Friday Faceoff: Justin Lester and David Farrar discuss Tory Whanau's money revelations

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The parents of students out of school for more than 15 days each year are in line to be prosecuted under new government guidelines, which also includes the removal of teacher-only days. Is this the right move, and what impact will it have on truancy numbers?  To answer that, National's MP for Wairarapa Mike Butterick and Labour's health and Wellington issues spokesperson Ayesha Verrall joined Nick Mills.  Also on the agenda was the government's working from home guidance for public sector staff, and the resignation of Andrew Coster as police commissioner.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two musicians have gigs coming up in Wellington in the next fortnight - hometown favourite Louis Baker and 14-time Grammy winner Herbie Hancock. Also - who are the big artists who have never won a Grammy?  Wellington Morning's music man James Irwin joined Nick Mills. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris White is a saxophonist who's shared the stage with countless stars; Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton and Tom Jones just to name a few.  But it was in 1985 that he joined one of the biggest bands on the planet at the peak of their fame; Dire Straits.  He was part of the band's memorable Live Aid performance and continued to tour with the band afterwards.  Now he's coming to Wellington's St James Theatre as part of the Dire Straits Experience, and joined Nick Mills to talk about his memories of the band, as well as what audiences can expect.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OPINION What a week Tory Whanau has had. It all started with our regular monthly catch-up on Tuesday. I asked the mayor if she was struggling with the cost of high rates and if she felt the pinch so many of us in Wellington are feeling.  Her answer was pretty clear.  "I've just sold my car recently, to kind of help pay the bills. I walk to work again, my mortgage rates have doubled in the last few years. "I'm feeling the crunch as well," the mayor told us.  Just for the record, Whanau earns $190,000 a year. She won $1.4 million in Lotto in 2002 - and she made us think she'd sold her car to help pay the bills.   It made headlines, then the news cycle moved on.  But then the Mayor appeared on Q&A with Jack Tame yesterday, breathing even more life into the story.  "Did you need to sell the car to pay the bills?" asks Jack Tame. "No, I actually didn't," says Tory Whanau. "It's a shame because it was taken out of context. It was an hour-long interview, you get a bit relaxed."  At best, that's a bad attempt to spin her way out of it. At worst, it's a straight-up lie.  To say that those comments were taken out of context is rubbish. Tory said it. The comments are clear as day. She was struggling and she sold the car.  What can be taken out of context from that?  Then, when asked if she had misled people, Whanau said the interview was too long.  "No I didn't mislead people," Tory says. "Actually what's happened is I was probably very generous with my time when it came to an interview. "An entire hour for a radio show once a month is probably a bit much and you just kind of, tend to let things slip."  For the record, mayors of Wellington have been interviewed on Newstalk ZB's local morning show for as long as I can remember. It’s called accountability. It's called fronting up to the public. It's called a basic expectation of being the Mayor.  I have always said I like Tory. I think she is a nice person and she has always been good to me. We get along well.  But I've also said I don’t think she’s up to the job. And I don't think she's getting the right advice from the people around her.  And if anything proves it, it was her performance on Q&A on Sunday. What a train wreck.  In the interview, Whanau laughed and didn’t understand some questions. She flip-flopped too - her office later clarified she did sell her car in part to help with mortgage payments.  At points, it felt like Jack Tame sat there completely bewildered, with this look in his eye that said 'what on earth is going on'. Initially, Whanau told Tame she did not expect to have enough support around the council table to sell the city's stake in Wellington Airport shares. But then she seemed to change her mind a few minutes later, and her response was to laugh like a naughty student being caught smoking behind the bike sheds.  "That could have been scandalous," she giggled.  I seriously think this interview might go down as the one point that changes things for her leadership. The moment where the biggest nail gets slammed into the coffin. Yesterday Tory also admitted a re-election bid next year might be tough. She's right - if voters turn out. If they don't, she's a hot favourite. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says she has sold her car to help pay the bills, and does "nothing in terms of socialising" as money is so tight. But on $190,000 a year - is this just a poor attempt to relate to voters?  Also, a developer has pulled out of plans to develop Oriental Bay's band rotunda - what should happen to the site? Former Wellington mayor Justin Lester and Curia pollster David Farrar joined Nick Mills for Friday Faceoff. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wellington Lions take on Bay of Plenty at Sky Stadium on Saturday afternoon - what can we expect?  And the All Blacks face Australia in the first Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney tomorrow too - how is the team looking?  Weekend Sport host Jason Pine and All Sport Breakfast host Adam Cooper joined Nick Mills.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Wellington City Council performing as it should be? The answer is a flat "no" according to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who told Nick Mills that the council needs to focus on spending on the right areas.  But Luxon wouldn't say how close the government is to appointing a Crown observer, but insisted the government is keeping a close eye on the council.  "I think you can read between the lines that I want better performance out of Wellington City Council."  He also revealed a plan on replacing the Interislander ferries hasn't yet gone before cabinet.  "We will have a solution, and we are very committed. You shouldn't be anxious about it."  Also discussed was the mood of Wellington, public service cuts, and the idea of a Wellington mega tunnel. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Redevelopment plans for the Oriental Bay band rotunda have been scrapped - so what does the future hold for the site?  And there have been issues with vandals targeting Wellington's new parking meters - what is the council doing to prevent damage?  Newstalk ZB and NZ Herald reporter joined Nick Mills to answer those questions and more.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

- Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says she’s not spending at the moment because of the cost of living crisis  - She says her mortgage rates have doubled in the past few years and she recently sold her car to help pay the bills  - The mayor recently received a 3.7% pay rise, taking her annual salary to $189,799  - She’s acknowledged things are “really tough” in Wellington at the moment  Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has acknowledged the economic challenges facing residents in the capital, saying she’s “feeling the crunch” too and recently sold her car to help pay the bills.  The mayor’s annual salary has increased to $189,799 following a 3.7% pay rise in July. She also won $1.4 million through Lotto in 2002.  Job cuts in the public sector and a string of retail and hospitality closures have once again sparked conversation about whether Wellington is “dying”.  Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills, Whanau acknowledged things were “really tough” currently.  “We are feeling a bit low at the moment, we’ve been hit by a number of things. Obviously, the economic downturn, public service cuts, the cost of living, people aren’t spending money and that is showing up in closures and whatnot.  “But what I want to say right now is yip, let’s acknowledge that it’s tough. I don’t want us to talk us further into doom and gloom.”  When pressed by Mills about whether she “actually feels it” - the financial pressure - Whanau said she did.  “I don’t want to downplay the privilege that I have. I am the mayor of the city, I have a house and I’m very thankful for that.  “However I’ve just sold my car recently to kind of help pay the bills, I walk to work again, my mortgage rates have doubled in the past few years. So I’m feeling the crunch as well, but I also recognise the privilege that I have.”  When questioned further by the Herald Whanau declined to say what type of car it was beyond a “hatchback”. She said the sale had taken place “a few months ago”. She also pointed out she had recently moved into a townhouse in the city.  Whanau said as well as her mortgage rates doubling, she had also had to make some “adjustments to her lifestyle”.  “I.e. do nothing in terms of socialising and stuff. I can’t spend at the moment because of the cost of living crisis like many others.”  Mills questioned how that was going to help struggling businesses and Whanau agreed it wouldn’t, but said it was an issue facing people across the country due to job losses and high interest rates.  She said every time she sees a business close she thinks, “Oh man, what could we have done?”  Whanau said the biggest issue for businesses in Wellington seemed to be less foot traffic and less spend, which she felt had been accelerated by public sector cuts.  She was confident the council’s long-term plan would revitalise the city over the next few years.  In the short term, Whanau said she was working with businesses to have more parklets in the city, host a New Year’s Eve festival, and was speaking with local designers to hold a fashion event to raise awareness of their brands following the cancellation of this year’s New Zealand Fashion Week.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.