The Mike Hosking Breakfast

If you believed the heat in the debate, letting the police move people on was some sort of dystopian incursion by an overlord destined for revolt and rampage on our streets.  The Labour Party still argues the Government made homelessness illegal, which of course they did not.  At the very start of the scrap was the basic idea that too many people were having their day ruined by too many...

One of the latest young country music stars is headed for our shores.  25-year-old Max McNown has had a meteoric rise, having got his break only a couple of years ago.  He left his home of Oregon at 21 to move to California, and at the time, becoming a musician was barely a pipe dream.  "I wasn't planning on pursuing music at all," he told Hosking.  "I always kind of wanted to...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 5th of November, we look at the extraordinary midterms flip that has decimated the Republican majority in the House and Senate.  For the last time before the election, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins joined to give his final pitch.  The latest talent coming out of Nashville, and originally Oregon, Max McNown details his country mus...

Democrats in the US have taken complete control of Congress, winning majorities in the Senate and the House of Representatives.   The US midterm elections have seen seven Senate seats flip, along with 27 House seats.   Strong Republican seats like Texas, Kansas and South Carolina went Democrat for the first time in decades.  Democratic Strategist and former Chief of Staff to Senator...

Labour's Leader believes it was necessary for them to tighten up their campaign and promises leading into this year's election.  Chris Hipkins told Mike Hosking people have had a guts full of politicians making big sweeping promises with soaring political rhetoric and then disappointing on the other side.  "I'm determined not to do that."  "I want voters to know that the promises th...

National's Finance Spokesperson is optimistic that despite the unemployment rate rising, another term in government would see things right.  Stats NZ data released yesterday saw the rate rise from 5.6% to 5.7% in the September quarter.  Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking our Official Cash Rate is much healthier than Australia's, who are dealing with an 18 year high.  "Inflation is unde...

A former critic of the move-on orders says rough sleepers should be removed from the new legislation.   Police now have the power to order rough-sleepers, beggars, or those acting in a disorderly manner to move on from a public place.  29 people were moved on in the first 10 days for disorderly behaviour, but only four were homeless.   Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge told M...

Welcome to the Midterms of 2026  Quite possibly, if I can sound almost unpatriotic, they're more interesting as an exercise in democracy than our own election.  It would seem a foregone conclusion that the Republicans, read Trump, will lose the House.  It is less certain what will happen in the Senate.  If it goes really wrong and both flip, stand by for any number of inquiries...

More signs of recovery in the construction sector.   Stats NZ data shows more than 41,000 new homes were consented annually to September – up 18%.  Standalone home consents rose 20% to the highest level in four years.  Townhouse consents are up 18%, and they're up 11% for retirement village units, but down 11% for apartments.  Combined Building Supplies Co-op CEO Carl Taylor to...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 4th of November, our dairy industry's hit a record high for production, and we look ahead to the unemployment figures coming out this morning.   We ask Pete Seat, the former White House spokesman for George W. Bush, to give his verdict on the Midterms.  And on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen give their tho...

Most economists expect the latest unemployment figures to show the labour market has finally turned a corner.   Stats NZ is releasing its latest quarterly data at 10.45am.  Westpac is picking a fall from 5.6% to 5.5% for Q3 – the first drop in five years.  Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold told Mike Hosking we've seen the strongest quarter of employment growth since the start of 2023, a...

The US Congress is up for grabs in today's midterm elections, with Democrats eyeing up a potential double victory. If secured, the party would be better placed to scrutinise President Donald Trump and block his plans.   Polling predicts the Democrats have the House of Representatives in hand, but the Senate could be a tighter race.   Former White House Spokesperson for George W Bush, Pet...

National is supporting New Zealand's Police Commissioner being cleared of any wrongdoing.  Richard Chambers was yesterday freed of stalking and sexual assault allegations made towards him this time last year.  National's police spokesperson Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking he had backed Chambers from the start.  "We just believed him and at the end of the day, it's been extremely tou...

Cheap Chinese imports are continuing to cause problems for our aluminium industry.  Hollow extrusion imports are now up 192%, while reported values are down 31%.  Commerce Minister Cameron Bewer has declined to introduce safeguards for the industry, instead telling it to file a new application and go down the anti-dumping route.  McKechnie Aluminium Solutions Ltd's Dave Slomp told M...

Our dairy industry is continuing to reach new heights.  Prices have risen another 3% at this morning's Global Dairy Trade auction, with whole milk powder up 5.9% and skim milk powder up 3.1%.  The sector's also produced more than two billion kilograms of milksolids during a single season for the first time.  Dairy NZ Chief Executive Campbell Parker told Mike Hosking it's despite far...

The trouble for Netball NZ is they claim to have a plan.  The reality, of course, is we may or may not ever know what happened to the previous plan – the Williams-Mowbray plan.  That plan looked set to go. Most of us didn't have a clue what was in it, nor do we care. But we know the names Mowbray and Williams. We know they have lots of money. We probably knew they were in it for the righ...

Michael Douglas has had an incredibly storied and illustrious Hollywood career.  The son of the legendary Kirk Douglas, Michael more than established his own credentials over the course of six decades.  He's got two Academy Awards under his belt, as well as Golden Globes and over half a dozen other awards and honours for both acting and producing.   Douglas has plenty of stories to...

Protests continue to spread across Europe.  Saturday saw unrest and police clashes in France, Germany, Portugal, and Albania, with protest camps also being cleared in Portugal.  Shops have been looted, tear gas fired, and firebombs thrown as thousands of young people take to the streets.  Newstalk ZB's Catherine Field live in Paris told Mike Hosking more protests are planned across...

A spotlight on the rising costs of raising a young child.  The latest report by Crayon —a support group working to reduce financial stress for parents— states the first five years of a child's life alone can cost parents almost $180,000.   It's often nearly a third of parents' take home pay, and childcare alone often costs around $20,000 a year, per child.   Founder Stephanie Pow to...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 3rd of November, it's good-news-Tuesday with good numbers around retail, EVs, international students, and payment arrears.  Netball NZ CEO Jennah Wootten attempts to explain what's next after turning down the Williams-Mowbray deal to privatise the league.  Legendary actor and producer Michael Douglas joins the show to talk his m...

Retailers are feeling more optimistic about the year ahead, with confidence reaching a two-year high.  Retail NZ's latest Retail Radar report finds 73% are confident their business will survive the next 12 months.  A similar number expect to meet or exceed their sale targets in the final three months of the year.  Chief executive Carolyn Young told Mike Hosking the year has been a b...

Netball New Zealand believe the long-term interests of the sport have been protected by pulling the plug on the domestic league advocated by Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams.  The proponents of a new privatised competition were blindsided by the NNZ Board's decision to end negotiations.  But Chief Executive Jennah Wootten told Mike Hosking there was extensive dialogue and meetings about the...

High marks for New Zealand from international students.  Education NZ's latest Experience Survey finds 90% rate their overall experience positively, up from 87% last year, and the highest since the survey began in 2019.  At least 93% rate their teachers and tutors as supportive and respectful.  Chief Executive David Downs told Mike Hosking our international education is probably the...

Soaring fuel prices aren't the only thing driving demand for electric vehicles.  Motor Trade Association data reveals Plug-in Hybrids and Battery Electric Vehicles together reached 3,317 registrations last month, up 174% on a year ago.  EVs also made up 22.7% of new light vehicles, against 8.9% the previous October.  EV City owner Dave Boot told Mike Hosking the surge in interest go...

John Key not only appeared on our show Friday, having put out a video reminding us all what is at stake this Saturday, he also appeared on a podcast suggesting Luxon has been the victim of a hit job by the left and the media.  I think he is right. I would also suggest the media is the left, and the left is the media.  But, and it's a big "but", it makes no difference. It is what it is, a...