The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Tauranga's Mayor is pledging to ensure any warnings sent to the council around risk to life are escalated.  A council commissioned review into the deadly January Mount Maunganui landslide has found the six deaths were preventable, given the decades of warnings.   Mayor Mahé   Drysdale told Mike Hosking his council will look at making sure these kinds of reports are actioned.  H...

The Associate Environment Minister says they've cut out the 'waffle' in Freshwater Farm Planning.   An amendment paper to the Natural Environment Bill will ensure that certification will only be required on parts of farms where higher environmental risk activity occurs.  It also does away with some mapping requirements, and re-certification will be required every six years instead of fiv...

I couldn’t understand it at the time, but you may remember four years ago then-Prime Minister Ardern did a deal with Anthony Albanese over our access to Australian citizenship and welfare.  Essentially, they gave us a bunch of stuff we previously hadn't had.  We get to wander in any way and time we like, a deal no other country offers, but access to welfare and citizenship was always tri...

Another sign of New Zealand’s growing demographic problem.  Stats show our natural population growth has fallen to 18,700 for the year to June – the lowest rate since World War II.  Births are at their lowest since 2003, and the number of 25 to 34 year olds is down 1.7% – adding to our productivity woes.  Infometrics’ Lead Demographer Nick Brunsdon told Mike Hosking the supply of yo...

A Labour frontbencher says a Labour government will not introduce any new taxes, except for a capital gains tax, if it wins the election.  Leader Chris Hipkins on Monday ruled out other taxes, such as a streaming tax or tax on high-emissions vehicles.  The party's Jobs and Incomes spokesperson Ginny Andersen told Mike Hosking this will be an absolute bottom line in any post-election nego...

Christchurch Airport's reaching new heights and says there's still plenty of room to climb.  This summer will be the airport's biggest yet, with more than 1.27 million international seats available between November and March – up 21% on last year.  China Southern Airlines is boosting capacity by 57%.  General Manager of Aeronautical Development Gordon Bevan told Mike Hosking there's...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 19th of August, the Government is funding the conversion of more open-plan classrooms , and a report has revealed we’re at risk of falling behind when it comes to modernising banking payments .   Infometrics’ Nic Brunsdon discusses the future of the country with natural population growth is at its lowest since WWII.  Mark Mitc...

New Zealand's being labelled as stuck in the 90's when it comes to bank payments.  A Reserve Bank report has found our system is reliable for many users but is falling behind global standards.   It says consumers could benefit from new smartphone payment methods including instant payments, request to pay, and QR codes.  Banking Reform Coalition Convenor Kent Duston told Mike Hosking...

The Government's spending another $31 million to install walls in more than 600 classrooms, across almost 90 schools.  Students at one secondary school can face up to 50 disruptions in less than half an hour in the open-plan rooms.  Principal of Avonside Girls' High in Christchurch, Catherine Law told Mike Hosking none of her teachers supports the barn-style classrooms, despite them bein...

An endometriosis advocacy group is praising New Zealand's commitment to finally easing the diagnosis burden.   The Government's launching new criteria mid-next year, supporting GPs to make the diagnosis and treat it immediately.  At the moment, women are waiting a decade to be diagnosed.   World Endometriosis Society Senior Ambassador Deborah Bush told Mike Hosking advocates have be...

A clear message from the Justice Minister – if you don't pay your court fines, you could be walking home.  Every bailiff in the country is out today scanning parked cars' number plates as part of a wider programme clamping down on people overdue on fines and reparations.  Between July last year and last Friday, more than 400 vehicles have been seized and nearly 700 cars have been clamped...

I have been surprised, and not surprised, by two aspects of the Opportunity Party.  1) I'm not surprised by the media's fascination,  2) I am surprised at the amount of angst shown by people increasingly alarmed at the prospect they may be heading for Parliament and some sort of influence.  The media, and especially digital media, sadly require these days astonishing amounts of cont...

Former Shihad frontman Jon Toogood is on a different sort of tour than he’s used to.  He’s written a book, ‘Home Again’, that explores his 37 year career with a band that helped define New Zealand rock music.  It’s filled with personal stories both from Toogood’s childhood and the years Shihad spent on the road – touring and performing around the world.  While he’s not necessarily o...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 18th of August, Stats NZ data shows our inflation is continuing to cool, and there’s finally some good news for the Port of Tauranga .  Transport Minister Chris Bishop has announced yet another report on a second Auckland Harbour crossing.  Former Shihad frontman Jon Toogood is back on the show to chat about his new book about h...

Retailers are optimistic a bump in spending will stick around.   Latest Stats NZ data on electronic card transactions shows July's core retail spending is up 3.5% compared to the same time last year.   Retail NZ says it's an encouraging sign considering the winter months are typically slower for the sector.   Communications Manager Denise Garland told Mike Hosking the FIFA World Cup...

There’s confidence a proposed shake-up of our aged care system will fix the gaps.  A Ministerial Advisory Group's made 40 recommendations, including more in-home care, a workforce strategy, and a national pathway for people needing support.  It warns that without action the cost of care will almost double within a decade, and some areas could run out of beds.  Associate Health Minis...

The Transport Minister's defending the more than $100 million already spent exploring a second Waitemata Harbour crossing.  Cabinet's agreed to a new Crown-led case into the pros and cons of a bridge or tunnel, and will also investigate a Meola Reef crossing option.  The Government's not ruling out tolls, or potential co-investment from Auckland Council.  Chris Bishop told Mike Hosk...

Key extensions to Tauranga's wharf have been given the green light after a seven-year battle.  A fast-track expert panel's issued a draft decision proposing to grant all approvals sought by Port of Tauranga.  The development involves extending the Sulphur Point container berth by 385 metres and the Mount Maunganui wharves by 315 metres.  Port Chief Executive Leonard Sampson told Mik...

While further OCR hikes are probably on the way, inflation now appears to have turned a corner.  Latest Stats NZ data shows diesel inflation's fallen to 34.8% and petrol inflation's fallen to 15.1%, with prices for both dropping for three consecutive months.  Electricity inflation's back down to 9.5% and food inflation's now just 1.9%.  ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Mike Hosk...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 17th of August, Act proposes to only hire people in the public sector on merit instead of race or gender and we celebrate updated tourism numbers and NZ Fashion Week. The Prime Minister joins the show for the first time since the attempted coup - and talks about whether there is more reform coming for the public sector. Andrew Saville...

This should be it for coup gate questioning of the Prime Minister.   Bruce Cotterill's piece over the weekend in the NZ Herald I hope, and more importantly actually I think, represents a growing feeling in this country among middle New Zealand that the superficiality of what the media obsess in is not really what counts. And what counts is the record and, as Bruce very clearly lays out, the r...

New Zealand Fashion Week is about to get underway in Auckland.  The event, which starts today, is a week of catwalks, displays and style hosted on Auckland's waterfront.  The owner of the event Feroz Ali told Mike Hosking that he hopes people will still be spending at the event despite the Cost of Living crisis.  'The ability for people to go and consume and buy stuff, becomes a lit...

Andrew Saville and Jason Pine join Mike Hosking to review the Weekend's sport.  On the table today: The Warriors are continuing to perform well, but star player Luke Metcalf has picked up an injury.  The All Blacks are marching on in South Africa.  And the NFL season is getting underway, and Mike's bought a pass to watch every game.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Chris Luxon insists Chris Bishop and Erica Stanford played no part in the leadership challenge against him. MP Chris Penk was removed from Cabinet and has announced his retirement from politics, after leading an unsuccessful coup against Luxon. Both Bishop and Stanford have denied any involvement in the leadership challenge, or any interest in taking Luxon's job. Luxon says both Bishop and Stanfor...

A think tank leader believes the Act Party is asking a fair question of the public service. It's promising a reset in government agencies, ending what it calls “race-based hiring” if re-elected. The policy includes removing “good employer” requirements while also prohibiting agencies from resourcing any cultural or spiritual practices in the workplace. New Zealand Initiative executive director Oli...