THE PARENTS ABOUT THE ISSUES, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT PARENTS TO THINK THAT THE QUALITY THAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE RECEIVING ARE NOT OK. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT PARENTS ` THEY NEED TO KNOW THE REALITIES. AND WHEN PARENTS WALK IN AND THEY SAY, 'HOW'S THE DAY BEEN?' LIKE, IT'S OK TO SAY IT WAS REALLY HARD. EVERYONE'S BURNT OUT. EVERYONE IS TIRED. THEY ARE BURNT OUT. THEY'VE HAD ENOUGH. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THEY ALL WANT TO LEAVE. BUT BECAUSE THEIR HEART IS IN IT STILL, THEY CAN'T DO IT. AND LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE EARLY CHILDHOOD` OR EDUCATOR, I FEEL LIKE, THAT YOU TALK TO AT THE MOMENT ` IS JUST SO BURNT OUT AND TIRED, AND THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE GONNA KEEP GOING. AS A COMMITTEE AND AS A BOARD, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF THINGS DON'T CHANGE AND IF THEY TAKE AWAY THE 2-YEAR-OLD FUNDING NEXT YEAR, SO OUR CENTRE ` WE'D BE SHUT DOWN. WE'RE GONNA BE LEFT WITH CENTRES THAT HAVE 150 CHILDREN AT EACH PLACE, AND THERE'S GONNA BE NONE OF THESE CENTRES LEFT. TEACHERS ARE JUST GONNA LEAVE THE SECTOR. WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANY... AND I MEAN, WAITLISTS ARE ALREADY MASSIVE, AND SO PARENTS AREN'T GONNA ABLE TO GO TO WORK. PARENTS ARE ACTUALLY NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GO TO WORK, BECAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE NOWHERE FOR CHILDREN TO GO. YEAH, REALLY TOUGH JOB AND AN IMPORTANT ONE. THAT WAS LAURA WALTERS WITH THAT REPORT. WELL, THE ELECTION IS BEHIND US, BUT THERE IS ALREADY ANOTHER IN FULL FLIGHT. IT IS THE BIRD OF THE CENTURY COMPETITION, AND THINGS HAVE GOT A LITTLE BIT WEIRD OUT THERE THIS YEAR WITH AN OFFSHORE INTERLOPER. THAT'S NEXT. PLUS, A LEBANESE LOVE STORY IN THIS WEEK'S BACKSTORY. WELCOME BACK TO BACKSTORY, WHERE WE GET TO KNOW POLITICIANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. AND RIGHT NOW THERE'S AN ABUNDANCE OF NEW TALENT TO MINE WITH PARLIAMENT FULL OF FRESH FACES, SO THIS WEEK, WE MEET BRAND NEW NATIONAL MP FOR TAKANINI RIMA NAKHLE, WHOSE LOVE LANGUAGE IS, APPARENTLY, FOOD. BEING LEBANESE, HAVING A LEBANESE BACKGROUND, I FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED, IN A WAY, BECAUSE WE HAVE A RICH CULTURE. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WITH LEBANESE, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HONOUR YOUR GUESTS, PEOPLE THAT WALK INTO YOUR HOME. AND ACTUALLY GROWING UP, I WAS TOLD THAT EVEN IF... YOU DON'T LIKE THE PERSON OR IF THEY'RE AN ENEMY ` YOU KNOW, IT'S SO DRAMATIC IN THE OLDER TERMS ` YOU STILL HAVE TO PUT A SPREAD FOR THEM. WE'RE VERY ALIGNED WITH OUR MAORI BROTHERS AND SISTERS, MANAAKITANGA. SOME CHEESE. SO DAD WENT TO AUSTRALIA IN 1969, THEN WENT BACK TO OUR VILLAGE IN LEBANON ` IT'S AINATA-AL ARZ ` AND GOT MARRIED TO MY BEAUTIFUL MUM IN 1973, AND, YEAH, MUM CAME OUT TO AUSTRALIA, AND I WAS BORN A FEW YEARS LATER. I LOVE MY SIBLINGS. I'VE GOT THREE SISTERS AND ONE BROTHER. DAD IS QUITE THE KIND OF GANGSTER DRESSER. I REMEMBER AS A CHILD, THERE WAS A SMALL SPACE IN TIME WHERE THINGS WERE VERY DIFFICULT FOR MY PARENTS ` EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. I DON'T TALK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH, BUT, YEAH, I REMEMBER FOOD PARCELS, SALVATION ARMY... WE GOT THROUGH IT, AND MY PARENTS JUST CONTINUED TO WORK HARD. BUT THOSE THINGS STICK WITH ME. MY DAD'S COMMENDABLE IN A WAY, BECAUSE DAD DOESN'T READ AND WRITE. HE LEFT SCHOOL AT A VERY YOUNG AGE. DAD SAYS TO US IT BURNS HIS HEART THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE AN EDUCATION, AND HE'S A VERY INTELLIGENT MAN. DAD'S MEMORY IS ASTOUNDING. IT'S THAT BURNING DESIRE FOR HIM TO HAVE AN EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY DROVE HIM TO PUSH FOR US TO HAVE AN EDUCATION. I USED TO SAY TO MY MUM, 'I'M NOT GOING TO GET MARRIED 'UNLESS I FIND SOMEONE THAT'S PERFECT.' AND SHE'D SAY, 'RIMA, THERE'S NO ONE PERFECT IN THIS WORLD.' BUT ROGER IS PERFECT TO ME AND FOR ME, SO, YEAH. WHEN I MET ROGER, THAT WAS IT. WE GOT MARRIED AROUND 12 YEARS AGO. YEAH, WE MET ABOUT TWO YEARS BEFORE THEN, AND ROGER AND I MET THROUGH OUR MUTUAL INTEREST IN LEBANESE POLITICS. YEAH, SO IT'S A COMMON INTEREST FOR US. SO WE'RE BOTH INTO POLITICS, REALLY. ENDED UP MEETING IN AUSTRALIA. ENDED UP IN AUSTRALIA, YEAH. YEAH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PHONE CONVERSATIONS, AND I'D GO BACK AND FORTH. GOT MARRIED IN SYDNEY. ROGER'S GOT A LOT OF FAMILY THERE, AND ALL MY WHANAU ARE THERE AS WELL. IT WAS A GREAT PARTY. WE WORK TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, WE TRAVEL TOGETHER. WE PLAN TOGETHER, WE CAMPAIGN TOGETHER. I'M VERY BLESSED. YOU KNOW, WE REALLY LOVE EACH OTHER'S COMPANY. THE FAMILY OWNS, LIKE, A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FACILITY, EMERGENCY ACCOMMODATION FACILITY. AND IT HAD ITS CHALLENGES COS IT'S IN TRANSITION TO THAT FROM AN OLD CAMPING GROUND. EVERYONE SEES THE NICE, LOVELY, SORT OF, PART OF RIMA. I'M PRETTY AWESOME. BUT THERE'S ALSO A NO-NONSENSE ASPECT TO HER SO YOU DON'T GET OUT OF LINE, BASICALLY. SO, UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE CLIENTS HAVING... QUITE A LOT OF COMPLEX NEEDS, IT REALLY COMES WITH ITS CHALLENGES. THE FIRST FEW MONTHS THAT I STARTED WORKING FULL-TIME AT THE VILLAGE, I'D COME HOME AND, UM... YEAH, REFLECT ON SOME OF THE THINGS I SAW AND THE SITUATION THAT PEOPLE WERE IN, AND IT BROKE MY HEART. SO THIS IS AMY LEE, AND SHE'S PRETTY AWESOME. (GIGGLES) THIS IS MR DANTE, AND THIS IS FRANK. HE'S THE MAN BEHIND THE MAN. SO WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON HERE IS ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY GARDENS, WHICH THE KIDS BASICALLY CREATED. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S STRONG RACISM THAT PEOPLE WANNA SAY THERE IS. THERE'S JUST, YOU KNOW, GOOD AND BAD PEOPLE. YOU GROW UP AND YOU SEE HOW PEOPLE HAVE FELT THEY'VE BEEN WRONG DONE BY. THAT CHARGES YOU, YOU KNOW, AND AS A YOUNG PERSON, YEP, I WAS OPINIONATED, BUT I TRIED TO ALWAYS HAVE REASONS FOR THESE OPINIONS, NOT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF IT. AND I REMEMBER THIS LADY ONCE SAID TO ME, 'WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE WORD "UNDERSTAND", IT'S TO STAND UNDER.' SO IN ORDER TO REALLY UNDERSTAND A SITUATION, YOU'VE GOT TO` YOU'VE GOT TO PUT ASIDE WHAT YOU THINK THE SITUATION IS AND TRY AND OPEN UP YOUR HEART AND YOUR MIND TO UNDERSTANDING... WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT'S LED TO THIS SITUATION. SO WE'RE AT OUR TAKANINI GURDWARA, AND IT'S AN EXCEPTIONALLY SPECIAL PLACE TO ME. SHE BROUGHT THE LEBNANI FOODS FROM SYDNEY. SHE ALWAYS BRING FOOD FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS OVER HERE, DROPPING US. AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHAT DRIVES ME TO JUST GET THE FOOD, SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU. IT'S ONE OF MY LOVE LANGUAGES... TO GIVE PEOPLE FOOD. I LOVE THAT. KIA PAKU WHAKATA TATAU. STAY WITH US, WE'RE BACK RIGHT AFTER THE BREAK. WELL, THE BIRD OF THE CENTURY COMPETITION HAS TAKEN A STRANGE TURN, WITH AN INTERLOPER RUNNING INTERFERENCE FROM ABROAD. ...ARE HEREBY ANNOUNCING OURSELVES AS THE OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE THEW BEST CANDIDATE FOR NEW ZEALAND BIRD OF THE CENTURY. I'M TALKING, OF COURSE, ABOUT THE PUTEKETEKE. EVEN THE NAME IS JUST A DANCE IN YOUR MOUTH, ISN'T IT? YEAH ` PUTEKETEKE. LET YOUR TONGUE EXPLORE YOUR FACE. PUTEKETEKE. BECAUSE THERE IS FRANKLY NO BIRD ON EARTH MORE DESERVING OF THE TITLE BIRD OF THE CENTURY THAN THIS ONE RIGHT HERE. I MEAN, LOOK AT THIS THING. WE ENTERED THE AUSTRALIAN` SORRY, NOT AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND. I COULD NOT HAVE MADE A MORE OFFENSIVE MISTAKE THAN THAT. (AUDIENCE LAUGHS) ALTHOUGH ` PO-TAY-TO, PO-TAH-TO, AM I RIGHT? NEW ZEALAND'S CONTEST IS NOT ACTUALLY RESTRICTED TO JUST NEW ZEALAND. (AUDIENCE LAUGHS) ANYONE IN THE WORLD CAN VOTE AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A VALID EMAIL. SO WE ARE NOW THE OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR THE PUTEKETEKE, WHICH IS WHAT I AM RIGHT NOW. (AUDIENCE CHEERS) LOOKING GREAT. (AUDIENCE CHEERS) THAT'S RIGHT. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDS) (AUDIENCE CHEERS) PUTEKETEKE! PUTEKETEKE! I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT TO HIM, HE'S THROWN EVERYTHING AT THAT CAMPAIGN. BUT JOHN OLIVER'S ATTEMPT TO HIJACK THE AWARD IS RATTLING THE CAGES OF BIRD ENTHUSIASTS HERE, INCLUDING SCOTT McNAB FROM REALNZ WHO JOINS US NOW FROM QUEENSTOWN. GOOD MORNING, SCOTT. GOOD MORNING. YOU'RE CRYING FOWL OVER OUR BIRD OF THE YEAR COMPETITION BEING HIJACKED IN SUCH A HIGH-PROFILE WAY. ABSOLUTELY. WE'VE NEVER BEEN BIG FANS OF PEOPLE BRINGING CONTROVERSY INTO THESE TYPES OF THINGS. AND IT FEELS LIKE` IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE THE AUSTRALIAN UNDERARM INCIDENT WHERE THEY'VE FOUND A LOOPHOLE IN THE RULES AND ARE LOOKING TO EXPLOIT IT. A BIT OF FOREIGN INTERFERENCE IN THIS. WELL, IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT, ACTUALLY, CAMPAIGN AND COMPETITION TO THE COUNTRY, ISN'T IT? ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. NEW ZEALAND HAS A LOT OF UNIQUE NATIVE BIRDS AND WE THINK THIS CAMPAIGN IS ABSOLUTELY AWESOME. WE'RE A CONSERVATION BRAND ENABLED BY TOURISM, AND SO WE LOVE THIS CAMPAIGN AND REALLY WANT TO THROW OUR WEIGHT BEHIND IT AS WELL. RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU ARE FIGHTING BACK, AREN'T YOU? SUPPORTING A PLUCKY LITTLE PARROT ` THE KAKARIKI KARAKA. THAT'S RIGHT, THE KAKARIKI KARAKA. WE JUST DID A LITTLE CONSERVATION POOL WHERE WE RAISED $175,000 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NGAI TAHU AND DOC AND SO WE THOUGHT THIS BIRD IS PERFECT TO ACTUALLY TAKE OUT THE BIRD OF THE CENTURY. AND WHY? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE BIRD? GIVE US YOUR PITCH. WELL, I MEAN, FIRSTLY, ORANGE AND GREEN FACE THAT YOU CAN TRUST. THAT'S PRETTY KEY. SECONDLY, BEEN DECLARED EXTINCT TWICE, SO THEY'VE COME BACK FROM EXTINCTION TWICE, WEIGHS ABOUT THE SAME AS A COUPLE OF MARSHMALLOWS, YET FIGHTS WELL ABOVE ITS WEIGHT AND HAS A BIRDSONG TO DIE FOR. WELL, IT ACTUALLY SOUNDS KIND OF FASCINATING. BUT THIS IS A MATTER OF NATIONAL PRIDE NOW, ISN'T IT? KIWIS NEED TO PULL IN BEHIND THE ONE BIRD TO TRY AND SEE OFF JOHN OLIVER? THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT. BASED ON THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF VOTES COMING IN, WE THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE A FULL COUNTRY EFFORT TO PUSH JOHN OLLIVER AWAY. WELL, KIWIS HAVE ONLY GOT, I THINK, ANOTHER 24 HOURS TO VOTE, IS THAT RIGHT? THE COMPETITION CLOSES TOMORROW? THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT. THERE SO MANY VOTES COME IN IT'S GONNA TAKE THEM LONGER TO COUNT IT SO THEY'VE PUSHED OUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT TIL WEDNESDAY, I BELIEVE. OK, WELL, FANTASTIC. NOT LONG TO GO NOW. OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE ASKING EVERYONE TO VOTE FOR THE KAKARIKI KARAKA. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE THIS MORNING. ABSOLUTELY. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. WELL, YOU HEARD THE MAN ` GO AND GET VOTING, AND NOT FOR THAT UNUSUAL ONE WITH THE WEIRD HAIR SUPPORTED BY JOHN OLLIVER. NGA MIHI NUI, WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEKEND. AND WITH ANY LUCK, WE WILL HAVE A NEW GOVERNMENT BY THEN AS WELL. CAPTIONS BY SAM BAKER AND KITTY WASASALA. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 HE MEA TAUNAKI KITE HOTAKA NEI