The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Sky high construction costs are taking a toll on builders' mental health.   CoreLogic Cordell Construction Cost Index for the last quarter of 2021 shows a 6.2 percent increase.  And there's a warning that figure could hit double digits.   It comes as a recent study from Mates in Construction has shown the impact it's having on builders' mental health.   Registered Master Builders' Association chie...

People are still buying the same amount of fuel, despite prices edging closer to $3 a litre.  The Prime Minister says the rising cost is a supplier issue, while National's Chris Luxon is calling for the removal of Auckland's Regional Fuel Tax in order to give customers some respite.  Gull New Zealand Chief Executive Dave Bodger told Mike Hosking regardless of the tax, people are buying the same am...

The Health Minister won't put a date on when Covid restrictions might end and quarantine-free international travel might resume.  All of New Zealand remains at the Red Level of the traffic light setting.  The Government is moving to reopen the border to New Zealanders coming back from overseas, but with home isolation requirements in place.  Andrew Little told Mike Hosking the Government isn't mak...

Jason Pine and Guy Heveldt joined Mike Hosking to talk Winter Olympics, Super Rugby, Justin Langer and whether Reece Walsh will jump ship from the Warriors. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are hopes the most expensive bottle of wine to ever go to auction in New Zealand will be consumed, rather than invested.   Liquid gold is on the market today, with a 1996 bottle of Romanée-Conti going under the hammer.   The pinot noir from Burgundy is expected to sell at The Wine Auction Room's rare and fine wine event for between $65,000 - $85,000.  Co-founder Reece Warren told Mike Hoskin...

People are being urged not to over-estimate their swimming ability.  The latest Beach and Coastal Safety Report shows we have a 44 percent higher ten-year average beach and coastal fatal drowning rate, per capita, than Australia.   About a third of New Zealanders cannot swim or float in the ocean for more than a few minutes.  Water Safety ambassador Rob Hewitt told Mike Hosking no one wants to be...

Australia's tourism sector is all on board with a move to reopen the country's border later this month.  The Australian Government has confirmed it will lift border restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers in two weeks on February 21st.  However, some state and territory quarantine requirements may remain in place.  South Australian Tourism Commission Chief Executive Rodney Harrex told Mike Ho...

National has hit out at the requisitioning of Rapid Antigen Tests from businesses.   When news broke that the Ministry of Health was requisitioning the tests, Dr Ashley Bloomfield said they were from "forward orders" from overseas - not tests already in the country.   But the Ministry's now acknowledged it took the full February allocation from one manufacturer and it's stock on hand in the countr...

Act reckons Labour's popularity is down to fear tactics.  Act's support has halved to eight percent on the Newshub-Reid Research poll.  Labour's up by nearly two percent to 44 percent, National's up by four points to 31 percent, and the Greens have risen by over two percent, to nearly 10 percent.  Act leader David Seymour told Mike Hosking the Government has used fear throughout this pandemic resp...

Unleaded 95 is above $3 per litre at different places around the country while experts predict the same isn't far off for 91.  It hits the regular punter hard, because evidence shows we still use our cars just as much during price hikes, but spare a thought for the transport companies as well.   Managing director of OnRoad Transport Ltd Don Wilson joined Mike Hosking.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio....

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 Border Announcement: 6/10  "Because broadly it’s the right thing to do. It's marked down because, like always, it’s a mile too late and way too slow."   Inflation: 5.9/10  "A shocking number. And despite what the Government will tell you, is way worse than most countries. W...

The leader of the violent Islamic State group was killed Thursday, blowing himself up along with members of his family during an overnight raid carried out by U.S. special operations forces in northwestern Syria, President Joe Biden said.  The raid targeted Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, who took over as head of the militant group on Oct. 31, 2019, just days after leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi...

The demand for quality meat has meant a boost for homekill and retail butcher services.   There's been a surge in home kill trade since 2020 - believed to be from people using the service to avoid contacts with others at supermarkets.   Plus, if you have the animal available, it's significantly cheaper.   Founder of Meatworx butchery Brad Walters joined Mike Hosking.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.c...

A change of scenery for Kiwi F2 driver Marcus Armstrong this year.  The 21-year-old is leaving French team Mads, as well as the Ferrari driver academy, to join British outfit Hitech Grand Prix.   It will be Marcus' third season of F2, having gained his first ever win in December last year.  Marcus joined Mike Hosking.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's athletes are preparing to get on the piste in Beijing.  Some events are underway, but the official opening ceremony is overnight with free skier Finn Bilous and alpine skier Alice Robinson brandishing the flag.  2018 free ski half pipe bronze medallist Nico Porteous won his second X-Games gold medal in Aspen last month, and shapes as a candidate to secure the country's first winter O...

Chris Hipkins isn't sure what needs to happen before the country can drop self-isolation requirements.  A phased reopening of the border will begin from February 28, replacing MIQ with self-isolation.  Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told Mike Hosking at the moment, it would be crystal ball gazing to decide when to allow completely free movement over the border.  “You can have models, but...

Tackling inequality is the key to preventing more cancer deaths, according to a Cancer Control Agency report. The Cancer Prevention Report lists the main risk factors for the disease as tobacco, alcohol, nutrition, sun exposure, physical activity and chronic infections.   And it says there are inequities for Maori, Pasifika and other groups.   Report Lead and Public Health Physician Nisha Nair say...

From our rock and a hard place file comes the revelations, if that’s not too strong a word, over the tax price you pay if you help your kid out buying a house. National's Andrew Bayly has been making the headlines with this one and he is onto something many hadn't thought about or thought through. It doesn't help that the government already look greedy this week with the revelation, and that’s not...

One of our more iconic musical acts is making a comeback, of sorts. Eddie Rayner was of initial Split Enz fame, he then went on to star in Crowded House, Orb and Space Waltz. He’s now teamed up with Tim Finn and formed a new band Forenzics  - and they're using the lesser-known Split Enz songs for inspiration and their album is out tomorrow. And Eddie Rayner joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE See om...

Science is edging us ever closer to a shark proof wetsuit. New South Wales inventor Haydon Burford has designed the Shark Stop suit. He started designing it five years ago, after talking about a spate of recent shark attacks and now it's ready to go to market. It's designed to reduce the number of holes, the size of the bite marks and the depth of the puncture wounds, considering the loss of blood...

We know the theories from the Government as to why we were locked down and currently in the Red setting - to reduce the number of hospitalisations and deaths. There is some new research that suggests it may not have been effective. New research from the Washington Times on lockdowns in Europe and the US found lockdowns had little to no impact at reducing Covid 19 deaths during the early phase of t...

A helping hand is being proposed for both hospitality and people trying to get into the job market. Hospitality platform Barcats has teamed up with the Ministry of Social Development to create a free job-ready employment program for beneficiaries. The pilot involves two five-day training courses, set to be held later this month. Barcats chief Jeffrey Williams told Mike Hosking it will benefit the...

Flight Centre Managing Director David Coombes says the Government's border announcement will be good news for those wanting to get home. But he told Mike Hosking the Government needs to be looking at fully reopening the border, and removing isolation requirements. “If you’re vaccinated and you’ve been tested and you’re coming into the country, you’re less of a risk than a whole bunch of Kiwis wand...

Today's major border announcement from the Government will be too little, too late for many. Newstalk ZB understands the Government will reopen the border to New Zealanders returning from Australia, on February 27th. New Zealanders from other countries will be able come back from mid-March. Rachel Das, a New Zealander in Australia, told Mike Hosking she's awaiting the announcement with cautious op...

Pregnant Kiwi journalist Charlotte Bellis will return to New Zealand at the end of this month after surviving the "circus" of her battle with the Government over an MIQ spot.  "It's definitely up there," she told Newstalk ZB today after being asked about the experience and her battle to get home from Afghanistan.  Stuart Nash and Mark Mitchell joined Mike Hosking to discuss this and the day's poli...