The government has announced $12 billion of funding for the Defence Force as part of it's new capability plan - but where will the money come from? 

Also, a new report from a the Ministerial advisory group says NZ is losing the fight against organised crime, with Customs "swimming against the tide" as meth use doubles. How do we better fight organised crime?

To answer those questions, Labour's health and Wellington issues spokeswoman Ayesha Verrall and National's Otaki MP Tim Costley joined Nick Mills for Politics Thursday. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The government has announced $12 billion of funding for the Defence Force as part of it's new capability plan - but where will the money come from?&nbsp;
Also, a new report from a the Ministerial advisory group says NZ is losing the fight against organised crime, with Customs "swimming against the tide" as meth use doubles. How do we better fight organised crime?
To answer those questions, Labour's health and Wellington issues spokeswoman Ayesha Verrall and National's Otaki MP Tim Costley joined Nick Mills for Politics Thursday.&nbsp;
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

Politics Thursday: Ayesha Verrall and Tim Costley debate defence, organised crime and Treaty Principles Bill

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/e033b057-0ea5-4caa-8c3d-b2bb002969c9/transcript

Nick Mills wraps the week with former Wellington City Mayor Dame Kerry Prendergast and former Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy.  

Are we panicking too much over the fuel supply from the Strait of Hormuz? Or is this justified? 

How badly is our country going to be impacted by the US/Israel Iran conflict? Fuel, food, economy – our guest faceoff on the important issues of the week. 

They discuss line of privacy as a public figure. Both have had to endure the political spotlight on their family lives and give their take on the situation around Minister Hipkins this week. Where does public interest end? 

Last year there was a speeding fine issued every minute, now the AA is calling for fines to double. Do our panel think this will help deter speeders?

Then Prendergast and Guppy faceoff about the affordability of mince. Are there any cheap family meals anymore? 

Moa Point inquiry – costing over 5 thousand a day. The inquiry is being headed by a former head of Wellington Water, what do our panel think of this appointment and the progress from this? 

And are parents justified for criticising teachers for giving out lollies? Is it an issue for their health and behaviour, or uproar over nothing? Plus the panels hot or nots. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Nick Mills wraps the week with former Wellington City Mayor Dame Kerry Prendergast and former Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy. &nbsp;
Are we panicking too much over the fuel supply from the Strait of Hormuz? Or is this justified?&nbsp;
How badly is our country going to be impacted by the US/Israel Iran conflict? Fuel, food, economy – our guest faceoff on the important issues of the week.&nbsp;
They discuss line of privacy as a public figure. Both have had to endure the political spotlight on their family lives and give their take on the situation around Minister Hipkins this week. Where does public interest end?&nbsp;
Last year there was a speeding fine issued every minute, now the AA is calling for fines to double. Do our panel think this will help deter speeders?
Then Prendergast and Guppy faceoff about the affordability of mince. Are there any cheap family meals anymore?&nbsp;
Moa Point inquiry – costing over 5 thousand a day. The inquiry is being headed by a former head of Wellington Water, what do our panel think of this appointment and the progress from this?&nbsp;
And are parents justified for criticising teachers for giving out lollies? Is it an issue for their health and behaviour, or uproar over nothing? Plus the panels hot or nots.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Friday Faceoff: Dame Kerry Prendergast and Wayne Guppy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/dc187400-d7fe-4b73-8b0e-b412018177ed/transcript

For this week's Friday Sport Kick-off, Nick is joined by Newstalk ZB’s sports gurus Adam Cooper and Jason Pine. 

How are the Hurricanes looking for the season? Cooper thinks tonight's game against the Highlanders is the true test. 

The crew look at the games ahead for the Hurricanes and the starting players – including Ruben Love.

Phoenix Women are the centre of attention and with a big week ahead this might be the Phoenix club’s chance at silverware. They play Sydney FC tonight.  

To the men's team– the foundations are there, but how will they keep the shoots growing against Brisbane tomorrow?  

And both White Ferns and Black Caps in T20 double headers - Eden Park tonight, Hnry Stadium on Sunday. What are the chances of keeping our key players? 

Plus who stole Nick’s highlighter? 

Find out on Friday Sport kickoff. 

LISTEN ABOVE

For this week's Friday Sport Kick-off, Nick is joined by Newstalk ZB’s sports gurus Adam Cooper and Jason Pine.&nbsp;
How are the Hurricanes looking for the season? Cooper thinks tonight's game against the Highlanders is the true test.&nbsp;
The crew look at the games ahead for the Hurricanes and the starting players – including Ruben Love.
Phoenix Women are the centre of attention and with a big week ahead this might be the Phoenix club’s chance at silverware. They play Sydney FC tonight. &nbsp;
To the men's team– the foundations are there, but how will they keep the shoots growing against Brisbane tomorrow?&nbsp;&nbsp;
And both White Ferns and Black Caps in T20 double headers - Eden Park tonight, Hnry Stadium on Sunday. What are the chances of keeping our key players?&nbsp;
Plus who stole Nick’s highlighter?&nbsp;
Find out on Friday Sport kickoff.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Friday Sports Kick-off with Jason Pine and Adam Cooper

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/bb649244-35ba-463d-8af7-b412017ccb27/transcript

EDITORIAL:

I want to spend this morning talking about something I'm genuinely concerned about.

I want to be tough on crime, like everyone does.

I want to be serious about saving lives on our roads, course we do, that's a no brainer.

So this is exactly where you start. 

The latest numbers are in, and they are big. 

Police issued 538,192 speeding fines in 2025—now that’s the highest in 15 years. Break that down, and it’s more than one fine every single minute of the year.  

That’s up from 461,000 in 2024 and 402,000 in 2023. So enforcement isn’t just rising—it’s ramping up fast. 

Those fines brought in $54.2 million, with the average sitting around $100. And that’s just tickets issued by officers—not even counting speed cameras. 

Now, some people hear that and say, “Here we go, revenue gathering.” 

I don’t see it that way. 

Because at the same time enforcement has gone up, road fatalities have been trending down from previous highs.  

Even the AA’s road safety spokesperson has said it’s hard to prove direct link—but they also say they don’t think it’s a coincidence that stronger enforcement and lower road deaths are happening at the same time. 

And that makes sense, doesn’t it? 

Speed is consistently identified by Police as a leading contributor to crashes and the severity of those crashes.

So if you increase enforcement, you increase deterrence. And if you increase deterrence, you reduce risk. 

It’s not complicated. 

Now look—I don’t like getting a speeding ticket any more than anyone else.  

But I like even less watching someone scream past me at crazy speed and thinking, “That’s someone who could kill someone today.” 

So if Police are out there in greater force, doing exactly what they’ve said they’ll do—targeting speed—then good. That’s their job. 

But here’s where I think we need to go further. 

These fines are stuck in the last century. Literally. 

They were set in 1999, and since then, incomes have roughly doubled.  

Even the AA and the Transport Minister have acknowledged the penalties are too low. The AA has said that, at a minimum - double, an inflation adjustment would effectively mean doubling the fines. 

And I agree. 

Because if a fine doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t change behaviour. It just becomes part of the cost of driving badly. 

If you've only got a hundred dollar fine, but two hundred - you'd be thinking that's tough.

So lift them. Make them meaningful. Make them immediate. Make them a proper deterrent. 

Because here’s the bottom line. 

Nobody wants that knock on the door. Nobody wants that phone call telling you someone you love isn’t coming home. 

If tougher enforcement is already working—and the data strongly suggests it is—then why wouldn’t we learn from this, why wouldn't we make it harsher?

LISTEN ABOVE

EDITORIAL:
I want to spend this morning talking about something I'm&nbsp;genuinely concerned about.
I want to be tough on crime, like everyone does.
I want to be serious about saving lives on our roads, course we do, that's a no brainer.
So this is exactly where you start.&nbsp;
The latest numbers are in, and they are big.&nbsp;
Police issued 538,192 speeding fines in 2025—now that’s the highest in 15 years. Break that down, and it’s more than one fine every single minute of the year. &nbsp;
That’s up from 461,000 in 2024 and 402,000 in 2023. So enforcement isn’t just rising—it’s ramping up fast.&nbsp;
Those fines brought in $54.2 million, with the average sitting around $100. And that’s just tickets issued by officers—not even counting speed cameras.&nbsp;
Now, some people hear that and say, “Here we go, revenue gathering.”&nbsp;
I don’t see it that way.&nbsp;
Because at the same time enforcement has gone up, road fatalities have been trending down from previous highs. &nbsp;
Even the AA’s road safety spokesperson has said it’s hard to prove direct link—but they also say they don’t think it’s a coincidence that stronger enforcement and lower road deaths are happening at the same time.&nbsp;
And that makes sense, doesn’t it?&nbsp;
Speed is consistently identified by Police as a leading contributor to crashes and the severity of those crashes.
So if you increase enforcement, you increase deterrence. And if you increase deterrence, you reduce risk.&nbsp;
It’s not complicated.&nbsp;
Now look—I don’t like getting a speeding ticket any more than anyone else. &nbsp;
But I like even less watching someone scream past me at crazy speed and thinking, “That’s someone who could kill someone today.”&nbsp;
So if Police are out there in greater force, doing exactly what they’ve said they’ll do—targeting speed—then good. That’s their job.&nbsp;
But here’s where I think we need to go further.&nbsp;
These fines are stuck in the last century. Literally.&nbsp;
They were set in 1999, and since then, incomes have roughly doubled. &nbsp;
Even the AA and the Transport Minister have acknowledged the penalties are too low. The AA has said that, at a minimum - double, an inflation adjustment would effectively mean doubling the fines.&nbsp;
And I agree.&nbsp;
Because if a fine doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t change behaviour. It just becomes part of the cost of driving badly.&nbsp;
If you've only got a hundred dollar fine, but two hundred - you'd be thinking that's tough.
So lift them. Make them meaningful. Make them immediate. Make them a proper deterrent.&nbsp;
Because here’s the bottom line.&nbsp;
Nobody wants that knock on the door. Nobody wants that phone call telling you someone you love isn’t coming home.&nbsp;
If tougher enforcement is already working—and the data strongly suggests it is—then why wouldn’t we learn from this, why wouldn't we make it harsher?
LISTEN ABOVE

Nick Mills: Speeding fines need to be doubled

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/93ef0406-36fc-4022-990f-b4120015174d/transcript

Politics Thursday: Ayesha Verrall and Tim Costley debate defence, organised crime and Treaty Principles Bill

In 1 playlist(s)

Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips