The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Monkeypox cases may fizzle out, as they have in the past.  The virus, which is endemic in parts of Africa, has been detected in at least 14 other countries including the UK, the US, Canada and Australia.  It spreads through skin-to-skin contact, but isn't as contagious as the likes of Covid-19. Otago University Professor of Biochemistry Kurt Krause told Mike Hosking usually, the virus goes away af...

A nationwide emergency mobile test has been deemed a success.   Millions of mobile phones across the country buzzed loudly after receiving an alert last night  National Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Anthony Frith told Mike Hosking the alert was successfully transmitted to every part of New Zealand that has cellphone reception.   He says a report came back from telecommunication companie...

We live in hope.  This from former Prime Minister Helen Clark on whether there'll be any change to the 501 deportation policy, with the arrival of a new Australian Prime Minister.  Anthony Albanese will be sworn in today.  Clark told Mike Hosking the 501 policy is pretty tough on people who've effectively lived their whole lives in Australia.  She says they hold a New Zealand birth certificate, bu...

Fears New Zealand's cost of living crisis is stopping international skilled workers from joining our job market.   A survey by Beyond Recruitment has found about 66 percent of businesses say it's harder to keep staff than last year, and 55 percent notice a rise in employees changing jobs  It comes after Seek data, released last week, shows some salaries have risen by a third in a year, and the num...

The Prime Minister leaves this evening on a trade trip to the United States.   Jacinda Ardern will travel to multiple cities, meet with politicians and tech executives and appear on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.  She'll also deliver the Harvard commencement speech.  NZUS Council executive director Jordan Small says hopefully a White House visit can happen.   But he says even if that doesn't...

Votes in the Australian election are continuing to be counted, with Anthony Albanese set to be sworn in as Prime Minister today. As things stand, Labor's one seat short and needs 76 to form a majority government. Australian Correspondent Murray Olds told Mike Hosking the Coalition has 57 seats, with the moderate wing of the Liberal Party in the inner city seats, largely swept away... He says that'...

I want Scott Morrison to win tomorrow, because I am a big believer in reward for effort. It’s a funny thing, human nature. Australians are down in the dumps at the moment, and it’s similar to here. Confidence is low and cost of living is an issue. We are way worse off than them but they don't care, that's why the brain drain isn't coming our way. When what you have isn't as good as what you had, y...

At the end of each week, Mike takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.   The Queen: 9/10 "Nowhere to be seen for weeks, not at the opening of Parliament, and then bang. Horse show, Jubilee event, got given a horse by the president of Azerbaijan. "Looking sprightly well and happy, almost as though it was part of a plan."     Finland and Sweden: 8/10 "The iro...

The Aussies go to the polls tomorrow and a veteran Australian broadcaster says Scott Morrison is sunk. Alan Jones told the Daily Mail Morrison is a handbrake and has no hope. He was the only commentator to correctly tip Morrison as the winner in the last election against Bill Shorten. This time, Alan says it's Albanese’s game. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After extensive pressure on drug-buying agency Pharmac, and a major review of its operations, Budget 2022 has provided a big cash injection. Pharmac's medicines budget has received its biggest boost in history with $191 million allocated over two years to make more medicines and other health treatments available. Health Minister Andrew Little said some of the new money would be for new medicines a...

Finance Minister Grant Robertson is defending his cost-of-living Budget package from criticism it is too short-term and narrow, saying long-term or widespread relief would only stoke inflation further. Robertson delivered his fifth Budget yesterday – the first since 2020 in which Covid-19 was not the dominant feature but which addressed one of the hangovers of Covid-19 – rising inflation. It inclu...

There are concerns there's a risk we become a mouse on an exercise wheel. One of the key parts of the Budget is a billion dollar cost-of-living package, which includes $350 dollars for people who earn less than $70, 000 per year, and don't get the Winter Energy Payment. Economist Cameron Bagrie told Mike Hosking as inflation goes up, and if we start spending more on the other side to compensate, t...

There was some sobering economic reality at my place yesterday. My street had a truck vacuum in it, sucking all the crap out of the drains, so there was the obligatory 800 metres of cones and two stop go people. Stop/go people have had a 28 percent wage rise on average this past year. I know this because I told you yesterday - the Seek job ad numbers tell us the 28 percent has taken them to about...

Phoenix Foundation are back, sort of. To honour the 40th anniversary of Simon and Garfunkel's concert in Central Park, artists Sam Scott and Luke Buda will be performing a tribute alongside other Kiwi names at Auckland's Civic Theatre. Sam and Luke joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spain has approved plans to become the first European country to introduce unlimited paid menstrual leave in the workplace. The draft law lets women suffering severe period pain take time off as long as they can provide a doctor's note. Questions have been asked as to whether we should introduce the same in New Zealand. Danika Revell is co-founder and CEO of The Period Place charity and joined Mik...

The fishing industry could be washed up within weeks over spiralling fuel prices. There are suggestions that seeing as the trucking industry gets the benefit of the fuel cut, so should the fisheries. Craig Boote is the Managing Director of Westfleet Seafoods and wants all fuel users to be treated the same. Boote joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former police officer believes a lack of action in reporting gang-related shootings may be an act of pragmatism. There are concerns over a sense of apathy around shootings, after multiple people heard gunshots in Wairoa - but didn't report them to police. Chester Borrows was chair of the Justice Advisory Group while an MP. The former cop told Mike Hosking it's difficult to have a context around...

The Government is being urged to invest in health staff, medicine and dental care in today's Budget. What it plans to spend billions on will be made public at two this afternoon. Immediate Past President of the College of Emergency Medicine, Dr John Bonning told Mike Hosking he wants to see emphasis on acute care. “We need more beds and nurses, access to diagnostics and theatre so we can admit our...

Hopes the poor will get a look in in today's Budget. Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge says low income earners are being unfairly hit by the cost of living. He's particularly concerned by the rising cost of food. Edridge told Mike Hosking the Government can't rest on its laurels. “We’re still seeing people, in fact, we’re seeing people worse off because of economic circumstances and Covid a...

Obviously there has been a fair bit of feedback to yesterday's James Shaw Special on this show, in which he appeared to not know a lot about what had been announced in his specialist area. The overall reaction sums it up, a plan to make a lot of plans Someone else said it might be significant, but then it might be nothing. Hard core campaigners fumed at the fact farming seemed to get off paying fo...

MPs Mark Mitchell and Megan Woods joined Mike Hosking to preview Budget Day, a discussion about Waka Kotahi having 88 press staff as well as the recently announced Emissions Reduction Plan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hutt Valley DHB expects some anxiety among patients after the hospital’s main building was deemed earthquake-prone.  The Heretaunga Block, holding almost 80 percent of the facility's beds, is only 15 per cent earthquake safe.  The news has also put on hold multi-million dollar plans to upgrade maternity services.  But DHB member Prue Lamason told Mike Hosking the hospital won’t be closing anytime...

Promises have come from this country's telcos that they're cleaning up their act. The sector received a telling off from the Commerce Commission last year for confusing customers with their marketing. Now the sector has new codes of conduct which include the customer being able to walk away from a service without penalty if it "materially fails to deliver" and speed of internet advertisements bein...

A suggestion the ram raid spate may be an attempt by  kids to gain street cred. Just this week there have been multiple ramraids in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. One attack on a petrol station was done with a stolen digger in Lower Hutt's Wainuiomata. The Graeme Dingle Foundation says crimes like these are often done to gain respect from other criminals. Youth Development Programme Leader...

Disinformation is festering during the Covid pandemic - because we aren't breaking our ideological bubbles. New Auckland University analysis of tens of millions of social media posts and videos,  has found February's protest at Parliament sparked a "tectonic shift" in the spread of disinformation. It included racist and violent disinformation, and Russian-linked propaganda about Ukraine. Researche...