The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Elon Musk is to receive a top secret briefing on US war plans for China. This is not a joke. This is a Wall Street Journal report quoting two unnamed US officials. I'll get to that a little later on. But Barry Sape is here now, high Barry.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Elon Musk is to receive a top secret briefing on US war plans for China. This is not a joke. This is a Wall Street Journal report quoting two unnamed US officials. I'll get to that a little later on. But Barry Sape is here now, high Barry.

That's President Musk exactly. I mean, this man is South African, which you know, which is incredible when you think about it.

That's President Musk exactly. I mean, this man is South African, which you know, which is incredible when you think about it.

Well, what's wrong with South Africa?

Well, what's wrong with South Africa?

No, no, nothing, No. But he's an immigrant, yes, but he's an immigrant when you look at Donald Trump and his view on immigrants making all the decisions for them.

No, no, nothing, No. But he's an immigrant, yes, but he's an immigrant when you look at Donald Trump and his view on immigrants making all the decisions for them.

And he's got one at home as well, but I don't.

And he's got one at home as well, but I don't.

Know whether she's at home all the time.

Know whether she's at home all the time.

But anyway, he counsels that get to a hurry up over delays in building consents.

But anyway, he counsels that get to a hurry up over delays in building consents.

Berry and this is not the full time. I mean it was Chris Pink, the construction Minister. He said to councils building authority consents, they have to start keeping a quarterly record of them so that there is some transparency and they know what's happening in the system. Well, clearly they've got that back, he said, time is money for tradees, and there's no doubt about that. He said that officials estimate a twelve working day delay because of a request for further information can cost around four thousand dollars a dwelling. Now, last year, ninety four and a half thousand applications triggered a more information, so it extended the life of a consent. Now, I've personally had many issues with councils over the years, to the point that you know, they said, we need an architects drawing for that, So you get an architect and then they want something else, and then they tell you you're getting a consent now. And then the person that's giving the consent somebody he dies in the family, so you're told, I'm sorry, the person's on leave. Now you left. Wait happen?

Berry and this is not the full time. I mean it was Chris Pink, the construction Minister. He said to councils building authority consents, they have to start keeping a quarterly record of them so that there is some transparency and they know what's happening in the system. Well, clearly they've got that back, he said, time is money for tradees, and there's no doubt about that. He said that officials estimate a twelve working day delay because of a request for further information can cost around four thousand dollars a dwelling. Now, last year, ninety four and a half thousand applications triggered a more information, so it extended the life of a consent. Now, I've personally had many issues with councils over the years, to the point that you know, they said, we need an architects drawing for that, So you get an architect and then they want something else, and then they tell you you're getting a consent now. And then the person that's giving the consent somebody he dies in the family, so you're told, I'm sorry, the person's on leave. Now you left. Wait happen?

How dares somebody die on your well?

How dares somebody die on your well?

Wouldn't you think they would hand it on to somebody else? Consent was ready to be signed off. Now you know, it's a disgrace. So what Chris Pink says that in the next few months he'll finalize decisions on speeding up these consents, and I think a lot of builders would be happy with that. Not only builders, though, even though they're sitting on their hands waiting, you've got people that are waiting to get the job done and it's costing them daily. As some council of often sits on his hands in his office and has a cigarette and a coup of coffee, and you know it forgets about giving the consent. But it seems.

Wouldn't you think they would hand it on to somebody else? Consent was ready to be signed off. Now you know, it's a disgrace. So what Chris Pink says that in the next few months he'll finalize decisions on speeding up these consents, and I think a lot of builders would be happy with that. Not only builders, though, even though they're sitting on their hands waiting, you've got people that are waiting to get the job done and it's costing them daily. As some council of often sits on his hands in his office and has a cigarette and a coup of coffee, and you know it forgets about giving the consent. But it seems.

Like I'm interested to know from the minister exactly who is to blame here, whether there are applications that are going and that are not being filled in properly, you know, or whether it's at the council site.

Like I'm interested to know from the minister exactly who is to blame here, whether there are applications that are going and that are not being filled in properly, you know, or whether it's at the council site.

So one of the things he's going to do, and I think it's a good approach he's looking at mainly getting builders themselves, builders with reputation to do their own consents. Now that's to worry leaky buildings, that comes to mind. But if you've got a reputable firm doing the job, you'd say, well, why do they have to go to a boffin and a council to get signed off?

So one of the things he's going to do, and I think it's a good approach he's looking at mainly getting builders themselves, builders with reputation to do their own consents. Now that's to worry leaky buildings, that comes to mind. But if you've got a reputable firm doing the job, you'd say, well, why do they have to go to a boffin and a council to get signed off?

Yeah, I couldn't agree with that part more. Someone just drove past the Waikata District Council. It's a friday. They were all working from home today. That should be made to go in there and get my consents done. Another bad survey, this is the IPSOS survey thumbs down for the government.

Yeah, I couldn't agree with that part more. Someone just drove past the Waikata District Council. It's a friday. They were all working from home today. That should be made to go in there and get my consents done. Another bad survey, this is the IPSOS survey thumbs down for the government.

Yeah, this is the worst rating the government's had since they've started keeping these surveys in twenty seventeen, ironically, which was of course, when Jasin Dardun took over the reins of government. And here in New Zealand, forty one percent of respondents to the IPSOS survey rated the government's performance between zero and three out of ten. Now, when you look at the years of the Dern Hipkins government, of course they spent like drunken sailors. So essentially we didn't feel the impacts that we could otherwise have felt. So you know, I mean this government has a mess, has had a mess to clean up, so you know, we can't take too much or put a place too much faith in that. But they looked at the issues and the top five issues no surprise, healthcare, hospitals, the economy, housing and crime and law and order. Well, you know, I think that's a foregone conclusion. The point that David Seymour made the other day when he was the acting Prime Minister is that he said people essentially vote on the economy as much as they do vote voting for a government. And I think that's right. And he says once things start getting better, and of course we've talked about this week the GDP, once they start getting better, I think people get better.

Yeah, this is the worst rating the government's had since they've started keeping these surveys in twenty seventeen, ironically, which was of course, when Jasin Dardun took over the reins of government. And here in New Zealand, forty one percent of respondents to the IPSOS survey rated the government's performance between zero and three out of ten. Now, when you look at the years of the Dern Hipkins government, of course they spent like drunken sailors. So essentially we didn't feel the impacts that we could otherwise have felt. So you know, I mean this government has a mess, has had a mess to clean up, so you know, we can't take too much or put a place too much faith in that. But they looked at the issues and the top five issues no surprise, healthcare, hospitals, the economy, housing and crime and law and order. Well, you know, I think that's a foregone conclusion. The point that David Seymour made the other day when he was the acting Prime Minister is that he said people essentially vote on the economy as much as they do vote voting for a government. And I think that's right. And he says once things start getting better, and of course we've talked about this week the GDP, once they start getting better, I think people get better.

There's a lag though between the numbers and feeling. Wasn't there Now I want to get to the story. We haven't got much time, but Wellington councils spending on portaloos is causing a stink with the taxpayers Union.

There's a lag though between the numbers and feeling. Wasn't there Now I want to get to the story. We haven't got much time, but Wellington councils spending on portaloos is causing a stink with the taxpayers Union.

It is. And initially I thought, well, for goodness sake, you had tens of thousands of people. I was there myself in Wellington during the treaty HKUOI that they had on Parliament.

It is. And initially I thought, well, for goodness sake, you had tens of thousands of people. I was there myself in Wellington during the treaty HKUOI that they had on Parliament.

It was taught.

It was taught.

Yeah, they spent twenty one or almost twenty two thousand on portloos around the city. Now the point that the taxpayer made, and initially I thought, well, it's ridiculous and the taxpayer shouldn't be Taxpayer's Union shouldn't be complaining about this, because you can imagine what the streets of Wellington might look like without the portal loose. But what they say is that generally the all organizers of these events, they supply their own portal loos and they've probably got a point on that when you consider that the rates in Wellington this year have gone up eighteen and a half percent. So if you're a rate player there paying for porter loos for people turning up protesting the treaty changes that were never going to take place, you'd really have to ask a question, wouldn't you.

Yeah, they spent twenty one or almost twenty two thousand on portloos around the city. Now the point that the taxpayer made, and initially I thought, well, it's ridiculous and the taxpayer shouldn't be Taxpayer's Union shouldn't be complaining about this, because you can imagine what the streets of Wellington might look like without the portal loose. But what they say is that generally the all organizers of these events, they supply their own portal loos and they've probably got a point on that when you consider that the rates in Wellington this year have gone up eighteen and a half percent. So if you're a rate player there paying for porter loos for people turning up protesting the treaty changes that were never going to take place, you'd really have to ask a question, wouldn't you.

You would be yeah, I mean literally flushing money down the toilet, and aren't they? And I actually thought when you started talking about the story, I thought maybe people are so scared the pipes are so broken, you're too scared to do your business in your own Look, they're having to used portal loops.

You would be yeah, I mean literally flushing money down the toilet, and aren't they? And I actually thought when you started talking about the story, I thought maybe people are so scared the pipes are so broken, you're too scared to do your business in your own Look, they're having to used portal loops.

But yeah, exactly.

But yeah, exactly.

Goodness make Barry thank you for that. We'll see you later on Barry Soper, Senior political correspondent Here on News Talks.

Goodness make Barry thank you for that. We'll see you later on Barry Soper, Senior political correspondent Here on News Talks.

The'd be for more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive. Listen live to News Talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.

The'd be for more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive. Listen live to News Talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.