The Mike Hosking Breakfast

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 war: 6/10  A ceasefire is reason for hope and not a lot of that has been floating about the place recently.    The UK election petition: 4/10  Small clue, they already had one of those. It's called an election.    Capital Gains Tax:...

I am glad the Covid report has been released.  Why wouldn’t it be? It's ours, we lived it and are living through it.  It says a lot of stuff you thought it would say; compulsory mandates were one of the most controversial measures. No kidding.  The country was not prepared for border closures or MIQ. Really?  They run the line that we had fewer infections and therefore fewer de...

It’s becoming easier to order alcohol online, with fewer checks being conducted.  New research from Alcohol Healthwatch suggests 73% of orders are being delivered without ID being checked, and 49% were contactless deliveries.  In some instances, it’s arriving on doorsteps within 17 minutes.  CEO Andrew Galloway told Mike Hosking that the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 was devel...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 29th of November, we get an expert’s reaction to the full Covid-19 Phase 1 report.   We did the push-ups a couple of weeks ago - now we have the fitness margin for how many star jumps you should be able to do. How does Simeon Brown hold up?  Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson answer the "hypothetical" question of whether Mike is a snob...

The Australian senate's passed world-first laws preventing under 16s from using social media.   The ban will come into force at the end of next year, and social media companies will face fines if they fail to take reasonable steps to keep children off.   The ABC reports the late vote last night came as the government rammed through most of its legislative agenda on the final sitting day...

It’s the end of the week, and Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back with Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that was.  They chatted about star jumps, spending habits, and whether Mike is a snob for buying a $600 bottle of wine.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retailers are hoping for bumper Black Friday sales today.    Retail NZ says Black Friday and Boxing Day are the biggest shopping days of the year.  It comes at a time when retailers are struggling, with 70% not meeting their sales targets in the September quarter according to the Retail Trade Survey.   Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young says it would be good to see Black F...

The Police Minister says gangs are showing a high level of compliance with the new laws.   Police are expecting large numbers of Mongrel Mob Barbarians in Nelson over the weekend, and will be deploying officers from Tasman and Canterbury to check for breaches.   Yesterday, six people were arrested for allegedly breaching the patch ban at a Tauranga tangi.  Mark Mitchell told Mike Ho...

The Transport Minister says councils have other options to increase revenue, not just through higher fares.   NZTA's ordering councils take a higher revenue share and agree to new targets by December 19th.  Public transport authorities have requested an urgent meeting, saying the targets would see bus, train, and ferry prices surge.   But Simeon Brown told Mike Hosking it's a lazy a...

Workers earning over $180,000 will lose the right to raise unjustified dismissal claims under a new policy. Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden said the change allows more flexible dismissal processes for high-income employees. The policy aims to enhance labour market flexibility and will be introduced through the Employment Relations Amendment Bill next year. Workers making...

A business think tank is critical of the first part of New Zealand's Covid-19 review, believing it's not comprehensive enough.  Phase 1 of the pandemic response report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry brings 39 recommendations.  They include planning for quarantine measures, allowing movement of public sector capability during a pandemic, and assigning a minister to lead implementati...

I am more knowledgeable about the Pike River tragedy than Tony Gibson's Auckland Port court case.  But out of Pike River came the law that got Gibson, as former boss of the Port of Auckland, over the death of a worker.  He has been found guilty. He may appeal.  You would imagine if the verdict stands and a penalty is imposed, it would have a severe chilling effect in the world of CE...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 28th of November, we get reaction from the Reserve Bank and Steven Joyce after our last OCR cut of the year.  Phase 1 of the Covid inquiry is complete, and inquiry chair Professor Tony Blakely has some surprising comments about vaccine mandates and lockdowns.  Mike couldn't believe Mitch James was quitting music, so had to get...

The Black Caps are riding the increased wave of support from the public as they head into the opening test against England in Christchurch, starting this morning.  Day three on Saturday is sold out, while minimal tickets remain to today's opening day.  Black Caps all-rounder Rachin Ravindra told Mike Hosking the team's historic whitewash in India has helped the cause.  He says that...

Mitch James’ eleven year career is set to come to an end.  His beginnings were humble, busking on the streets of London and performances at open mic nights that lead to world tours and over a decade of music.   James’ final single ‘Beautiful Stranger’ came out last month and his final album is imminent, with only a few remaining bits of admin to complete before the album’s release. ...

The Reserve Bank remains concerned about domestic inflation as it points to more OCR cuts next year following the latest 50 basis point cut.  Inflation is now at 2.2%, with weak global demand pushing tradeable inflation down to -1.6%.  But non-tradeable inflation —things like insurance, rates, power and rents— remains at 4.9%.  Reserve Bank Assistant Governor Karen Silk told Mike Ho...

The outgoing head of the Covid inquiry has found vaccine mandates caused huge pain to a "substantial minority” during the pandemic.  Tony Blakely says the Government should look at whether their benefits outweighed the harm they caused.  Blakely will deliver the report from the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry to Internal Affairs Minister Brook van Velden today, but the Gov...

It’s a tale of two economies, for now.  The Reserve Bank is forecasting more OCR cuts next year, sooner than previously expected, after yesterday's 50-basis point cut to 4.25%.  But Governor Adrian Orr says growth remains weak globally.  Former Finance Minister Steven Joyce told Mike Hosking there are green shoots in the economy, but they're confined to specific sectors like commerc...

There’s been a change in approach in a bid to secure Smoke-Free 2025.  Minister-in-Charge, Casey Costello's unveiled a refreshed Health New Zealand action plan.  It includes no new funding or programmes, with the existing $24 million budget being reallocated to the frontline.   Costello told Mike Hosking the Government's tried to pare back the programme to practical applications and...

New polling shows Australians are losing hope in their Labour led government ahead of an election middle of next year. The Redbridge Poll found half of all voters think the country is headed in the wrong direction, with less than a third seeing it as on track. Australian Correspondent Steve Price says this is very bad news for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Price says voters are concerned about...

The US President-elect is pledging to hit Canada and Mexico with large taxes.  Donald Trump says of many first executive orders, one will be charging the neighbouring countries 25% goods tariffs. He says they'll continue until they clamp down on illegal border crossings of drugs and migrants.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the last time Trump played the tariff ga...

The Government's being accused of having no vision for the struggling health sector.  The Health Minister's announced $20 million dollars to hire 50 senior doctors, and $10 million for senior specialist nurses and allied health professionals.  The Nurses Organisation says the funding is only a 0.2% increase in investment for nurses.  Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Execu...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 27th of November, the Reserve Bank has their final OCR call today, so will we see relief from that cut?   Did you know it's illegal to serve any kind of drink when you are at the hairdressers? A bill has been added to the ballot to remove the law that is baffling hairdressers.   Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen talk about the...

Politicians from across the political spectrum are remembering former National MP Nikki Kaye. Kaye died aged 44 on Saturday after a cancer battle.   National's Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking she was an amazing lady.  He said that she was in the midst of her treatment when he was wanting to become a Minister, and she was sending him a full strategy on what he needed to do.  Kaye ser...

There are fears big Wellington City Council budget cuts don't go far enough.  The council yesterday voted in a mammoth meeting to make hundreds of millions of dollars of savings by slashing projects like cycleway spending, and demolishing Begonia House in the Botanic Gardens.  Councillor Tony Randle told Mike Hosking the projects Mayor Tory Whanau managed to save, like the Golden Mile re...