Nick Mills: Is the Government giving mixed messages over fuel supply?

EDITORIAL: Let’s just call this out for what it is, because I think a lot of people are thinking the same as me here.  When I saw Nicola Willis standing there at Marsden Point—hard hat on, big fuel tanker behind her—telling us we’ve got seven weeks of fuel supply,  I thought, right… we get it. Message received.  But then it quickly turned from reassurance into something else entirely.   It started to feel like a staged photo opportunity at a time when the country should be in serious, disciplined mode.  Mixed messages, anyone?  Because here’s the reality—this isn’t business as usual.   We’ve got a very volatile situation in the Middle East, real disruption risks through the Strait of Hormuz, and global oil prices already climbing.  This can turn quickly. Especially tomorrow afternoon when Trumps deadline runs out.  And if/when it does, countries like New Zealand—at the end of the supply chain and fully reliant on imported refined fuel—are exposed. That’s not opinion. That’s fact.  And then I started thinking… could she have delivered that exact same message from Wellington? From her office? With the right backdrop?  Because think about it. Car to the airport. Flight to Auckland. Car to Marsden Point. Car back to the airport. Flight home. Car back home  Is that really the signal we want to send to New Zealanders right now? Be careful with fuel… while we burn it for optics?  Mixed messages.  So when the Government tells us we’ve got seven weeks’ supply, but in the same breath says that depends on ships continuing to arrive—that’s not comforting.   That’s conditional. That’s “we’re okay… as long as nothing else goes wrong.”  And in a situation like this, plenty can go wrong.  Which brings me back to the optics.   If fuel security genuinely matters—if we may need to prioritise who gets fuel and when—then every decision should reflect that seriousness.   Every litre should matter.  So why in the world are we flying ministers around the country for what looks like a PR exercise?   Why are we burning aviation fuel to stand in front of a ship and tell us what we already know?  Mixed messages.  It sends the wrong signal.   It tells people this is still about presentation, not preparation.   About being seen to be in control, rather than actually tightening the screws and planning for worst scenarios.  And look—I understand the need for people to be reassured.   Markets are jittery. Households are hurting. No one wants panic.  But reassurance has to come with backed by behaviour.  You can’t tell people to brace for higher costs, hint at fuel prioritisation, and then carry on with business-as-usual optics.  So here’s the real question—what happens in five or six weeks if nothing improves?   Are we still rolling out the same message? Still relying on ships turning up on time?  Or are we finally forced into the harder decisions we should be preparing for right now?  Because from where I sit, this moment demands absolute seriousness.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick is joined on the Business Panel this week by General Manager of Wellington on a Plate (WOAP) and Beervana, Penny de Borst and Gollins Commercial property broker, Chris Gollins.  Our guests discuss doing business in Wellington City and how it's changing this year. In time of turmoil for the city - we hear about the success of de Borst and Gollins' businesses, the hardships and the plans ahead. How has WOAP shaped our city's hospo space and how are Gollins finding their buyers are responding to the economic environment in Wellington? How are the industries coping with price increases - fuel, food, compliance, living costs - what's the year ahead looking like with these rises?  Then how can we support local businesses? The panel talks the council, the mayor and the library opening. What does it mean to be a part of Wellington? And the city is predicting an increase of fewer than 800 people over the next five year - how do we bring back and keep people in the city? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Politics Thursday this week Nick is joined by Labour MP Ginny Andersen and National MP for Otaki Tim Costley. After this week's events with Minister Chris Hipkins family life reaching the public eye - we talk to our politicians around where we draw the line for privacy as a public figure. Then panel tackle the top political issues of the week starting with the latest GDP increase of 0..2% - what does this signify for everyday Kiwis? Discussion gets heated over food cost - the price of mince has risen 23.2% in the last year to an average of $24.46 a kg. What do our politicians think of this? And what will they do about it? Costley and Andersen also talk about doubling speeding fines as AA calls for an increase to cope with inflation but also deter drivers from speeding. There were 538,192 fines issued over 2025 - more than one per minute. Also on the agenda is fuel levels, changes to asylum seeker rules, and do parents have the right to be mad if their child is given sugar in class? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cult classic Rocky Horror show is back in Wellington with the West End cast performing at the St James Theatre. Nick is joined in the studio today by star and Frank-N-Furter himself, Stephen Webb. Stephen, along with all the cast and live band have flown all the way from London and the West End production of the hit musical.  He shares what it's like touring, bringing it to NZ and what makes audiences go crazy for the show.  Nick and Stephen also talk Richard O'Brien and the show's Kiwi origins.  The musical starts tonight and goes to Sunday 29th March. Get tickets here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EDITORIAL: Last week on the show we talked about something that doesn’t get said enough in politics—that some people are just too nice for it.  We mentioned Shane Reti. A genuinely decent man. And I’m going to say the same thing again today about Chris Hipkins.  I’ve met him several times. Always the same—polite, grounded, asks how you are and actually cares, actually listens. Not a show, not an act. Just a decent bloke trying to do his best.   And that’s why what we’re seeing right now doesn’t sit well with me at all.  Because here’s the reality: this is a marriage breakup. It’s messy, it’s emotional, and it’s personal. There are allegations being thrown around—none of them criminal, none of them proven—and yet all of sudden it’s front-page news, it’s talkback fodder, it’s social media feeding frenzy.  And I just think—where does it stop?  Honestly, where do we draw the line?  Chris Hipkins has come out, denied the claims, said they’re untrue, and made it very clear he’s not going to fight this out in public. And I respect that. I actually really respect that.  Because the moment you start litigating your personal life in the media, nobody wins. Nobody.  But what really got me yesterday—what genuinely hit me—was watching him get emotional when reporters asked about his children. That’s the line for me.  When children are involved, that’s where it stops being politics. That’s where it stops being “public interest.” That’s where it becomes something that should be left alone.  We all know breakups are hard. Anyone who’s been through one knows how ugly they can get, how complicated they can get, how emotional they can get.  Now imagine going through that with cameras in your face, microphones shoved at you, headlines being written about your private life. And think about the kids. Is that what we want politics to be?  Because if it is—if the standard now is that every aspect of your personal life can be dragged into the public arena, judged, disrespected, and weaponised—then I’ll tell you right now, most good people won’t go near politics.  And let’s be honest for a second—if every one of us had our private lives exposed - and I have - every argument, every mistake, every rough patch… how many of us come out of that looking perfect?  Not many. If any. Probably none.  So for me, this isn’t about left or right. It’s not about Labour or National.  It’s about basic decency.  Yes—hold politicians to account for their public decisions. Absolutely. That's where we hold them to account. But their private lives? Their families? Their kids?  That’s not ours.  That's theirs, and only theirs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good morning, New Zealand.  Let's start the show this morning by asking you a simple question: how fragile is our economy right now, really?   Because just when it feels like we might finally be seeing those green shoots growing, a bit of momentum, a bit of optimism creeping back into the country — along comes another debate that feels like it could shut things down yet again.  Yes, petrol prices are climbing, pushed higher by the conflict involving Iran, and there are already calls for people — particularly public servants — to start working from home again to save fuel.   The Public Service Association says the Government should actively encourage working from home if people can, urging it would reduce fuel use and save workers money.  But the Government, so far, is pushing back.  Public Service Minister Judith Collins says working from home is not an entitlement, and that agencies should manage arrangements in a way that supports a high-performing public service.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she’s not about to start telling New Zealanders how to live their lives — whether that means working from home or driving slower to save fuel.   And Acting Prime Minister David Seymour says the Government wants to see how the private sector reacts first, because businesses out there are managing their own money.  And honestly — I think that’s the right instinct.  Because here’s the bigger issue for me.  We are only just starting to feel like the country might be turning a corner.   Businesses are cautiously optimistic.   Hospitality is starting to breathe again.   Retailers are seeing people come back through the door.   The economy finally feels like it might be finding its feet. And the last thing we need right now is another policy that slows productivity down.  We cannot control a war on the other side of the world. We can’t control global oil prices. But we can control how we respond here in New Zealand.  And if the first response is telling everyone to stay home again, to drive less, to shut down the normal rhythm of work and business — what does that do to the economy?  Can everyone remember covid lockdowns again? What does that do to spending? What does that do to the next twelve months of growth in this country?  Working from home as a national response should be an absolute last resort, not the first suggestion that gets thrown around.  Because when people stay home, fewer coffees get bought. Fewer lunches get eaten in town. Fewer people go into the shops. Fewer businesses see customers walking through their doors.  The better approach — surely — is to focus on fuel security. Get alternative supply lines. Strengthen our reserves. Make sure the country keeps moving rather than slowing down or stopping.  Because right now, New Zealand doesn’t need another disruption.  What we need is confidence, productivity, and momentum, which we have got.  And whatever decisions are made in Wellington over the coming weeks, they should have one simple goal in mind: keep the country moving forward, not backwards.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All gift cards sold or given out with a purchase now have a minimum expiry date of three years as yesterday the government has amended the Fair Trading (gift card expiry) Act.  Why is it not longer or unlimited? Nick speaks to Consumer NZ spokesperson Jessica Walker discusses the changes and how they will affect customers.  Walker says they have been campaigning on the amendments for 10 years, as they estimate $10 million in wasted gift cards goes unspent every year in NZ.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.