Episode 110 gets into firefighters, free speech, Macklemore, council spending and who actually gets held accountable when things go wrong.

Wattie Watson from the New Zealand Professional Firefighters’ Union joins us after Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden said she had lost confidence in FENZ chief executive Kerry Gregory. A historical issue involving FENZ’s administration of the levy scheme has also been referred to the Serious Fraud Office. We get into what firefighters have been warning about for years, staffing, ageing trucks, equipment, leadership, where the money is going and whether this is finally the point where major change has to happen. FENZ has stressed that Gregory himself was not referred to the SFO.

Then Dane Giraud is back for our Free Speech Union catchup and we get into Macklemore being removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour after his pro-Palestinian comments. Ed Sheeran says the decision came from the promoter, not him, so we ask the bigger question... is that censorship, commercial consequence, or simply a private business deciding what it wants associated with its shows?

Then Auckland councillor Ken Turner joins us.

We talk about the closure of Piha Campground over flood risk, whether mitigation could keep it operating, what closure could mean for Piha businesses and whether Plan Change 120 could have wider consequences for properties and community facilities in hazard areas. Auckland Council says the campground faces significant flood risk, while a recent engineering review identified reconfiguration, relocation or managed withdrawal as possible options.

We also get into Auckland Council’s massive maintenance contracts, whether more of that work should be going directly to Auckland businesses, the role of large contractors and whether ratepayers are getting the best deal. Council says it spends around $195 million a year maintaining parks and community facilities and is currently reshaping the contracts ahead of 2027.

Firefighters, accountability, free speech, Palestine, council money and the future of Piha.

Shubz Says So Episode 110.