The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Local Police have announced a curfew in parts of central Paris following violent protests across France.   In Nice a curfew has been put in place specifically for young people, with restrictions also in force in northern cities, including Lille.  It comes as widespread looting takes place across the country, with burnt out cars and shattered glass lining streets and more than two thousan...

Both major parties are backing tougher rules on children's social media use, with questions now turning to how they'll be enforced.  Labour's promising an under-16 social media ban will go before a select committee within 100 days if elected, while National introduced its own bill to Parliament in August.  Makes Sense campaign co-founder Holly Brooker told Mike Hosking the focus now need...

There's enthusiasm from the agriculture sector about the India Free Trade Agreement coming into effect today.  It unlocks access to 1.4 billion Indian consumers, with 57% of exports to the world's most populous nation now tariff-free.  The number of tariff-free exports would rise to 82% over time, with the next round of cuts due from next year.  Special Agricultural Trade Envoy Nath...

New Zealand's Superannuation Fund has been outperforming expectations.  The 25-year-old Super Fund is now worth $94.35 billion, excluding tax, including $9.3 billion earned in the past reporting year.  Super Fund Co-Chief Investment Officer Will Goodwin says it's widely regarded as the best-performing sovereign wealth fund in the world over the past 20 years.  He told Mike Hosking t...

The Housing Minister says he's proud of Kainga Ora for surpassing its savings target.  The housing agency's latest annual report shows operating costs were reduced by $191 million – well above the $27 million goal.  Minister Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking the biggest change is debt, which is now $9.5 billion lower than the $29 billion forecast.   He says reducing the cost of buildin...

Listen to the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday 19 October. 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.

One of Opportunity's polices is to stop you from using your KiwiSaver for first home purchases.  The big question around that policy is - did you know that?  Everyone, and I mean everyone, I have talked to that is even contemplating supporting Opportunity can't name a single one of their policies out side of land tax and universal incomes, which ironically, although they were the ideas t...

Christopher Luxon isn't worried that removing the right to silence in exceptional cases would clash with the Bill of Rights Act. Under the policy, people who witness a child's murder could face up to 10 years in prison, if they don't reveal to Police who was responsible.  Luxon told Mike Hosking he expects law groups will warn it's a bill of rights issue. He says the same thing happened with...

Kiwi company Leaft Foods has made Time Magazine's top 300 inventions of 2026 for its protein drink made from lucerne leaves.  The company developed a way to extract the protein Rubisco commercially, and demand is already outstripping supply.  Ross Milne CEO of Leaft Foods told Mike Hosking the accomplishment had taken six years of work and investment.  He says the company figured ou...

A criminal defence lawyer warns a new National policy is tackling a very vexed area of law.  The party is campaigning on removing the right to remain silent when a child under 12 is killed.   The party suggests this is an exceptional circumstance that justifies breaching the Bill of Rights Act.  Barrister John Munro told Mike Hosking there is likely a low number of cases where someo...

The ACT party is promising to commit an extra $400 million over four years to boost GP numbers and appointments, with 35% of GPs intending to retire within five years.  The party claims a $100 million annual boost could help increase patient numbers by at least 6%.  Doctor Angus Chambers Chair of GenPro told Mike Hosking the investment could provide more capacity in the system for appoin...

At least one person has been killed in an attack on oil facilities and data centres in Russia's St Petersburg.  It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Moscow has targeted his country's energy sector 76 times since Donald Trump declared an energy ceasefire last week.  Russia's defence ministry says it's shot down more than a thousand Ukrainian drones over the weeken...

Foodstuffs has reported that its comparable grocery basket prices are only up 1.6% in the year to September, compared to a higher national food inflation of 2.4%. The low grocery prices have come despite a difficult period of increased fuel prices, a weakened New Zealand dollar, and the annual inflation rate sitting at 4.1% Foodstuffs New Zealand managing director Chris Quinn told Mike Hosking tha...

From the White House, Katie Zacharia was a disaster.  This perhaps wouldn’t matter so much if the President wasn’t about to get caned in the midterms.  It might not matter so much if the job wasn’t so important. It might not matter so much if all the others had been as disastrous as Ms Zacharia.  "Zachbot" is what one outlet called her.  Outside of letting the world know the Gr...

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.    The campaign: 6/10  Was this the week that we got debated out? One too many or two too many? And can you believe there are at least two more still to come?    Gangs: 1/10  May turn out to be, if not a defining moment, certainly a moment some could...

Is it too far-fetched to ask two things:  1) Whether the campaign turned dramatically against Labour yesterday.  2) If within a 24-hour period, whatever chance they might have thought they had is now blown to smithereens.  The Greens want to fund gangs. They are unapologetic about hanging with gangs and they fail to accept the simple premise that this puts them so far outside what y...

The US President has backed down from plans to livestream the first US military execution in 65 years.  The execution of Nidal Hasan is still going ahead in December, but Donald Trump now says many well-meaning people would rather not watch him die.  The army psychiatrist killed 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009 and has been in a wheelchair since being shot during the incident.   ...

The week has come to an end, which means it's time for Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson to help Mike Hosking Wrap the Week that Was.   They discussed cancelled credit cards and wayward subscription services, and dug into the third week of the election campaign. Is the country over it already?  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 16th of October, Health Minister Simeon Brown responds to the reports of delays in cancer treatments at Starship Hospital.  We get the latest on our fuel prices from Z Energy , and Will Jordan tells us how the All Blacks plan to smash the Wallabies again.  Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson discuss the election campaign and whether the...

Standards over silverware is the messaging from All Blacks camp in Sydney this weekend.  Fullback Will Jordan says Tana Umaga has led the conversation of not letting their expectations slip despite already sealing away the Bledisloe Cup.  Jordan says they're heading into their second test against the Wallabies with the same determination.  He told Mike Hosking there isn't a cup on t...

There's proof the economy is in a slow recovery mode, even if it can't be felt.   Infometrics' latest economic forecast shows economic growth —recently measured at 1.7% per annum by Stats NZ— is expected to stay above 1.5% until mid-next year.  It's predicted to accelerate to 2.2% by the end of 2027.   Chief Forecaster Gareth Kiernan told Mike Hosking while there has been a level of...

An independent grocery chain says many of the polices they're seeing this election won't help third players.  Paddock to Pantry —which currently has two South Auckland stores and a website— has announced plans to open 20 more stores over the next five years.  Business Manager John Kennerley says plans to break up the supermarket duopoly won't actually help independents expand.  Inst...

Falling crude oil prices aren't translating to cheaper petrol at the pump.  Dubai crude has dropped from about $210 a barrel in September to $192 currently.  But MBIE data shows retail petrol prices have climbed from $3.15 to more than $3.50 at the same time.  Z Energy Chief Executive Lindis Jones told Mike Hosking the biggest change has been the cost of refining crude oil and shipp...

There's a cautiously optimistic outlook on the construction sector.  The EBOSS 2026 Builder and Architect Sentiment report —based on a survey of thousands of builders, architects, and designers— shows the sector pipeline is slowly filling.   Data finds there's around seven months forward work, with project starts jumping from -21 to +8.  Certified Builders Chief Executive Malcolm Fl...

The Health Minister says talk of treatment delays at Starship hospital has been blown out of proportion.  The Auckland children's hospital's confirmed about 20 chemotherapy cycles have been delayed by up to a week due to staffing shortages.  Simeon Brown says all positions have been recruited for and they'll soon be filled.  He told Mike Hosking these delays can happen even when the...