The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Further insights into the property market from economist Tony Alexander. His mortgage adviser survey showed first home buyers are coming back into the market. In fact, a net 8 percent of advisers surveyed are seeing an uptick in interest from first home buyers. In another report with Crockers on investors found those looking to increase rents is still dropping, interests in new builds continue to...

Actions, as it turns out, do speak louder than words. Last week's poll around our view of Covid is backed up by; 1) another poll and 2) more importantly, real life. Last week's poll had 65 percent of us wanting all restrictions gone. That's a fairly large majority. This week's poll has fewer and fewer of us adhering to the so called rules. Those willing to use a mask - down 11 points. Those willin...

Farming technology company 26 Seasons will seek $5.5 million in a Series A funding round next week aimed at advancing its plans for its vertical farming operation at Foxton and to explore opportunities in Southeast Asia. The company, co-founded by current Delegat Group chief executive and former Landcorp chief executive Steve Carden, aims to grow and sell premium strawberries on a commercial scale...

NZ Cricket is threatening to bowl New Plymouth's Pukekura Park out after 130 years. The national cricket governing body says the pitch is no longer up to scratch and has given the council a year to spruce it up. Pukekura Park has been restricted to domestic competitions, due to its small boundaries and lack of international class facilities. Taranaki Cricket General Manager Ryan Evans told Mike Ho...

Adjusting residential homes to climate change will probably take some time to implement. CoreLogic analysis has revealed that river flooding in homes is already costing around $100 million a year. Otago, Auckland, Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui and Marlborough have been identified as the regions most at risk. Head of Research Nick Goodall told Mike Hosking the National Adaptation Plan...

Gaurav Sharma may fade into oblivion. He's now an independent in Parliament, after being expelled from the Labour caucus yesterday for his allegations over the past two weeks. The Hamilton West MP accused his colleagues of being bullies and the Prime Minster of a cover up, which Jacinda Ardern and other MPs have rejected. Political Editor Barry Soper told Mike Hosking Sharma will need some pretty...

Act leader David Seymour has issued a scathing statement about Trevor Mallard's announcement as the next diplomat in Ireland today, saying it was "an outrage". Mallard announced today that he will resign as Speaker tomorrow, and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced Mallard would become New Zealand's ambassador to Ireland. Mallard is expected to hand over the Speaker reins to Adrian Rur...

Sanna Marin's main defence appears to be she is 36-years-old. Sanna Marin is the Prime Minister of Finland, the partier, the nightclub-er. A country whose Prime Minister is famous for not being Prime Minister of her country, and in that is part of the problem. The other part of the problem is she doesn’t appear to understand the problem. Age has nothing to do with what she does and doesn’t do. 36-...

The head of one of our biggest KiwiSaver providers fears Kiwibank will effectively become a zombie bank. The Government has spent $2.1 billion to buy the bank's parent company from independent crown entities ACC, NZ Post and NZ Superfund, meaning it now fully owns it. Simplicity CEO Sam Stubbs joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time to catch up with another Kiwi artist making his mark in the music world. We first met Mitch James back in 2016 after his remarkable story of being homeless and penniless turned around with a signing with Sony Music. Mitch went on to have a breakout year in 2018 - with his singles Bright Blue Skies and 21 - plus his debut album surging up the charts. Now he's back with new music - his single M...

A first of its kind regenerative farming project hopes to reinvent the way we grow vegetables. Lead by LeaderBrand, with backing from Countdown and Plant and Food Research, the project will trial sustainable methods alongside a control site to evaluate what’s successful. It’ll then share those results with other growers. LeaderBrand General Manager of Farming Gordon McPhail joined Mike Hosking. LI...

A revolutionary cancer drug developed in Auckland is set to begin clinical trials. Tarloxotinib is designed to help patients with head and neck cancers for which New Zealand ranks as one of the highest in the world for cases. Auckland City Hospital radiation oncologist Dr. Andrew Macann joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gaurav Sharma is still making up his mind as to whether he'll attend the meeting which will decide his fate. The Labour MP has already been suspended from caucus for the way in which he went public with bullying allegations. The party is now considering a motion to expel Sharma and he's entitled to be there, where he could try and argue his case. Gaurav Sharma told Mike Hosking he doesn't have muc...

Wellington businesses have packed a punch in a pre-election report that calls for amalgamation and the capital's own version of Auckland Transport, while also questioning the role of the city's economic development agency. The Herald can exclusively reveal the details of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce's pre-election report ahead of this year's local body elections. Businesses painted a grim pi...

Authorities are hopeful today's planned demonstration outside Parliament won't be a repeat of last time. Protestors are meeting in Wellington today for a self-styled "people's court" six months after their 23-day occupation came to a fiery end in February. Wellington District Commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell told Mike Hosking they've talked with both the Freedom and Rights Coalition and the...

When Chris Hipkins says Gaurav Sharma's expulsion isn't pre-determined do you: 1) laugh or, 2) simply not believe him? For a government that is this under the gun, statements like that don’t help. Not helping either is the release of the letter from Sharma to the Prime Minister's office last December, proving this thing has been going on for a while and showing that despite the Prime Minister's of...

Infamous murderer and sex offender Phillip John Smith’s ongoing legal battles with Corrections has cost the taxpayer almost $1 million. The latest legal attempt is over a refusal by Corrections to let him wear a necklace in prison. QC Marie Dhyrberg joined Mike Hosking to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discussion over the level of te reo required by the country's teachers. The Teaching Council has told the Abuse in Care Inquiry, that competence in te reo Māori will eventually become mandatory for teachers. But there's no plan to make fluency in the language compulsory. Council Chief Executive, Lesley Hoskin, told Mike Hosking they are led by the profession and the profession has yet to suggest c...

New figures from Xero show New Zealanders are working more than our international counterparts, with much less to show for it. In order to match the output of Ireland, the most productive country in the OECD, Kiwis would need to work an extra 10 hours a day. Xero New Zealand Country Manager Bridget Snelling joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The head of one of New Zealand’s top game studios says our gaming industry is in crisis. Dean Hall, CEO of RocketWerkz, says he would like to hire more staff in New Zealand but is now looking to set up in Australia because of our government's failure to match tax breaks. Dean Hall joins me now. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's defending the time it's taken to lure more workers here. It will allow some sectors to pay skilled migrant workers less than the median wage, in a bid to address workplace shortages across the country. It will also temporarily increase access to the Working Holiday Scheme to address the shortage of casual workers more generally. Immigration Minister Michael Wood told Mike Hosking...

Time now to mark the week, the little piece of news and current events that's as popular as an avocado for a dollar at the green grocer.    Guarav Sharma: 6/10   "He is on the better side of this so far."   Secret meetings: 2/10 "They can't even suspend a person without a circus."   Ian Foster: 8/10  "I'm glad for him. But what a shocking way to be treated"   NZR: 3/10 "They admitted they could ha...

I don’t think it’s a surprise. We said earlier in the week that the Government achieved literally nothing by suspending a bloke who was clearly out to expose his party for what it really is. And so we have the next chapter. Last night’s revelations, assuming they're all true, are devastating. Not just for Labour but for their leader. Cover ups, a meeting that was secret until it wasn’t secret, a l...

An op-ed published by Dr. Bryce Wilkinson from the NZ Initiative has come out. It essentially is rebutting what many have been saying in that New Zealand’s inflation rate is a result of deliberate Reserve Bank decisions back in 2020 to save jobs and the economy at the expense of inflation. Dr Bryce argues against that and joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Social media platforms have been widely used by conspiracy theorists and to spread misinformation, especially when it comes to elections. Now TikTok is trying to crack down. They want influencers and users to know that paid political content and ads will not be allowed. Technology correspondent Kevin Hurler joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...