This week for Beehive Buzz, Nick is joined by Newstalk ZB Political Reporter Azaria Howell. 

Rumours swirl around Prime Minister Luxon's position and a coup, after last week's Curia poll result had National at 28%. 

And tomorrow the findings from the report on the Governments Covid-19 response are released. What is the feeling in the beehive right now, and what is expected to come of this?

For the latest from the parliament, Beehive Buzz.

LISTEN ABOVE 

This week for Beehive Buzz, Nick is joined by Newstalk ZB Political Reporter Azaria Howell.&nbsp;
Rumours swirl around Prime Minister Luxon's position and a coup, after last week's Curia poll result had National at 28%.&nbsp;
And tomorrow the findings from the report on the Governments Covid-19 response are released. What is the feeling in the beehive right now, and what is expected to come of this?
For the latest from the parliament, Beehive Buzz.
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Wellingtonians now have the chance to discuss the issues of the day one-on-one with proud local Nick Mills and have a forum to share their ideas, passions and outrages on a daily basis.

You don't find many people more passionate about the capital than Nick, and he comes to Wellington Mornings after decades of success as the man behind some of the city's leading hospitality and entertainment offerings - Spruce Goose, Hummingbird and the Wellington Saints basketball team just to name a few.

Nick's proud of his city but also knows much can be improved on to make Wellington an even better place, and brings an honest, edgy, fun and engaging show to Wellingtonians each weekday from 9 'til midday.

Wellingtonians now have the chance to discuss the issues of the day one-on-one with proud local Nick Mills and have a forum to share their ideas, passions and outrages on a daily basis. You don't find many people more passionate about the capital than Nick, and he comes to Wellington Mornings after decades of success as the man behind some of the city's leading hospitality and entertainment offerings - Spruce Goose, Hummingbird and the Wellington Saints basketball team just to name a few. Nick's proud of his city but also knows much can be improved on to make Wellington an even better place, and brings an honest, edgy, fun and engaging show to Wellingtonians each weekday from 9 'til midday.

Wellingtonians now have the chance to discuss the issues of the day one-on-one with proud local Nick Mills and have a forum to share their ideas, passions and outrages on a daily basis.

Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills

Beehive Buzz with Azaria Howell: Is Luxon safe in his position as Prime Minister

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/cb3e7271-d491-4501-bd82-b40701891d0c/transcript

For our business panel this week Nick is joined in the studio by Retail NZ CEO, Carolyn Young and employment law expert and partner at JB Morrison, Tess von Dadelszen.

Young and von Dadelszen discuss doing business in the city, in such hostile times in terms of international, national and local politics. 

Starting with the effect of the Iran conflict, what are the effects of instability and price rises having on their businesses and their clients? 

The council financial saving plan is out. Will this actually change anything for businesses? How do our guests think this council is going?

Then onto how their businesses are effected by our own government's instability. As talk continues about Luxon as leader, our panel discuss how their businesses are impacted from both a retail and legal point of view. 

And how are business leaders coping with the cost of living crises, how selling and buying businesses is going and as a city what we need to do better. 

Plus as the Moa Point saga continues, Mayor Andrew Little says that businesses will not receive financial compensation, although spending in Lyall Bay hospitality is down 40% - our guests look into the legality of this and how businesses can deal with the disaster. 

LISTEN ABOVE

For our business panel this week Nick is joined in the studio by Retail NZ CEO, Carolyn Young and employment law expert and partner at JB Morrison, Tess von Dadelszen.
Young and von Dadelszen discuss doing business in the city, in such hostile times in terms of international, national and local politics.&nbsp;
Starting with the effect of the Iran conflict, what are the effects of instability and price rises having on their businesses and their clients?&nbsp;
The council financial saving plan is out. Will this actually change anything for businesses? How do our guests think this council is going?
Then onto how their businesses are effected by our own government's instability. As talk continues about Luxon as leader, our panel discuss how their businesses are impacted from both a retail and legal point of view.&nbsp;
And how are business leaders coping with the cost of living crises, how selling and buying businesses is going and as a city what we need to do better.&nbsp;
Plus as the Moa Point saga continues, Mayor Andrew Little says that businesses will not receive financial compensation, although spending in Lyall Bay hospitality is down 40% - our guests look into the legality of this and how businesses can deal with the disaster.&nbsp; LISTEN ABOVE

Business Panel with Carolyn Young and Tess von Dadelszen

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/e835a9fd-e2cb-461c-a100-b408000150fe/transcript

Wellington City Council's revenue and financial working group has released their report with 50 suggestions to cut council spending and rates rises.

Chair of the group and deputy mayor Ben McNulty joins Nick to discuss the findings of the report. The report will head to public consultation, after the council meeting on Thursday. 

The report aims to save about $8 -10 million, including cutting the council's climate budget by $1.65 million.

McNulty shares how the decisions were made, the limits and the future of the report. 

LISTEN ABOVE

Wellington City Council's revenue and financial working group has released their report with 50 suggestions to cut council spending and rates rises.
Chair of the group and deputy mayor Ben McNulty joins Nick to discuss the findings of the report. The report will head to public consultation, after the council meeting on Thursday.&nbsp;
The report aims to save about $8 -10 million, including cutting the council's climate budget by $1.65 million.
McNulty shares how the decisions were made, the limits and the future of the report.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Deputy Mayor Ben McNulty on WCC saving report

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/267e39a6-2f6d-451b-9743-b40701861648/transcript

OPINION: Luxon should not bow down to negative polls. 

What a weekend it’s been for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. 

And strangely enough, the whole situation really kicked off right here on this show on Friday morning with a little chat with Nicola Willis. 

The results of the poll were out, people were talking about miserable they were, the Nicola Willis interview kicked it off. 

It started the conversation again — a question about pressure and about how bad a poll has to be before a change in leadership is talked about — and then suddenly it grew legs.  

By the afternoon it was on national television, it was on Heather du Plessis-Allan’s show, and the Prime Minister himself was fronting it. 

And he said it clearly - he is absolutely not stepping down. 

Now I’ve got to tell you something honestly — all Friday afternoon I kept thinking to myself, good. I hope he doesn’t quit. 

Because look around the world right now. Everywhere you go, people are unhappy with the leader they’ve got.  

Why? Governments are being hammered by economic pressure, global instability, wars, the aftershocks of the pandemic, and recession.

It’s not exactly an easy time to be in charge of a country. 

The latest polling hasn’t been kind to Luxon.  

A Freshwater Strategy poll reported by The Post shows 51% of voters say he should be replaced as National Party leader, while only 36% believe he should stay.  

Now, another survey from Curia Market Research put the New Zealand National Party at 28.4% support, its lowest level under Luxon.

So yes, there’s pressure. 

But here’s the thing that really struck me over the weekend — most of that push for change isn’t coming from National voters. 

The polling shows 67% of National supporters still back Luxon, and 60% of ACT voters support him too.  

The loudest calls for him to go are coming from Labour, Green, and Te Pāti Māori supporters. 

Which raises a pretty obvious question. 

Why on earth would a governing party sack its leader because the opposition wants them gone? Of course they want them gone, they'' want anyone gone. 

And then we get into the horse-race stuff. If Luxon were pushed out, the poll says Chris Bishop would be the most preferred replacement on 18%, followed by Nicola Willis on 11%, Erica Stanford on 10%, and Mark Mitchell on 9%. 

But here’s my view. 

Changing Prime Minister in the middle of a tough economic recovery is exactly the kind of instability New Zealand does not need right now. 

We’ve come through COVID. We’ve been through inflation. We’ve had interest rates crushing households.  We've had a recession. We've had tariffs. 

Globally we’re watching wars in the Middle East and instability all over the world. 

This is not the moment for political musical chairs. 

So, my message to Christopher Luxon is pretty simple this morning. 

Don’t quit. 
Don’t wobble. 
Don’t let the noise get to you. 

I want you to - front up. Stand up. Be stronger. 

New Zealand doesn’t need another leadership drama right now. 

What it needs is steady leadership — even if it’s not perfect — while the country gets itself back on track. 

LISTEN ABOVE

OPINION: Luxon should not bow down to negative polls.&nbsp;
What a weekend it’s been for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.&nbsp;
And strangely enough, the whole situation really kicked off right here on this show on Friday morning with a little chat with Nicola Willis.&nbsp;
The results of the poll were out, people were talking about miserable they were, the Nicola Willis interview kicked it off.&nbsp;
It started the conversation again — a question about pressure and about how bad a poll has to be before a change in leadership is talked about — and then suddenly it grew legs. &nbsp;
By the afternoon it was on national television, it was on Heather du Plessis-Allan’s show, and the Prime Minister himself was fronting it.&nbsp;
And he said it clearly - he is absolutely not stepping down.&nbsp;
Now I’ve got to tell you something honestly — all Friday afternoon I kept thinking to myself, good. I hope he doesn’t quit.&nbsp;
Because look around the world right now. Everywhere you go, people are unhappy with the leader they’ve got. &nbsp;
Why? Governments are being hammered by economic pressure, global instability, wars, the aftershocks of the pandemic, and recession.
It’s not exactly an easy time to be in charge of a country.&nbsp;
The latest polling hasn’t been kind to Luxon. &nbsp;
A Freshwater Strategy poll reported by The Post shows 51% of voters say he should be replaced as National Party leader, while only 36% believe he should stay. &nbsp;
Now, another survey from Curia Market Research put the New Zealand National Party at 28.4% support, its lowest level under Luxon.
So yes, there’s pressure.&nbsp;
But here’s the thing that really struck me over the weekend — most of that push for change isn’t coming from National voters.&nbsp;
The polling shows 67% of National supporters still back Luxon, and 60% of ACT voters support him too. &nbsp;
The loudest calls for him to go are coming from Labour, Green, and Te Pāti Māori supporters.&nbsp;
Which raises a pretty obvious question.&nbsp;
Why on earth would a governing party sack its leader because the opposition wants them gone? Of course they want them gone, they'' want anyone gone.&nbsp;
And then we get into the horse-race stuff. If Luxon were pushed out, the poll says Chris Bishop would be the most preferred replacement on 18%, followed by Nicola Willis on 11%, Erica Stanford on 10%, and Mark Mitchell on 9%.&nbsp;
But here’s my view.&nbsp;
Changing Prime Minister in the middle of a tough economic recovery is exactly the kind of instability New Zealand does not need right now.&nbsp;
We’ve come through COVID. We’ve been through inflation. We’ve had interest rates crushing households.&nbsp; We've had a recession. We've had tariffs.&nbsp;
Globally we’re watching wars in the Middle East and instability all over the world.&nbsp;
This is not the moment for political musical chairs.&nbsp;
So, my message to Christopher Luxon is pretty simple this morning.&nbsp;
Don’t quit.&nbsp; Don’t wobble.&nbsp; Don’t let the noise get to you.&nbsp;
I want you to - front up. Stand up. Be stronger.&nbsp;
New Zealand doesn’t need another leadership drama right now.&nbsp;
What it needs is steady leadership — even if it’s not perfect — while the country gets itself back on track.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Nick Mills: Christopher Luxon should not step down as Prime Minister

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/cdabc2dc-e549-4731-986c-b40701836e35/transcript

Beehive Buzz with Azaria Howell: Is Luxon safe in his position as Prime Minister

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