Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills

Fresh from his trip to Japan, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon yesterday announced a new 'young serious offender' category, as well as more beat police in cities across New Zealand.  Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls joined Adam Cooper to talk through the announcements, as well as what we can expect in Parliament this week.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Would you pay a toll to use the Mt Victoria tunnel, are Wellington City Council staff exercising too much power, and should we urgently replace the Defence Force VIP planes?  Those were the questions for the Friday Faceoff panel this week, with former Wellington mayor Justin Lester and playwright and columnist Dave Armstrong.  Also on the agenda was the best concert the pair had ever been to, reme...

It was a disappointing loss for the Hurricanes last weekend, killing the team's hope for an appearance in the Super Rugby final, but all eyes are now on the successful finalist Blues and Chiefs sides, squaring off at Eden Park this weekend.  Joining Nick to preview the match was All Sport Breakfast host Adam Cooper and Weekend Sport host Jason Pine. The pair also talked the Breakers return to Well...

Three left-wing councillors typically viewed as part of Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau's council majority have said she can no longer rely on their unconditional support; an apparently crumbling of her support. But NZ Herald Wellington Issues reporter Georgina Campbell thinks this could be the making of Whanau as a mayor, now that she has to reach across political alliances to other councillors to p...

How is the economy holding up, what on earth is happening on Thorndon Quay, and how do councils properly engage with local businesses? Those were the questions for the Business Panel this week, consisting of Porirua mayor Anita Baker and The Woolstore executive director Paul Robinson.  The pair joined Nick Mills to discuss all things business in Wellington.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listene...

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had to urgently change his travel plans while bound for Japan after the Defence Force's Boeing 757 ran into yet more mechanical troubles.  It left the business delegation and media travelling with the Prime Minister stranded in Papua New Guinea, including Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls.  He joined Nick Mills from Port Moresby airport to talk through the e...

Are MPs entitlements fit for purpose, and at what point in a council term is it too early to announce you're running for the next one? Those were the questions for our Friday Faceoff panel this week, consisting of Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy and Wellington City Councillor Nicola Young.  Also on the agenda was an apparent split in Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau's majority, how easy it would be to es...

Eighty minutes on Saturday afternoon will seal the Hurricanes' fate this Super Rugby season, as they take on the Chiefs at Sky Stadium in their semi-final match.  The team is looking for its second title, after first taking out the championship in 2016.  Wellington All Sport Breakfast host Adam Cooper and Weekend Sport host Jason Pine joined Nick Mills to run through the game, and the rest of the...

Are the accommodation entitlements for MP fit for purpose, and what will more oil and gas exploration mean for New Zealand?  Those were the questions for our politics panel this week, with Act party leader David Seymour and Labour's police spokesperson Ginny Andersen.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been years since Jon Stevens performed in Wellington, but he's returning early next year to perform at Hutt Sounds, part of the Sounds Series concerts.  Born and bred in Upper Hutt, Jon had a career in Noiseworks and later as part of INXS, as well as a storied solo career. He joined Nick Mills to talk about what he's up to, and his excitement for the Upper Hutt gig.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystud...

The Hurricanes are hoping for 25,000 fans to attend the team's Super Rugby Pacific semi-final against the Chiefs this weekend at Sky Stadium, as the team continues its march to win the Super Rugby title for only the second time in the club's history.  Cory Jane, who made 123 appearances for the Hurricanes and currently serves as assistant coach, says the team are looking forward to the afternoon g...

David Seymour has held a rally of party faithful, and Christopher Luxon has returned from his trip around the Pacific.  Newstalk ZB senior political reporter Sophie Trigger joined Nick Mills to talk about the last week in politics, and what we can expect this week. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National MP Tim Costley says his CBD apartment makes him a more effective MP. The first-term MP for Otaki is facing criticism for taking a $36,400 Parliamentary allowance to live in the Wellington apartment, which he owns himself.  Costley lives just 58km from the Beehive in Waikanae, a roughly 40-minute drive from Parliament.  He is also under fire for spending around $15,000 on travel in just th...

OPINION Here's a story you're not going to enjoy i f you're one of the government employees who has just been made redundant. It surrounds Otaki MP Tim Costley. He’s a known name in Kapiti, and owns a $1.4 million riverside home in Waikanae, two rental properties in Palmerston North and a flat in Wellington. It's the latter of those properties that's causing Tim a bit of a headache. It turns out T...

It's been a big week in Wellington; Mayor Tory Whanau revealed she has been diagnosed with ADHD and a big petition against the Golden Mile project was presented to the council.  Joining Nick on Friday Faceoff this week was former broadcaster Mark Sainsbury and Wellington City Councillor Ben McNulty. Also on the agenda was the mammoth $50 million up for grabs in Lotto on Saturday, whether we need t...

The Hurricanes take on the Melbourne Rebels in Wellington tomorrow night, and a star of the Wellington Phoenix is leaving.  Wellington All Sport Breakfast host Adam Cooper and Newstalk ZB Christchurch sports editor Nick Bewley joined Nick Mills to talk through the sports stories of the week. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OPINION On Wednesday afternoon Newstalk ZB reporter Ethan Manera sat down with Wellington mayor Tory Whanau. She revealed to him that she's been diagnosed with ADHD and significant traits of autism. Ethan got the story after finding the Mayor had changed her bio on her Tiktok account, calling herself the “neurospicy Mayor of Wellington”. Neurospicy is Gen Z talk, meaning neurodivergent.   So this...

As the budget dust settles and the public's attention is drawn to serious allegations against Te Pāti Māori, Acting Prime Minister David Seymour and Labour's Police spokesperson Ginny Anderson joined Nick to talk through the political issues of the week. On the agenda were the allegations against Te Pāti Māori, reaction to the budget, and whether or not we need to tighten our alcohol laws in New Z...

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has called the allegations surrounding  Te Pāti Māori  “very serious” and says any improper conduct needs to be investigated. The party has “unequivocally refuted” claims it misused data from Census records to help its election campaign, or deceptively obtained personal information from the Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for campaigning purposes. Hipkins joined Welling...

How's business going in the Hutt, and how is the second-hand car market holding up in the face of a recession?  Those were some of the questions for the business panel this week, consisting of Mexted Motors' dealer principal Mark Munkittrick and Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce chief executive Patrick McKibbin.  The pair joined Adam Cooper to talk through their businesses, as well as the budget, We...

It was an eventful Sunday night in Levin over the weekend, with hundreds of young people taking to the streets to watch illegal burnouts on the main drag.  Police responded, arresting two people and impounding six cars - but two officers were injured in the process.  Otaki MP Tim Costley, whose electorate also covers Levin, joined Adam Cooper to talk about the offending.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystud...

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has broadly delivered what she promised on the election campaign trail, with millions of New Zealanders in line for a tax cut - some small, some a bit bigger.  To talk through this week's budget, as well as other Wellington issues, Nick was joined by former United Future leader and former revenue minister Peter Dunne and Infometrics chief executive and economist Brad...

New Zealand Rugby had its long-awaited governance vote this week, and this weekend sees two top-of-the-table Super Rugby clashes.  Newstalk ZB's Weekend Sport host Jason Pine and Wellington's All Sport Breakfast host Adam Cooper joined Nick Mills to talk all things sport.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former US President and current Republican nominee Donald Trump has been found guilty of 34 charges at the conclusion of his hush money trial in New York.  Jurors convicted Trump on all 34 counts after deliberating for 9.5 hours. Judge Juan Merchan has set the former president’s sentencing for July 11, just days before Republicans are set to select him as 2024 nominee. Trump, talking to media afte...

Just three hours before the coalition government's first budget was unveiled, two politicians came in to debate what might be in it, and the other political issues of the week. Nick was joined by a Wellington Mornings newbie, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk, and Labour's police spokesperson Ginny Andersen.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.