The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The Government is defending its latest NCEA changes. This year's NCEA students will receive an extra credit for every five earned through assessment, to support those affected by the Covid pandemic. National says lowering the bar is doing students a disservice. But Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti told Mike Hosking the changes reflect that some students have missed weeks of school because...

Sam Uffindell's political future is looking increasingly uncertain. National has stood down the new Tauranga MP, following revelations about bullying at Auckland's Kings College and allegations of aggressive behaviour at Otago University. It's also emerged he was put on notice while he was at university, over the state of his flat. Former National cabinet minister Chris Finlayson told Mike Hosking...

Labour is insisting it would have handled the Sam Uffindell saga differently. The new National MP for Tauranga has been stood down while the party investigates new allegations about his behaviour at university, allegations which he denies. Uffindell had already been under fire, over revelations he was involved in an attack on a younger boy while he was at high school. Senior Labour Cabinet Ministe...

Despite Sam Uffindell's denials on this show yesterday that there was nothing else to disclose, turns out, at least in some people's minds, there is something else to disclose. But exactly what is the key and how out of control this gets is another major part of the equation.   The claim is that in a flat in 2003 he was a bully and he was verbally aggressive towards a female flatmate. Uffindell is...

Cancer symptoms are more likely to be missed by GP’s during video consultations, a study by Oxford University suggests. Its research says that remote consultations can hinder doctors from noticing subtle clues that could point to serious illness. Dr Samantha Murton, President of the Royal New Zealand College of GPs, joined Mike Hosking.\ LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

The FBI's unprecedented search of former President Donald Trump's Florida residence ricocheted around government, politics and a polarized country Tuesday along with questions as to why the Justice Department — notably cautious under Attorney General Merrick Garland — decided to take such a drastic step. Answers weren't quickly forthcoming. Agents on Monday searched Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, whic...

There are encouraging signs that students are heading back to school across the country. New figures show daily attendance reached as high as 84-percent in the first week of Term Three, following lower attendance rates last term. Secondary Principals' Association President Vaughan Couillault told Mike Hosking many schools had been struggling with student disengagement. He says there is some seriou...

The AA says higher fines for wealthier drivers won't necessarily lead to safer roads. Transport officials have been giving the Government advice on potential changes to the system of fines, which have mostly remained unaltered for two decades. Potential changes could include linking fines to people's incomes. AA Speed Policy Advisor Dylan Thomsen told Mike Hosking we need a smarter approach, than...

The Police Minister says a new law change will give Police another tool to combat gun crime. The Firearms Prohibition Order Legislation Bill has passed its third reading in Parliament overnight. It means anyone with a serious conviction like murder, serious assault or sexual violence can be banned from having a gun, or being in places where guns are likely to be, for ten years. Chris Hipkins told...

Staff reporter and RNZ Under-fire National MP Sam Uffindell has been stood down from the party's caucus, pending an investigation into further "very concerning accusations" surrounding his past behaviour. In a statement late on Tuesday night, National Party leader Christopher Luxon said he had been made aware of new allegations about Uffindell's behaviour toward a female flatmate while Uffindell w...

The Health Minister insists immigration rules aren't the reason nurses aren't coming here. Employment Ministry figures show only nine nurses on residency visas have arrived in the country since the criteria for the visas was expanded at the start of last month. Nurses were controversially excluded from the system at first, which meant they could only apply for residency after two years. Andrew Lit...

I note the some of the media have reacquainted themselves with crime. The Government to their credit managed to quieten the whole mess down for a while by disposing of Poto Williams who, although spectacularly useless, was really just a sacrificial lamb to get the heat off the Government over an issue they have been woefully found wanting on. Chris Hipkins announced he would visit every police dis...

National MP Sam Uffindell said there was a culture of "rough and tumble" when asked if he had been involved in any other incidents of bullying as a schoolboy. Aged 16 as a Year 11 student at King's College, Uffindell and three others jumped on the then 13-year-old boy and began beating him with what was believed to be unscrewed wooden bed legs. "Boarding houses in the 1999, there was a bit of roug...

There's no doubt Bryan Brown is Australian acting royalty. He started his career back in the 1970s and has gone to have plenty of success at home and abroad. His credits include Cocktail, Along Came Polly, Australia and The Thorn Birds. Brown was inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame in 1989, but certainly hasn't stopped there. Now he's back with a new drama, Darby and Joan, which is out on Acorn T...

The head of a major employer is welcoming National's "tailored approach" to getting young people into work. National's unveiled a new plan to get under-25s off the Jobseeker benefit. Under the plan, young beneficiaries would get a job coach and a financial bonus for getting and staying in work, and those who refuse to take part would be penalised. Beca Group Chief Executive Greg Lowe told Mike Hos...

It was always going to be a tough ask for the All Blacks to beat the Springboks in South Africa. But it was the manner in which they were beaten that doesn't give much hope to fans. The All Blacks went down 26-10, but our only try came in the dying minutes on a runaway break while the Springboks were a man down. Apart from that they were beaten soundly around the park by a more composed and effici...

The chunk of the media who are still in love with the Labour Party are on some sort of campaign right now to undermine Chris Luxon. They have taken two events they perceive to be major issues and tried to turn them into even more major issues. One was the Te Puke post. Two, was the tax policy confusion. Neither are big deals; both are beltway only of interest to those obsessed with the Wellington...

Our most vulnerable people requiring palliative care have a new group determined to give them the best care available. Palliative Care Collaborative Aotearoa has formed because they say the Government hasn't been listening as it cries out for help. They have six key focus areas to try and lift our end of life care ranking; we used to sit 3rd in 2009 but have dropped to 12th as of last year. NZ cha...

National Leader Christopher Luxon is convinced his new youth unemployment plan will get more young people on the right path. The plan would see under-25s given financial incentives for finding jobs and staying employed and handed penalties if they don't take part. The Government says the plan demonises young people and over-simplifies complex issues. But Luxon told Mike Hosking the number of young...

Bad weather, rising fuel costs, and staff shortages are all pushing up the price you're paying at the checkout. New analysis by Infometrics and Foodstuffs shows the prices being charged by suppliers has increased nearly eight-percent in the past year. Those costs are the major driver to the rising grocery prices being faced by consumers. Vegetables New Zealand chair John Murphy told Mike Hosking g...

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking to wrap the week's news. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cost of Living Payment: 2/10 "How to take an idea and butcher it in three easy payments. Expats and dead people getting money while those who deserve it on welfare, don’t. That’s so very Labour."   Border Fully Re-Open: 6/10 "A mile too late. Now the issue of just how open...

The critical part missed yesterday in the great National tax scandal debate is not whether tax cuts are inflationary; it's the right of people to hold onto their money. You can also add it was a storm in a tea cup, given it's not election year. Until it is, opposition parties shouldn't really be in the business of announcing policy because not all of us are engaged. So, here’s some simple economic...

There are warnings our main export season could be hit by further supply chain disruptions. We all know the issues in recent months, but a new supply chain risk analytics report from Massey University says a perfect storm of factors could hit our summer season. It's due to China's recent lockdowns, which are only expected to happen more frequently during their winter, the war in Ukraine pumping up...

Caleb Clarke will return for the All Blacks this weekend, taking his place on the wing for the first test against the Springboks at Mbombela Stadium. For their first test in South Africa since 2018, the All Blacks have named a few surprises in the team for the clash on Sunday morning (NZ time). Samisoni Taukei'aho, in his 12th test, will make just his second start at the top level, while Angus Ta'...