The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Christopher Luxon says he'd be making deals for Rapid Antigen Tests this morning if he was running the country.  From midnight tonight, the country heads into Phase Two, meaning shorter self-isolation periods for cases and contacts.  The Government says rapid tests will also be used more widely.  The National Party leader told Mike Hosking he'd approve the same 60 suppliers Australia has for RATs...

A report has been released investigating what matters most in the workplace.  Recruitment agency OneStaff has released their latest report gauging work attitudes, experiences and remuneration from more than six thousand people in the trades and industrial sectors.  It finds median hour pay has risen to $27 an hour.  CEO Jonathan Ives says the number one motivation in a workplace across every secto...

An Auckland Councillor wants the endorsement of the Labour Party to become the next Mayor of Auckland, but says he'll go it alone if he has to.  Phil Goff has stood down from the role after nearly six years.  Efeso Collins told Mike Hosking he's been a member of the Labour Party for ten years and its values of innovation, creativity and diversity, reflect his.  He's downplaying suggestions the par...

A warning the entire economy could collapse, if lawmakers don't come up with a new plan fast.  The local chamber of commerce is predicting most businesses in Queenstown will close in a week, as rising Covid-19 cases forces close contacts into self-isolation.   Republic Hospitality Group CEO Blair Impey told Mike Hosking it's a fast nightmare that comes on quick.   He says they have 51 staff self-i...

So we got a big jump for the minimum wage - $21.20. The advantage for the Government is most of the people they pay, aren't on the minimum wage. The burden is carried by the small businesses of this country, the same small businesses that any number of polls tells us were already downbeat about the year ahead.  And how can you not be? You can't get staff because the border is closed, the remaining...

Andrew Saville and Guy Heveldt joined Mike Hosking to talk Ryan Fox, Israel Adesanya, the IPL auction, Super Rugby's Covid situation, the Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s First Lady Jenny Morrison has criticised former Australian of the Year Grace Tame, saying she was “disappointed” by the recent exchange the pair shared at The Lodge in Canberra. Ms Tame was among the guests welcomed to The Lodge for a morning tea on January 25, ahead of the Australian of the Year Awards in Canberra. Tame and her fiance Max Heerey were welcomed by Prime Minister Scott M...

Kiwis are back in action at the Winter Olympics today. Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, Cool Wakushima and Tiarn Collins will attempt to qualify in the Big Air event in snowboarding and in the skiing, Finn Bilous and Ben Barclay compete in the slopestyle event. But there is a Kiwi connection behind the scenes at the Winter Olympics. Hayden McGill is working at the Games as a snow groomer. McGill joined Mike...

National security adviser Jake Sullivan issued a stark warning Sunday that the United States believes Russia could launch an invasion of Ukraine this week, but is still holding out hope diplomacy can prevail. Sullivan told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" that Russian forces are positioned so that an invasion could take place before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics, which end on Feb...

A call for New Zealanders to learn the carbon footprint of their grocery shop is yet to get off the ground. There's concern the country is lagging behind when it comes to helping shoppers slash carbon emissions. Food retailers in Europe have brought in receipts telling shoppers the carbon footprint of their purchase. But Kiwi Tech Company Cogo has found it more difficult to get food retailers on b...

Hopes the appointment of New Zealand's first Aged Care Commissioner will provide a voice for the sector. Carolyn Cooper, former Managing Director of Bupa Villages & Aged Care, has been appointed as the inaugural commissioner. Radius Care Managing Director Brian Cree says the industry is full of hard-working people. He told Mike Hosking they're dealing with systemic issues. “It’s chronically underf...

Super Bowl LVI, America’s biggest sports day, takes place later today. The Los Angeles Rams are playing at home to the Cincinnati Bengals. Until last year, a Super Bowl never had a home team play on the ground and now it’s happened twice in a row. Former NFL all-pro fullback Lorenzo Neal joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A suggestion the Government has moved too slowly to stop anti-mandate protests. It's the seventh day they have been camped out at Parliament. Former Police negotiator Lance Burdett says a negotiator should have been deployed around day three. He says police and the government aren't on the same page. Burdett told Mike Hosking a different intervention is needed. “Give us five of your representative...

The Grounded Kiwis legal battle kicks off this morning. The group is taking the Government to the High Court in a Judicial Review over MIQ. They claim the Government's acted unlawfully, unreasonably and in breach of the Bill of Rights Act that states every New Zealand citizen has the right to enter New Zealand. Martelli McKegg partner and litigation head Jacque Lethbridge told Mike Hosking it allo...

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 Protest: 3/10  "It didn’t work, it wasn’t Groundswell, it wasn’t well organised, it had mixed messages, too many nutters, and too many angry people.  Protests make a point and sway a debate, this one just pissed everyone off."   Rapid Antigen Tests: 1/10  "We had the revela...

Decades of New Zealand sporting history have been secured for generations to come.  Work has finally wrapped up on converting tens of thousands of hours of Sky TV's sports coverage from the last 30 years from tape to digital format.  Joe Kelly is the General Manager at Damsmart, the organisation contracted to digitise the tapes.  He told Mike Hosking the project has taken 12 months.  “There’s a lo...

Chris Hipkins is rejecting suggestions the close contact exemption scheme is too admin heavy.  In phase two of our Omicron outbreak, critical business workers found to be close contacts won't need to isolate, if they return negative rapid antigen tests.  But businesses will still need to apply online, and meet criteria set out by the Government.  The Covid-19 Response Minister told Mike Hosking th...

Israel Adesanya has a big fight on his hands this weekend.   He has a rematch against Australian Robert Whittaker after Adesanya got the best of him in 2019.  It will be the fourth time the Last Stylebender defends his middleweight belt, the belt he first won off Whittaker.  The fight also comes just after Adesanya has apparently signed the second-largest UFC contract in history, according to the...

A butcher believes the new close contact exemption scheme, raises more questions than answers.   Under the scheme, critical business workers won't have to isolate if they're identified as a close contact at phase two of the Omicron outbreak.  That's if they return daily negative rapid antigen tests.  Businesses can go online now and apply if they think they meet the criteria.  Westmere Butchery Ow...

An absence of any central leadership is making things difficult for police, as they try to wrangle protesters at Parliament.  There were over 120 arrests yesterday, with many ordered to stay off the site for at least two years.   As well, two officers were injured and a throng of parking tickets issued to vehicles illegally parked nearby.  Auckland University political extremism researcher Chris W...

Hospitality businesses will continue to ask for government support, as more close their doors.  Latest figures from the Restaurant Association show businesses are reporting a 30 percent decrease in year-on-year revenues.  Eftpos data also shows a 30 percent decrease in transactions in January, with hospitality being one of the hardest hit sectors.  Auckland Restaurant Association President Krishna...

Apparently a lot of us are online stalkers when it comes to our potential dates.   Findings from a global study involving New Zealanders on online dating found two thirds of us would look up their future date's social media profile before going on said date.  And then 37 percent would actually cancel the date once they found out more about their potential partner.   So just how much has online dat...

A new education report released this morning shows a lot of parents are worried about their child's learning.   One Choice have done another of their education reports, the Kiwi Education report, and found 57% of parents are worried their kid's learning has suffered during the pandemic and half say it's impacted their decision around school choice.   3 in 10 think there's no question their kids ha...

Little to show for a multi-million dollar housing policy.   Only 58 families have moved into homes under the Government's Progressive Home Ownership Scheme.  It's been 19 months since the $400 million scheme launched in July 2020.   Housing Minister Megan Woods told Mike Hosking they've never done progressive home ownership in the country before and it's complicated.  “This is where the Government...

A concert promoter is frustrated at the lack of support for the sector.  Several events have already been cancelled this year due to the Omicron outbreak.  The latest includes Wellington's Homegrown Music Festival and New Plymouth's Womad.  Capital C Concerts Owner Phil Sprey told Mike Hosking it's devastating to see more concerts being pulled for another year.  “We’ve actually to the Government,...