The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Authorities are investigating a death at the  Burning Man festival  in the Nevada desert as thousands of people remain trapped on site after heavy rains inundated the area and created thick, ankle-deep mud which sticks to campers’ shoes and vehicle tires.   Attendees were told to shelter in place in the Black Rock Desert and conserve food, water and fuel after a rainstorm swamped the area, forcing...

Andrew Saville and Guy Heveldt joined Mike Hosking to discuss the NZR review, the Warriors' loss to the Dolphins, Courtney Duncan's fourth world title and Liam Lawson's 11th-place finish in Monza. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even within the same schools, more than half of New Zealand teachers are agreeing students learn different things depending on who is teaching them.   A survey from The Education Hub is highlighting how the open nature of New Zealand curriculum is leaving both kids at different schools and the same school receiving very different educational experiences.   The Education Hub founder Dr Nina Hood jo...

Labour's Health spokesperson is labelling the party's latest dental policy "ambitious".   The party's promising to offer free basic dental care for under 30-year-olds by 2030 if it holds onto power.   The policy would cost $390 million and start in 2025.   Ayesha Verrall told Mike Hosking it would be a big step.   “It is a fundamental change in what we see the responsibility of the public health s...

The latest police data shows the likelihood of being charged for drug use and possession is now about 50-50.   That likelihood drops to 17 percent for first time offenders - down from 50 percent in 2016 and most of 2017.   If police catch you with cannabis, the chances of being charged are about 1 in 3 - but it's still high for meth - at about 3 in 4.   Former Detective Inspector Lance Burdett tol...

The election campaign is truly under way, as Labour and National kick off their appeals to voters while dealing with protests that are fast becoming a theme of this year’s race to form the next government.   Both of New Zealand’s major parties held their campaign launches in Auckland over the weekend, and the two leaders did their best to point out their opponent’s flaws and expose holes in each o...

An immigration lawyer says New Zealand has a major problem on its hands.   Over the weekend, Immigration Minister Andrew Little met with Nepalese and Indian community leaders, following revelations 188 employers are being investigated for migrant exploitation and breaching visa rules.   It's alleged migrant workers are paying thousands for non-existent visas and jobs.   Aaron Martin told Mike Hosk...

It was a weird old week of rugby in Europe over the weekend.   The All Blacks were smashed, England beaten by Fiji, Scotland were losing 6-0 to Georgia at halftime and Ireland snuck past Samoa.   In the All Blacks game alone there were penalties galore and questionable calls which inevitably led to cards.    So it isn't just the players under the pump but also the referees - and no one knows more...

The problem with infrastructure is that it's boring.   It's also years away and, given all that has unfolded in this country of late, half of us don’t believe it will ever happen anyway.   Nevertheless, it's important. When you get a few reports into the sector, they never get the noise they really deserve.   There has been a report into the CRL, the City Rail Link that is a fortune over budget an...

Intermediate aged kids from all over the Pacific are set to compete in this year's AIMS Games. Around 20,000 visitors are expected to flood into Tauranga over the next week for the 20th anniversary of the Year seven and eight sporting competition.       Athletes from almost 400 schools across New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, and the Cook Islands will compete in 25 different codes.   Tournament Director,...

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 Warriors: 7/10  Just can't stop winning. Big changes this week but does that stop it being eight in a row? I don’t think so. Because this is our year.       The All Blacks: 3/10  Inexplicable. But that’s the real issue, when you can be that good and then that bad.      ...

Donald Trump may not have been in the Georgian state courts, but his plea was.   The former US President has pleaded not guilty to counts of racketeering and conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the state.     US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking the plea was made through his lawyers.   He says as it was submitted in writing, under Georgian law he wasn't required...

A former Speaker of the House says Adrian Rurawhe has done a good job this term, but politics is ever-changing.   Sir Lockwood Smith, who served as Speaker from 2008 to 2013, is looking back at the 53rd Parliament.   The House adjourned last night after scrappy debates and political hits from all sides of the House.   Smith told Mike Hosking he reckons the MMP voting system is to blame for the pol...

The scheme allowing pharmacists to treat minor ailments like fevers, scabies and lice for free and without a prescription could be rolled out nationwide.   It's currently in selected regions to try relieve pressure on hospitals.   Health Minister Ayesha Verrall says she's waiting on a review before officially deciding, but the scheme has shown promise.   Rotorua currently isn't included in the sch...

Questions over whether Air New Zealand will match its competitor and remove the expiration on Covid flight credits.   Qantas is ditching the expiration dates for more than $500 million worth of travel credits that were due to run out at the end of the year.   Consumer NZ CEO, Jon Duffy, told Mike Hosking now that Air New Zealand's in the green again, there's no reason it couldn't offer something s...

Some could take a glass half full view of ANZ's latest business confidence survey.   It shows a nine point lift in August, to -4.   Inflationary expectations are also down.   ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner told Mike Hosking everything has gone up - most notably the jump in construction intentions in the residential sector.   LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Supermarkets could cop multi-million dollar fines for unfair treatment of smaller, local suppliers.   The Government's new grocery code of conduct has been released requiring chains to pay suppliers in a short time span, and engage in good faith.   The new rules will initially apply to Woolworths and Foodstuffs - coming into force on September 28.   Consumer Affairs Minister Dr Duncan Webb told Mi...

The Bluff oyster season ends today.   But thanks to dry weather conditions quality hasn't been quite as good this year - one operator says it's the worst he's ever seen.   Graeme Wright, the General Manager of Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters, joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Findings from an independent review into the sport's constitution and governance are set to be released today.   A four-person panel has been tasked with determining if the organisation remains fit for purpose.   The Players' Association instigated the review after NZR's deal with Silver Lake.   NZRPA boss Rob Nichol told Mike Hosking he welcomes the feedback, irrespective of outcome.   LISTEN ABO...

What makes the National Party's tax plan a winner is severalfold.   1) It's substantive. It's not pocket change. For many it is a material boost to their income.   2) It starts from day one, so what you get arrives immediately, not after years.   3) The taxes aren't the sort of thing that will scare people. If an immigrant or investor pays more to enter the country, who will complain about that?  ...

Te Whatu Ora is undeterred by revelations their contractors may not have been earning their keep.   New documents show significant deficiencies in the agency's hiring processes, also revealing they had more than 1,000 highly paid contractors as of December last year.   That number has dropped to just over 600 following the audit.   Te Whatu Ora's Chief People Officer Andrew Slater told Mike Hoskin...

National says independent legal advice tells them a tax on foreigners buying houses will work.   The party's unveiled its $14.6 billion tax policy, which includes shifting income brackets and expanding tax credits.   It would pay for it, in part, by ending the ban on foreign buyers - for homes worth more than $2 million and taxing them 15 percent.   National finance spokesperson Nicola Willis told...

Grant Robertson believes Chris Luxon is confused about his own tax plan.   National's policy would lift income tax brackets to compensate for inflation and expand tax credits.    It promises to pay for the plan with about $8.4 billion worth of cuts and $6.2 billion of revenue increases, including taxing foreign buyers, which it thinks will bring in about $700 million.   Finance Minister Grant Robe...

Once again, we have an interesting insight into polling.     Yesterday we told you about the poll results from TOP and their numbers in Ilam.     Ilam is a blue seat in Christchurch. It was held for years by Gerry Brownlee until the Covid upheaval three years ago when Sarah Pallett, who never thought in a million years she would win it, won it.     Raf Manji, who is TOP's leader, did what Gareth M...

MPs Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell joined the Mike Hosking Breakfast to wrap the week's political news. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.