Reg Hennessey's guest appearances

Reg Hennessey

Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Stuart Crosby

Dylan Thomsen

Stuart Nash

Bernie Smith

John Tamihere

Brent Hill

Jarrod Haar

Greg Cain

Chris Edwards

Christoph Schumacher

Will Matthews

Bernie Sanders

Israel Folau

Des Gorman

Tim Brown

OwlTail

A Rotorua bar owner says emergency housing in the area is slowing killing Rotorua.Official documents show ministers were warned a year ago that having emergency housing in Rotorua risks public safety.Emergency and transitional housing now costs one million dollars every day.The owner of Rotorua's Hennessey's Irish Bar, Reg Hennessey, told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he believes that about 45 motels are full of "homeless people or rough sleepers or people with problems". He says they started to see problems on the streets and in the CBD before this started. "We clearly understand as businesses that these people have got to have somewhere to stay and sleep."That's not the issue. The issue is motels in the middle of a tourist town of Rotorua's size is obviously not the right place."LISTEN ABOVE

A Rotorua bar owner says emergency housing in the area is slowing killing Rotorua. Official documents show ministers were warned a year ago that having emergency housing in Rotorua risks public safety. Emergency and transitional housing now costs one million dollars every day. The owner of Rotorua's Hennessey's Irish Bar, Reg Hennessey, told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he believes that about 45 motels are full of "homeless people or rough sleepers or people with problems".  He says they started to see problems on the streets and in the CBD before this started.  "We clearly understand as businesses that these people have got to have somewhere to stay and sleep. "That's not the issue. The issue is motels in the middle of a tourist town of Rotorua's size is obviously not the right place." LISTEN ABOVE

Reg Hennessey: Rotorua bar owner says emergency housing is killing the CBD

A Rotorua bar owner says the Government needs to talk less and do more for the struggling hospitality sector.Reg Hennessey appeared before MPs yesterday to outline the mental struggles bar owners are facing.Labour MP Tamati Coffey, another Rotorua bar owner, responded by saying everyone is feeling those mental struggles, the prime minister included.Hennessey told Kate Hawkesby the Government should be protecting commercial tenants with a code of conduct, rather than making bizarre comparisons about who is struggling more."Tamati's comments are a poke in the eye. We have done exactly what we have been asked by staying closed throughout the shutdown."LISTEN ABOVE

A Rotorua bar owner says the Government needs to talk less and do more for the struggling hospitality sector. Reg Hennessey appeared before MPs yesterday to outline the mental struggles bar owners are facing. Labour MP Tamati Coffey, another Rotorua bar owner, responded by saying everyone is feeling those mental struggles, the prime minister included. Hennessey told Kate Hawkesby the Government should be protecting commercial tenants with a code of conduct, rather than making bizarre comparisons about who is struggling more. "Tamati's comments are a poke in the eye. We have done exactly what we have been asked by staying closed throughout the shutdown." LISTEN ABOVE

Reg Hennessey: Bar owner excited to reopen but challenges remain