The number of credit card applications has reached its highest level since 2021, leading to fears people are seeking credit as the high cost of living bites. 

David Cameron, manager of the Wellington Budget Service says credit cards can be dangerous for consumers who are lured in with the promise of an interest-free period, but then use them for daily purchases.

He joined Nick Mills to discuss the issue. 

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Wellington had a mammoth weekend, with an All Blacks test and the World of Wearable Arts attracting visitors to the city. How do we attract more events to the city, and what do they mean for our economy?

Also, cruise ship numbers will be down this summer, and expensive airfares continue to bite. What is the outlook for Wellington's tourism market? 

Wellington Rugby Football Union chief executive Tony Giles and Ka Rawe Tours managing director Nathan Greenham joined Nick Mills for the Wellington Mornings Business Panel.

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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.

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David Seymour has held a rally of party faithful, and Christopher Luxon has returned from his trip around the Pacific. 

Newstalk ZB senior political reporter Sophie Trigger joined Nick Mills to talk about the last week in politics, and what we can expect this week.

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With anti-mandate protesters camped out on Parliament's lawn National's deputy leader has heavily criticised Trevor Mallard's actions against Parliament's illegal occupiers. 
Mallard turned sprinklers on and blasted some of the world's most hated songs in a largely unsuccessful attempt to move protesters on. 
Here is what MPs Nicola Willis and Kieran McAnulty told Nick Mills on Newstalk ZB Wellington Mornings. 
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Tuesday Business with New Zealand Herald Wellington Business Editor Hamish Rutherford: The anti-mandate protest is on its eighth day so how are businesses coping? Food price hikes and is the housing market in Wellington softening?  
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Veteran activist John Minto believes the protest at Parliament is suffering from a lack of direction. 
The occupation is now in its eighth day - with no sign of a resolution or even dialogue. 
Minto told Nick Mills it's not entirely clear what the protesters want. 
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The SPCA has renewed calls for more nationwide legislation to tackle cat management issues. 
While it doesn't have a specific plan, the SPCA says cat laws would improve feline welfare and the environment.
In Wellington, cat owners are encouraged to keep their pets in at night. 
But businessman Gareth Morgan told Nick Mills that does not go far enough and believes domestic cats should be contained to their properties. 
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Friday Faceoff with Jo Coughlan, Managing Director of Silvereye, and Wellington City Councillor Sean Rush: Their thoughts on the protest, how it has been handled, vaccine mandates, Transmission Gully and the upcoming local body elections in Wellington. 
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In November the Council put forward a proposal to try and fix the controversial cycleway once and for all.
On-street parking spaces would be reduced by about 80 to 100 in an effort to improve safety.
Submissions on the proposed changes close on Sunday at 5pm.
Local businesses are worried that the loss of parking spaces will only make tough times tougher.
Empire cinema owner Pat Vinaccia is encouraging the public to make a submission and told Nick Mills the Council have not consulted with local businesses well in the past.

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The capital's business sector is calling for more clarity about when Transmission Gully will be open. 
The Wellington, Kapiti and Porirua Chambers of Commerce are calling for an urgent independent inquiry into the 1.25 billion dollar motorway. 
Another independent review is already underway into a road, but its complete findings won't be out until the project's finished. 
Porirua Chamber of Commerce Chair Hamish Mexted says we need answers and we need a review now.  
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New Zealand Herald Wellington Issues Reporter Georgina Campbell provides the latest on Transmission Gully and the council walks back late-night parking costs in the capital. 
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A noisy convoy of cars, trucks and motorbikes has arrived at Parliament, causing major backlogs on the main roads into Wellington. 
They're protesting against the Government's ongoing Covid rules and restrictions. 
Newstalk ZB reporter Jack Crossland told Nick Mills protestors had made it 'impossible to drive up Molesworth Street' 
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Petrol soars to the $3 mark in the capital and NZ Herald Business Editor Hamish Rutherford shares his concerns about Wellington's CBD.
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National MP Tim Costley says his CBD apartment makes him a more effective MP.

The first-term MP for Otaki is facing criticism for taking a $36,400 Parliamentary allowance to live in the Wellington apartment, which he owns himself. 

Costley lives just 58km from the Beehive in Waikanae, a roughly 40-minute drive from Parliament. 

He is also under fire for spending around $15,000 on travel in just three months according to expense returns, but says this is explained by travel he has booked in advance and expenses that weren't processed last year. 

He joined Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills to explain his decision.

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Pregnant kiwi journalist Charlotte Bellis' fight to come home from Afghanistan, Wellington faces a rates hike and how do we get the most out of our council ahead of the local body election. 
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Award winning singer Ali Harper has a show on at Circa at the moment called 'A Natural Woman'.
She joined Nick Mills to talk about the show, what it's like to perform in the red traffic light system and even gave us a taste of what audiences can expect. 
For tickets head to: https://www.circa.co.nz/package/a-natural-woman/ 
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The Prime Minister has confirmed fully vaccinated Kiwis in Australia can travel home and self-isolate, rather than going into MIQ, from 11.59pm on February 27.
Two weeks later, fully jabbed New Zealanders coming from other parts of the world will also be able to travel here without MIQ.
Newstalk ZB Chief Political Reporter Jason Walls joined Nick Mills to break down the announcement. 
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Businesses and employees are encouraged to have their say on a proposed income insurance scheme. Workers will be paid up to 80 percent of their salary if they're made redundant, or stop work for medical reasons.
It'll be funded by a 1.39 percent levy on both employers and workers.
But New Zealand Herald Political Reporter Thomas Coughlan told Nick Mills the timing is all wrong. 
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Landlord and property expert Matthew Ryan joins Nick Mills to answer your questions on the ever-changing property market. 
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New Zealand Herald's Wellington Issues reporter Georgina Campbell believes young people have been ripped off by Covid-19 and it seems that a lot of the time no one really cares. Campbell also reports councillor Jill Day will not be running again in this year's local body election. 
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Mary Meachen, owner of Smith the Grocer, and Jonty Hendry Chief Executive of Bats Theatre talk about the impact of the Red Traffic light setting with Nick Mills. Meachen opened up about the trickle-down effects from a struggling sector. 
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It seems harder than ever to find a rental property in Wellington at the moment. Wellington Business Editor Hamish Rutherford agrees the capital's rental market is "cooked" and says it comes down to rental stock with intensification to bolster stock one solution. 
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Wellington Mayor Andy Foster joined Wellington Mornings Host Nick Mills to talk about the still closed Transmission Gully, rates, the looming local body elections, and he takes your calls. 

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Our first Politics Monday of the year saw Labour Wairarapa MP Kieran McAnulty and ACT Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden in the Newstalk ZB studio.
They discussed how soon the plug should be pulled on MIQ, what Jacinda Ardern's covid exposure shows about the contact tracing system, and more.
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OPINION

Here's a story you're not going to enjoy if you're one of the government employees who has just been made redundant.

It surrounds Otaki MP Tim Costley.

He’s a known name in Kapiti, and owns a $1.4 million riverside home in Waikanae, two rental properties in Palmerston North and a flat in Wellington.

It's the latter of those properties that's causing Tim a bit of a headache.

It turns out Tim is claiming $36,400 a year from a Parliamentary housing allowance to rent his own apartment back to himself, despite his family home being just 58km away from the Beehive. 

He lives in Waikanae, but even with Transmission Gully, a 40-minute drive is too much of a commute for him.

Yes, it's entirely within the rules, but the rules are dumb.

It's not a long drive, even after a very late night in Parliament (which doesn't happen that often). I'm sure he could suck it up. Parliament sits 90 days a year.

He’s clearly learned from his leader. Remember Christopher Luxon claimed $52,000 for his mortgage-free apartment in the city, even though as Prime Minister he was entitled to live at Premier House on Tinakori Rd?

He chose not to live there because it wasn't quite up to his standards, but later U-turned on pocketing the allowance.

But Costly Costley, well he's a first-term MP.

He said like many MPs he owns an apartment in Wellington and taking the allowance is within the rules set by the speaker.  

Costly Costley said it works out about the same as it does for MPs who stay at hotels. He believes the safest and most sustainable way for him to function as an MP is to stay in Wellington when the house is sitting.

He says junior MPs like him are required to stay on the precinct until at least 10pm and are often there later when the house is in urgency, which is very rare I should add.

He’s required to be back at Parliament for early meetings at 7:30 and 8:30am, he says. 

Come on Costley. How many people living in Waikanae have to commute every day?

I agree that would be tough for those very few times that you're driving home at midnight, but surely you don't need a place at a cost of $36,400 a year? 

What happened to MPs flatting with each other? 

MPs are entitled to claim $36,400 if their main residence is outside the Wellington commuting area, but the rules don't specify a minimum distance.

I say Waikanae is definitely within the minimum distance.

The Inland Revenue defines a reasonable commuting distance as between 50 and 80 kilometres for each leg of a journey, or between 100 and 160 kilometres taking both legs into account. 

That's a lot of travel, but its well above what Costley has to travel. The reality is he could very easily commute.

And here’s another kicker just to get you more frustrated, Costly Costley has also claimed nearly $15,000 in travel costs in just the last three months.

This is a man who lives just up the road and is not a Minister. He should be spending $1000 a month, if that. Where is he going?

Maybe this government needs to look at its own MPs when it comes to cost cutting.

Don't get me started on that. I've always felt we have too many MPs. Tim Costly Costley wouldn't be costing us quite so much if he wasn't there.

He's a backbencher without any portfolios.

Perhaps he should start behaving like one. 

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A Christchurch hairdressing has given gendered pricing the chop.
Women often pay more to have their hair styled, and RU&CO hair salon said the decision fits with their inclusive values. 
"We feel the old way isn't fair anymore. Why should women pay more for the same service as a male?" RU&CO hair salon's Jordan James told Newstalk ZB. 
But a Wellington hair salon, Calibre Salon, says pricing is not based on gender, but rather time spent with the client. 
Salon owner Craig Stinson told Wellington Morning's host Nick Mills "with a woman you generally spend more time on them."
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Beehive Buzz on Wellington Mornings with Newstalk ZB Chief Political Reporter Jason Walls: The Prime Minister visits a vaccination centre, inflation hits a 30-year-high and the government is under fire over the way it has acquired rapid antigen tests.

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The Wellington Cup is still going ahead this Saturday, albeit under the red traffic light setting. Racing expert and broadcaster joins Wellington Mornings on Nick Mills to give you the inside word on which horses to watch.

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Capital Letter with New Zealand Herald Wellington Issues Reporter Georgina Campbell: The latest on the Island Bay cycleway, and a bar owner, a lawyer and the former chairman of Wellington Airport Tim Brown are eyeing up a bid at Wellington City Council in this year's local body election.

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New Zealand Herald Wellington Business Editor Hamish Rutherford on what the red traffic light setting means for Wellington's CBD, are we going to have supermarket shortages, and the Government has passed a new piece of legislation that was meant to crack down on loan sharks - but it seems to be making it harder to get a loan from a bank

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Deputy Prime Minister and Wellington Central MP Grant Robertson housing, Covid-19, business support and key Wellington issues including social housing and Transmission Gully. 
He also shared his highs and low of 2021 with Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills. 
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Wellington City Council has won an appeal in the High Court to take possession of two earthquake-prone buildings, strengthen them, and charge the costs back to the owners. 
The decision sets a precedent for future cases as it's the first time a council has applied for such an order. 
Wellington developer Maurice Clark told Nick Mills on Wellington Mornings he supports the decision. 
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The borders are open and the first passengers arrived at Wellington Airport this morning. Newstalk ZB reporter Nick James was there as flights touched down and told Nick Mill about some of the emotional reunions. 
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From big waves on the South Coast to a late-night email by the mayor that caused drama, and of course, Transmission Gully, Wellington Issues reporter Georgina Campbell wraps the year in local news on Wellington Mornings. 
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On Wellington Morning's Amalgamation special, former Wellington Mayor Dame Fran Wilde talks what went wrong a 2015 bid she backed for councils in the region to be merged into a Super City, like Auckland.  
"I think the local politicians didn't want to give up their roles, to be blunt, and campaigned against it," Wilde said.  
Dame Fran told Nick Mills she still backs the idea.  
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It's been a big week in Wellington; Mayor Tory Whanau revealed she has been diagnosed with ADHD and a big petition against the Golden Mile project was presented to the council. 

Joining Nick on Friday Faceoff this week was former broadcaster Mark Sainsbury and Wellington City Councillor Ben McNulty.

Also on the agenda was the mammoth $50 million up for grabs in Lotto on Saturday, whether we need to crack down on booze sales, and the importance of men's health. 

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On Wellington Morning's amalgamation special, Porirua mayor Anita Baker and Upper Hutt mayor Wayne Guppy renew calls for a Wellington Super City that would blend four councils in the region. 
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In our last political panel of the year, Labour's Ōhāriu MP Greg O'Connor and National deputy leader Nicola Willis discussed the confirmation that Transmission Gully won't be opening this side of Christmas.
They also looked at the imminent announcement about Auckland's traffic light level, and the government's latest plans to curb smoking.
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The parents of a teenager who won an award for her heroism have spoken of the pride they have for their daughter.
In February, 15 year old Jemima Gazley was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer, and past away in October.
Following the diagnoses she started a give-a-little page to help Australian researcher Doctor Matt Dun find a cure for the disease.
The Wellington teenager's now been named the Herald's 2021 'Our Heroes' award winner for her campaign - which raised nearly 700 thousand dollars.
Jemima's parents Oliver and Ray joined Nick Mills in the Newstalk ZB studio.
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James and Nick chat about a new entry to the New Zealand music hall of fame, discuss a terrific  hip-hop podcast series and find out who was a surprise big player in the NZ Hip Hop scene that we all know.

We commiserate that its 41 years since the world lost one of its greatest musicians and Cash in the attic lets you find out how much one of his NZ pressed albums could be worth.


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Friday Faceoff with former Wellington mayor Kerry Prendergast and managing director of Iron Duke Partners Phil O'Reilly: The doctor captured giving out fake vaccine exemptions in Canterbury, new smokefree rules look to ban smoking for the next generation and the Wellington City Council releases its top dog names.

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Wellington City Councillors are calling on the Government to help with the large costs of strengthening earthquake-prone buildings.
There are 590 quake-prone buildings in the city. 
The deadlines for strengthening them spike in 2027 when 228 notices will expire.
Wellington City Council is in the dark about the future of hundreds of these buildings, despite the expectation the capital will have a significant earthquake in our lifetime.
City Councillor Sean Rush told Nick Mills Wellington is currently struggling to fix basic pipe infrastructure, let alone quake-prone buildings. 
"We need to go to Government and have a korero with Grant Robertson, he's the Wellington Central MP"
Asked how he sleeps at night knowing people are living in yellow-sticker apartments Rush said "we all live with risk"
"If a big earthquake happens people will die. We are sitting on a time bomb," he said. 
Listen to the full interview on Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills

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A cafe in Wellington, Elements, has decided to pivot from sit-in dining to takeaways under the Traffic Light System. 
Under the new system, hospitality operators have to require customers to show their vaccine passports if they are going to have people inside their cafes. 
Elements has decided not to do that and instead operate as takeaway only, while also running a small retail store. 
But owner Angela Slaughter says it is not an 'anti-vax' decision but rather a moral and financial one. 
"We have families where the parents are vaccinated and one of the children is 13 so isn't yet. That whole family is no longer able to come into our restaurant" 
Slaughter did not want to shut the door on people and told Nick Mills it was also about staffing levels. 
"I don't have an A and B team. If they are all off for seven days, how do we open without them around?" 
Slaughter says financial certainty was a factor too. 
"We looked at the long-term picture and thought it could be really rocky in terms of those practicalities as well." 
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The Government makes a major smokefree announcement, how was Chris Luxon's first week in the House? And a look ahead to Monday's Cabinet decision, when will Auckland move to green? 
Newstalk ZB Chief Political Reporter Jason Walls joined Nick Mills. 
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Wellington City Council is in the dark over quake-prone buildings, despite the expectation there will be a significant earthquake in our lifetime and Herald Wellington Issues reporter Georgina Campbell makes the case for pay increases for councillors.
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Long-time Wellington retailer and owner of Gubb's Shoes, Julie Gubb, and CEO of Cricket Wellington Cam Mitchell talk vaccine passports, how summer is shaping up in Wellington under orange, Let's Get Wellington Moving's impact on the city, and how we can make the capital a better place for business. 
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The Hurricanes take on the Melbourne Rebels in Wellington tomorrow night, and a star of the Wellington Phoenix is leaving. 

Wellington All Sport Breakfast host Adam Cooper and Newstalk ZB Christchurch sports editor Nick Bewley joined Nick Mills to talk through the sports stories of the week.

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Tuesday Business with Wellington Business Editor Hamish Rutherford on small electricity retailers, Grant Robertson warning that some households will have to cut their cloth because of higher interest rates, and what Hamish makes of the National Party's shakeup.

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A coffee wholesaler - and former cafe owner - is warning a large cup of coffee could cost you more than $7 from next year.
Richard Corney, who is the general manager of flight coffee, says that's because the cost of running a cafe has gone up. 
Richard also manages The Flight Hanger in Wellington, where he upped the price of a large coffee earlier this year. 
He broke down the cost for Nick Mills on Wellington Mornings.
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