Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills

Nick Mills wraps the week with Friday Faceoff with Chief Executive of Infrastructure NZ, and former Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett and National Secretary of the Public Service Association Fleur Fitzsimmons. Starting with the war - how long will the effects last for Kiwis? Fitzsimmons and Legget talk stability of the ceasefire,  They debate the fuel crisis, the government's response and how our country will survive.  Then onto electrifying NZ, with the wake up signal of the Strait of Hormuz closing - Is solar the answer to our countries problems? Christopher Luxon as a leader - is a CEO the leader we want? After his stumbles in the media lately, is he coping with the pressure of these highly unstable times? And who else could step up? After Nicola Willis has fronted the fuel crisis, our panel discuss the signs of a new National leader.  Tiaki Wai and Wellington's water woes - As former Chair of Wellington Water, Nick Leggett shares his insight into the transfer of the water entities to Tiaki Wai ownership. The panel discuss the high-water bills and the necessity for them. Fitzsimmons wants more transparency for the reality of household's rates rises.  Then the surge in drugs seizures at the border - can NZ win the war on drugs? Customs Minister Casey Costello says “We’re not winning, but I wouldn’t say we’re losing.”  Do our panel agree? Leggett and Fitzsimmons address the harms it's doing to our community, and the solutions. Plus, the panel give their hot and nots for the week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick is joined by Finance Minister Nicola Willis for her monthly chat in the studio.  The minister has been busy fronting the fuel crisis and with the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, Nick gets answers on how Kiwis will be affected. Is the tide turning? Is the Strait opening?  Also, Nick asks Willis about the delivery of fuel and diesel for farmers.  Willis speaks about her reaction to Trump's threating social media posts and says that we are in a better place today compared to two days ago. But how stable is the future and do we have any power as a little country at the bottom of the world?  And does Minister Willis have ambition to be Prime Minster? Nick asks about the PMs mistakes this last week, and is popularity that important as a leader? OCR and her relationship with Reserve Bank Governor Anna Bremen  Then into transport, and the talk around reducing work on Roads of National Significance LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ultra Music Festival hits Wellington tonight! Bringing international DJs and Electronic Music legends to our waterfront.  23,000 are expected to the sold-out festival - with four stages showcasing local and international talent.  Ultra Festival started in Miami and is a worldwide hit - this Wellington show is the first NZ edition.  Yesterday Nick took a tour around the festival set up with the man who bought the festival to NZ - Head of Audiology Touring Mitch Lowe.  Mitch and Nick look around the waterfront, which was full of workers setting up and getting ready for the thousands of fans. Go with Nick through Ultra and meet the team behind it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Friday Sport Kick-off this week Nick is joined in the studio by ZB sport guru Jason Pine. Starting with Hurricanes alumni dinner tonight - the organization set up to help Hurricanes transition into the next phase of their lives celebrates tonight. It's been 10 years since they won their championship and 30 years since the team started. Onto the Hurricanes vs Blues - Hnry Stadium with a 7.05pm kick-off. They look at the odds, the team and is this the first real test for the Canes? And the rise of the Phoenix under Chris Greenacre. Could the team reach top 6? The A-League men play Melbourne City on Sunday in Melbourne. Wellington Saints are raising their 13th championship banner for their first game of the season - Sunday afternoon.  Plus, the Pulse open their season with a game against Magic on Saturday. Huge weekend for Wellington Sport - and you can hear about it all on Friday Sport Kick-off. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this week's Politics Thursday Nick is joined by National MP for Wairarapa and newly appointed Minister for Land Information Mike Butterick, and Labour MP and Spokesperson for Education and Police Ginny Andersen. With the announcement of the two-week ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran, Nick asks our politicians how this will affect NZ and their thoughts on what has unfolded these last few days. Also, how fuel is being impacted - and why is the price of diesel hitting $4 if we still have 51 days left of supply. And how is Luxon coping with the pressure of leadership? During Butterick's minister appointment ceremony, he and Cameron Brewer were mistaken for ushers. Hours after Luxon appeared on Breakfast and stumbled around how many Māori MPs were in his cabinet - forgetting Tama Potaka.  They dissect his performance as Prime Minister - and how he is coping with the conflict. New Zealand is seeing a huge surge in drug imports at the border. In the first 4 months of 2025 at Auckland Airport the amount of drugs seized was more than the total from all NZ airports the year prior.   What will our politicians do to solve this issue, where do the problems lie? And the RBNZ has decided to keep OCR 2.25%, what does this mean for our economy.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick is joined on the show today by British comedian and actor Stephen K Amos. Amos arrives in Wellington for his tour 'Now We’re Talking,' and will play Friday May 8th at Hannah Playhouse Nick and Amos talk his last experience in Wellington - including an earthquake and some classic turbulence. Also what to expect from his latest show and how comedy is adapting to the state of the world right now.  Amos was last in New Zealand in 2016 and is a regular guest on UK TV shows; Live at The Apollo, QI and Have I got News for You. He is also an accomplished BAFTA Award-winning actor. His stand up comedy show 'Now We’re Talking' is on Friday May 8 at Hannah Playhouse get tickets here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick is joined in the studio today by Wellington City Mayor Andrew Little for their monthly catchup. Mayor Little takes questions from both Nick and our audience, on the progress in our city and council in April. Starting with pressures in the city from the Iran War. Mayor Little discusses the potential for public transport cost deductions, and the other ways the CBD has been impacted from the fuel crisis.  Then onto rates - Little takes calls from the audience on commercial, property and water rates.  And then cost of Tiaki Wai, Wellington's new water entity taking over from July 1st - Little says he stills has not seen the evidence that our water payments will need to be up to nearly $7000 per household within 10 years. Nick and Little discuss this, how the transfer of power works and what needs to be done considering the cost to ratepayers. Little gives an inquiry update for Moa Point, and elaborates on the cause - and that it still has not been fixed.  Plus, NZTA says Wellington will reach it's vision for Wellington in just 6 years. Nick asks Little whether he agrees and this could be reality - or is this still a vision? Then after the drama surrounding the new WCC office building we ask the Mayor what he thinks of his new office. LISTEN ABOVE OR WATCH BELOW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EDITORIAL: I don't even know where to start with this. Because I’m sitting here this morning, and I’m not asking for a clever political solution, I’m not asking for spin, and I’m certainly not asking for another escalation.  I just want it to stop.  Not a temporary pause. Not a 45-day window. Not a “significant step” that isn’t good enough for someone to sign.  I want the war to stop.  I want some sort of normality back in the world.   I want people to get on and live their lives. I want that simple idea — live and let live — to actually mean something.  And before anyone jumps in — this is not some soft, hand-wringing, anti-war rant. It’s not that.  This is just common sense in the world that we live in right now.  Because what we’re watching right now is getting completely out of hand.  You’ve got Donald Trump talking about how an entire country could be “taken out in one night.”   You’ve got threats to infrastructure, to power plants, to bridges — things that affect civilians, not just military targets.  And on the other side, you've got Iran saying no — rejecting ceasefires, vowing to keep fighting.  So where does that us, leave the rest of the world?  Stuck in the middle. Because this isn’t just “their war.” It never is.  You start talking about the Strait of Hormuz — one of the most critical shipping routes on the planet — and suddenly this hits everyone.   Fuel prices. Supply chains. Cost of living. Everything.  We’re already feeling it here.  And that’s what frustrates me.  Because while leaders posture, threaten, and dig in… the rest of the world pays the price.  Families pay the price.   Businesses pay the price.   Countries like ours — so far away — still get dragged into it through higher costs, uncertainty, and economic pressure.  At some point, someone has to step up and say: enough.  Make the ceasefire work.  Not “almost work.” Not “on the table.” Not “a step in the right direction.”  Actually make it work.  Because right now, it feels like the damage being done — economically, globally— it's massive.  And I’ll say this carefully… but honestly.  You’ve got to ask whether the way this is being handled is doing more damage to the rest of the world than the original problem ever would have.  That’s the uncomfortable question.  Has this has gone too far?  Does it feel like the world is being dragged along for the ride… whether we like it or not?  And is it time we pull together globally, whether that's a few leaders or the UN and say pull back the ego and look at the bigger picture here?  Do we, New Zealand have any kind of role with this? Winston Peters is there this week - does he have a role? Can we do anything? Or do we just keep paying?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Irwin is back in the studio for this week's Music Time. James shares his travels to Hawaii and how much they know of NZ music overseas, what could he find in the record shops? Then The Pogues hit Wellington tomorrow at the St James - without Shane MacGowan. After MacGowan's passing 18 months ago James takes a look at the new band and what we can expect from their show.  For the latest on Wellington gigs and music - its Music Time with James Irwin LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick Mills wraps the week for a Thursday edition of faceoff with Hutt City Mayor Ken Laban and journalist and broadcasting legend Mark Sainsbury.   Starting with the complaints from councillors' around their new office – Councillor Nicola Young says many boycotted the blessing as they are not pleased with the location of the Mayor’s office. Is this a show of entitlement or genuine concern about the perception of our leader?  Our panel share their thoughts on the inquiry into the FENZ fire truck fleet by Tim Costley. The board's answers to Costley are apparently “confusing and contradictory".    What do Mayor Laban and Sainsbury think of the 79% pay increase of some board members during the pay dispute for frontline workers – and what questions need to be answered by FENZ?  Can we expect our fire fighters to do their job with such limited pay and equipment?   Then Minister Winston Peters flies over to Rarotonga to seal a deal which clarifies our two countries relationship. But he flew over in an Airforce jet. Is this a bad look during the fuel crisis? Or are the optics of Peters in Rarotonga and putting in effort important enough?  And what do our panel think of the deal?  Then onto the David Tamihere case being quashed due to a miscarriage of justice. Our panel talk the likelihood of retrial and whether Tamihere should receive compensation.  The Green Party declined a candidate – a sex worker advocacy group says it’s due to the woman’s prior experience in that industry. Should someone be denied due to their career, or should we bring more diversity into the beehive?  Then the basin – our panel get heated on what should be done with the basin reserve, as the NZ20 cricket is set to play there.  Plus, our panel share their hots and nots from the week.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick is joined by Labour MP Kieran McAnulty, who is fronting the new bill that will scrap the Easter alcohol rules.  Bars & restaurants (on-licence venues) will be able to sell alcohol normally on Good Friday & Easter Sunday. No more needing to buy a “substantial meal” just to get a drink. McAnulty shares why the rule change is necessary, saying it's silly and will make life easier for hospo visitors and workers.  Note: Since the interview this morning the bill has been signed off by the Governor General and will be active for Easter Weekend LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Firefighters, currently on strike, are getting support to upgrade their fleet from a new inquiry into FENZ. Parliament’s Governance and Administration Select Committee, fronted by Deputy Chair and National MP Tim Costley, has launched an enquiry into FENZ specifically on the state of their fire truck fleet.  Nick speaks to Wellington Local President of the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) and Senior Station Officer Clark Townsley to find out what the union think of the inquiry.  Townsley says they would like a general inquiry into FENZ, and Costley says their answer have been "confusing and contradictory". The board of FENZ received a pay increase yesterday - some members getting a 79% rise, while pay disputes for frontline firefighters have gone on for 16 months.  Townsley called this a "bombshell". LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EDITORIAL: I just want to talk about something this morning that, honestly, feels like a perfect snapshot of where Wellington City Council is at right now.  Office space.  Not rates. Not pipes bursting. Not businesses struggling. Not the Moa Point mess. No, no — they’re concerned about office space.   Who’s on what floor, who’s got the view, and who’s looking out at a car park.  Now, I’ve got to ask — who actually cares?  If you’re a city councillor, if you’re the mayor, aren’t you there to do a job? Getting paid for that job by us.  Aren’t you there to serve the city, make decisions, fix problems, and represent the people of Wellington?   Since when did the quality of your harbour view become part of your job description?  Because I’ve worked a long time, and I’ve never once walked into a workplace and thought, “Gee, I hope I’ve got the penthouse today.” You go to work to work. If you want a view get one at home.   And here we’ve got reports of councillors grumbling, talking of a boycott of a blessing ceremony, and frustration that council executives are sitting upstairs with the nice outlook while elected officials are on level one.  Level one!  It’s convenient.  One flight of stairs and you’re there. You’re accessible. You’re close to the public. You’re not hiding away at the top of a tower somewhere, disconnected from the people you’re meant to represent.  Are you supposed to look down and look down at your people?  And if the mayor’s looking out at a car park — frankly I don’t give a damn.   You should be out in the city – or if you're at your office you should be looking at your computer, your emails, your meetings, your city’s problems. That’s the job.  To me, this is a mountain out of a molehill.   But worse than that, it’s symbolic. It tells you something about priorities of our council.   Because while all this noise is going on about who sits where, Wellington still has massive issues that actually matter.  And I’ll give credit where it’s due — some councillors have said exactly that.   Turn up, do the job, don’t worry about the furniture. Do you care where your office is when you go to work? And should we expect more focus — and be a little bit more humble — from the people running our city?  Because right now, this just feels like a small, small deal, when we have bigger issues.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington City Councillor Nicola Young joins the show to discuss the complaints over the new council building. Young was not present at the blessing for the new office building on the waterfront. She says although she doesn't usually attend early morning ceremonies, she wouldn't of gone anyway as part of a boycott among some councillors. The boycott is over complaints the office space is not sufficient, particularly the office of Mayor Andrew Little - nicknamed by Young as "the dungeon".  The office sits on the first floor and has two windows looking onto a carpark and a brick wall. Young says this is a bad look for visitors, while the executives and officials get the penthouse.  She says this shows where the power lies. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick is joined in the studio by Dwell Housing CEO Elizabeth Lester to chat about their new campaign 'It Starts With Home' and how the move on orders are effecting their community. Dwell Housing is a registered charity that provides housing through safe, affordable homes to individuals and families across the Wellington region. Their current campaign focuses on housing for local families.  With the new move on orders coming into effect - and forcing rough sleepers out of certain areas - Lester shares how this is effecting the homeless community Lester shares how the public can help the charity, what Dwell have done so far, and what they want to accomplish this year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As NZ20 brings attention to the Basin Reserve talk is building about the potential for an upgrade.  Nick speaks to Wellington-born architect Frano Bazalo about the cost and likelihood surrounding a renovation building capacity, and bringing more sports into the reserve. The St Patricks old boy is currently working out of London designing some of the biggest stadiums in the world, including one costing over a billion dollars in Saudi Arabia. Nick finds out Bazalo's thoughts on the current structure, and the lack of other stadiums in Wellington - pointing to issues with Hnry stadium. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick is joined by World of WearableArt CEO Meg Williams to talk this years WOW show GLO! The annual show goes from 17 September to 4 October 2026 at TSB Arena, and brings tourists and pride to Wellington. Williams shares the plans for this year, and what makes the show such a colourful success.  She discusses the team - including Creative Director Brian Burke, and how they are prepping for their boldest year yet.  Williams and Nick get into the theme of GLO!, the comeback of the beloved Bizarre Bra and the new sections coming to the show this year.  Get tickets here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OPINION: If there is ever a time where you think change might actually happen, I think that time is now.  You know when something really significant shifts.  Because every now and then, you get a crisis that doesn’t just hurt — it teaches and it questions.   And we may finally learn from this one.  We’ve got fuel prices climbing towards four dollars a litre.  We’ve got global instability, supply lines under pressure, and once again New Zealand is sitting here — exposed.  But what’s different this time…it’s the reaction.  Because when you start hearing voices — strong voices, credible voices — saying this is the turning point… we have to pay attention.  Take Mike Casey — Kiwibank Sustainable Business Leader of the Year 2026 — not some fringe thinker, not some dreamer — a guy running a fully electric cherry orchard in Central Otago, and a big one.  And here are the facts he’s putting on the table:  New Zealand has around 10 million machines currently reliant on imported fossil fuels.  But about 8.5 million of those could be electrified today — right now — with the technology we already have.  That only leaves about 800,000 that still need diesel long-term.  So the idea that we can’t do this is just not true.  And then look at behaviour — because behaviour tells you everything.  Last week was the biggest week for EV sales since the Clean Car Discount ended in 2023.  That’s not ideology — that’s people reacting to price and reality.  And here’s the big thing.  The average Kiwi drives about 230 kilometres a week.  Charging an EV off solar? Roughly works to be the equivalent of $1.15 per litre — even factoring in road user charges.  Compare that to nearly $4 a litre at the pump.  That’s not a small saving — that’s transformational.  And yet some of us are still hesitating.  We’re still treating solar and EVs like lifestyle choices instead of what they actually are — infrastructure.  Because here’s the part that really got me.   Casey’s running a system where about 80% of his entire operation is powered by his own solar — cars, machinery, production.  His neighbour is trying to borrow an electric tractor because diesel’s too expensive.  That’s not theory — that’s real, working change.  So I come back to this…  Is this the moment where the penny drops?  When even traditionally sceptical voices start saying, “hang on… maybe this is the way forward”?  Because if it is — then we need to act like it.  Every house in New Zealand should be looking at solar.  Not as a luxury — as a baseline.  And here’s where government comes in —I don’t want handouts, not subsidies — but smart financing.  Low-interest, long-term loans to get solar onto rooftops.  Because according to Casey, the savings alone could cover the repayments and still leave households $1,000 to $2,000 better off each year.  That’s not a cost — that’s an investment.  So if we’ve learned anything from every crisis we’ve faced — it’s this:  We don’t get many chances to pivot.  We don’t get many moments where the problem and the solution are sitting right in front of us at the same time.  This might be one of them.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CubaDupa hit Wellington last weekend and Nick chats to director Bianca Bailey to see how it all went down. Tens of thousands of people - local and visitors alike, joined the annual street party with over 200 performers, food trucks, performers, parades - everything was at CubaDupa. Bailey shares how the weekend went, what could've gone better and what does the city need to do next to bring more life to Wellington. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick is joined in the studio with CubaDupa headliner Paige for a performance and a chat. Hailing for Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, Paige is an award-winning pop/RnB singer who has gained international fame for her sound and honest songwriting.  Paige and Nick talk her career so far, being a NZ artist and how international fan attitudes differ from Kiwis.  Also, her upcoming performance at Cuba Dupa and her experience of Wellington.  Then we are treated to a live performance of her single 'why do we wanna be in love.' Hear the single and other hits off her new EP paigesspace at Cuba Dupa's Ngā Toi o Te Aro Stage on Saturday, March 28th, 05:45pm - 06:30pm. Cuba Dupa runs all weekend and is a free event.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.