The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The biggest solar energy venture in New Zealand,  is another step closer. Lodestar Energy wants to build five huge solar farms in the North Island. They've now finished raising $300 million to make that happen. Big names are backing the venture including Rod Drury, Sir Stephen Tindall and Sam Morgan. Lodestone Energy Managing Director Gary Holden told Mike Hosking this is the right answer to make...

More boots on the ground could help tackle the surge in gang violence. National says we should take a look at Australian anti-bikie laws which target wearing insignia and gangs meeting in groups. Former Police negotiator Lance Burdett told Mike Hosking we don't necessarily need laws, we need resources. He says you can sit on the gangs, you can do all sorts of things, but it does take resources and...

The biggest health overhaul in a generation is just one step away from becoming law. The Bill which will see the 20 DHBs replaced by Health NZ, alongside a Māori Health Authority, has passed its third reading in Parliament 77 votes to 42. The Act comes into force next month. Health Minister Andrew Little told Mike Hosking $75 million has been spent on making the change so far. He says setting up H...

Nathan Brown and his family live by a golden rule: stick together. It saw them relocate several times in Brown's 20-year career as a rugby league head coach, and ultimately saw his tenure as head coach of the Warriors come to an end. Brown was relieved of his role with the club earlier this week after he informed them he would not be able to move to New Zealand to see out the final year of his con...

I have always loved Scott Robertson. He should have been, should be, the All Blacks Coach. I've loved watching him make the Crusaders one of the great global sporting stories. Part of it also is I am from Christchurch and I love Christchurch. But I don’t love how the city has so badly lets itself down since the earthquake. The gaps you still see 11 years on are inexcusable. It's been made worse th...

Andrew Saville and Guy Heveldt joined Mike Hosking to discuss the coaching exploits the Warriors’ coaching situation, the Black Ferns’ victory over Australia, the Black Caps’ defeat to England at Lord’s, the NBA Finals, Rafael Nadal, more stadium delays in Christchurch, the first round of Super Rugby Finals and the All White’s defeat to Peru. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

Anti-bikie laws in Australia are being eyed up to tackle increasing gang violence in Auckland. Opposition parties are looking further afield to places like Queensland - the first state to introduce tough anti-bikie laws in 2013. How strict are they? Could it work here? Queensland University of Technology justice associate professor Mark Lauchs joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/l...

The first game at the helm for Black Ferns coach Wayne Smith has kicked off to a good start. The team pulled off a gruelling win over Australia in the rain yesterday in Tauranga in their first clash of the Pacific Four series. Canada is up next this weekend. New Black Fern coach Wayne Smith joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TikTok could be the Southern DHB's saving grace. The DHB has posted a video on the platform largely used by Gen Z-ers, showcasing the area in a bid to attract much-needed midwives. Southern DHB Recruitment Manager Milair Ryalls told Mike Hosking over the weekend they received four inquiries from international midwives. She says they have a team of international nurses putting together another recr...

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will remain in power after winning a no-confidence vote by his own Conservative Party. 359 votes were cast. 211 voted in favour, 148 voted against. The Guardian reports "by no stretch can this be described as a good result for Johnson. He has lost the support of a larger proportion of the parliamentary party than Theresa May did when she faced a no confidence vote in 2...

The City Rail Link say they are working very hard to get money out the door. More than half of applications to the CRL Targeted Hardship Fund have been paid or accepted. Auckland Council and the Crown set up the fund in September last year to help inner-city businesses affected by City Rail Link construction. City Rail Link CEO Sean Sweeney told Mike Hosking the applications require a reasonable a...

Our vaccination rate isn't quite as high as it's being promoted. Stats NZ is reviewing Ministry of Health data which captured those who used the health system in 2020. The 96 percent level claimed could be skewed as Maori have a much lower usage rate of the health system. Auckland University Emeritus Professor of Medicine Des Gorman told Mike Hosking the actual percentage will be much less than 90...

Boris Johnson appears to be on the way out as British Prime Minister. The Conservative Leader has been facing a no-confidence vote, sparked by a growing number of Conservative MPs who are concerned about the Partygate scandal. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Johnson is expected to survive today's vote. But he told Mike Hosking it's now very unclear whether Johnson can remain in power long-term. “...

I love the Queen. She might be the greatest representative of most of our lifetimes in terms of dedication, consistency, and loyalty. She has, whether you are a republican or a monarchist, shown a set of moral and professional credentials that are sadly too scarce these days. Her life has been dedicated to service. She had no choice; she was born into it. The celebrations this week to mark the 70t...

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.   Her Majesty: 10/10 "Some members of the family haven't quite got it. But for service, dedication, consistency, and the upholding of a promise made long ago, she is without peer and virtually faultless. She is one of the world's great human beings."   Penny Wong: 8/10 "Seems act...

There's backing behind six Wellington businesses that have taken a direct route to court over a central city cycleway. The group's challenging the lawfulness of the bike network's construction between Newtown and Courtney Place. The project's been widely criticised by businesses in the area for getting rid of car parks. Newtown businessman David Wilcock told Mike Hosking there have been issues dev...

The Queen has made her first public appearance at her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, but is having to pull out of other appearances due to ill health. She's made a brief but beaming appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony, during the Trooping the Colour Parade. She'll miss today's Thanksgiving Service at St Paul’s Cathedral, but still hopes to take part in a beacon lighting event at Windsor Ca...

Children attending schools near busy roads could be at a disadvantage. A study from the Barcelona Institute of Global Health, has looked at more than two and a half thousand year 7 to 10 kids, and how much road traffic noise they're exposed to. It's found the higher intensity of road traffic noise there is, the slower memory development and attention. Child development expert Nathan Wallis told Mi...

Three district councils are determined not to give up the fight over Three Waters. As new three water legislation is introduced to Parliament - Timaru, Waimakariri and Whangarei district councils are off to the High Court. They say this is bigger than three waters and they'll be asking the court for a declaration on the rights and interests that property ownership entails. Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen...

Overwhelming support for the NZ Rugby and Silver Lake deal as the two year saga ends in success. New Zealand's 26 provincial rugby unions have voted 89 votes to one to accept the 200-million dollar investment. The American private equity firm will control all revenue-generating assets of NZR. Manawatu Rugby chairman Tim Myers told Mike Hosking it didn't come without its initial hurdles, but he's c...

What I like about Don Brash entering the cost-of-living debate is he comes with knowledge, experience and he tells a different story to Adrian Orr. We have two Reserve Bank Governors with different stories, so who is right? If Brash turns out to be more accurate in the long run, you can quite justifiably ask a couple of solid questions of Orr. Was he up for the job? Why couldn't he see what others...

Surprise in the United States over the outcome of the high-profile defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. A jury has found Heard defamed Depp by claiming she was abused him, and has found she acted with actual malice, awarding Depp $23.1 million (NZD) in damages. But it's also found Heard was defamed awarding her $3 million in damages. Celebrity lawyer Christopher Melcher told Mike...

You could say it has been a while between drinks. Lyle Lovett and his large band have not produced a record since 2012.   Fans are rejoicing to see them back with 12th of June. It's been a while in the making - the album was written and recorded in 2019, but the pandemic delayed the release. But it's here now - and so is Lyle Lovett who joined the Mike Hosking Breakfast from Texas. LISTEN ABOVE Se...

Calls for a sugary drink tax in New Zealand. New research has found sugary drink taxes decrease sales by 15 per cent - without causing job losses or hindering manufacturing. Dental Association spokesperson Rob Beaglehole told Mike Hosking we need to treat sugar the same way we treat tobacco. He says Coke and other soft drink companies target kids, teenagers and low income adults, just like tobacco...

Johnny Depp has won his high-profile defamation battle against ex-wife Amber Heard. A jury has found Heard defamed Depp by claiming she was abused before and during their brief marriage, awarding him $23.1 million (NZD) in damages. It's also found Heard was defamed, awarding her $3 million in damages. KTLA's Sam Rubin spoke to Mike Hosking after covering the case. “I’m somewhat surprised by the re...