The Mike Hosking Breakfast

If you struggle in the kitchen, then there could be a solution for you just around the corner. Researchers at the University of Cambridge have designed a robot chef that can taste food at different stages of the process and give guidance on how much seasoning to use. Leader of the project Grzegorz Sochaki joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wayne Smith era for the Black Ferns has begun. He's named his first squad, omitted some veterans, including the captain, and now has his work cut out for him to rebuild the culture ahead of a World Cup in October this year. Black Ferns coach Wayne Smith joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What started as a punt, has become a relatively successful story in eradicating Mycoplasma bovis from New Zealand. Only one farm is left with the infection. It has been cleared from 271 farms - but not without herds lost, generations of genetics gone and claims from more than 2700 cases. Dairy New Zealand chair Jim van der Poel told Mike Hosking says it's been worth the shot. “We took a punt and s...

A gesture from one of our two big supermarket companies. Countdown says from Monday, it's putting a price freeze on 500 items for the winter months, everything from cheese and butter to carrots and pumpkin. It's in response to the cost of living crisis. But, Consumer New Zealand Chief Executive Jon Duffy told Mike Hosking it's just masking the real problem, which is that the industry is broken. “S...

The Auditor-General's being commended for flagging issues with the transparency of the Government's Covid response fund. John Ryan has written to Treasury, saying MPs and the general public haven't been getting enough information about how the $74 billion fund is being spent. Treasury has now published details on how much funding has been set aside and how it has been allocated. But Ryan says it's...

What I wasn’t expecting in yesterday's unemployment number is that it would go nowhere. Just think about it, how is that possible? Everyone was forecasting 3.1 or 3 percent, down from 3.2 percent. Why? Because given what we know about work and the desperate shortage of skills and massive demand for labour, how is it possible we have so many people jobless and yet not able to find a single day's wo...

How do you recover from meeting your hero? Country Americana powerhouse Tami Neilson is wrestling with just that. The Canadian New Zealander recently returned from a trip to Texas, where she performed at Luck Reunion, a festival held on Willie Nelson's ranch on March 17. Not only that, but the country music legend performed one of Neilson's songs alongside her, in the first international show she'...

Grant Robertson says the Government's doing what it can to get more workers into the country. The unemployment rate remains unchanged at a very low 3.2 percent. The Finance Minister says work is still continuing to open the border to visa waiver countries, and Immigration New Zealand will need time to process visa applications. But he told Mike Hosking the Government is working to reopen the count...

New Zealand is facing staffing issues facing the aged care sector. It could be the issue of underfunding that causes the closures. Aged Care Matters have a report out that surveyed sector leaders who say the concerns have reached breaking point. 47 percent say they are unlikely to build new beds in the next year, 65 percent say it's very likely or likely they will have to stop or restrict the numb...

Waikato nurses who put their hand up to help in MIQ, say they aren't able to get their old jobs back. The nurses who previously worked at Waikato Hospital, understood they'd be able to return to their roles after their MIQ work was done. While other DHBs redeployed their nurses on a secondment basis, those at Waikato DHB were given new permanent positions. Nurses' Organisation Chief Executive Paul...

Winston Peters says it's no longer tenable for Speaker Trevor Mallard to stay in his job. Mallard has withdrawn trespass orders against five people who attended the recent anti-mandate protests - all former MPs. Two other people who attended the protests will continue to be banned from visiting Parliament Grounds for the next two years. The New Zealand First leader told Mike Hosking Mallard has mi...

Auckland Airport is welcoming back international travellers, although most of its food and retail stores are yet to open. Vaccinated tourists can now come here from up to 60 visa-waiver countries. Currently there are limited dining and shopping options for them to choose from at the international terminal. Auckland Airport Chief Executive Carrie Hurihanganui told Mike Hosking about 30 percent of s...

The most important part of last night's poll is the fact it backs up the other two most recent numbers, thus confirming a trend. The tide is going out on Labour. Their arrogance and incompetence have caught up with them. They have played us for fools too often and now they are paying the price. Short of National shooting themselves in the foot, the tide has not just turned, there is more where thi...

Labour says the change in the Government's Covid strategy is reflected in the latest Newshub Reid Research poll. National has jumped 9.2 points to 40.5 percent support, surpassing Labour's 38.2 percent, falling 6.1 points. Act and the Greens have both dropped, while the Māori Party has nudged half a point up. Senior Cabinet Minister Chris Hipkins told Mike Hosking they have some work to do. “The t...

Is a New Zealand-produced movie bringing back 3D films? James Cameron’s Avatar 2: The Way of Water, which is out this December, will bring back the 3D experience, which dropped off a cliff back in 2013-2014. So is this a good thing? Have we wanted it back? And can it only be done with these big budget films anyway? Award-winning director and producer Aaron Falvey joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE...

A bold new cycling plan for Auckland. Transport planners want to nearly double the city's cycle network, make bike training compulsory in schools,  and scrap teachers' parking in the scheme. Auckland Council member Angela Dalton told Mike Hosking the $2 billion bill is being taken to the council tomorrow. She says when the Government's emission reduction plan comes through - there's an expectation...

Many economists are tipping that unemployment will fall, some to a new record low, around the 3% mark. Suggestions are being raised that what it means though is that New Zealand has tapped out our labour market - everyone who wants to or can work, is. We now have a reliance on overseas workers so what can we do when they can't come in in bulk? Founder and CEO of Tech Futures Lab Frances Valintine...

National says the cost of living crisis is highlighted in the latest Newshub Reid Research poll. National is up 9.2 points at 40.5 percent surpassing Labour's 38.2 percent, falling 6.1 points. Act and the Greens have both dropped while the Maori Party has nudged half a point up. National Leader Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking he believes the public sees National as better economic managers. “W...

Winston Peters' parliamentary ban is heading into murky waters. The Speaker of the House has trespassed Peters from Parliament for two years,  - along with former National MP Matt King -  after visiting the anti-mandate occupation in February. Otago University Law Professor Andrew Geddis says while it's lawful, Peters could still bring legal action against the decision. He says it could be argued...

Police are launching a specialised gang taskforce to tackle growing lawlessness across the country. Our newsroom understands Operation Cobalt will start in May,  and run for at least six months. It will involve dedicated staff from Auckland's three police districts, and smaller teams elsewhere. Sources say the aim is to target the unlawful behaviour of gangs, rather than targeting individuals for...

I haven't tried the scientists' new tool to work out whether my house is going to be under water sooner than I think. I am still a little surprised, though, that we seem to be making an awful lot of the fact that two well-known bits of data have never been joined together before to allegedly give us this startlingly new look at our lives and future. The land, in bits of the country, moves. And whe...

Very few would argue that Roy Billing isn't New Zealand acting royalty. Since the 1970s he has been a mainstay across television films - with credits including Underbelly, The Chronicles of Narnia and Packed to the Rafters. He was based in Australia - until he moved back home to Waiheke Island in 2020. And he's been busy since - portraying Robert Muldoon in TVNZ's The Panthers and returning to the...

Ronnie O'Sullivan finally got to No. 7. Widely regarded as the most talented snooker player ever, O'Sullivan surely secured his status as the game's greatest by beating Judd Trump 18-13 to win a record-tying seventh world championship. "That's probably the greatest result I've ever had," O'Sullivan said after sharing a long, tearful embrace with Trump at the end of the final at the Crucible Theatr...

A wealth researcher says there's enough big earners for a wealth tax to make a difference. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has ruled out introducing such a policy this term or next term if she's re-elected. Senior Associate at Victoria University Max Rashbrooke told Mike Hosking we have very large inequalities in New Zealand. “What people are normally trying to do with this kind of tax is not tax or...

‘Not good enough’ is the summation of the Bankers’ Association when it comes to the Government's tweaks on the CCCFA. The Government put a band aid on the lending rules when they announced the changes in March and put it up for consultation. Now the NZ Bankers' Association has officially put in their submission to the Ministry calling for a more fulsome review. Chief executive Roger Beaumont joine...