You're listening to the weekend collective podcast from News Talks EDB. But right now it is time for the panel and my guests are. Firstly, our first panelist. As a journalist and author, she's been editor of the New Zealand Gardening magazine for fourteen years and an all round gardening star at Joe McCarroll, Get Joe, how are you going?
Oh?
I was so interested in enjoying the intro I forgot to turn my microphone on there because I just was did you talk more about me?
Actually? I was thinking how it must be at least a month. Where's my copy of the magazine?
You have to have me on again in the next few weeks.
All good. And our second panelist, I'm sort of struggling with how to introduce him here, but he is a bit of a superstar in the world of economics. It's quite a young chap He's chief executive and principal economist at Infometrics and best friend of Adrian or I think, and it is Brad Olsen Gett a Brad hay game.
Excellent introduction. Thank you, Tim, It's lovely to be back.
Yeah, and you've had a busy week. I mentioned him.
Oh, I mean it's always busy weeking economics, but certainly the first time that we cut interest rates in a couple of years, Yeah, big time.
Well we're going to dig into that into a moment, but first, cab off the rank guys. The meth laced lolly's story, it's kind of but surreal. When I first heard about it, I thought, do I need to be paranoid as a dad and go and tell my kids, by the way, just on the off chance that you're at netball and somebody's hands around the suites, if it's the pineapple flavored render lollies, don't have them. And funny thing is it does seem to have been a bit
more wise purpose. Quite a horrendous story, isn't it, Brad.
Oh, it's huge, I think as well. When I first heard this, I think everyone was like, what, what cruel human being is going to try and you know, drug people by giving these lollies through to something like Auckland Mission City Mission. But it then turns out that it probably seems like a drug operation gone wrong, and instead of swapping out the shipment at the right place, the drug mules have kept the you know, the lollies or the drugs and the lollies and handed them over.
It does make you think not to minimize the seriousness of this, because it's an awful, awful thing. You feel desperately sorry for the staff at the mission. But it does make you think that somewhere out there, someone's got a bag of pineapple sweets and they think they've got hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of ban and fetamine.
What a rip off?
Right, Actually, do you feel sorry for the drug dealer who's just lost a fortune. I mean, it has to be a smuggling operation that's been accidentally, you know. I mean, I'm not sure that this scenario would apply. But imagine if the smuggler was sort of just a middle class family and be like, honey, what did you do with those those packets of sweets that were just in the corner over there? I gave them to the city mission.
So what it wasn't so serious.
It would be a great movie in a couple of years time, you wonder sort of thing. But I mean, I think I don't think they've got them all back in. I think they've got very strong lines of inquiring someone. I think they've got a better idea of where they've all gone. But I mean the fact that they got out there. I think there is still that little bit
of caution and that's probably appropriate at the moment. If you've got some sort of random lollies that you don't normally have, then maybe yeah, just be careful.
Yeah, well, I mean, you know, I think it's four people have needed medical attention so far, and they certainly haven't got them all back, and we don't have to
think back very far. In the news cycle, there was that meth in the beer and a guy died, you know, I mean, you know, you're right, it's almost a funny story, but the seriousness of it is devastating, and it just made me think I must, I must myself make a donation to the mission because they do such important work and they help a really vulnerable cohortive of New Zealanders, and you know, I just feel an immense sympathy for the stuff.
Actually, what a class act you are, Joe, to turn it around into such a beautiful charitable segue there, and to support our city mission.
Well try.
It sounds like I'm being lighthearted, but I mean, seriously, I mean, it's worth remembering. I mean, how mortified they must be and how stressful. It's like, oh my goodness, we've given all that these packages.
How frightened because it's Lolly's and we know who loves lollies and its kids, and so you know, you think this so far, luckily the worst and happened, but you know, they haven't found all the lollies. And I just think it is a terrifying situation that I take very seriously.
Yes, of course, but I'm not sure it's the smartest move for someone to sell sell one of the sweets on trade me maybe you've found an innocent suite. And because somebody's been somebody's been pinged for trying to sell one.
On Facebook marketplace.
Facebook marketplace, Dodgy okay, sorry, the other one.
I mean, I would say, yeah, I think that that person, whether they've got the lollies or not, deserve sanctions, as does anyone trying to buy it, Like yeah.
Yeah, what are you up to there? I mean, you're just waving the sort of flag for the police and someone. I mean, and I think that's the thing. We're having a bit of a light there's a bit of light hardedness. I think through it. It's obviously a very serious manner. But people who are sort of taking any further than that, that's that's real sort of cold hearted stuff out there.
Yeah, hey, by the way, would you if you had an intercept with one by accident and somebody said, hey, look look what I found, would you give it a lick?
You're assuming here that we didn't know that they know.
You've got a strong suspicion that it's one. Would you be like, well, how bad does it?
No? Nobody near?
But what I think would be fast atrized those people who, you know, because I don't know what myth tastes like when you're on a fake pure lolly. So but I think one.
Of the people who got it early was a recovering myth afetamine addict. Gods and so did recognize it because it was something?
Is that how it got picked up? Because I mean, how did this get picked up? Who?
Somebody? Because somebody said that actually I can't remember the genesis of it actually, because.
Somebody must have been this person who got That's.
My understanding of it, if I've understood it correctly. But yeah, you think that's someone who's gotten themselves clean and been cleaned for several years. You know, the exposure to a myth and fetterman that's just got other consequences shows how easy it is to get them in as well.
Obviously if you know they're showing up in lollies and the places are not meant to it's obviously permissive enough.
Of course, there's you don't need to take drugs. In fact, none of us do. Hopefully alcohol of course is a drag, but Brad especially you don't need to because you've been high all day on the OC all day, or all week on. Just the impending and the resulting OCR announcement being cut for five point two to five point two five percent. Yes, exciting week for you.
Oh huge week, I mean, and I think the right decision. I mean, it's quite clear out there that the economy is in a week of place. You look at consumer spending activity down nearly five percent over the last year. You look at manufacturing, construction. No one's doing particularly well at the moment, and if they are, they're keeping.
Quiet about it.
But for the Reserve Bank to three months ago, say everyone just call your jets. We're possibly going to have to increase interest rates. We're certainly not going to cut them for just about another year. Sure, they came through in July and sort of said, well, look, we're going to have to think about tempering. But to be fair, they just said a couple of months back, you know, to not worry about it for another whole year. Then to come out in August and to cut it. In
my mind, that's a u turn. It's a flip flop. I know that the governor disagrees, but geez, it's a big shift.
Yeah. Actually, just to also remind everyone that they have the sort of major updates, don't they, and then they have the mine o by the way, here we are. So the major update was in May, right, and then in July they said, oh we've been thinking, let's see how we go.
Well and as well, look, I mean the governor was on with Mike Hosting on must have been Thursday morning talking about this instead of you know, that was five months ago.
No, it wasn't.
It was three months ago. The latest monetary policy statement before now was in late May, three months ago, and then we got an update mid July, six weeks later. We've had the one this week. So in my mind, yeah, the economy is looking weak it's looked weak pretty much all year. I don't know if your listeners have sort of seen I certainly have. The economy isn't great.
Yeah, I'm going to come back to you because I know You've got lots of say to this, but I'm going to go no, Joe, it seemed that everyone thought a long time ago, a while ago, that come on, we can't keep the rates up for the next year. Yeah, the Reserve Bank finally sort of agreed with everyone else and it was sort.
Of finally read the room. I mean, I don't know, I guess I just my thinking is I agree with you, Brad. I think it's the economy was crying out for it. But you just wonder if there's the food spending out there, and if that deferred spending is going to be an inflationary sugar rush, if there's all these property buyers and investment property owners who are just going to rush out waiting for the market to bottom, and in which case, you know, all going to have Though.
I think economic I think the economy is not in very good shape right now, so I'm not sure whether it all really do too much.
But the point that Joe mates is an interesting one right, like, how many people out there have got a bunch of money either are going to invest in property or go and spend down the shops or whatever. It's not looking good at the moment, but it's sort of sitting there and going, look, now that things are about to get a bit cheaper, Like now I actually can think about affording that house. Whatever might not be huge, and I
think that's the thing we probably won't know immediately. But here's the other this is I think the bigger question for me is that, Okay, back in May they said one thing though, and they very much didn't stick to it. People will have made decisions based on how strong of a view they can communicated out in May. People will now be taking cues from what they've said in the last week, where it's sort of implied the interest rates
will be continuing to fall. I think the only important kevit The important caution here is that the Monetary Policy Committee, the guys who said interest rates did say, look, the pace of easing will basically depend on how inflation goes. So it is not absolutely golden and locked in stone that they will continue to cut or that they will continue to cut in such a way. They might go fast, they might go slower. It's all going to be data dependent from here.
The other thing about Adrianaw's interview, I heard him with Husking and that was a sort of sparky lot interview. But I didn't he imply to people that who had were criticizing him that he or his reason said, I'm sorry, I didn't put pictures in the report or something. Did he was he sniping at people like you?
Ah, Look, I mean I wouldn't as.
Possibly.
I mean, there's certainly been there's certainly been a lot of strong views, and I mean I obviously have put some of those.
Out here in the sphere of your generation.
Yeah, I didn't know and how bad. But I mean that's because this stuff is important, Like you know, this is make or break for a lot of households, a lot of families who have got, you know, some pretty big mortgages. And then in recent times.
I'm not asking for.
Everyone to be perfect. Gosh, I'm not a perfect person, but I do think it's important that when you're going to do such a big pivot, if everyone in the market doesn't understand what you're saying. And let's be clear, most economists most market commentators. There was a big split between people who said, maybe it falls, maybe it's on hold. Who the heck knows that says that something along the line hasn't been communicated properly because we've all taken the
same information and got different views. That's on the Reserve Bank.
The other thing, Joe, actually that I did see. Look, I've probably been critical of Adrian. I got a C minus or C plus and economics, I'm no genius. But the thing that I think people there's this language that economists use generally that there's going to be a bit of pain out there, and the Reserve Bank use it like, well, there'll be some pain, but what the pain is is job losses and people losing their businesses and stuff. And Adrian always in the press comment saying I get a
bit of motion on that's this stuff. It's like, mate, why don't you take a bit of responsibility for the fact that you helped with this cheap money which meant people bought house and did a whole lot of things, and then you've had to cause a little bit of pain, you know, and you pretend you're emotional about it. I don't know, I'd be emotional if I'd lost my job in my business.
Yeah, one hundred percent. I mean, I think you know, this isn't an exit and this isn't an academic exercise. You know, this is real people, real lives, and I think you do not have to look very far before you can see you know, empty shops, empty premises. You know, it is tough out there, and it's tough for real people. So yeah, I think it is incumbent upon or and anyone in that sort of position to make sure that that they're explaining things as often as they need to
in the language that they need to. So it is people understand.
He did a good job of dissembling in a way with Hosking, because at the end I sort of thought I don't know what to believe any longer, because he was like Obi wan Kenobi, you know these are not the droids you're looking for. This is not then this is don't leave everything these economists. A no, no, I wasn't saying that. That was five months, you know, it was one thing I say, this is a big change, I know, and maybe we didn't project this as accurate as we would
have liked to. One sentence could have done it couldn't.
And that's just straight up. Look, we put this out of May. We would like you to figet it because we got it wrong. Let's move on. You know this is now our reed would have gone at least some way to recognizing that, whereas I genuinely think that the Reserve Bank thinks they were one hundred percent completely right in May, and suddenly the entire economy has changed on them in the last three months, not five months, and
all of a sudden, it's a whole lot worse. I would have said, it's been sort of continually as bad. You look at a lot of those figures, you look at how sales, you look at the likes of retail trade activity. It's been falling in the last couple of months. Sure, a continuing trend from where it was before. But let's be clear, that's put a little, slight, little bit of sunshine on this. I mean, this will be relief for households are starting to see that move. I think that
will move sentiment. I hope it doesn't go overboard, but I think people will be sitting out there and going like we're going through the worst at the moment, but there is light at the end of that tunnel.
I think that will feed into the economy quite quickly. I mean, I saw some data the other day about the number of people who are on floating all the number of tempt to people who have six months or less before they so it's a big cohort. Yeah, so that's going to come if mortgage rates continue to trend down. That is relief that will be felt quite quickly, and that I think will be mana to a lot of New Zealand.
Absolutely.
Yeah. Actually, just one little thing. It's you know how you see so many businesses closing. I went past a coffee place the other day and I thought, that looks like a nice little spot. And I went in and it's a place where you can literally pick your beans and they'll roast them on the spot for you wait for the exactly how you want. Yeah. Yeah, But I said to them, I said well, and I thought, how I haven't seen you guys here before and they said, no,
we just opened yesterday. I was like, whoa, And so I'm going to give them a shout out because I just thought it was a brilliant idea. It's a place called Deer Deer in Ellesleie, panmea and they'll roast whatever beans you want. And I'm not There's no inncent of me to say that. I was just admiring people who actually, despite how tough it is for a lot of people, there's still got ideas and getting into it.
Given to go.
I should pop down there with Brad tax im home to to Wellington. Of course you've got a few race stories down there.
We do, but hey, look they're doing it tough, but hopefully on the up from here.
Yeah, excellent, Right, we're going to take a moment, come back and well we've got lots to talk about this As the panel, I'm Tim Beveridge and my guests, my ghosts, my guests, my guess Joe McCarroll and Brad Olsen back in just to tack.
Me.
You can see s.
And welcome back to the Weekend cleft On, Tim Beveridge, my guest is Joe McCarroll and Brad Olsen. You'll have to watch that that music there, Tarra, because word is that Brad Olsen can bust out some mean moves. He'll be dancing before we know it. I don't know where that rumor came from, Brad, that you know it came from it's from Mike Cosky. Was it based on anything?
A long story short, I made my way into the awards after party one year, I got a drink at the bar next to one of Mike's producers, and the next morning that entire escapade turned into bread cutting some shapes on the darts for until the early hours. I mean, honestly, radio takes on a life of its own. Apparently.
I feel like I've heard that straight before.
And there was a video though, well, yeah, apparently there is video proof now I have checked and no one's ever sent me the video. If you are listening and you have a video, please send it through. What's the text number again that you have.
Tim b at Newstalk, said be gerddan Zied. Now, the Australian Prime Minister has welcomed Christopher Lux and Anthony Albert. They've met in Canberra. They've discussed things like Pillar two of the Orchest Agreement and the five oh win one deportees. I guess you know, they've talked about friendship and look, they are our friends and allies in a way, except I just wish they'd stop stop sending their problems back to us. In the form of five oh ones Joe.
Oh yeah. I mean they're sending criminals and taking police. It just doesn't work.
Not Actually that's a bad spot, wasn't it.
That's actually the economist stance on that would that looks like a really negative equation, doesn't it.
I mean, you know, I have I love Australia as a country. I have a lot of connection to Australia myself. But I think I just feel like Luckson was coming across as the younger brother.
It's pretty much how we've always come across, isn't it. I mean, because they It's just.
A numbers game, isn't it. I mean we've got five minute and they've got twenty six.
Yeah, I would say a Deurn made a lot more headway in that relationship.
It's all come undone again. I mean, what were five oh ones? I mean it was just I don't know, it's yeah, I mean it seems to have been meaning by.
Our next penal colony. I think Australia takes a not very sort of consistent position in terms of criminals. But I mean, actually I would say most countries protect their own country. I mean that's across the world. Most countries would do the same.
Yeah, I just I just think there's an issue of just a reasonableness really that if people have gone over there in their late teens or something, I can understand them being sent back, But when you've been there since you're three years old. Sorry, but Australia needs to own that problem, don't they.
Bred they do.
But this is pure politics, right, like from a sensible, common sense approach, Yeah, definitely, that politics says that, you know, the Australian government's under a bit of pressure around that sort of immigration front, around crime and similar and so they're looking at where they can make a move and that's one that you know is pretty easy or a
lot easier to revert back to. I mean, I think as well often with a lot of these things, it does take a little bit of time, you know, the back channeling and that to try and make some of these things work. But you know, certainly I think we'd be looking for more, either on that or on other things. I mean, the New Zealand Australia relationship is incredibly strong, but you know, it seems like it's time for a bit of an upgrade or a bit of a you know,
lifted to the next level. We are so close. We do so many things together, but there's also so many areas where we should could surely do things a whole lot more seamlessly.
Well.
I mean, actually, what about the pillar two of the Orchest Agreement. There's a lot of sort of emotion floating around that, and we've had Don Brash and Helen Clark have their say on it. But what's your thought on it?
Oh?
I mean, I think it's one of those things like no one has said that we're something on the dotted line, or that we're going to go and grab nuclear subsory thing that quick. So I feel like a little bit of cooler heads need to prevail in terms of let's go through it. The previous government themselves, the labor led government, we're happy to have a look at it. Now the National led government is going to have a look at it. Let's have a look at it and feel and figure
out where we can go into. We know the world is a way more scary place than we had hoped and expected it to be a couple of years back. We've got to sort of respond to that. We've got to figure out how that works. I certainly think it's
worthwhile going through. But I do worry a little bit that we seem to go into this position immediately where it's either you know, we don't do anything and we never talk to anyone and we try and become the Switzerland of the South Pacific, or that we know are trying to become, you know, the new military of the world.
We're not trying to do either.
Of those things. There is a more balanced sort of middle position where New Zealand's independent foreign policy can work. Well, let's sort of stick to it.
Also mentioned that Switzerland itself is compared to us armed to the teeth.
Yeah, I mean, but I think I'm luxime at that point in one of his speeches where we have to be a participant rather than a bystander in international affairs. I think that is a very true fact. Like we can't just put our hands for our eyes and hope.
Well, either it's gonna either it's going to happen to you know, we can either sort of be part of it, or it's just going to wash over us and we're gonna have to take it.
The other thing, well, actually, this is the news about the Helen Clark and Don Brash's opposition to us engaging with Pillar two is sort of it's not so recent that it's ongoing, obviously, But the thing is they talk about me complexes, our independence. You can be independent and still have allies and friends. It's almost like an ally you're not independent. It's like, no, I think all they're not mutually exclusive, are they.
Well, we've been doing that for the last forty years, and it doesn't seem to have done us too poorly.
There.
You know, we remember of five Eyes. That's a pretty big, pretty big deal in the scheme.
Of well, yeah, that's right, it's worth remember. I forgot about that almost speaking of five eyes and all that, I'm not sure if we're speaking about five eyes, but speaking about all sorts of theories that go with well that possibly Kim dot Com would sign up to. He's finally had an extradition order signed against him by Paul Goldsmith to return be returned to the United States to have to basically be go on try for the alleged fortune he made from digital piracy. I'm not sure if
it's particularly alleged, but we'll go with that language. Back in two thousand and five, it's been going on a long time, Joe, He's still.
Here such a long time, and he's just kicked the can along the road for so long, and he's carried on just to avoid the consequences of his actions. And frankly, I'd give the guy a left to the airport. You know, I don't think he's a lost to New Zealand. I mean, you could make the point that it's left to the airport, don't you know. You could say he's sort of trying to control the uncontrollable and they're going after this one guy, when you know, peer to peer is the pillar of
so much online. But you know, I think he's a I think he is a MAGA adjacent conspiracy theorist Kremlin Stan and he can just go.
I can just picture you pulling up, just the car pull up for the gore. I am time to go. Look. I think he feels to me like worn out as welcome and the other thing that it should be that was a long time ago. But here's the other thing as well. He is actually going to face trial. He's not going to Russia. Where if you face trial in Russia, Okay, it's a bit questionable, right, Yeah, you're up against it. But he is going to face trial and he still has a chance to defend himself, and.
He's got the money for some pretty good lawyers.
Yeah, I wouldn't want to be in his shows, mind, you would you?
I mean, I just can't believe how long this has been going on. I mean, look when this was started, I was in primary school. My goodness, is it really it's been that long?
Holy moly.
But the thing that gets me, okay, it's not over yet.
You know, I've read a little bit about this.
You know, some of the top lawyers in the country have said that there is still a review that can go through. In these reviews, it's not a sort of full thing. He can't appel it because it's not a judicial decision, it's from the minister. But you can still you can take a review and those sometimes take six months. So like I mean, don't go to the airport too quickly and do the pick up Joe, because it's it's going to take a while.
That've got rid of that stop waiting zone, haven't they.
Actually you might have to pay we're in primary school back and then literally in primary school. Holy moley.
Do you want to know something that I am read about him dot com. I think it's true, Like I've read it in quite a few places. He used to be the number one Call of Duty player in the world.
Yeah, that sounds about right.
Possibly he looks like the person you'd expect to be the number one Call of Judy player in the world, doesn't it.
You better watch out when you call up he might be sort of like he might have really got into and be like, you know, armed to the teeth with like you know, laser guns or something.
Anyway, Look, yeah, I don't think he's gone yet, look at it that way. Look Auckland's new alcohol rules. Actually, I'm sort of surprised we haven't got on to this earlier. But the Auckland Council they've got to choose a date for these new rules. But it's going to mean no alcohol trading after nine o'clock, which until it's eleven o'clock. I mean, I would have almost made it earlier. But at least someone's doing something about that. The late purchase of alcohol off licenses. Brad.
So I have to be a little bit careful here because I'm on the Wellington District Licensing Committee which make some of these decisions. So full disclosure there. I think that's important. But long story short, this has been through community consultation and similar, so you know, this is what the people have have asked for, and I think you
know that that's an important part of it. I mean, geez, just effective time that it takes so long, you know, shows the importance of the legal and the judicial systems and similar. But look, that's what the people have asked for, and that is what the click to viewers. Then that's happening.
How do you end up on the what is it? I'm a real, I'm a I have You've got fingers in all sorts of part.
I'm just instead of instead of having you know, friends and you know, other fun activities, I spend my time doing doing these sorts of things. They're worthwhile, but nobody's simple sent to Oh gosh, no, no, goodness, no, no. We have to make the decisions on who gets licenses and similar when they get contested.
Actually funny enough, I actually got a sample sent to me today of some company that's doing like crafted cocktails. I don't know why I thought of that just now, probably because I just arrived when we're talking about boost Anyway, Joe, look I'm.
Very pro you know, I'm really struck. I live right on the edge of a trusts area in Auckland, and I mean, I'm not pro the trust so I've definitely, you know, gone against them when it's possible to go against them. But you know, you don't have to move far in Auckland before you go through suburbs where the number of off licenses is out of control. And the only thing I've heard people say against this decision is you know, oh, well, what about hospital workers or shift workers.
And I'm like, well, you know that's true. You know that might be an inconvenience to them, but they will just if they are, like I want to get home and have a glass of wine, they will go earlier to get a bottle of wine because they're responsible drinkers. Or you know, if you're a responsible drinker, you'll just change your behavior. And so this is going to affect irresponsible drinkers who are making bad choices. And in my youth, I might have done that a few times. Or you've
been out laid, you've had a bit to drink. You think the thing I want now is a bit more to drink.
I've been a tearful teenager rafter being jilted after I've had too many beers. I think that was absolutely tragic. But I'm all for raising the age to twenty two. By the way, that probably means you can't drink, though brown.
Not by me.
I don't drink anyway, so that least I was safer for me anyway.
But well, I remember the age being twenty, you know, when I was growing up it was, and I do think, you know, alcohol is a drug. But what I'd say to that my nieces and nephews now, who I'm skewing that teenage age, I do think they've got a much more responsible attitude than I would have had at the same age. I think they they just seem to see alcohol as not being a very important part of their life, and that I think is what I'd like to see with the generation coming through.
My daughter had an assignment. Actually they're doing a thing on alcohol at school. She's thirteen, and she had to pick a stance as to whether to raise the age to twenty and I sort of had a look whether they're on her homework and things like that, and I thought, actually, you've made a really good case here. Think I'm going to go with the raise it to twenty because but anyway, it's not really the quiet the issue. But good on Auckland Council at least for getting on top of that.
Now over to you guys in Wellington, Brad. But anyway, no comment from Brad Olsen. We'll be back in just a moment. We're going to take a short break and up next. Oh gosh, I don't think I'm ready for another epidemic, and don't worry, we haven't got one. But I do get a little bit nervous when the World Health Organization is talking about global health emergencies with regard
to EMPOS. We'll just touch on that briefly and so hopefully reassure ourselves that it's not as bad as my pulse rate it would have indicated when I first read the story. It is twenty two minutes to four news talks.
He'd buy Thanks Curning Sun by myself, joy, helself pity every week.
Yes, welcome back to the Weekend Collective. I'm sim Beverige, my panelist Joe mccarell, and Brad Olsen, who's busting a few moves in the studio as we speak with that wonderful Chune. I just like perpetuating that myth that he's a dancer, So we'll just keep it up. But anyway, surely there's worse things that I can get renowned for. Right exactly exactly, it's a joyful thing. Look, I must say it did catch my attention this world. I can
hardly say. The World Health Organization has declared an EMPOS global health emergence. It's formerly known as monkey pox. I'm not sure what sounds worse, empox and monkey pox. It's killed about four hundred and fifty people during its initial outbreak,
and there's been cases identified in Sweden and Pakistan. Look, I just trust the World Health Organization and that it comes to getting on top of things with regards to keep detecting things at the border health and just putting in place the right sort of precautions that hopefully it's one of those things that there are diseases all the time. But it did make maybe to think, oh God, I'm not really ready for another one. Joe, what are you think?
Oh yeah, one hundred percent. And I think there's a real risk. I think this is an example of it where you know, this is a problem that has been affecting different nations across Africa four years, you know, and now this new variant has emerged. I think we've all learned in the last few years that you know, airborne
diseases do not respect your geographical border. So there's a real risk to these diseases which are happening in the global South where there's no research, no funding, no interest, you know from the pharmaceutical industry, and just letting them circulate. And so you hope that this decision by the WHO will lead to more sort of action, you know, because.
Get a bit more focused, from a little bit more.
Focused, a little bit more interest, because you know, these things are left to circulate in a population where there is less access to vaccines, less access to primary health, and it's a risk to anything affecting anything that is a risk to humanity is a risk to all of humanity.
Yeah, well we've seen how quickly it moves, right, you know, when when COVID came through, it went from the novel coronavirus in China, when I you know, we were talking just to it, but most of January, right, most of generary, even most of February, we were thinking about that is a outside issue. We're worried about our exports and similar and then all of a sudden it was very much
at home. I mean, this has got a case totalor rate of four percent, so you know that's definitely getting serious enough, and they reckon it's a it's sort of a more virulent strain that's going around at the moment. So yeah, I mean, definitely definitely a worry, but equally, I think we're probably a little bit at the moment to overreact a little bit things, so call the jets.
But there was actually there was quite a good piece on Reuters, I think, just saying what does actually mean for us generally? And it's sort of like, I mean, it's it's one of those things where it's like, but will it affect me? Which sounds kind of selfish, but to be honest, we all have that. Yeah, you do hope that it stays sort of where it is.
Well, I mean, I think the fata OR has come out pretty clearly and said the risky New Zealand is very low. There is a vaccine, that vaccine is available.
Oh god, right, you know.
I think that's the case. Now if you just think, oh well, thank goodness, that's not going to affect me or people I know. You're actually just keeping risk for the future.
Well, just think of other international stories. I look, North Korea is opening its borders to tourists. They've actually got ski resorts. A ski resort there. There's a socialist utopia I think they're built, which is some I'm not sure I have pronounce it Samgion, a city near the Chinese border.
As soon as you say that you've built a socialist utopia, I question it, like I mean, it's one of those things when people like I'm the coolest person ever. It's like, I question how cool you are because of the fact you have to tell me about it. Says that it's not marketing itself very well.
It's sort of a red flag for a nation to even claim.
I think, would you go? Looks I had Heather was talking about in haf She was saying how she'd love to go, she wished she'd take I think she had the opportunity to take it a while ago. I couldn't. I can't quite remember. But there's no way I would go because if you sneezed in the wrong direction, all of a sudden you detained and I think I'd rather go to Paris.
Well, I was sort of thinking about that when I saw the headlines. You know, I'd definitely rather go to Paris. But I mean, I guess you sort of think to yourself, well, if you go, is the money that you're spending going to prop up a regime that you do not in any way support, that is not looking after its own people. But I mean, to be honest, I think it's I mean, you.
Can make that argument about the US. Sometimes even about the.
US, you could make that argument, but all sorts of places where I've been, I've been to places I would say that that those governments have committed a trustees.
I think if you've I think, if you've traveled extensively and you've been to all the so many exotic destinations and you're looking for a unique experience, then maybe you might look at it. But to me, I think it would be probably about one hundred and fiftieth on my on my list.
And you know, I mean, as you say, Tom, it's not that I don't love to travel. I don't have to see your places. But I guess my feeling is it would you would see a very carefully curated version.
Oh no, it's totally it's totally myth they present you with it. I think they've even got people who are pretending they're happy.
And it's a socialist what do you mean?
And so you think it'd be a pretty depressing and soul sucking place, you know, that's just not what you look for in your holiday destination.
Definitely, but I mean the fascination level of having, you know, effectively hermit kingdom out there. This is my thing and I've talked to friends about it, and there is a very large part of me that would love to go because it would just be fair scinating, because that is not something that I've seen or experienced or are likely to see an experience in my lifetime. But the risk factor is that bit that really holds me back and I go, you know, and you would, you would be
on your best behavior. I'd ask the guide person every time I want to take a photo, is it all right? Take a photo of this and that? But they'd still be that part of you in the back of your mind going could I be taken effectively, you know, hostage through the system to be used for some sort of.
Leveraging do something. It might just be I mean maybe not as in New Zealander. We're not probably the political pawns where people use for political leverage. But you know, I think anyone on an American passport should think twice.
Yeah you could. You could go to stage five of your career very quickly. Do you want to know what the five stages through? It's no, there's five stages to a showba's career. The first is who is Brad Olsen? The second is, oh, what we I think I think we really need? Maybe I've missed a stage who is Brad Olson? And then do you think we should hire brad Olsen for this?
Oh?
Then the third stages do you think we can possibly afford brad Olsen? And actually it's four stages? The other is whatever happened to Brad Owl's?
Oh okay, so you reckon? I is that because I'm gonna like become irrelevant to death.
Point as what we need as a younger brad Olsen he's sitting there. And then the fifth stages whatever happened to Brad Olson? Anyway, that's just my chance to tell very bad Shopa's joke.
I would probably back Winston Peters's finance minister to come and you know, so sort of broke some sort of deal he's been I'm sure, but it wasn't either in like two thousand and five or something like. I reckon he could broke or a deal using some back channels for you if it ever went wrong off for any New Zealander.
So it will be like the panel for a while. I haven't heard his suckings North Korea anyway, we'll be back in just the moment. It's twelve minutes to four news Talk z B and welcome back to the Weekend Collective. This is the panel with the mccarell and Brad Olson. I'm Tim Beverage. Now just the one last thing. Boy, there'll be a bit of pressure on the All Blacks match today, won't they. Brad, You've come up for the match, haven't you.
I have come up for the match. I was there last weekend, smallest All Blacks crowd to ever fill Wispec Stadium since it was built. You have to go back to the likes of two thousand and two. I think it was when the All Blecks played Fiji, or to Athletic Park in ninety ninety seven, when the All Blecks took on Argentina as well twenty five thousand. Now, to be fair, that's because normally we don't have teams like Argentina play at Wispet. But there's a lot to be made up for tonight.
That was a huge Actually I didn't You didn't wouldn't have noticed in watching the game, but you could see it in the anthems with these massive banks of yellows, empty yellow seats.
Yeah.
God, it makes you feel sorry for the real true fans or revealed themselves now though, won't they bred?
Well?
So I was talking to someone before and apparently with thirty eight thousand, I'm just going to keep going for a second before I'm ripped into one thousand tickets that have been sold for tonight's match, which would be pretty pretty decent for Argentina.
But there's a lot of rain out there at the moment. I know someone who bought tickets to the match. He's not going because it's raining.
Can you believe it? Can you believe that, Brad? That wouldn't be you would it? All I could say is that someone who does have a couple of tickets. I'm going to assess the rain after we finish this hair show.
Just to figure out. Look, it's pouring out there when I came in for the show before. This saturated by the way.
Actually that'll be because as an economist you make you make cost conscious decisions. And you haven't purchased in the stand, have you? Are you?
I'm absolutely down in the middle. Why I would get flooded? I would, I would half drown, I think in the seats tonight if the rain was at the volumes.
You want me to call out for people to text No, that'll be a flood of Now.
That'll be way too difficult. But I mean, look, there's still a good enough chance I go. But I've got to be a little bit. I'm just I'm not fully sold.
No, fair enough, not fully waterproof, fully.
Waterproof, by the way, is it Do we know if it's do we know if it's sold out?
It's not signed out.
So it's forty five thousand odd seats in Eden Park. And I think I heard before that ticket sales were around that sort of thirty eight ish mark.
I'm quite I'm actually quite shocked at that, because I would have thought that every all black test at Eden Park would sell out, and especially for an opposition where you know, it's Raisers had his first loss, not the Caketon's first loss. Of course. Gosh, it's all black Sava.
Thirty plus years raither Needle Park. If we lose tonight, it's huge.
So I'm actually going to be tuning in just for that reason. Oh, I like Raiser. Although I have to be honest, it didn't rock. It didn't ruin me that they lost because I was so into the Olympics.
Joe, Yeah, I think our Olympic. Let's focus on her wins at the Olympic.
I thought it was just because everyone was really like jazzed up watching Raygun.
Ah, that story still hasn't that story is still going, isn't it old Raygun? I'm not sure. I've heard a fulsome rebuttal about whether she got there by slightly easier means than we would have expected. I still haven't been able to watch her full routine. By the way, if you don't know what we're talking about, did New.
Zealand have an option to put in a break dancer? We put in someone I haven't heard this yet.
In the breaking No, and that was our one shot too.
Like seriously, I started to watch that Route ten and it was so bad. I couldn't be. I cringed, and I thought, I can't watch any more of this.
Do you know what good break dancing looks like? Though I don't. I'm going to be fully fully transparent. I don't, so I don't know what's supposed to look good, beat or otherwise. I'm not an expert in that field. I try some dancing on the dance floor, but it's not very good either.
Yeah, I think I know what reasonably good breakdancing would look like. Even though you don't ask me to bust the movies. I'll leave that over to you, Brad. Actually we all became experts, didn't we.
Well, that is my Olympic journey. I start with like could it really have been four years? And then I get to benign a disinterest, and then I'm like a complete expert in every sport and I'm opining like little comments on the judges decisions.
From I was yelling out a lot when Eliza mccathey was doing her pull vault final in that I was. I was one hundred percent behind, and I thought that her coming in at six place was actually a pretty good result in a pretty.
There's two signs that I'm having bad withdrawal symptoms. One is on Sky on the app you can still go watch things, and I'm still watching events. And the other sign is that I'm still talking about right now.
We do have we do have the Paralympics coming up, and I think that is an incredible an incredible vision, incredible athletes, you know, and I think it'd be great to see you only get behind it as much as we do get behind the Olympics totally.
Yeah. Well, and of course Brad, you have to leave the studios. Are you walking to the rugby And it's a bit weird.
As if anyone's got a kayak and might catch one down?
Oh good, good stuff. Hey and Joe, Thanks Rick, lovely to see you again. And Joe McCarroll. Brad Olsen. Actually, good luck to the All Blacks, you know. And I won't raise her to do well, so fingers.
Christ they can cope with the weather yet.
Oh no, I mean that was fine. I mean they do it for a living, you know, you go to the All Blacks. Ye, And thanks for channing. We'll be back in just a moment with the One Roof radio show. Calvin Davidson from Core Logic is joining us to discuss what the ocr change is going to mean for the market. Will it be anything dramatic or sort of still steady? As she goes back in just a moment, we'll be taking your course at three and a half minutes to four, News Talk said be to stop.
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