The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Ram raid attacks have left a path of destruction across Auckland over the last two weeks. Multiple targets have been hit and shopowners now face the reality that they could be next. What's more is that the attacks are becoming more brazen, shifting from dairies to department stores and malls, which often offer the criminals more lucrative hauls. Herald senior writer Jane Phare said that the mostly...

Young people are going to need help to get out and about again. The Graeme Dingle Foundation has found a number of 14 to 24 year-olds are disengaging from their peers, education and society. Many school students are in their rooms socialising online, leaving caregivers isolated and struggling to re-engage them. The Foundation's research manager, Julie Moore, told Mike Hosking this has been a world...

Australia continues to be steps ahead of New Zealand when it comes to cancer treatment. The Cancer Control Agency's found 20 gaps made up of 18 individual medicines which are funded across the Tasman, but not here. Since the analysis was done, two have been funded by Pharmac. Cancer Control Agency Chief Executive Diana Sarfati told Mike Hosking the overall issue goes past just medicines. She says...

Relief from advocates a High Court ruling has found the MIQ lottery system was unfair. The decision also ruled the narrow criteria for an emergency voucher infringed on New Zealanders' rights to enter the country. The challenge was put forward by Grounded Kiwis, which represented New Zealanders stuck overseas. Their lawyer Paul Radich says told Mike Hosking they accepted from the outset that some...

So, yet another red flag for you to be cognisant of. If the co-governance scandal isn't bad enough, if He Puapua isn't bad enough, if the mess the economy is currently in due to absurd spending and the resulting inflation isn't bad enough, get your head around what David Parker has been up to. He gave a speech yesterday about the inequity of the tax system. This comes off the back of him and his m...

A call for political accountability, over the recent spate of ram raids and violent crime. The latest dramatic early morning ram raid in Auckland's Ormiston shopping centre is the latest in a string of similar attacks. It also follows a recent spike in reported gun crime in the city. National Police Spokesman Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking the Government needs to take responsibility. “I lay the r...

Virgin Voyages has announced its newest ship Resilient Lady will be homeported in Melbourne. Richard Branson's freshly chartered cruise company has set course for Australia and New Zealand with its unique brand of 'adults only' cruising. The most anticipated venture into cruising for the last decade, the company couldn't have chosen a worse time to debut. The Flagship Scarlet Lady launched in 2021...

A claim theft has got worse under this Government. Yesterday's dramatic ram raid of Ormiston shopping centre is just the latest in Auckland. Three stolen cars were used to smash into the mall and cleaning and security staff were put in danger as the cars sped around crashing into shops. Lejose Fashion House owner Christine Davis says her Newmarket store was broken into twice last week in a matter...

Do you feel your lunch break is getting shorter and shorter, if you even get one? A UK study has found the average worker’s lunch break has gone from an hour, to 29 minutes. And a third of them still respond to work calls and messages within that time. Jarrod Haar, Professor of Human Resource Management at AUT joined Mike Hosking to discuss whether a similar trend is developing in New Zealand. LIS...

A tight labour market means farm managers are having to pay their workers more to retain them. A survey by Rabobank and Federated Farmers shows farm workers’ wages went up 14 percent over the last two years. Todd Charteris, Rabobank chief executive joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's belief the Government may be preparing the groundwork for a capital gains tax - if elected for another term. Revenue Minister, David Parker, has launched the Tax Principles Bill, which will likely include things like fairness and effectiveness. He says Labour's committed to not passing any new taxes this term, but is coy on what tax policy the party will run at next year's election. PWC ta...

The Act Party won't be jumping on board a Parliamentary tour of Europe. Speaker Trevor Mallard and National's Judith Collins are leading a delegation of MPs to Europe, in an effort to help smooth the path for New Zealand's trade deal with the European Union. MPs will leave after Budget Day - May 19. Act Leader David Seymour told Mike Hosking it's a waste of taxpayers' money, with no rationale behi...

Newstalk ZB's Bruce Russell spent a lifetime being a companion to his treasured listeners.  Whether it was reading the news or creating the character Freddy on Timaru's Radio Caroline in the 1980s, he was loved for his devilish sense of humour, gargantuan general knowledge and storytelling.  The broadcaster, in his early 70s, died suddenly on Sunday night, working right up until his death – as an...

Along with the number, came the commentary, and the commentary was the thing that clearly stung the most. Our inflation number is a disaster. 6.9 percent is something we all see, feel, and fear. There was no escaping it, given it's a statistic. It's a number, and numbers don't lie. But Adrian Orr's commentary to the International Monetary Fund is the bit that clearly got under the governments, and...

Women from across British politics called Monday for action to tackle misogyny after a newspaper ran a story accusing the deputy opposition leader of trying to "distract" the prime minister during debates by crossing and uncrossing her legs. The Mail on Sunday quoted an anonymous Conservative lawmaker as saying Labour Party Deputy Leader Angela Rayner tried to throw Conservative Prime Minister Bor...

Warriors star Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was out cold before he even hit the ground in a sickening moment that saw the Anzac Day night clash in Melbourne stopped for several minutes. The Warriors eventually gave a positive update that the Kiwi international was conscious, but it was a scary sight to see him taken from the field on the back of a medi-cab. The former Panthers and Bulldogs star was knoc...

Are you smarter than a 12-year-old? Probably not these 12-year-olds. Hobsonville students Alex Hipperson and Ezra Meyer are whiz kids when it comes to robotics - specifically Aquabots. They've designed a robot to compete in obstacle courses and challenges underwater and have won the national and regional competitions to qualify for what is technically the world competition in Aquabots in Baltimore...

The pressure's on to enforce regulations at ports. It comes after a person died while unloading coal from a ship at Lyttelton Port yesterday - merely six days after a death at the Ports of Auckland. Maritime Union National Secretary Craig Harrison told Mike Hosking they're calling for an urgent inquiry into port safety, from which national standards should be developed. He says it's concerning tha...

The rhetoric around the Solomons and China deal has ramped up with Australians being told they need to be prepared for war. The comment comes from Defence Minister Peter Dutton just hours after Scott Morrison said a Chinese military base in the Solomons would be a red line for his government. Questions are being raised as to whether this is  just posturing from Dutton or a symptom of global insecu...

The tourism industry wants restrictions at the border lifted. Tourism Export Council chief executive, Lynda Keene, says many countries have opened up, including Australia, the UK, Canada and Singapore, with no Covid-19 testing requirements. She told Mike Hosking New Zealand is slower with our decision-making, which is frustrating for offshore travel partners. Keene says Australia's rolling out the...

The safety of rural roads is being called into question after the death of a woman and her two babies. Coroner Marcus Elliott has determined the give-way sign wasn't visible in time to prevent the accident near Ashburton in 2019. He's also found there were 79 intersections in the same district, that are similar to the one where the crash occurred. Federated Farmers Transport spokesperson Karen Wil...

A huge delay in court ordered psychiatric reports is leading to criminal charges being dismissed, added stress on victims and offenders being locked up for longer than the law allows. Between January 2017 and March this year there have been 8734 cases where a psych report has been ordered. Under the Mentally Impaired Persons Act mental health must get that report back to the courts within 14-30 da...

Kerre Woodham and Tim Wilson joined Tim Dower to wrap the week's news. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wellington Phoenix are playing the Western Sydney Wanderers at Eden Park on Sunday afternoon. 18,000 turned up in Wellington to watch the Phoenix last week - and big crowds are expected again in Auckland. Oli Sail, Phoenix captain and goalkeeper joined Tim Dower in studio. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Americans think wool is rough, itchy and hard to care for. New Zealand is the world's third largest exporter of wool, so a group called Campaign for Wool New Zealand is on a mission to change America’s perspective of it. Chair, Tom O'Sullivan joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.