Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills

The Hurricanes have made it to a home semi-final against the Blues on Saturday, to celebrate Hurricane Billy Proctor chats to Nick Mills. Proctor talks how the team are prepping, their mindset going into the game and can they feel the pressure? They chat about Proctor's relationship with fellow mid-fielder Jordie Barrett and defence coach Cory Jane. And how is the mission to fill the tin going? What does having the crowd show up mean to the boys? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Friday Faceoff, Nick is joined in the studio with political commentator, Lawyer and Director of Franks Ogilvie Brigitte Morten, and political commentator and former Chief of Staff to Jacinda Arden Neale Jones. Starting with the Golden Mile. The review is in, and unsurprisingly over budget. Morten and Jones share their thoughts on blowout of consultancy spend, the next steps for Courtnay Place, and the barring of Councillor Karl Tiefenbacher's vote due to a conflict of interest. The panel face off over Labour's newest policy - a $20 fare cap for public transport. Are the numbers even correct? What sort of narrative does this set for Labour? Morten and Jones clash over whether this policy will make a different for voters. Then onto the revelation KiwiRail stalled system upgrades for the Wellington train networks due to funding. Nick and the panel debate where the priorities lie in terms of government spending and campaigning. Also on the agenda is the controversy of Superintendent and Labour candidate Rakesh Naidoo. Has Police Commissioner Richard Chambers made the situation too political and publicised? Plus, Monday's state of emergency for the coast, how do we get Wellingtonians not in the affected area to not overreact? Should coward punch law changes go harder? Is TOP the party to watch? And the panel give us their hot and nots. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What a weekend for the Hurricanes. Newstalk ZBs sports experts Jason Pine and Adam Cooper join Nick Mills in the studio to talk the sports weekend ahead. Fill the tin! Over 20,000 are expected to be at Hnry Stadium backing the boys in yellow. Will the Hurricanes beat the Blues and get that home final? The crew chat the season so far, the success that has got them to this point and what to expect from Saturday nights game. They look into the coaching team, and acknowledge the incredible work of Clarke Laidlaw. Can the canes lock in these big coaching names? Plus, the Pulse play their last game this weekend, the crew talk the season and what could happen next with broadcasting rights and should the team be worried? And the Saints have what Nick is calling the "season defining game" - will they beat the Tuatara? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Its Politics Thursday and this week Nick is joined by National MP Tim Costley and Labour MP Camilla Belich to discuss the top political issues of the week. Labour's new policy $20 cap for public transport - is it too good to be true? The panel look at the viability of the $65 million cost and is it fair to rural taxpayers? Then onto the investigation launched by the police commissioner into conduct of superintendent Rakesh Naidoo whilst announcing his candidacy for the Labour Party. The panel discuss the labour list rankings, and Greg O'Connor's departure from politics. Also charter schools - a mixed bag of results, are they worth it? Would Labour keep them? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Julia' at Circa Theatre is earning rave reviews, star Lara Macgregor graces the studio this morning to chat with Nick Mills. Julia centres around former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, diving into her life and legacy leading up to her landmark 2012 "misogyny speech". The play examines gender, power and the pressures of political leadership through Julia's lens. Lara talks about her research and experience stepping into the shoes of Julia, but also the sexism she has experienced herself in the theatre world. Lara says, "Women deserve a better standard than this." Nick and Lara discuss if pressure eased for women in politics or is it still just as brutal now as it was for Julia Gillard? Check out the hit play 'Julia' on at Circa Theatre till Saturday 27th June. Buy tickets at circa.co.nz. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dire Straits saxophonist Chris White makes his return to NZ with 'The Dire Straits Experience'. The tribute group brings back the hits from the iconic 80s band to Wellington's Michael Fowler Centre this August. Chris joins Nick on the show today to reminisce on the old days with the original band and frontman Mark Knopfler. Chris and Nick talk his return to NZ, the success of tribute bands, bringing the music back to the stage and his favourite songs to play live. Get tickets for the Dire Straits Experience at Michael Fowler Centre August 20th on Ticketmaster.co.nz LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EDITORIAL: Can I ask a simple question this morning? At what point does being prepared become being overprotective? Now before anyone jumps on me and has a crack at me, let me make one thing crystal clear. Safety comes first. If lives are genuinely at risk, authorities should act. Nobody wants to see people injured or killed because someone was too slow to make a decision. And I'm certainly not suggesting we ignore severe weather. In fact, the latest figures show between March 2025 and the end of February this year, we had a damaging storm every eight days on average. More than 33,000 insurance claims were lodged for flooding, wind and storm damage. The risks are real. But Wellington has now been through another state of emergency over predicted waves and high winds, and the reality is that what was forecast simply did not eventuate. Mayor Andrew Little himself acknowledged that the predicted conditions "hadn't materialised.” There had been no reports of major damage. The state of emergency has now been lifted. So, my concern now is: are we becoming too quick to shut the city down? I did some rough calculations this morning, because this whole thing concerns me greatly. Wellington's economy is worth around $56 billion a year. Spread that across a normal working year and you're talking about roughly $200 million of economic activity every weekday. Even if only 10 or 20 percent of that is disrupted because people stay home, businesses close, customers disappear and workers can't get into the city, that's potentially tens of millions of dollars affected. Yesterday I walked into a well-known clothing store in the CBD and asked how it was going, didn't even think about the state of emergency. The answer? They hadn't had a single customer all morning. Is that because of the weather? Maybe partly. The weather was fine in the city. Is it because the city was under a state of emergency? I'd bet dollars to donuts that played a major role. If you're told your city is in a state of emergency, you're probably not heading into town to buy a new jacket. Then think about the ripple effects— Parents scrambling with childcare, employees worried about getting home and small businesses, already battered by years of economic hardship, losing yet another trading day. Preparation and resilience are good things. Panic is not. And here's the other thing. We are Wellingtonians. We are proud to be Wellingtonians. We live in one of the windiest capitals in the world. Windy Wellington. We know what a southerly look like, and some of us actually love southerlies. We know what big seas look like. We live on a coast. Storms are part of living here. Meanwhile, Wellington Airport remained open and aircraft continued landing. State of emergency and our major international airport was open. Life carried on, in many respects. But in the back of everyone of everyone's minds: state of emergency. Panic, panic, panic. Of course, authorities acted on the advice they had, and Mayor Little has defended the decision by pointing to the destructive 2020 storms and the uncertainty of forecasting. I'm not saying what we did was wrong, I'm saying do we need to be more careful. There will also be a review of the declaration, and that's exactly as it should be. But perhaps we need a wider conversation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's semi-finals time for Wellington's Hurricanes and the mission is 'fill the tin." Owner Malcolm Gillies and CEO Tony Philp join Nick Mills in the studio to celebrate the semis and reach their goal to sell 25,000 tickets. Gillies talks bringing the life back to super rugby, and what the future holds for privatisation. Philp and Gillies say the team is ready for the clash against the Blues, and there's lots of excitement coming up to Saturday. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ōhāriu MP Greg O'Connor joins Nick Mills this morning to talk his exit from politics, the Labour list and Rakesh Naidoo candidacy controversy. After three terms as the Ōhāriu MP for Labour, O'Connor is calling it quits. He chats to Nick about the reason, and if it has anything to do with the list rankings released yesterday. O'Connor says he wouldn't have enjoyed being a list MP as much as looking after his electorate. They look back at his successful political career and forward to his future, and if he could appear in another party one day. Then O'Connor shares his thoughts on the Labour list, including Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo. Naidoo has appeared 13th but has been in hot water over informing Police Commissioner Richard Chambers later than Chambers believed was acceptable. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ Music Month lives on into June, on Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills and James Irwin. The crew discuss which Kiwis have had major global success and what are the top hits from 2000 to now. They also take a look at Pagan records and the huge names that have bloomed from the label. And James shares his story of hitch-hiking with one of the most beloved New Zealanders ever. Find out who on Music Time. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A state of emergency is in place for areas of the Wellington region due to heavy swells on the coast. A mandatory evacuation order is in place for about 350 homes from Ōwhiro to Breaker bay - excluding Lyall Bay. MetService issued the warning for Cape Terawhiti to Turakirae Head in Wellington and Turakirae Head to Mataikona in Wairarapa. Wellington Regional Emergency Management Office (WREMO) urge people to take the warnings very seriously. WREMO spokesperson Dan Neely told Nick Mills on Wellington Mornings there are roadblocks in evacuated areas and emergency services cannot reach those who stay. Official advice is to stay away from coastal roads, don't put yourself at risk. Neely said these were the highest waves he's seen in his time here. Call 111 if you are in an emergency, and stay away from the coast. Get the latest updates here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Musician, actor and producer Troy Kingi joins Nick Mills on the show today to talk his latest show 'Night Lords'. The concert hits Wellington at Meow Nui as part of the winter Lōemis Festival on June 18th. Kingi talks his latest album - the ninth in his 10/10/10 series. In 10 years Kingi has attempted to create 10 albums in 10 different genres. 'Night Lords' blends hip-hop and RnB. They also chat about Kingi's acting endeavours and what does the future look like after he completes the much anticipated tenth album? Grab tickets on the Lōemis website for Troy Kingi Presents: Night Lords here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington City Andrew Little joins Nick in the studio to talk the latest wins and losses of the city from the last month. Mayor Little says he is "angry" and "horrified" over the $600,000 cost for the promotion website for Te Matapihi Wellington Central Library. Nick asks the tough questions around accountability, Little says he still has faith in CEO Matt Prosser and CFO Andrea Reeves after yet another cost blowout. Although rates have had the lowest rise in years, has the council really got financial restraint after another ghost is shaken from the finance team? Also on the agenda is the latest updates on Moa Point and council amalgamation, Tiaki Wai changes and authority, Wellingtonians leaving for Australia and what we can do to keep them here. And what will happen to the Citizens Advice Bureau after large cuts put it's existence at risk? Could the decision be overturned? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Its Friday Sports Kick-off and it's a Hurricanes special as Brad Shields joins the show today! Tonight is the quarter final at Hnry Stadium for Hurricanes and Brumbies, and the fight for the home semifinal. Shields shares an inside look coming up to the challenge of finals. Shields compares the current line up to the 2016 team, and says the boys are excited and working hard to win tonight. Then back with ZBs sports gurus Jason Pine and Adam Cooper. They talk our chances, analysing our last game against the Australian team where we won 45-12. And what lies ahead for the Canes - if they win or lose tonight. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The radio gang is back together - Nick Mills is joined for Faceoff this week by legendary broadcasters Polly Gillespie and Nick Tansley. Starting with arming police, should they be able to carry guns on their hip? They faceoff on gun safety and how this would affect Kiwis. The law only allows for 3 days bereavement leave. The panel discuss the balance between dealing with grief but considering the employer. Is there a time limit to overcome something like the death of a loved one? The panel also faceoff on solar panel homes, frequent ambulance call outs, house prices, council amalgamation deadlines and which is better Wellington or Christchurch? Plus, with the increase of 49% for liquidations of hospitality businesses the panel dissect the changes in trends with dining out? And Gillespie and Tansley share their hot or nots from the week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cult hit "Heathers the Musical" has taken Wellington by storm. The edgy comedy based off the 1988 film Heathers is touring Aus and NZ, finishing it's Wellington run this Sunday at the Opera House. Lead "Heather" Calista Nelmes joins Nick in the studio to teach him a thing or two about being a 'heather' and the success of the globally renowned musical. If you're in the mood for show stopping voices, dancing and snappy comedy grab tickets here. This weekend is your last chance to see the worldwide phenomenon at the Opera House before they wrap their tour in Auckland. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest festival to hit Wellington is Lōemis, a celebration fo both local and international music and art. Nick is joined in the studio by Lōemis director Andrew Laking to find out what the festival is all about. Laking shares what acts to look out for and why this festival is perfect for a Wellington winter. Bringing in acts from all over the world including Japan and New York City, the festival is a mix of music, food, immersive art, spoken word and film. The festival is all over the city and runs from 9th-21st June. Check out the programme and get tickets on their website - Lōemis.nzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Politics Thursday, Nick is joined by Labour MP Ginny Andersen and National MP for Otaki Tim Costley to debate the hot political issues of the week. Starting with the TVNZ situation - is the public entitled to transparency around the resignation of their political editor? And the heartbreaking story of Sheena Hemens who lost her daughter and is now fighting for bereavement leave to be extended from three days to ten. Costley and Andersen debate if the law should be changed. Then the changes to local government, both to stop unelected members from voting on council decisions and Mayor Andrew Little's concern on the amalgamation deadline. Will Upper Hutt be dragged into something they don't want? A lobbyist influence was hiding from the OIA in the personal email of the Prime Minister's chief policy advisor. Has enough been done to prevent this happening again? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington City Mayor Andrew Little spoke to constituents and officials this morning outlining the way forward for council amalgamation, as only ten weeks remain for the government's deadline. Mayor Little joins Nick on the show this morning to discuss his thoughts and plan as the deadline looms. With talks of a referendum, Little says if he had to decide today, he would go through with the amalgamation of the "core four" - Porirua, Hutt City and Upper Hutt. Nick finds out the latest on Upper Hutt's involvement, the effect on rates, what WCC have learnt from the Auckland Supercity merger and the possible structures that could sustain local voices. Little shares what the next steps look like, including potential of a referdendum. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Friday Faceoff and this week Nick is joined in the studio by Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett and Wellington's Chamber of Commerce CEO Hayley Horan. It's a post-budget day special. Yesterday Nicola Willis released her much anticipated budget, the panel dissect the winners, the losers and what they think is missing from this year's "sugar-free" budget. We hear what Horan has heard from businesses, does the budget lack vision? And what does it do for Wellington? Then onto Wellington City Council who had a week of ups and downs. A lower-than-expected rates rise was announced at 5.9%, yet a day later it was released they spent 600 thousand on a promotional website for the new library. They share their thoughts on the 600k pay cheque and sending the job out to Auckland. And what is hoing on with the spending culture on the council? Horan and Leggett also talk Takina - are we getting the best use out of it? And the panel share their hots and a not of the week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time for Friday Sports Kick-off with Jason Pine and Adam Cooper joining Nick on the show. Starting with The Hurricanes game tonight against the Crusaders in Christchurch. With many injuries in the team, are the panel concerned about a loss of the game and momentum towards the final? And the incredible story of Tim Payne who yesterday had under 5,000 followers, has gone viral and just cracked 1 million. The power of social media hit Payne when an Argentinean influencer called him the least known player at the upcoming FIFA world cup - a statement certainly not true today. And what is happening with the Pulse? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Politics Thursday and it's Budget Day, Nick is joined by Labour MP Ginny Andersen and National MP for Otaki Tim Costley. The panel talk the political issues of the week - starting with the budget due for release at 2pm today. Costley says it's certainly no lolly scramble, but it is a budget for real Kiwis. Andersen shares her worries for the people who need support most - particularly from what we have already seen from pre-budget announcements. How has collaboration and compromise been with the coalition partners while crafting the budget? And onto the Ipsos survey, where Kiwis trust Labour to deal with 7 out of the top 10. What do our politicians think have caused these results? Are people voting on hope? Then, the government's new loan scheme to transition large companies off gas, should this be expanded? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand Performance Academy Aotearoa (NZPAA) opened earlier this year out in Upper Hutt, and yesterday Nick was able to tour around the new sports charter school. Follow Nick as he goes through the facilities and classes and speaks with CEO Karen van Gemeren, Principal Ryan Clark and some of the students. Students Emily and Ben share how their experience has been here, compared to their old schools. And tell Nick what the school has been able to do for their budding sports careers. NZPAA has around 85 students and is the country's first dedicated elite sports charter school. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour Leader Chris Hipkins joins Nick Mills in the studio, on the eve of one of the biggest days in the political year: Budget Day. With the budget looming, Nick asks if we can finally expect policy from Labour for this coming election. Hipkins shares his predictions for the budget, Labour's priorities and his thoughts on the pre-budget announcements so far. With the 8700 jobs cut announcement, we find out if Labour would reinstate some of these and what difference he thinks AI can make in the public sector. Hipkins says Labour will look into regulation and the future of AI, and he wants to focus on growing productivity of employees, not replacing them. Also, does Hipkins think that New Zealand is ready to trust a Labour government and he gives his thoughts on the leaked "duck faced horse" audio from the Labour conference. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington City Council has proposed their lowest rates rise since 2020, at 5.8%. Deputy Mayor of Wellington Ben McNulty joins the show to discuss the news and how the council managed to cut the rise down from 7.4%, after an already substantial decrease from the last prediction. Nick asks how this adds up with the inclusion of separate water bills and how this compares to Auckland. McNulty says there are still "ghosts in the walls" that need shaking out, so we should expect more poor spending announcements before cost cutting becomes consistent. And he shares how the spending culture has changed since Mayor Andrew Little has come into power. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Its Music Time and the last week of NZ Music Month! Nick and James continue to debate the greatest New Zealand singles of the 1980s and 90s. Give big ups to a New Zealand record label who discovered one of our biggest international success stories and cover off all the happenings of gigs you can attend before the end of May! LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick is joined in the studio by Rewiring Aotearoa CE Mike Casey, the company aims to electrify NZ. The government announced yesterday they would fund a $1.2 billion loan scheme to help large businesses transfer away from gas to renewable energy. Casey is calling for this to expand to everyday people - households and small businesses. He shares his own experience electrifying his own orchid. Casey says NZ will not have enough gas by 2032 and it is imperative to move to electric. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington's Citizen Advice Bureau (CAB) is facing an unpredictable future, as the Wellington City Council cuts their funding by 60%. The council announced CAB will go from receiving around $230,000 to $100,000. CAB General Manager Carin Sundstedt joins Nick Mills on the show to discuss the impact this will cause to not only CAB but all of Wellington, The service helped around 11,000 people last year alone and has three full time staff who support around 125 volunteers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ambulance for an unconscious man on Cuba St was rejected by emergency services. Two separate calls were made by bystanders to 111. But when the man was identified and recognised by Wellington Free Ambulance, they told the callers he was a "frequent caller" and informed them no paramedics would be sent. An ambulance was eventually called after two police officers arrived to the scene radioed for one. Nick is joined on the show by the man who called the ambulance - David Cormack. Cormack shares his experience and concerns with the conduct over dealing with frequent callers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week for Friday Faceoff, Nick Mills is joined by Labour MP for Ōhāriu Greg O'Connor and Political Commentator Ben Thomas. Our panel faceoff over the future of Wellington. As 8700 jobs cuts are coming the public sector's way Wellington needs to swerve. O'Connor and Thomas analyse the cuts, how we got here and how we can bounce back as a city. And they debate Nicola Willis' suggestion much of these roles will be replaced by AI. How do they use it and do we actually have the AI infrastructure and capabilities to do similar tasks to these public services. Then onto the social housing reform announced yesterday. Is it fair to suggest a time limit for those in the homes? Onto the arrests made in corrections, our panel dive into the reasons and issues in our correct system that have allowed this to happen. Also on the agenda is the Moa Point report, trust in the Wellington council, the unofficial "WCC Rich List", and their hots and nots for the week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legendary political journalist and broadcaster Barry Soper joins Nick Mills in the studio for the launch of his new book 'One Last Question, Prime Minister.' Soper takes your calls and Nick's questions about his time with the 12 Prime Ministers he has observed during his career. Hear about his experiences in Parliament, including the 2022 Wellington protest, changes over his career and insight into the leadership of Robert Muldoon, Helen Clark, Jacinda Arden and Chris Hipkins. His book is out now at most retailers including Paper Plus, Whitcoulls and Unity Books. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time for Friday Sport's Kick-off, Nick is joined in the studio by our resident ZB sports gurus Jason Pine and Adam Cooper. Starting with the Hurricanes, who play the Highlanders this Saturday - kick-off is 7.05pm. The crew talk our (high) chances of a win. And the success of Hurricanes assistant coach Jamie Mackintosh - can they keep him? Plus, the Wellington Saint's loss against the Southland Sharks last night. They also rate the performance from the Phoenix Women's season, after losing the grand final last weekend. Will next year be our year? And Auckland FC Grand Final at home in Auckland tomorrow against Sydney FC. Piney will be there on gameday - what are the crew's score predictions? And who are us Phoenix fans rooting for? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Politics Thursday this week Nick Mills is joined by National Minister Tama Potaka and Labour MP Ayesha Verrall. The panel starts with the biggest news of the week - 8700 public service jobs will be gone by 2029. They discuss what this means for our city? Has anywhere been hit as hard as Wellington? Nicola Willis says her office is experimenting with artificial intelligence, Nick asks our panel if they too are using AI and how can it reduce government work. Potaka and Verrall also dissect security and cost concerns of government workers using AI. 14 corrections staff were arrested yesterday smuggling items - including methamphetamine - to prisoners. Our politicians share their thoughts on the state of corrections, and how to assist this issue in corruption. And Winston Peters buying BNZ, is it a pipe dream? Is there validity when we talk about bringing more competition to NZ? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EDITORIAL: If you listened yesterday, you heard it coming. We knew the Government was preparing to swing the axe again through the public service. What we didn't know was just how deep the cuts were going to be. Now we know. Nearly 9,000 public sector jobs gone by 2029. A 14 percent reduction. Public service numbers down from just over 63,000 to around 55,000. Government departments merged. AI and digital tools replacing roles. Nicola Willis says it'll save $2.4 billion. David Seymour says it's “just what the doctor ordered.” The Greens are calling it New Zealand's version of DOGE. And Wellington? Wellington wakes up this morning feeling like it's gone another round in the ring with Muhammad Ali. Bang. Bang. Bang. In quick succession. No time to recover. No time to breathe. No chance to get back on your feet before the next hit comes. But here's what really struck me out of all this news: If anyone thinks it's strange the Government is doing this before next week's Budget — think about it for a second. This is the soft blow before the big blow comes. This is the mowing of the lawn before they land the plane. Governments don't soften people up before good news. They soften people up before harder news. And maybe the reality is the Budget next week is going to be tougher than many Wellingtonians are ready for. Now look — I'm not going to sit here this morning and pretend the public service was never going to change. It grew massively after COVID. Technology and AI are changing every industry in the world. Every sector is having to adapt. Everyone has to. But what worries me is this city's confidence. Because every time one of these announcements lands, spending stops instantly. People stop buying coffees. Stop going out for dinner. Stop booking weekends away. Stop replacing clothes. Stop taking risks. And Wellington businesses feel it immediately. But at some point, we've got to stop sitting around asking what Wellington used to be — and start asking what Wellington is going to become. Because if the old model of Wellington being powered almost entirely by government jobs is changing, what's the new model? How do we fix Wellington? Seriously. Do we double down on hospitality, events and culture? Do we become the creative capital again? The tech capital? The startup capital? Do we back tourism harder? Do we make this city easier to invest in, easier to build in, easier to open businesses in? Do we stop fighting growth and actually encourage it? Do we make it easier to do business in Wellington? Because sitting around waiting for another ministry to lease another office floor on The Terrace probably isn't the future anymore. And I know this is a shock for a lot of people this morning. I genuinely do. There'll be families scared about mortgages, jobs, rents and what comes next. But Wellington cannot afford to become a city that only talks about decline. At some point we've got to shrug our shoulders, get on with it, and work out how we and this city succeed again. What the hell do we do to make Wellington great again? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Its NZ Music Month, and to celebrate Nick is joined on the show by the Chairperson of the NZ Music Commission Greg Bonnett. NZ Music Month is in it's 26th years and aims to promote our talented local artists - of which our country has many. Comparing NZ music to the international market, Bonnett says we punch above our weight. We were the lead country partner in Bristol's Great Escape Music Festival - a worldwide leader in supporting emerging artist. Bonnett says they were able to bring 11 artists over to UK. Bonnett speaks about the success overseas, and how we are reaching these new markets. Then find out who to look out for from our homegrown talent. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To celebrate NZ Music Month - James Irwin is in the studio every week of May for Music Time. This week Nick and James listen and debate the top hits pf the 60s and 70s. And talk the beginnings of NZ's rich music history and record labels. And what gigs are on this week? Get more info on NZ Music Month on their site linked here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington City Council is set to cut $650,000 of social and recreation funding, impacting community services and locations like swimming pools, library, arts and culture events and sports fields. Capital Football CEO Richard Reid is concerned more costs will be put on local families if the cuts go ahead. Reid also suggests payments to the Wellington council from using sports fields is much more than other NZ cities. He says someone has got their facts wrong "and it ain't us". See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EDITORIAL: Look, this one's not going to make me popular in Wellington today, but sometimes reality doesn't care whether we like it or not. Finance Minister Nicola Willis is right. And deep down, I think a lot of New Zealanders know she's right. We cannot keep running a country where the answer to every problem is another ministry, another department, another communications team, another layer of management, another policy advisor, another taxpayer-funded office somewhere in Wellington. At some point, we all have to wake up and say: enough. Because the numbers don't lie. Back in 2017, when Jacinda Ardern became Prime Minister, the public service had around 48,000 employees. By the end of last year, that had climbed to more than 63,600 fulltime staff. That's an increase of more than 15,000 public servants in under a decade. And here's the key question: are we New Zealanders genuinely getting better outcomes? Are the roads dramatically better? Is healthcare dramatically better? Is education dramatically better? Is productivity dramatically better? Do you and I feel government is faster, leaner, more efficient? Or does it feel bigger, slower, more bureaucratic and more expensive? Because that's what many New Zealanders think. Now I understand why Wellington gets nervous when these conversations happen. This city has lived off the back of government growth for years. Thousands of jobs, entire apartment blocks, cafes, bars, retails, hair dressers, car sales, businesses, office buildings just for the public sector. But we cannot employ people simply to prop up the Wellington economy. That's not sustainable economics. That's avoidance. And the reality is, New Zealand has been living beyond its means for too long. We borrow too much. We spend too much. We create agencies for everything. We duplicate work. We layer management on management. Meanwhile, the private sector — the people actually generating the tax revenue — are under enormous pressure and have already slimmed down to bare bone. At some point the country has to slim down too. And yes, it will be painful. And yes, there will be more pain. Nicola Willis is reportedly preparing to reduce the number of ministries and agencies from the current 42, while also driving public service numbers back closer to the historical norm of 1% of the population. Under the Labour government it was pushed to 1.2%. Frankly, that idea sounds reasonable to me. Australia has 16 departments. The United Kingdom has 24. Finland has around a dozen. We've got 42. We have forty-two. And the other reality nobody wants to say out loud? AI and digitisation are coming whether we like it or not. The private sector is already changing rapidly. Law firms, banks, consultancies — they're all using AI to improve productivity and reduce repetitive work. Government won't escape that. The Government should not escape that. This isn't about attacking public servants personally. Most are hardworking people doing their jobs. But the system itself has become too large, too expensive and too inefficient. If we genuinely want the books under control, improve productivity and rebuild the country's finances, then this is part of the medicine. And tell me, have you ever taken medicine that tastes good. It doesn't it tastes horrible. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this week's Business Panel Nick Mills is joined in the studio by Wellington Phoenix General Manager David Dome and Rembrandt's Managing Director David Lyford. They look at decision making in business - how to keep Rembrandt excelling after 80 years, and growing the Phoenix with coaching choices and the academy. Is business doing better this year as a result? Dome and Lyford talk the old partnership between the Phoenix and Rembrandt, and their respective histories of doing business in Wellington. Would they recommend doing business in the city? Do we need to amalgamate to compete with the Auckland? Particularly after the government's event fund going to the supercity for the Chelsea football game. The panel discuss building business confidence in this city. In times of turmoil - what is the good happening in the city and it's businesses at the moment. Dome shares how ticket sales have been going, their goals and what do we do about venue - could the Phoenix Men move out of Hnry Stadium and to Porirua Park? And Lyford shares how his business is dealing with the upcoming election and fuel crisis. For an interesting discussion on two sides of business in the capital: LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Friday Faceoff - Nick Mills is joined by former Wellington City Mayor Dame Kerry Prendergast and broadcaster and journalist Mark Sainsbury. Prendergast discusses the success of the Phoenix Women's team who are preparing for their first grand final ever against Melbourne City tomorrow night. Then the panel debate shutting the Kāpiti Airport. Would it be better if property developers took over? Mayor Wayne Brown says we've spent $3 million bringing "tattooed pom" Robbie Williams to our shores for two concerts - the Eden Park show is not selling well. Should we be more selective with acts using the fund? Golden Mile review panel is costing ratepayers $400,000 and have fronted the council to share their methodology. What do we do with the Golden Mile? Should the review be scrapped? And onto immigration. Paul Spoonley says it is not a political priority for everyday Kiwis. Prendergast and Sainsbury list their election priorities and how we should plan for successful immigration policy. Then we hear the panel's hots and nots. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ngauraunga to Petone Shared Path, Te Ara Tupua, officially opens to the public tomorrow. Transport Minister Chris Bishop joins Nick Mills to talk about the opneing. The project will provide a new walking and cycling route between Wellington and Lower Hutt and improve transport reliability and resilience along SH2 and the Hutt Valley rail line. Bishop says the project is100 years in the making but serious planning began in 2013/2014, and cost $350 million. Te Ara Tupua formally opens at 2pm today, and tomorrow May 16th the public open day Plus, Nick gets an update on Wellingtons SH1 improvements. Bishop says although we will not see diggers for "some time", the government is committed to the tunnels and fast track applications are on the way. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Friday Sports Kick-off Nick is joined in the studio by Adam Cooper and Jason Pine, who is in Brisbane for the Magic Round. Wellington Phoenix play their grand final tomorrow night in Melbourne. They look back on the success at the semifinal in Porirua Park last weekend. And the impact of coach Bev Priestman - who has taken this team to the first A-League final in the clubs history. Hurricanes vs Blues - tomorrow night at Eden Park, competing for The canes have not won in Eden Park since 2019. Will this be the season? And Luke Metcalf leaving the Warriors and joining the Dragons during his contract. And will the Warriors win against the Broncos? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.