The Mike Hosking Breakfast

A kiwi in the coal mine. That's what the Financial Times is calling New Zealand's housing market in a video that warns other countries to take heed of our market's fast rises and quick falls. Infometrics Principal Economist, Brad Olsen, says our income to housing affordability ratio is far worse than other countries. He told Mike Hosking while our housing market might provide an indication as to h...

Organisations representing the construction sector are standing together to address the industry's health and safety crisis. They want a renewed focus, as WorkSafe reveals at least two workers have died in construction every month since the start of last year. A further one person is seriously injured every day. Construction Health and Safety Council Chief Executive Chris Alderson says told Mike H...

Fears confusion with our Covid restrictions could be turning off international tourists. The Tourism Export Council says around 20 percent of US travellers planning to visit are now looking elsewhere for their summer stay. As a result, the local tourism sector could lose millions, with Australia picking up the cancellations. Council Chief Executive Lynda Keene told Mike Hosking many cite the traff...

Questions over whether employers would be willing to hire 13 to 15 year olds. The Australian Retailers Association is floating an idea to address ongoing staff shortages in hospitality and retail by bringing in teenagers. However, there is no minimum wage for under 16s and leaving under 14s alone being illegal. AUT human resources expert Jarrod Haar says convincing employers is possible, but it wo...

It looks as though the Ukraine war is going to drag on and on. The fighting has intensified in the east of the country and the fears are growing over attacks on nuclear power plants. The Mike Hosking Breakfast has previously spoken to former Australian Major General Mick Ryan for his thoughts on the war. Ryan is back to share his analysis. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

There have been some big movements amongst New Zealand Cricket. First Trent Boult and now Colin de Grandhomme has called time on his international career. De Grandhomme will instead move to the more lucrative Big Bash league in Australia after somewhat surprisingly being picked in their draft. Many are suggesting this may be the future of the sport, with players choosing money over their country....

As far as U-turns go, this is a spectacular one. On Tuesday, the Government announce GST on KiwiSaver fees, Wednesday afternoon they're gone, so less than 24 hours. They were gone before they even arrived. What it tells us, apart from the fact it's good news and we can take that money and actually save it, as opposed to giving it to the Government, is that the Labour Party has literally no idea wh...

Chris Luxon says KiwiSaver is about making sure people are set up for their retirement and we shouldn't be messing around with it. The Government has u-turned on plans to impose GST on KiwiSaver fees, less than 24 hours after the proposal emerged. He told Mike Hosking he's seen the power of having a good KiwiSaver-type operation in other countries, giving them a good backbone for investing in the...

A suggestion has come that having 13 to 15 year olds help address staff shortages is actually a good idea. The Australian Retailers Association is floating the idea to address staff shortages in retail and hospitality. New Zealand's in a similar situation, with no employment age limit here. AUT human resources expert Jarrod Haar told Mike Hosking there are lots of good things that teens can learn...

A rise in the number of people not clearing their debts. The latest data from Centrix shows consumer arrears increasing 13 percent year-on-year in July, while vehicle arrears rose for the fourth consecutive month. Centrix Managing Director Keith McLaughlin told Mike Hosking it's a trend they were expecting. He says they expected the discretionary arrears to rise first, and then go into secured len...

Warriors boss Cameron George has fired a shot at the NRL's top table for not forcing more matches to be played on New Zealand soil next season. The Warriors will host nine home games at Mount Smart in 2023, with two games going to the regions. Some Australian clubs had expressed a willingness to take a match across the Tasman after the Warriors spent three years away from home, but none have yet f...

No sympathy for big corporates opposing a Government bill limiting the number of tobacco retailers. Foodstuffs and Z Energy are lobbying against the proposal, which could see a 95 per cent reduction of around 8,000 retailers. But Cancer Society New Zealand says maintaining thousands of tobacco retailers will hinder the country's Smokefree 2025 aim. Chief Executive Lucy Elwood told Mike Hosking wid...

Associate Finance Minister Megan Woods says the current situation in law when it comes to GST on KiwiSaver fees, is a mess. The Government is planning to impose it across the board, which will give it an extra $225 million a year. Woods told Mike Hosking some of the smaller funds are paying GST, while some of the larger funds are currently exempt. She says this is about fixing an anomaly that has...

After years of focusing on infant nutrition and our kids development, Fonterra are expanding into brain performance for adults and cognitive health. The dairy giants have created drink and capsule products that apparently support caffeine free alertness, stress and combat blue light from extra screentime. Fonterra's Biokodelab founder Carl MacInnes told Mike Hosking “The blue light coming off our...

Businesses say Government efforts to prevent ramraids fall short. It comes after one of the country's top cops revealed there's been more than a thousand ramraids since 2017. Police are attempting to make a difference by supplying businesses with fog cannons, shatterproof glass and bollards while training officers to better protect them. But Dairy and Business Owners' Group chairman Sunny Kaushal...

Trade Me's new owner is hiking its success fees across a number of categories from tomorrow. Consumers will be hit with a three per cent increase on items such as motor parts, wholesale lots and electronics. Financial commentator Amanda Morrall says it was well signalled when Trade Me was sold there would be incremental fee increases - and it makes sense. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener f...

Once again, I find myself a bit confounded by a government that seems, at heart, basically dishonest. Can they argue the GST treatment on KiwiSaver fees is not a new tax, given they said there would be no new taxes? Yes they can, because GST is not a new tax. But are you paying more tax because of the Government's move on KiwiSaver fees? Yes you are. So has the tax take gone up because you are pay...

The journalist who broke the news of Princess Diana's death has reflected on her lasting public impact. Today marks 25 years since she was killed in that Paris car crash at the age of 36. The Press Association broke the news of her death, 17 minutes before the official announcement was made. Former executive editor Mike Parry told Mike Hosking it was the biggest story of his career and lifetime. H...

By Rowan Quinn of  RNZ More than 1300 midwives are taking the Ministry of Health to court, saying they are fed up with broken promises to pay and support them properly. The class action is being led by the College of Midwives and is expected to be filed in the High Court today. It was on behalf of Lead Maternity Carers, the self-employed midwives who work in the community, providing pregnancy, bir...

The Government's plan to impose GST on KiwiSaver fees is being labelled by some as a tax grab. The move, which would kick in from April 2026, will give the Government an extra $225 million a year. Modelling suggests it will raise fees and mean $103 billion fewer saved in accounts by 2070. KiwiSaver provider Koura Wealth Managing Director Rupert Carlyon told Mike Hosking there's no need to do this....

It’s time to catch up with one of Britain’s biggest comedic exports. Rob Brydon has been an institution of British television and radio for years - appearing in Gavin and Stacey, Would I Lie to You, and The Trip. He's become a household name with his dry humour, wit and celebrity impersonations. And he's coming back to our shores - with his latest tour a Night of Songs and Laughter coming in March...

Shipment delays to Oceania are on the rise and hitting New Zealand hard according to an international logistics company. Project44 data comparing pre-Covid 2019 to the third quarter of 2022, shows shipment delays from china to new Zealand jumped a whopping 6764 percent. Representative of the NZ Council of Cargo Owners Simon Beale tells Mike Hosking that lockdowns in China have contributed to the r...

A Kiwi company has struck a deal with researchers in Singapore to create alternative meat from fermented bio-waste. Off-Piste Provisions is also raising $15 million with which to build an export-grade fermentation plant once the R&D side of the process is ironed out. Company founder is  who joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transport NZ says soaring diesel prices are putting transport operators out of business. Average diesel prices have hit over $2.50, compared with the average price of 91 at $2.60 without taking into account road user charges. Transport NZ chief executive Nick Leggett told Mike Hosking diesel has become a significant business cost for some. “We have seen the price of diesel as a proportion of total...

The Health Minister is standing firm on Health New Zealand's lack of public meetings. The organisation does not allow the public or journalists to attend its monthly board meetings or view meeting agendas - unlike the 20 district health boards it replaced. National has condemned what it calls the reduction in transparency. But Andrew Little told Mike Hosking any loss of transparency is negligible...