The Mike Hosking Breakfast

There's a view financial pressure is behind our dwindling alcohol consumption.   Latest figures from Stats NZ show that for the year to June, total alcohol consumption per capita fell to a record 6.98 litres of pure alcohol – among the lowest in the OECD.   Beer accounts for about 60% of the booze consumed, with wine and spirits making up around 20% each.  Brewers Association Execut...

The Reserve Bank looks set to turn the screws on interest rates again today.  Most economists expect the OCR to rise from 2.5% when the decision is announced at 2pm.  One or two further hikes are forecast before Christmas.  BNZ Chief Economist Mike Jones told Mike Hosking he expects the Monetary Policy Committee to reach a consensus on the increase, but it’s possible not everyone wi...

The prediction we made some weeks back over fast-track housing is starting to come true.  Fast-track in and of itself is working. The Tauranga Port has the green light after literally years of regulatory BS that had it tied up in court, going nowhere.  If you put RMA v fast-track, then fast-track wins hands down and our country will be better for it.  But housing is becoming politic...

After dropping off the face of the Earth for a few years, Miller Yule is back with more music.  He's been on and off in the music scene for about a decade, but stepped back from the spotlight after the release of his 2022 debut album 'Let It Burn'.  Now inspiration has struck again, with Yule set to release his second album, 'Surrender', later this month.   "After the album, I just...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 1st of September, as expected, the Government has made the call to delay increasing fuel taxes by a year. Finance Minister Nicola Willis defended the decision.  Our Privacy Commissioner wants to review the law as the rising use of smart glasses spark concerns.  Kiwi musician Miller Yule is back with new music after three years,...

Michael Hill's new strategy appears to be paying off.  The jewellery chain's reporting a 376% increase in annual statutory net profit from its global business.  New Zealand retail revenue is up 3.1%, bringing it to $112.4 million.  Michael Hill International CEO Jonathan Waecker told Mike Hosking that since times are tough, Kiwis are being more considerate with their money.  He...

ACT's proposal to shake up permanent residency rules has been labelled as a 'big fail' by an immigration lawyer.  The party wants make changes to the existing resident visa, increasing the window when holders can start moving freely in and out of the country from two years to five.  To retain their visa, the holder would need to be physically present for at least 730 days within any roll...

The Privacy Commissioner's setting clear expectations around the use of smart glasses.   The AI tech, including Meta's Ray-Ban and Oakley ranges, can record video, audio, and capture location data in real time.   Michael Webster says we need to look at our legal framework to strike the right balance between its benefits and the harmful consequences.    He told Mike Hosking they...

Labour says there's no excuse for keeping the nursing hiring freeze in place.  It's promising to give every graduate nurse a job offer once they pass their exams.  The policy would cost $525 million over four years, using currently unallocated funding increases set aside in each Budget to cover health system cost pressures.  Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall told Mike Hosking it in...

The Finance Minister's defending the decision to delay fuel tax and road user charges, saying it won't add to the country's debt.  The excise was due to rise 12-cents a litre in January, but has been pushed back a year and cut to five cents.  The Government now needs to put an extra $1.4 billion into the Land Transport Fund.  Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking it's not the right time t...

Australia correspondent Steve Price joins Mike Hosking to chat the latest news out of our much larger neighbour.  One Nation continues to dominate polls following their victory in a Secret Harbour byelection in Western Australia, rates of car thefts sky rocket, and the pothole problem. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 31st of August, National want to cut student loan repayments and make those overseas pay more, plus the debt in this country is getting closer to the $1 trillion mark. The PM is in the studio talking fuel excise, the social media bill and a new challenger to him in Botany! Andrew Saville and Jason Pine dissect game two of the All Black...

New Zealand's debt levels are closing in on $1 trillion, almost doubling in the last ten years.  Economist Cameron Bagrie told Mike Hosking that while our debt issues need to be solved, on a global level we aren't out of the norm.  "The government books are a lot healthier than what we're seeing in an awful lot of other countries around the globe, but we're, we're a shaky island, so we g...

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Mike Hosking in studio for their weekly chat, covering fuel excise tax and concerns from students over student loan changes.  “Frankly, it’s just not right that we have a heavily subsidised tertiary education system, you take the benefit of that, you go off and decide you’re going to give your effort to another economy and then you’re not going to pay y...

The All Blacks faced their first loss of the South Africa tour on Sunday as the Springboks held them off to win 33 - 26.  But, Newstalk ZB lead rugby commentator Elliott Smith isn't concerned.  "I think this is what we expected out of the series, Mike, a ding dong battle, and that's exactly what we've got," he told Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

To the Reserve Bank, the cash rate and the state of NZ Inc. It's assumed by most that the cash rate will be increased 25 points to 2.75%. It's also assumed there will be another one by the end of the year. What happens after that has a “who knows” feel about it. What I feel, to a degree, is a groundhog-ish sort of vibe. We have been here before. We were here before the war. The momentum was buildi...

The arrival of cruise ship Crown Princess in Auckland has marked the start of the 2026/27 cruise season.  Louise Upston says 200,000 cruise passengers are expected to visit New Zealand between now and the end of June and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited expects the cruise sector to contribute more than $200 million to the local economy this season. But, NZ Cruise Association CEO Jacqui Lloyd told Mi...

In this episode of the 100 Years of ZB Podcast, Mike Hosking takes you how Newstalk ZB brought you all the action and emotions from our sporting heroes.  It covers the iconic moments from rugby, cricket, the Olympics, rugby league, football, motorsport, netball and many others.  Mike takes you through how ZB covered the sporting moments that stopped a nation - like the 2011 Rugby World C...

In the end, was this a “to do” about nothing?  The social media ban for under 16s is a global bandwagon that we were already late to.  And by the time it arrived on Monday, it turns out the party that wrote it didn't have the numbers.  Of a three-party Government, two parties wouldn’t back it and so they went to the major party on the other side of the House.  They had 79 quest...

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.    Social media: 3/10   Between National and their lack of numbers and Meta and the Attorney Generals folding, it was tech – 1 vs the rest of us – 0.    NZ wine: 7/10   Wasn’t that an uplifting story? Australian wine is tanking at a time when our sal...

Doesn’t it feel like the last netballer out can turn out the lights?  By my count, 13 of our best are off.  Eight to Australia, four to the UK, and it could be 16 by the time it's all over.  Like Super Rugby, hockey, and cricket, netball is not, it seems, commercially viable in a national organisation type of way.  TV rights are an issue, and they are an issue because the inesc...

A major Super Rugby shake up is looming.  New Zealand and Australian officials are discussing letting players cross the Tasman without losing test eligibility.  It comes after revelations only two Kiwi franchises have been profitable without NZ Rugby support since 2019, and the NRL landing a $5.3 billion TV deal.   Bruce Sharrock, Senior Rugby and NRL Agent from 'The Team', told Mik...

The All Blacks are motivated to claim another win over the Springboks.  The second test of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry is kicking off this weekend, and the Kiwi side will be aiming to back up last weekend's 33-16 victory.  Will Jordan has been named on the right wing for the clash, and told Mike Hosking in professional sport, the mental side of things is a bigger fish to fry.   He says...

Another week has reached its end, which means Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back with Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that was. They shared their favourite memories and paid tribute to the late Dolly Parton and discussed the week Mike and Kate have been having with Kate under the weather. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 28th of August, Finance Minister Nicola Willis discusses fuel taxes and Labour's promise to freeze them for a full term.   Will Jordan joins us out of South Africa to preview the All Blacks' second test.  Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson remember Dolly Parton and discuss Kate's illness and Mike's week spent looking after her as they...