Letter to the Editor
Wellington LIVE – One Network

Dear Editor,

Having suffered a tragic legal loss to Sir Bob in my early 30’s, I’ve warmed to the other side of Sir Bob. Although I’ve never met the prick. The previously fit tennis man, that hosts Wellington’s real-estate and property elite for drinks for breathless talks about Wellingtons need for more buildings, wooden buildings, any buildings, more floors, fit outs, more tenants, less red tape and more tenants and more tenants and more Labour governments! Sir Bob is one of the most, if not the most arrogant men ever born in the Hutt Valley, or any where in this beautiful place, who once made a contractor reverse down his very long Hutt Valley driveway.

A former partner “nurse” of Sir Bob commenting his moods can swing from Sinatra to Lenin with a few bottles of wine. A cunning linguist, political manipulator, scorned boxing promoter and long term property guru, Jones is also known for his satirical columns and witty, often brutal  comments.

In one of Jones’ newspaper columns, Sir Bob suggested that the country’s national holiday- Waitangi Day, should be replaced by a Māori Gratitude Day, a suggestion he claimed was satirical.

In 2015, Jones was removed from an Air New Zealand flight by security staff for failing to follow crew instructions. Jones’ company subsequently bought a jet for Jones and other company executives to use for NZ travel. In 1985, Jones was located by reporters in a helicopter while out fishing in a remote valley in Taupō. Jones, incensed at the intrusion when the helicopter landed on the adjacent bank, famously punched TVNZ reporter Rod Vaughan, with the whole incident recorded on tape. Jones was convicted of four charges of assault and fined $1,000. Jones asked the judge if he could pay $2,000 to do it again.

Jones was born in Lower Hutt on 24 November 1939, the son of Edward L. Jones. He is the older brother of author Lloyd Jones. Growing up in a Lower Hutt state housing suburb, Jones attended Naenae College from 1953 to 1957. He was one of the 200 foundation pupils, and one of the ten who stayed to the sixth form (most pupils left as soon as they turned 15 to work) where he recalled a brilliant history teacher, Guy Bliss.

He went on to attend Victoria University of Wellington, where he earned a blue in boxing, won the New Zealand Universities lightweight boxing title in 1957, and contributed to a boxing column in the  university’s newspaper Salient.

He remained a fan of boxing and sometimes commented on TV on big matches. Jones earned his wealth through investments in commercial property via his company Robt. Jones Holdings Ltd, and was worth $550 million according to the 2013 NBR rich list, and $600 million a year later. Now worth 1.1 b.

One thing I wouldn’t ever do is get in Sir Bob’s legal cross hairs again. Although he is a prick and a very nasty man, who some might recall. Sir Bob appears to be a colourful, dynamic business man, that many speak fondly of, being summoned to his office for a wine and a good Ole talking down to.