Simon Bridges

Auckland businesses are wondering when they're going to get a break. Aucklanders are being advised to evacuate if necessary and to expect widespread power cuts today, with the city still expecting to be battered by wind and rain. It comes as the Government announces a $11.5 million funding package aimed at helping those affected by the summer floods. Auckland Business Chamber Chief Executive Simon Bridges says businesses want to get back on their feet, sooner and stronger. He says the Government can't stop the storm, but it can provide information, certainty and support. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon Bridges is calling on the new Minister of Auckland, to listen to the concerns of businesses in our largest city. Mount Roskill MP Michael Wood is taking on the new portfolio. The senior minister was previously an Auckland Council local board member, and is the husband of an Auckland councillor. Auckland Business Chamber Chief Executive and former National Leader Simon Bridges told Mike Hosking Wood needs to consult with business leaders. He says the role involves being serious about issues like crime and getting people around, and if he's pragmatic about those issues, he'll succeed. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges is confident Prime Minister Chris Hipkins will make positive changes to our business sector. The two of them met in Auckland after Bridges organised a roundtable meeting with business leaders across the region. NZ Herald business editor Liam Dann is less confident about what Chris Hipkins can do for the economy. Liam Dann says Chris Hipkins could make changes to immigration standards, but the tide is turning for unemployment figures. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Immigration was the hot topic at a meeting between Auckland business leaders and the new Prime Minister today. Chris Hipkins sat down with Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges and key members of the Auckland business community for a roundtable talk this morning. Simon Bridges says immigration and the labour shortage were front of mind for most there. He says New Zealand needs to be attractive to overseas workers and immigration laws need to be addressed to boost the workforce. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Prime Minister Chris Hipkins heads to Auckland today to woo business leaders after spending his first full day in the top job responding to the cost of living crisis. Hipkins is due to attend a roundtable event hosted by the Auckland Business Chamber. “I’ll be there to ask questions of them and to listen to them, in order to accelerate the important relationship that’s needed between business and government, in order to benefit all New Zealanders and to continue to grow our economy,” Hipkins said. His Auckland charm offensive will bring him into contact with former National leader Simon Bridges. Bridges, the Auckland Business Chamber CEO, said today’s meeting was good news. “That in itself gives business some confidence. It’s a sense that this is where his priorities lie,” he told RNZ. “I think he’s off to a good start, inasmuch as what he’s saying is he’s going to come back to the bread and butter issues.” Bridges said the issues confronting Auckland businesses were around plans to curb inflation, getting more workers into the country - and concerns around law and order. “I think it’s incredibly refreshing to see from a new PM that he gets it, that he gets it’s businesses that make an economy and actually allow governments to do the things that we all want them to do like fund better health, education, and law and order.” Cost of living front of new PM’s mind The cost of living crisis dominated Hipkins’ first press conference just hours after taking over the role from friend and longtime Labour colleague Jacinda Ardern. Exactly what Hipkins has in store to tackle the rising cost of living remains to be seen, something National leader Christopher Luxon latched on to, saying that simply changing the leader was not going to make a difference. Indeed Hipkins’ first appearance since being sworn in by Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro as the country’s 41st Prime Minister came hot off the latest consumer price index showing inflation remained at 7.2 per cent - the same as the previous quarter - reflecting further pressure on household budgets across the country. Kiro had earlier received the resignation of Ardern, officially handing over what Hipkins called the “baton of responsibility”. The day started with emotional scenes as Ardern left the Beehive as Prime Minister for the last time, walking out to a crowd of her ministers, MPs and staff, sharing hugs and tears - Ardern, accompanied by fiance Clarke Gayford, even struggled to find her way to the car through the throng of people. Jacinda Ardern and then-incoming Prime Minister Chris Hipkins at Rātana Pa Marae on Tuesday. Photo / Mark Mitchell And like that after nearly six years of leadership marked through tragedy and crisis, with the mosque shootings, Whakaari and the Covid-19 pandemic, her tenure was over, making way for “my friend Chippy”, how Hipkins is affectionately known. Hipkins too was emotional at Government House as he was sworn in, surrounded by family and colleagues, saying it was the “biggest responsibility of my life”. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins arriving for his first post-Cabinet press conference. Photo / Mark Mitchell He also quipped afterwards “it feels pretty real now” - acknowledging just how rapidly he’d moved into the role after Ardern announced her resignation only a week ago. The moment was clearly hugely significant also for Carmel Sepuloni, earlier shedding tears as Ardern departed before beaming as she became the first Deputy Prime Minister of Pacific heritage, with Samoan, Tongan and Pākehā roots. Jacinda Ardern waves to the crowd one last time as Prime Minister of New Zealand. Photo / NZ Labour Party In his first speech in the role Hipkins said “reprioritisation” of the Government’s work was the “absolute priority”, allowing the Government to focus on the “cost of living”. “Today’s unchanged inflation figure confirms this is the right immediate focus,” he said, reflecting a shift in priorities over the past year as the health pandemic made way for a “pandemic of inflation”. Ardern had last year also signalled a policy reset in the new year, with major and controversial reforms such as merging TVNZ and RNZ tipped for the scrapheap. Even when asked if he, like Ardern, had any legacy issues such as climate change or child poverty he wanted to focus on, Hipkins reverted to balancing that with “the pressures of today”. Hipkins noted the inflation level was not unexpected and was in fact lower than most comparable countries, which in turn influenced it here. Hundreds of people waited outside the Beehive to farewell Jacinda Ardern as Prime Minister. Photo / NZ Labour Party Hipkins, however, said no decisions had been made on exactly what would be prioritised from the Government’s programme, nor anything related to the cost of living. Hipkins said he expected to announce any changes to the Government work programme and Cabinet reshuffle in the next few weeks. He also alluded to further opening up immigration settings to ease labour shortages, though the impacts of the most recent changes appeared positive. “I just want to reassure New Zealanders that we’ve got this front and centre,” he said. “I’ll be looking across the range of options to see what more we can do to support Kiwis.” The Government last year introduced a fuel subsidy, which runs until the end of March, and cost of living support payments. It also introduced a fast-track residency programme, which it further expanded near the end of the year after initially excluding nurses and a range of other highly sought-after health professionals. Jacinda Ardern was tearful as she sat alongside Speaker Adrian Rurawhe during her final outing as Prime Minister at Rātana Pā on Tuesday. Photo / Mark Mitchell Hipkins also spoke further on co-governance, after Māori leaders at Rātana on Tuesday called on the Government not to pull back work done to realise obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi, and National to not be afraid of working with Māori. Hipkins said the topic needed to be handled “maturely”. “We should have a mature discussion about it, not one that’s informed by bumper sticker slogans.” Asked if the Government had responsibility for not clearly explaining the topic and allowing fear to be sowed, Hipkins said that would be part of their new priorities. “We should make sure that we’re informing New Zealanders, what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.” Prime Minister Chris Hipkins during his first post-Cabinet press conference at Parliament in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell Luxon earlier said he sent congratulations to Hipkins and acknowledged Ardern for her leadership. But that was where the niceties stopped, as he criticised the Government over its handling of the economy and said nothing had changed with the new leader. “It’s the same team, same people, same finance minister, same, everything, nothing’s changed.” Luxon said the Government needed to rein in spending and lower costs for businesses - such as scrapping the income insurance scheme. He also called for the Government to further open up the immigration settings, which drives the productive economy. Meanwhile, the Government support party the Greens wrote to the new Prime Minister calling for a “fairer Aotearoa”. They said the cost of living crisis was not being felt equally and urged him to increase benefits and make a fairer tax system targeting the wealthy. - Michael Neilson, NZ HeraldSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former National Party leader, Simon Bridges, is the new CEO of Auckland Chamber of Commerce, replacing Michael Barnett after 31 years. In May, Bridges tweeted about the role saying it is a 'privilege to be taking the position' and also paid tribute to Barnett's work for the last three decades.  "I will be learning, listening and a strong voice for business & Auckland," he tweeted.  Speaking on Sunday Café, Bridges spoke to Mel Homer about his first three weeks in the role, and how it compares to leading the National Party.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to Off The Record Tues-Thurs 7pm-8pm on Today FM.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lawyer, father and influential politician. Carly sits down with former National Party leader Simon Bridges to talk about politics and life afterwards. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast, The boys catch up with a secret special guest who reveals some industry secrets...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s greatest and bestest weekly Political Podcast that is NOT funded by NZ on Air! THIS WEEK: –Taxpayer’s Union Poll -Andrea Vance & Jack Tame’s criticism of the Government -RNZ expose on Police shootings -Economy & Omicron: what happens next politically? To debate this we have unemployed Yak whisperer Simon Bridges and Twitter Legal God, Graeme Edgeler. You won’t hear politics like this anywhere else! The podcast broadcasts live at 7.30pm from the Mediaworks studios on Facebook, YouTube & The Daily Blog and posted up afterwards on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Rova & Youtube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.