INTERVIEW: Scotty Morrison

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

Let's go. The Flava Breakfast Podcast.

Azura (0:03)

We have a very special guest waiting by on the phone because tonight is the Kaupapa Māori Debate, which is at 7:30 p.m. Tvnz 1 and Tvnz Plus.

Charlie (0:12)

Joining us live this morning, we have the man himself, Mr. Scotty Morrison, morena brother.

Scotty Morrison (0:18)

Morena, morena, my two flavor-it people. Oh, please, I love it, my brother, I love it.

Azura (0:26)

Don't let us tell your wife that you just said flavor-it people.

So, no, it's very exciting. This is something that you guys have obviously already filmed and recorded, and now the world, now Aotearoa New Zealand gets to see it tonight. What can viewers expect if they do decide to tune in?

Scotty Morrison (0:46)

Oh, it's live, Azura, it is live. Yeah, it's live, mate. So, we've been working on it for the last couple of weeks.

And it's been very interesting, the process, usually I go into a lot of things, not as prepared as I am for tonight's. But Tvnz is taking this very seriously. And I think it is the first time we've had a specific kaupapa Māori debate in primetime on Tvnz. So 7.3 tonight, live, it's going to go out. We've got a live studio audience coming in. We've got representatives from Māori Party Act, New Zealand First, Labour, The Greens, National and Opportunity. And so they'll be putting their best foot forward, obviously. But we've really refined our question line. And it's going to be pacey and interesting. And we've got a few curveballs in there to throw. So we'll see how they get on tonight in the heat of battle, in the heat of the moment.

Azura (1:47)

Exactly. And that's where you can really see people's true colours, in my opinion. And I mean, have you got a few rogue questions or do you think you're going to behave?

Scotty Morrison (1:58)

Yeah, no, I've got a couple. I mean, we always, it's interesting because we sit there and we look at what the biggest issues are for Māori voters. And that's Māori voters on not just the Māori role, but on the general role as well. So we take polls and we pay attention to the polls and we work out what is the most pressing issues and most important issues for those people on those polls. And then we work out question line out around that. So we're not going to try and cover everything.

Obviously, the two big things are te tiriti and cost of living. So those will be in there, but we'll come to some other things that are quite interesting as well, like tai ao and things like that. But, and then, you know, you have your little, little curve ball moments in there, but it's sort of like, you say, okay, what are we gonna ask, let's say Willie Jackson from Jackson, what are we gonna, from Labour, Willie Jackson from Labour, what are we gonna ask them about the treaty and da, da, da, da, da, what's Labour's policy? Work it out.

Is this a good question? Is it too long? Is it too short? Does it really ask what our people wanna know? And then we try and work out, what is the answer's gonna be? And that's really, that's quite fun to do. And then yesterday, we sort of had a bit of a trial run and we had three people sitting there pretending to give us their answers and stuff and sort of did a mock debate with them and that was quite humorous as well. So who knows what's gonna happen tonight? I mean, you guys know, you're live on radio, anything can happen, but hopefully it goes well and people enjoy it and find out some information that'll help them to put their vote where it should go.

Charlie (3:29)

Scotty, you've been covering politics for quite some time now. Like, do you see yourself running for, like come on man, cause you are the people's, you're the people's champ. And honestly, especially the Māori, cause since we're talking about Te Riki and all that, like our Māori people, they trust you bro. Like, you know, you are the guy. So has it ever like, you know, crossed your mind?

Scotty Morrison (3:51)

Right, it's a good question because I actually like, just about every election cycle I get approached. Wow. And I've been approached by national, I've been approached by Labour. When the Mana Party was going, the Māori Party is usually pretty consistent with its approaches and some of the approaches, I've nearly one approach was a really, really strong one a few years back and I nearly tipped over, but it's just, it's a bit too toxic for me, bro. You know, to tell you the truth, I find, you know, that political world is what we, I call it the old kaitangata. It's pretty, you know, you get swallowed up and devoured in there and, you know, you don't get much time for your family and for things like, you know, doing language revitalization and, well, and jujitsu and all of those kinds of things, you know, that make you, that provide good sustenance for your health and well-being. And I think that if I went into politics, it would just suck the life out of me, is that the truth?