The Mike Hosking Breakfast

A group of businesses and organisations wants the Government to step in to stop postage price rises. From next month, New Zealand Post is hiking prices for bulk mail customers by 30 percent, a total increase of 100 percent in the last five years. Thirteen groups signed a letter to the Government including Grey Power, the Magazine Publishers Association and the Rural Advocacy Network. Spokesperson...

A big question for Chris Hipkins over whether to remove Michael Wood from cabinet. Wood remains stood down as Transport Minister after it was revealed he was told to sell his Auckland Airport shares no fewer than 12 separate times. The opposition is calling for Wood to resign or be fired, but Wood says he has no plans to go. Former Cabinet Minister Peter Dunne, who was himself forced to resign fro...

Chris Hipkins did to Michael Wood the least he could, without doing nothing. At least he did something, which is an improvement on Jacinda Ardern. Ardern never understood that doing nothing wasn’t actually leading. It applied to policy and discipline. It took astonishing amounts of poor behaviour, if not downright law breaking, for you to ever incur the wrath of a woman who hated controversy. At l...

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

The International Air Transport Association are warning that the sweet spot of passengers blindly accepting high air fares may be coming to an end. Demand was through the roof post-Covid but with inflationary pressures persistent, they could be dampening the overall appetite for travel. Executive director at BARNZ Cath O'Brien joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...

Grocers are calling for solutions after recording an almost 40 percent increase in North Island retail crime. Data collected from New World, PAK'nSAVE and Four Square stores have found an average of 37 incidents of retail crime a day between February and April this year. Foodstuffs North Island chief executive Chris Quin told Mike Hosking local grocers have never seen retail crime at these levels....

The PGA Tour ended its expensive fight with Saudi Arabia’s golf venture and now is joining forces with it, making a stunning announcement of a merger that creates a commercial operation with the Public Investment Fund and the European tour. As part of the deal, the sides immediately are dropping all lawsuits involving LIV Golf. From the golf side, still to be determined is how players like Brooks...

A claim New Zealand needs a more consistent approach to flood risk management. Researchers have found that there are different standards of risk in different communities. Waikato University Professor Iain White says there are also conflicting priorities such as building more houses and managing natural hazards. He told Mike Hosking different standards lead to confusion. White says when areas have...

A claim Chris Hipkins is starting to be known for decisive action on ministers behaving badly. Michael Wood has been stood down from his Transport portfolio after failing to properly declare Auckland Airport shares. He was asked to sell the shares six times. Former Labour Party senior staffer Clint Smith says Wood should be able to stay on top of his paper work. He told Mike Hosking Hipkins has be...

An Auckland headmaster says the Government's new vaping regulations aren't good enough. New rules include banning new vape stores near schools and marae, disposable vapes and flavour-names that appeal to children. Auckland Grammar Headmaster Tim O'Connor told Mike Hosking students will still mange to get their hands on products. He says there are five vaping stores near his school alone. LISTEN AB...

Welcome to the shortened week, with a good, old electoral slap in the face. If the Government were aiming for major change to the way we elect Governments they have got it, which is how these things work, of course. You set up a panel of people, who you have an idea as to how things will fall. You then get them to recommend a whole bunch of mad ideas, have some public consultation, which isn't rea...

Chris Hipkins will have some questions for Michael Wood over revelations he hadn't declared his shares in Auckland Airport. The Transport Minister didn't immediately declare the shares as soon as he became an MP, or as soon as he took up the transport portfolio, mistakenly believing they were held in a trust which he had declared. Wood then publicly declared them in January last year, after learni...

A new study into Kiwis' meat-eating habits shows 9 in 10 of us are still meat eaters. New Zealanders seem to gravitate towards chicken over red meat, with chicken accounting for about a third of meals within an average week, compared with beef at 22 per cent - and taste and price are the top factors in purchasing decisions. AG Research senior scientist Cameron Craigie joined Mike Hosking to discus...

The Education Ministry has been warned about the prevalence of content from influencer Andrew Tate in schools. Documents show officials are looking into how to tackle the issue. Educators Newstalk ZB has spoken to have raised concerns with one saying there are 'fan clubs' where boys gather at lunch to watch his videos. Secondary Principals Association President Vaughan Couillault told Mike Hosking...

Getting public support will be key for any changes to our voting system. The Independent Electoral Review Panel has recommended a variety of changes to how our elections work. It includes changes to donations and lowering the party threshold from 5 percent to 3.5 percent. The panel would also like to see voting rights extended to 16 year olds and prisoners. Chair Deborah Hart told Mike Hosking the...

Senior minister Michael Wood could face harsh legal backlash for not declaring he owned shares in Auckland Airport. The Minister who holds the transport, immigration, and Auckland portfolios is in the process of selling the $13,000 worth of shares he's owned since his teens. He declared ownership in January last year, having believed they'd been owned inside a trust. Otago University Associate Law...

Was it a hollow victory? Indeed, was it a victory at all? The Government made much yesterday of the latest police graduation. The Prime Minister was there and the Prime Minister isn't normally there. But when there's an election to be fought and some headlines to be gained Chris Hipkins couldn’t miss it. The 1,800 new police have become famous. Or infamous. Was it 1,800 new recruits? Was it a net...

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.   Ron DeSantis: 6/10 He's “in” officially, but what difference will it, and has it, made?   Wayne Brown: 7/10 It ain't like he isn't trying and it ain't like he hasn’t got a plan.   Air New Zealand: 8/10 Airline of the year. Of course, it's subjective, but it’s a world away from...

Outdoor education programme Outward Bound are looking to expand into the North Island. They have narrowed their search down to the Coromandel Peninsula, where they want land no less than 3 hectares, easy walking into the bush, and access to sheltered seas, this will allow them to open the options for a range of activities to keep kids active. Outward Bound acting CEO Simon Graney joined Mike Hoski...

Calls have come for support in Southland as the future of the Tiwai smelter remains unknown amid large profits. The smelter faces closure next year if its parent company, Rio Tinto, isn't able to strike a deal with power companies. Southland Chamber of Commerce President Neil McAra told Mike Hosking the region and the smelter need each other. Rio Tinto reported an underlying profit from the smelte...

High demand for workers is giving  more power to some at the negotiating table. A Frog Recruitment survey shows 79 per cent of managers have made more counter-offers to resigning workers in the 12 months to March, than previous years. Higher salaries are the main demand, with 45 per cent of workers saying a pay boost would stop them leaving. Managing Director, Shannon Barlow says counteroffers are...

Calls for the public to get involved in the consultation on plans to tighten up rules for the media. Internal Affairs have released a discussion document that proposes regulations similar to the Broadcasting Act for all forms of media including social media and online platforms. It also includes developing new codes of practice and a new regulator to watch over them. Internet NZ Chief Executive Vi...

The categorisation of cyclone affected properties could continue to shift, as the finer details are ironed out. The Government will help fund council buy-outs for about 700 category three homes where future severe weather risks can't be mitigated sufficiently.  Associate Finance Minister Michael Wood told Mike Hosking the plan's $1 billion total is an evidence based indication, and could change. H...

Another day, another strike. Yes, it's the teachers again. In an industry crippled by lack of performance, they have divided yet another day of not turning up at work is somehow going to help kids get ahead in the world. Our email came through yesterday morning saying that the strike that was on, was put off, until it was put back on again after the latest pay offer was rejected. Say whatever you...

Ryan fox is having a "dream come true" season. In the last month and a half he's played two majors, The Masters and the the PGA Championship, earning Top 30 in both and over $500,000 for those two tournaments. But the icing on the cake was what happened after the PGA Championship, where he was awarded special temporary status for the PGA Tour, essentially meaning he has a PGA card for the rest of...