The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The Tertiary Minister says the Fees Free scheme allowed students to take advantage.  A briefing to Penny Simmonds shows the first-year subsidy covered more than two billion dollars in fees for more than 300,000 students from 2018 to 2025.  But Simmonds told Mike Hosking it didn't meaningfully lift participation or provide a good enough return, and encouraged some bad behaviours.  &n...

The Warriors 2026 season is over - after a 12-10 semi final loss to the Newcastle Knights at Eden Park.  Coach Andrew Webster's admits he's frustrated that his side couldn't turn regular season momentum into play-off glory. He's also raised flags about many of the contentious referee decisions - including a loose carry from Greg Marzhew that was eventually called a penalty on Te Maire Martin...

Andrew Saville and Jason Pine joined Mike Hosking to review all the big sporting events of the weekend, including the Warriors semi-final loss to the Newcastle Knights, the Breakers opening win of the ANBL season and NZ Rugby's financial issues.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday 21 September. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oh the irony. In the same week we got all that hot air about supermarkets and co-operative bust-ups, we got the food price index out of the stats department. And as much as you may like to deny it, argue about it, or ignore it, these are statistics. They are not reckons, or supermarket isle chatter, or lazy street-side vox pops for the TV. Food went up 1.9% annually, which if you remember the prev...

The United States is warning that hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthis could “escalate rapidly” after a dramatic missile strike.  US President Donald Trump cut short a weekend at Camp David to return y to the White House over the weekend.  The White House gave no explanation for the early return, but US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking there's fears the...

Chris Luxon insists National's controversial grocery policy is in line with the party's principles. National has joined New Zealand First, in campaigning for a break-up of the two Foodstuffs co-ops - something almost 500 owner-operators have criticised in an open letter this morning. Labour wants to separate the supermarket chains from their wholesale arms, while the Greens want to establish a sta...

Foodstuffs says all the election promises aimed at knocking the supermarket giants down a peg - won't change food prices.  National and New Zealand First want to break up the co-op - something almost 500 owner-operators have criticised in an open letter.  Labour's eyeing up a wholesale-retail split, while the Greens want to start a state-owned grocery chain.  Foodstuffs North Island...

Parents are being told by National's education spokesperson, they should understand screen time isn't best practice for young kids. If re-elected, the party would end screen and individual-device use in early childhood centres and tightly limit it for kids in Years 1 to 3. It would also introduce a School Start Check before children begin primary school.  Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking ther...

In the final episode of the 100 Years of ZB Podcast, Mike Hosking sits down for an extended interview with Newstalk ZB's Drive host, Heather du Plessis-Allan. The pair talk about their first impressions of the station and what makes it so strong in the current radio market. They also discuss what the future may hold and what will keep Newstalk ZB at the front of the pack.  100 Years of ZB - C...

It turns out fanciful and quite possibly nutty and dangerous thinking isn't limited to the Greens and Government-run supermarkets.  Dame Angela Eagle, who is Environment Secretary in the UK, has announced the need for people to take the burgeoning El Niño so seriously that we need to start stocking up on food.  This is a conflation of several things that affect a lot of us all over the w...

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.    Trump: 1/10  I reckon it's been his worst week yet. The polls have tanked, the House flip is on, SCOTUS rejected him on mail-ins, the Fed rejected him on interest rates, more Republicans than ever swapped sides to vote against the war, and his name is not on the...

How about our week of angst?  Take your pick, because there were hot takes galore.  Sydney Sweeney was the funniest. The ad agency that dreamed up that campaign must be lining up for a bonus.  Because the airtime it got in the end outweighed any actual cost by about 10:1. It went white hot viral as millions raged about boobs and sexuality and insulting female athletes.  All of...

Friday has arrived, which means it's time for Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson to help Mike Hosking Wrap the Week that Was.  They discussed award-winning kitchens, how much they'd charge for a Swysh and ... three-ways?   LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 18th of September, we've got an education policy from Labour that promises more upheaval and years' worth of reports and studies... again.  Assistant Coach Stacey Jones puts last week's disappointment behind him and tells us how and why the Warriors will beat the Knights.  And as they Wrap the Week, Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson t...

Farming seems to be driving economic growth in our regions.  Canterbury has reclaimed the top spot on ASB's latest Regional Economic Scoreboard, followed by Taranaki and Southland.  Taranaki recorded one of the biggest turnarounds, after sitting second from the bottom last quarter.  ASB Senior Wealth Economist Chris Tennent-Brown told Mike Hosking the common thread for the top three...

The World of Wearable Art is going international.  The long running fashion show's expanding from its original format and launching a landmark exhibition in celebration of its 40th year.  Initially set for Wellington's Takina next year, it'll feature more than 50 rarely seen archived pieces in a large-scale, immersive experience.  WOW Chief Executive Meg Williams says from there, th...

It's a sudden death match for the Warriors.  They're going up against the Knights in a knockout clash this weekend at Eden Park in front of what's set to be the biggest Warriors crowd on New Zealand soil.  If they win, they face Penrith for a spot in the Grand Final.  Assistant Coach Stacey Jones told Mike Hosking it's disappointing they couldn't get the job done last week, but they...

An Auckland secondary school leader says political parties need to stop kicking education changes down the road.  If elected, Labour wants to freeze the Government's overhaul of the sector and put an independent group of experts in charge of determining next steps.  NCEA would be left unchanged until 2029.  Mount Albert Grammar Headmaster Patrick Drumm told Mike Hosking he questions...

The Internal Affairs Minister has called Fire and Emergency's alleged secret-keeping “despicable”.  Brooke van Velden has lost confidence in chief executive Kerry Gregory, accusing him of actively withholding information about a serious incident for a year.  The agency has also been referred to the Serious Fraud Office.  Van Velden told Mike Hosking she doesn't have the power to sac...

So the battle of the supermarket beat-down unfolded for us lucky voters.  Labour and National have gone head-to-head over how much head kicking they can do to, mainly, supermarkets. But seemingly in Labour's case it could be the financial sector i.e. banks, or air travel i.e. Air NZ, as well.  Both party's ideas, let the record state, are fanciful.  National are probably the worst o...

An experienced captain is steering the NZ Breakers' ship for the next two years.  Gordon Herbert coached the German national basketball team to their first ever FIBA World Cup title in 2023, and his teams have won championships across a wide range of leagues.  Now he's taking over as Breakers coach, replacing Petteri Koponen in the role, although he has remained in charge of, and will co...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 17th of September, National has announced a surprising plan to drive supermarket competition by splitting up Foodstuffs. We got an explanation from Nicola Willis and the reaction from the corporation itself.   It seems we can't get enough of the sporting merchandise in this country. Dynasty Sport's Tyler Rakich discusses the jump in...

Kiwis are jumping on the bandwagons and buying more merchandise.  Rebel Sport's seen a $3.6 million jump in its half year results, with sales driven by the Warriors, Auckland FC, and the All Blacks.  Briscoes Group believes having high-profile sporting events across various codes contribute to the boost.  Co-founder of Dynasty Sport Tyler Rakich, who create the Warriors merch, told...

National's finance spokesperson is holding firm that breaking up Foodstuffs is the best solution.  If approved by the Commerce Commission, the party would carve off Pak'nSave from New World and Four Square to compete with each other and Woolworths.  Foodstuffs is promising to fight the plan, saying it could increase food prices by making business less efficient.   But Nicola Willis...