The Mike Hosking Breakfast

A record surge of first-home buyers hits the market as prices come down.   First-home buyers now account for 27% of the market share according to new data from CoreLogic.   The Wellington region has the strongest market share, with one third of the market taken up by first home buyers.   Independent economist Tony Alexander told Mike Hosking that conditions have been in their favour.   He says ave...

For the record, I am a fan of Air New Zealand.   Mainly because we own it, it's our national airline and, overall, it's been fantastically successful. If you're balanced there isn't a lot of reason to be as angry towards it as so many people are.   But on the same day the CEO came on this show to break the news they have engine troubles that will affect thousands over the next two years, he then a...

It’s an intense time in the US political arena.   A New York Times poll released this week has Donald Trump leading Biden in five crucial battleground states: Nevada, Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.   US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that Biden is in the midst of a whirlwind at the moment, with the economy being a key issue for voters.   However, he said, that there...

Politicians from both Labour and National want answers from an Electoral Commission review.   The commission has apologised after our newsroom revealed errors at three polling booths, incorrectly assigning hundreds of party votes.   A polling booth in Port Waikato wrongly assigned more than 500 votes to the Leighton Baker Party that were intended for National.   Labour MP Megan Woods told Mike Hos...

Consumers could benefit from a supermarket merger if Foodstuffs has to make other changes.   The supermarket giant is proposing to merge their North Island and South Island co-operatives into one national co-op.   Business consultant Ernie Newman told Mike Hosking that Foodstuffs could be asked to break up into separate wholesale and retail business units.   He says suppliers could have other aven...

Early childhood teachers from around 100 centres are striking this afternoon.   Teachers that fall under the Early Childhood Education Collective Agreement are taking part.   NZEI says negotiations have reached an impasse and the government's funding model isn't fit for purpose.   Union representative and Capital Kids cooperative childcare centre manager, Megan White, told Mike Hosking that they'r...

The Electoral Commission has apologised over errors in the vote count at three polling booths.   It's checking all results after admitting a data entry error caused hundreds of votes to be assigned to the wrong party.   At a booth in Port Waikato, more than 500 votes intended for National were wrongly assigned to the Leighton Baker Party.   Another booth in Port Waikato, and a polling station in I...

Labour leader Chris Hipkins says bringing wealth and capital gains taxes back on the table is about being up-front with New Zealanders.   After getting the vote of confidence to stay on as Opposition leader, Hipkins says the party needs to start again with a blank page, including on policies.   Hipkins told Mike Hosking that he always said his tax policy was for the next three years, but having lo...

Auckland's Mayor doesn't understand the decision to make infrastructure changes to accommodate more public transport on a popular city centre road.   Auckland Transport's decided to remove car parks on Karangahape Road and restrict the times on loading zones to allow room for a new bus service.   Businesses were given less than a week's notice.   Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown told Mike Hosking that h...

While we wait for a Government, Talbot Mills did a poll on the most divisive issues around the election.   The most divisive, and I am not even sure it played any sort of role in the vote, but the most divisive is males wanting to compete as females in sport.   60% oppose, only 14% are in favour and the rest are various versions of not sure.   In one of the more surprising findings, same sex marri...

New Zealand’s finest artists are coming together to celebrate the women who pioneered rock.   ATOMIC! Hailing the Pioneering Women of Rock harnesses the energy of kiwi musicians Boh Runga, Julia Deans, Dianne Swann, Gussie Larkin, and Jazmine Mary as they perform a catalogue of hits fronted by rock’s iconic female artists.   Julia Deans told Mike Hosking that the music is predominantly from the ea...

Britain's  Armistice Day tribute could be taken over by Pro-Palestinian rallies.   Huge rallies have been held in London every weekend for the last month, with upwards of 100,000 attending some of them.   UK Correspondent Enda Brady told Mike Hosking that senior Ministers have made it clear that they don’t think protests should be occurring this weekend.   He said there is potential for this too s...

New Zealand talent will be on display at this afternoon's Melbourne Cup race in Australia.   Twenty-four horses will compete at Flemington Track at five o'clock, in a contest known as the 'Race That Stops a Nation'.   The TAB is expecting New Zealanders to invest more than $12 million, for a chance to win big.   Australian Racing Media Personality, Glenn Munsie, told Mike Hosking that you can’t ca...

New revelations about a reported mugging of Ian Foster's wife and daughter in Paris, just days before the start of the Rugby World Cup.   1 News is reporting Leigh Foster and 24-year-old Football Fern Michaela Foster were accosted by a man with a knife near the All Blacks' hotel in early September.   All Blacks management subsequently warned people travelling in their contingent not to go out at n...

Air New Zealand is pausing two major routes and making changes to others as it works through engine issues with some planes.   The national carrier says it's having to adjust its schedule due to the grounding of 16 aircrafts undergoing mandatory engine maintenance by aerospace company Pratt & Whitney.   It will pause flights to Seoul and Hobart from April and is reducing flights on other route...

Parliamentary Service has confirmed MPs' Koru Club memberships are paid for by Air New Zealand.   It comes after unseated Labour MP Dan Rosewarne claimed his post-parliamentary life was made real when he saw the “red lights of doom” upon trying to swipe himself into the lounge and being rejected. Unlike most MPs’ perks, lounge access isn’t actually paid for by the taxpayer, instead it's gifted by...

Labour's caucus is meeting in Upper Hutt today to decide whether 'boy from the Hutt' Chris Hipkins will keep his hand on the tiller.   It's the team's first caucus meeting since the election saw Labour thrust out of office.   Political Commentator Josie Pagani told Mike Hosking that Hipkins has to set his image as a fighter in opposition.   She says he should move the party back to basics, with a...

A 20% drop in lamb prices has seen them at levels not seen for six years.   Lamb schedules have fallen in recent weeks, with some companies now offering $6.50 a kilo, down from $8.30 just two seasons ago.   The drop is being put down to lack of international demand, especially from China.   Farm consultant Gary Massicks told Mike Hosking that prices were expected to drop around February, but they'...

Here is the good news so far post the final vote.   By the way, I expect a recount for a couple of seats. If you win or lose by less than 100, I think it's only fair to test it.   But how much pressure does that place on the Electoral Commission to have done their job properly.   It's one thing to take three long weeks to count, but in a recount if the numbers aren't exactly the same, and my suspi...

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is currently in China and plans to meet with Premier Xi Jingping, making him the first Australian PM to meet Xi since Malcolm Turnbull. Meanwhile, some Australian banks have started to raise interest rates, with all eyes on the Reserve Bank of Australia to see if they follow. Australian correspondent Steve Price talked to Mike Hosking about it. LISTEN ABO...

A new report this morning outlines that an average Auckland house deposit could reach $1 million by 2045. Aera founder Derek Handley spoke with Mike Hosking about it.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour is buckling in for one thousand days of Winston.   Coalition talks are ongoing; however, the Act leader and Peters aren't actually talking to each other yet with Seymour being sent to voicemail.   Incoming prime minister Chris Luxon says he's speaking to the parties individually before getting all three in a room together.   He says things are progressing well.   Act Leader David Sey...

Health workers say engineered stone workshops need to do better to prevent a deadly disease, that can cause lung scarring.   A Ministry of Health check recommends more be done to prevent silicosis, which can happen when engineered stone dust is inhaled.   The ministry supports more ventilation systems, and masks, to stop this.   College of Physicians silicosis expert Alexandra Muthu told Mike Hosk...

Chris Luxon had a good idea the special votes would pan out the way they did saying coalition talks are progressing well.   There is still no timeline on when a government will be formed, although all three parties of National, Act and New Zealand First say they want it done quickly.   The National party leader says he would like to be able to make the APEC summit next week - however Peters and Se...

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently shuttling between various Middle East states hoping to push for a cease fire between Israel and Gaza. He has held talks with met Egyptian, Jordanian, Saudi, Qatari and Emirati diplomats and a senior Palestinian official. Meanwhile the largest Pro-Palestinian protest occurred over the weekend in Washington DC, with many protesters gathered outside t...