The Mike Hosking Breakfast

New Zealand's latest unemployment figure didn't quite land where many expected. Stats NZ figures show it's risen to 4% in the three months to December. Business NZ Advocacy Director, Catherine Beard told Mike Hosking that the numbers feel wonky. She says they expected the figure to be higher after the Employment and Manufacturers Association highlighted the rise in enquiries about restructures and redundancies. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s now an opportunity to tell the Royal Commission of Inquiry about your Covid pandemic experiences, and the lessons you want to leave for the next pandemic. A website launches today for public submissions. It's running alongside a process where people can provide feedback on how they'd like the inquiry's terms of reference to be tweaked. Inquiry Chair Professor Tony Blakely told Mike Hosking that it could be useful to have some clarification of the terms. He says one example is that at the moment they're not talking about vaccine efficacy, but you need to consider that to know whether vaccine mandates are a good idea. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The passenger train between Hamilton and Auckland is increasing off-peak services. Beginning today, Te Huia will have a third service on Thursdays and Fridays, where demand has been the highest. There will also be a second return service on Saturdays. Waikato Regional Councillor Angela Strange told Mike Hosking that she hears from Waikato people who are excited about the inter-regional service. She says the extra services mean people can go up or down for a half day. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Modelling commissioned by the Ministry of Social Development point to more people on welfare, and people staying there for longer. It suggests those on the job-seeker benefit spend an average of 13 years getting the support. Social Development Minister Louise Upston told Mike Hosking that it's a problem her Government has inherited. She knew the figures were getting worse, but says this new data is absolutely shocking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Corrections Minister says reducing prisoner numbers just puts offenders into the community. The Government's also scrapping funding for pre-sentencing cultural reports. Those reports consider how an offender's personal background may have contributed to their crime. It's scrapping Labour's target to reduce the prison population by 30% and will introduce legislation to cap sentence discounts at 40%. Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking that in 2017, about $40 thousand was spent on cultural reports, growing to $7.7 million in 2023. He says there was a senior gang member advertising they could write a cultural report, guaranteeing to have the sentence reduced. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A US federal appeal court has ruled that Trump has no presidential protection amid trials for his involvement in the January 6 Capitol riots. The court has rejected claims by the former president, who says he shouldn't be criminally prosecuted for actions he took while president. Trump has indicated that he plans to appeal the ruling, which would see the case go before the Supreme Court. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the Supreme Court currently includes three Trump appointees and has a 6 to 3 conservative majority. He said that this is a moment of history for the court. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Private sector investment in Queenstown’s plans to become a niche tech ecosystem could bring them to fruition. Adopting an Australia and Asia Pacific backed funding model for the required $1 million a year could help with taking a 20-year view as opposed to relying on the three year electoral cycle. Paul Spain, Gorilla Technology’s CEO, told Mike Hosking that it’s encouraging to see businesses backing the initiative. He said that the size of the Queenstown Lakes district means that there’s only so much funding, support, and time that local councils can put in. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A senior National Minister has counter-attacked over criticism the Prime Minister's Waitangi speech reused lines from last year. Christopher Luxon says it was deliberate; he wanted consistency in his message, particularly given some of the misunderstanding around the treaty. National's Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking that some of the things he said, he will say again next year because they need reinforcing. He says it shows how little people have got when they start attacking Luxon because he repeated some lines, and they haven't stopped to consider they're things he feels are important. On the other hand, Labour’s Ginny Andersen said that part of being at Waitangi is listening and responding to what's currently happening. She said that repeating and recycling the same speech doesn’t demonstrate that Luxon is doing that. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

God bless Brooke van Velden. As part of the coalition agreement, the Government are looking to expand the terms of the Covid Inquiry. Why? Because not all the questions that need asking, were going to be. Ask yourself why that might be. It's an age-old Government trick. If you set up an inquiry you can deflect questions about your performance by saying "let's see what the inquiry says", or "that's up to the inquiry to look into". But it also allows you to control the narrative, set the terms of reference any way you want and say "oh, the inquiry didn't look into that". The damage done to people's lives and the ongoing economic effect is to be seen all around us every single day, years on, because of how Covid was handled in this country. And the inquiry is going nowhere near where it needs to go. Headed by van Velden, that is about to change. They want our input into what needs to be done and inquired into. Well, may I suggest a seat, a stand and an inquisitorial approach of a few key players. All you had to do was look at Scotland last week and Nicola Sturgeon, a Jacinda Ardern-like control freak who used the pandemic as a political tool, stoked by fear, to control people's lives in a ruinous way. Similar scenes have been seen in Britain with Boris Johnson. In Scotland's case there were deleted messages, burner phones and lies. Would a good series of penetrating questions reveal something similar here? We will never know unless we probe. Probe the front of the line for the vaccine that wasn't. Probe the PPE gear that was everywhere, except it wasn't. Probe the fury of the medical profession over the messages from the pulpit of truth that were simply not true. Probe the exclamation, and who can forget it, that the truth lay in the Beehive theatrette and nowhere else. Surely these are the areas we want a few questions around. Why are these things not being inquired into already? Answer; because the Government of the day knows it would get super awkward, super fast. More reason to do it then, eh? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bump to New Zealand's unemployment figures is forecast later this morning. A number of economists believe it will land at 4.3%, up from the September quarter's 3.9%. ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley agrees. He told Mike Hosking that it's important to bear in mind that these figures bounce around quarter-to-quarter. Tuffley says the trend they're looking for is the weaker labour market, slowing employment growth, and slowing wage growth. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SUV drivers in Paris are facing a financial blow after residents voted to hike parking fees for larger vehicles. The vote was initiated by the French capital's socialist mayor and will see those driving vehicles weighing more than 1.6 tonnes pay the equivalent of $30 an hour to park in the inner city. AUT Professor of Future Environments John Tookey told Mike Hosking that people should expect more of these kinds of measures. He says higher parking rates for larger vehicles are an inevitable way forward. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a delicate balancing act for Buckingham Palace between transparency and King Charles' privacy. The monarch is being treated for cancer, discovered during a separate procedure. The King and Queen Camilla have been seen for the first time since the diagnosis, driven from Clarence House to Buckingham Palace where it's believed they flew to Sandringham. Prince Harry's arrived in the UK. Royal correspondent Victoria Arbiter told Mike Hosking that it's not known what cancer he has or what treatment he's getting, and more information usually leads to more speculation. She says if the Palace had said what type of cancer he has, there'd be a litany of doctors on television talking about prognosis and life span. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister is talking up the conversations had behind the scenes at Waitangi as he comes under fire for what he said publicly. Christopher Luxon used extracts from last year's speech, which he says he has no regrets for. He expects to do the same in the future such as his Anzac Day speech. Luxon told Mike Hosking that while in Northland, he had some good conversations on housing and water storage in the region. He says there was some pretty inspiring conversations about problems and then potential solutions. He's also standing by a statement criticising China. The joint statement by Foreign Minister Winston Peters, Defence Minister Judith Collins and their Australian counterparts criticised China for eroding freedoms in Hong Kong and the repression of the Uyghur people. The Chinese Embassy in Wellington says it strongly deplores and firmly opposes the statement. But Luxon told Hosking that he supports the statement. He says New Zealand's been consistent in its position both publicly and privately, and he thinks it's a good statement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abuse of the work visa scheme appears to have increased in recent times. RNZ is reporting nearly 200 employers have had their licence to hire migrants revoked or suspended as an investigation into migrant exploitation continues. NZ Immigration Law's Aaron Martin told Mike Hosking that in his experience, the situation has worsened since the Accredited Employer Work Visa system started. He says the way the system has run has allowed for people to game it and basically turn job offers into a commodity. The Government says it's working to address both visa scheme abuse and immigration processing issues. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canterbury is getting a new pet food canning facility next month, rolling out 30 million tins a year. Pet food exports already total more than $300 million per year, and Riverland Foods is hoping to increase that number. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development are warning that the construction sector is set for a hard year. New builds are expected to drop drastically, worsening the housing crisis. Naylor Love Chief Executive Rick Herd joins Tim Dower to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles has begun treatment for a form of cancer. Buckingham Palace says during his recent procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue was found and subsequent testing identified the cancer. The King has been advised to postpone public facing duties, but will still undertake State business and official paperwork. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says with Prince Andrew not doing anything, Prince Harry gone, and the Princess of Wales also just out of hospital herself -- it puts pressure on the remaining working royals. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds of protesters have arrived as part of a hikoi at Te Tii Marae. The march has travelled 200km over five days, leaving Cape Reinga on Friday. Senior Political Reporter Sophie Trigger is at Waitangi. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of NZ First joins Tim Dower to discuss Waitangi Day, and what makes this year different to previous commemorations. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Waitangi celebrations this year promise to be the most, shall we say, spirited that we've seen in quite a while. To be honest, I've enjoyed a break from some of the drama of the mid-90s - the jostling of a Prime Minister with his arm in a cast, the Prime Minister reduced to tears, the mud throwing. For a little while now the scenes on the TV news have had been more of a festive feel to them with PM's on the BBQ rather than hiding in the toilet. But this year, that's changed again. Judging by the intense powhiri for Kīngitanga, and thanks to considerable rarking up by Te Pati Maori, strong feelings are already being whipped up. Te Pati Maori obviously intends to keep running this three-headed taniwha line as their way to describe the coalition. I'm guessing that whatever he says publicly, the Prime Minister isn't really looking forward to tomorrow and he'll be glad when it's over. But it really is an opportunity to straighten a few things out and maybe, just maybe, defuse some of the rhetoric and tension that's been going on. Labour and the Greens are allowing themselves to be dragged into it and it really does them no credit. Talk by MPs of a "fight" against the Government on behalf of Māori and the need to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi is misleading at best, downright dishonest at its worst. And for Labour to claim gains were made for Māori under its time in office... well, if it wasn't such a whopper it would be laughable. Māori went backwards on pretty much every metric under Labour. So the opportunity for Chris Luxon is to set things straight and somehow dispel this idea the coalition is anti-Māori and hose down the notion anyone wants to rewrite the Treaty. He's been saying the right things to the media, and in person too, and I believe he wants to deliver the right things, but fronting at Waitangi to do exactly the same is a necessity. Even if it means suffering a little indignity to show you mean what you say.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The mayor of a Hawke's Bay town says it's a disgrace that funding from a special Lotto draw after Cyclone Gabrielle, hasn't yet been allocated. The special draw raised more than $11-million. The Department of Internal Affairs expects some action this month. Wairoa mayor Craig Little told Tim Dower that the money would go a long way. He says there are people suffering, have lost their homes and essentially living in a third world country in Wairoa they've lost everything. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is bracing for a tense reception at Waitangi today. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, alongside Winston Peters and David Seymour, are being welcomed to the treaty grounds in the Bay of Islands this morning. It comes amid a tumult of reaction to comments from all coalition partners concerning Māori matters. Waitangi National Trust Chairman, Pita Tipene, told Tim Dower the Prime Minister needs to articulate a clear vision of where we're going as a country. He says we can focus on today's anger and frustration - but let's start painting a picture on what was envisaged when Te Tiriti was signed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is some doubt whether the US approach to Yemen-based Houthi is the right one. The US and UK have launched a third round of strikes against the militant group -- hitting 36 targets across 13 locations. Washington think tank Defence Priorities senior fellow Gil Barndollar told Tim Dower these strikes aren't going to end the Houthi regime. He's sceptical they're going to change Houthi behaviour, he says the goal is to degrade their arsenal but he's not sure that's realistic. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate change and extreme weather events are top of farmers' concerns for the next decade. In a new report funded by Our Land and Water, more than 280 primary industry experts ranked international and domestic factors, to understand how they're expected to impact land use. Water quality and agricultural policy are also major domestic concerns. Federated Farmers President Wayne Langford told Tim Dower that the extreme weather last year had a huge impact. He says when it comes to climate change and extreme weather, it's important to get rid of the hype and excitement and focus on practical solutions to protect ourselves. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. James Shaw: 6/10 Likeable bloke and will find life outside immeasurably more fun. Chlöe Swarbrick: 6/10 The obvious replacement choice I would have thought. Good luck to her, but it doesn’t advance the cause if you like the green bit of the Green Party. Heat alerts: 3/10 When did we decide 27 degrees needed a heat alert, and who decided that? Wellington Water: 1/10 It's not this council's fault, but it is multiple council's fault and is beyond a joke now. Perhaps it's a lesson in paying attention to local body politics and who we vote for? Shane Jones: 6/10 My politician of the week for having the gonads and the experience to be able to stand up to some of this race-based nonsense and give it right back. The return to work: 7:10 I have no time for those mad articles about how to cope, the New Year blues etc. If you don't like what you do, then fix it. Life is short. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the school week having mostly ground back into life this week, I was very pleased that the Prime Minister went to school himself yesterday with a message. The message was for parents - wake up! The absenteeism crisis is as much our fault as it is anyone's. Chris Luxon didn’t say it in those exact words, but that was the inference. While the previous Minister of Education Jan Tinetti blamed Covid and the cost of living and specialised in excuse making, the reality is we have no one to blame but ourselves. The failure of our kids to pass exams probably sits a bit more with parents than many would like to admit as well, but at least a Government can play their part, and they may well have. The idea of an hour of reading and writing every day as a policy in 2024 is one of the more bizarre things I have seen. It introduces what we used to take for granted and thought worked. How far off track has a system gone when the failure rate speaks for itself, and you have to literally go back to basics the way they have? It's part of the whole education debacle I have never understood. For all those who argue we don’t want change and a phone ban is a bad thing and the absenteeism rate can be explained away and the NCEA pass rate is somehow fine, the facts tell a different story this isn't a debate about nuance. Most kids don’t go to school. Literally a majority don’t go to school 90% of the time as required and a growing number each year, for the past three years, fail NCEA. At the risk of sounding like a bit of a snob, having had five kids through NCEA, you have to be pretty behind the pace to fail it. In other words, the fact it's so easy and the fact more and more can't even pass it is, I would have thought, a crisis. It's no wonder we are a low wage economy. We don't educate kids, and when we don't, we find excuses for it. Luxon said his lot are doing their bit at his school visit. Time will tell if it's enough. I suspect it's not. But part of his message, which in a wider context is way more reassuring, is to be found in his words to parents. Wake up. The inference is at last we have a Government that is prepared to hold a few people to account and some of those people might well be us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s doubt the latest proposed lift in the minimum wage will do enough to help workers. The Government's increasing the minimum wage by 2% to $23.15 an hour from April. Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke Van Velden had recommended a rise of just 1.3%. Victoria University School of Governance and Policy Studies senior research fellow Dr Michael Fletcher told Mike Hosking that at a minimum, it should rise at the same rate as inflation. Inflation is currently sitting at 4.7%. He says the Government says beneficiaries should get increases in line with the Consumer Price Index, so the lowest paid workers should get the same. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington's water service provider is at odds with the City Council after an independent report found multiple failings. Wellington City Council launched a review of Wellington Water which found shortfalls in their reporting and an inconsistent approach to works management. It comes amid a water crisis for the region, with the possibility of a state of emergency if shortages worsen. But Wellington Water CEO Tonia Haskell told Mike Hosking that she disputes the findings. She says some parts of the report "aren't quite right". LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Corrections Minister says there are too many people out on electronic bail. A briefing has revealed the number of people on electronic bail has more than tripled in the past six years. Mark Mitchell says looking at the Bail Act, the already existing plan to cap discounts for prison sentences, will help. He told Mike Hosking that it's not the only problem he will be investigating. Mitchell wants to look at the rise in people being granted electronic bail despite police opposition. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States says it'll take all necessary actions to defend itself, its interests, and its people in the middle east. It comes after three US soldiers were killed in a drone strike in Jordan, near the Syrian border. The US has blamed an Iranian-backed militia group. CBS says officials have told them the US has approved plans for a series of strikes on Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq. US correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that they're still finalising plans, and it's expected there'll be a series of strikes over a number of days including on Iranian personnel and facilities inside Iraq and Syria. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Associate Health Minister Casey Costello has told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking she did not ask to remove the excise tax on tobacco. However, she conceded there was a line in a document from last year about removing it for three years. Costello declined an invitation to go on TVNZ’s Breakfast this morning but has fronted up over her denial she specifically sought advice on freezing the tobacco excise tax. “It’s just a broad document,” she said. “There’s no involvement from big tobacco, this is just nonsense.” Costello confirmed she had links to the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union, but has no association or involvement with the tobacco industry. “I have sympathy [for smokers], I’m getting messaging from people who know they should stop smoking, but they’re addicted.” She said prohibition doesn’t cure addiction, and they want to look at a range of things to help people quit. Documents show Costello asked for advice on freezing the excise, despite denying in an interview with RNZ that she had specifically sought the advice. But when speaking during Question Time on Thursday, Costello doubled down, maintaining she had not specifically asked for the advice, and she had not written the documents she sent to officials. “The documentation is a range of historical policy positions and notes that were held in New Zealand First policy positions. Some of it relates to things that were passed in the legislation when New Zealand First was in Government. This is a range of points and positions and it’s about five pages long.” She said her actions had been distorted by the media. “The fact is, I was asked a question about whether I had sought specific advice. I had not sought specific advice, which was the question I answered. I referred to a range of advice I had sought from officials,” she said. Costello said she was unsure who wrote the documents. Labour’s health spokeswoman, Dr Ayesha Verrall, said the minister was still responsible for the documents she presented, and the Prime Minister should relieve Costello of her duties. “When a minister gives documents to officials, if that is done or collated by her office it is still her responsibility. Her office acts on her behalf, she needs to take responsibility for it.” Senior National Party minister Chris Bishop said that while ministers were responsible for things they gave officials, there was a question over whether they were responsible for the generation of that material. “I would argue they cannot be, in the same way that if, for example, a Labour Party minister gave a document to the Ministry of Education, that was the NZEI or the PPTA or the CTU, for example, they cannot be questioned about the CTU in Parliament. “They can be questioned about the handling of that document and what’s in the document, but the generation of that document I think would fall outside the scope of ministerial responsibility.” Speaking to media after Question Time, he said the matter of the authorship of New Zealand First’s policies was for Costello to answer, but he had certainly presented party policy to officials. He said talking to a range of groups was how the country gets good policy. “People have easy access to ministers and MPs in New Zealand. All political parties work with a range of groups when it comes to developing policy.” Standing in for the Prime Minister in the House, Act leader David Seymour said he had had assurances from all coalition partners they had had no funding from the tobacco industry. “I am confident that there has been no undue influence on the policies of this Government by the tobacco industry.” Seymour told reporters it was possible Costello had misinterpreted RNZ’s questioning, and RNZ had misinterpreted her answers, which had caused confusion. “I think that she was being open to the best of her ability. The other thing I just say is this: We say we want people in our democracy to stand up, run for office, and become ministers, and actually go and listen, take the best advice, and make the best policy. She’s done all that stuff and people are jumping all over her.” - NZ Herald with RNZ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Those with even a passing interest in architecture and design will know the name Kevin McCloud. The award-winning presenter and broadcaster of Grand Designs UK, the show running for 25 years. Kevin McCloud has ridden its wave of success as he takes viewers on a tour of astonishing homes and wondrous architecture. The presenter has a love of architecture, telling Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking that the extent to which people take a “piece of nothing” and turn it into something is fascinating. “Ever since we, you know, crawled out of a hole, or out of the water onto dry land millions of years ago, we’ve been attempting to try and kind of straighten the earth a bit.” “Make it in our image almost.” McCloud told Hosking that he’s sure that every architect has the desire to try and defeat the universe and build something that lasts. “What the universe wants to do is, basically, turn every mountain into dust.” “And then every human being wants to kind of, somehow, lift up the dust and form it into something.” There is one thing McCloud will critique about architecture though, and that’s scale. “I think generally we, we do build really too big.” “We spend all this money on stuff, and ideas, and all were doing is just trashing our planet, trashing resources, trashing, you know, trashing our bank balances.” McCloud told the Newstalk ZB host that in his opinion, that money should be spent on storage, clever design, joy, craftsmanship, and perhaps fewer bathrooms. “We tend to build houses with more toilets than occupants, which I don’t understand.” He’s bringing his love of architecture to kiwi audiences, taking to the stage for ‘Kevin McCloud’s Home Truths’, bouncing around telling stories and showing slides. Unlike what his producer might want, it’s not much of a song and dance but he does want audiences to enjoy themselves. “That’s what it ought to be.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"To whom much is given, much will be required." It's a great quote and is one of the reasons why my sympathy for Golriz Ghahraman is somewhat limited. I think Winston Peters said that it's sad, and if it was him, he is right. It's also made worse by the fact the whole tawdry mess is being played out so publicly. But then, "to whom much is given". She chose her life and with that came the scrutiny. $10,000 is a lot of clothing. She's back in court late this month and faces seven years in jail, which she will of course not get. In some respects, and this is where I do have sympathy, because of who she is her punishment has already well and truly started. Given retail crime in this country she is far and away your highest profile operator, or alleged operator. This carries the usual rider of innocent until proven guilty and so on. But we can psychoanalyse this stuff until we are blue in the face and given this happened over the holiday period while I was away, I watched in astonishment as so much of the media did. Almost instantly the story leapt from one of crime to endless interviews with mental health experts and psychologists about pressure and social media, in what turned out to be a mad mix of trying to extrapolate every last angle out of the story they could, to what appeared like some weird justification or bandwagon around people who either get abused or attacked, to the role of women in public life, to the impact of undiagnosed stresses. I like to keep things clean - theft is theft and it's against the law and there is no excuse. There's even less excuse if you are in a position of privilege. Complicit, and appallingly so in all of this, is her party. The Greens knew yet said nothing and said nothing for weeks. That in my eyes is aiding and abetting. In some ways the whole tragic saga turned into yet another of those modern-day soap operas, where we look to find an excuse for anything. Yes, women get attacked online. We all get attacked online. Anyone with a public profile is open to ludicrous amounts of commentary and abuse and behaviour that should really never happen and be dealt with a lot more severely than it is. But it doesn’t mean you nick stuff. Sometimes when you are guilty, if you are guilty, you just have to own it. If she did it, she is a thief and she deserves what's coming to her. A justice spokesperson in the Parliament of the land stealing stuff - it doesn’t get a lot worse. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday saw a major win for some of New Zealand’s top athletes. The Employment Relations Authority has ruled in favour of the Athletes’ Cooperative, forcing High Performance Sport NZ to engage in collective bargaining with the co-op. HPS had previously rejected attempts to hash out a collective agreement on the basis that they did not formally employ athletes. Former Olympic Rower Mahe Drysdale is spearheading the co-op's efforts, telling Mike Hosking that he’s not sure why HPS tried to avoid it for so long. He said that all they want to do is get on with this and change sport for the better in New Zealand. The crux of the situation, Drysdale told Hosking, is getting better conditions for athletes and allowing them to have input into how the system is run. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerns hold fast as the pressures of the cost of living continue to spread. The latest Centrix Credit Indicator shows non-discretionary arrears are going up, with telco arrears above 10% for the first time in four years. Managing Director Keith McLaughlin says the number of households behind on utility accounts are up to 4.9%, well up on the last couple of years. He says we're starting to see those consumers who don't go out and buy things because they can't afford to still getting caught by credit that's not discretionary. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's education reputation remains strong with overseas audiences as new research shows the benefits international students bring to the country. It reveals 84% of international students rate their experience positively, and three quarters of kiwis believe international students are an asset to our education system. Education New Zealand's Geoff Bilbrough told Mike Hosking that the system should be celebrated. He says the numbers show students are coming back. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From today, recycling rules will be the same for most New Zealanders. Standardised recycling has been introduced in a bid to make the process more efficient. Items like plastic lids, coffee cups, and aerosol cans are no longer able to be recycled. Waste Management NZ's David Howie told Mike Hosking that much of the country already has standardised recycling. He says many councils have adopted the standard prior to today, and it works well. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The banking sector is celebrating as the Government plans to slash red tape on lending. The financial services sector will see regulations cut on licensing and loan requirements, a u-turn on laws introduced in 2021. Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Andrew Bayly told Mike Hosking that while he agreed with the intention of previous regulations, the last government didn't adequately consult the sector. He says it's about freeing up the banks and lenders, to make it easier to give small loans. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Defence Minister says there's still a lot of groundwork to lay before any decision on AUKUS is made. Judith Collins and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will meet with their Australian counterparts in Melbourne today. She says that while other topics will be on the agenda, the defence and interests of New Zealand in the Pacific will come first. Collins told Mike Hosking that New Zealand doesn't yet have enough information on pillar two of AUKUS. She said that's because AUKUS members are still trying to figure out how New Zealand could fit into the agreement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

High inflation in certain parts of the economy is dashing hopes of a cut in the OCR. Reserve Bank Chief Economist Paul Conway says that despite overall inflation being at 4.7%, non-tradable inflation is still high at 5.9%. Westpac Senior Economist Darren Gibbs told Mike Hosking that they expected an OCR cut to occur in February of next year, and that didn’t change after the announcement. He said that they think due to some elements of domestic inflation being quite sticky, it will take longer for inflation to decline than other economists predict. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US is considering its response to the first deadly strike on its forces in the Middle East since the Gaza war began. Three US servicemen were killed and at least 34 wounded in a drone attack by Iran-backed militants in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, an escalation in the violence that has erupted beyond Gaza. President Joe Biden has ordered retaliatory attacks on Iranian-backed groups. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the Pentagon is reviewing how the attack drone was able to get through American defences. He said that the Secretary of State said that Biden is walking a fine line between an effective response and widening the war in the Middle East. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell is 'fessing up to a mistake he made around the timeline for extra police. Yesterday he told Parliament the original two year target to add 500 officers had been pushed out to three. But the Prime Minister says he didn't express himself well, and the original target is still in place. Mitchell told Mike Hosking that he should have been clearer. But Labour Police spokesperson Ginny Andersen says that the whole situation is a joke. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doctors are warning of the risks of implanted chips after Elon Musk's company Neuralink claims to have successfully implanted a device in someone's brain. The tech billionaire says the patient is recovering well and wants to continue work on the project to connect human brains to computers and tackle neurological conditions. But AUT Neuroscientist Valery Feigin told Mike Hosking that it's risky. He says it's easy for bleeding and infection to occur. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister seems to be differing from his Police Minister on the timeline of when the Government will add 500 cops to the beat. In Parliament yesterday, Mark Mitchell pushed out the original timeline from two to three years, citing difficulties with recruitment. But Christopher Luxon says the two year commitment is still in place, despite the difficulties. He told Mike Hosking that any Labour Party claims around a backdown from their promise is wrong. Luxon says Mitchell didn't express himself well and the commitment still stands. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Outgoing Green Party co-leader James Shaw says his next career steps remain uncertain. He announced his resignation yesterday after almost nine years at the helm alongside Marama Davidson. Shaw says he will stick around until a decision is made around his member's bill, which was pulled from the ballot last year. He told Mike Hosking that he's not necessarily on board with speculation he'll be the next Climate Change Commissioner. Shaw says he's uncomfortable with the idea of the commissioner being a former politician, because it's supposed to be independent. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Silver Ferns took third at the Nations Cup and the conversation quickly turned to Dame Noeline Taurua’s future as coach. Her original contract expired last October, and she signed a mini-extension to remain with the team until the end of their campaign in England. While she still hasn’t committed to her future plans, Taurua insists an announcement is imminent. Former Ferns player and coach Yvonne Willering told Mike Hosking that should Taurua retire, we don’t have good coaching stocks from which to replace her. She said that she would like to see Taurua stay on for another year and bring in a co-coach to get them used to the structures. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Looks like a good year is ahead for the horticulture industry. The Horticulture Department is estimating a 12% increase for this year’s apple and pear crop in comparison to the 2022 total. Cherries are also slated to have a great year, with some growers saying that they got what they hoped for, and in some cases slightly exceeded their hopes. Horticulture NZ CEO Nadine Tunley told Mike Hosking that everyone’s pretty upbeat after a tough last year. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A prediction that the US southern border will be a big issue for both political parties. Joe Biden has been struggling to get a border deal over the line, facing impasses from Republicans over aid to Israel and Ukraine. But Donald Trump also has a challenge stemming from inaction on it when he was in office, as well as trying to insert himself into negotiations. Former Republican Communications Director Doug Heye told Mike Hosking that in trying to campaign on the border, Trump has potentially gifted Biden. He says Biden is looking for anything to hang his hat on, and saying Trump doesn't want anything to happen for political reasons is giving him hope. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pressure is mounting on politicians to act urgently to fix Wellington's water crisis. The city is currently under level 2 restrictions but faces tighter restrictions if shortages worsen. Water experts say that for decades, governments have neglected our water infrastructure. Water NZ Chief Executive Gillian Blythe told Mike Hosking that she's hopeful central and local governments will work towards addressing the water woes. She's calling politicians to prioritise water infrastructure. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s being predicted that interest rates won't be going down for some time. Despite inflation in line with expectations of 4.7%, non-tradable inflation is still high at 5.9%. The Reserve Bank is also contending with slow employment growth, weaker business investment, and weaker global growth. Former Finance Minister Steven Joyce told Mike Hosking that ongoing struggles with non-tradable inflation will keep interest rates higher for longer. He says they might change interest rates earlier in the year, but if they do, the risk is they'll have to reverse course as the year goes on. Reserve Bank Chief Economist Paul Conway will deliver a keynote speech on the economy this morning. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.