The Mike Hosking Breakfast

A rise in workplace conflict could be down to people used to working from home, returning to the office. A survey from GeniusYou shows 36% of people say they deal with conflict in the office often, up from the previous 29%. Employment Specialist Jennifer Mills told Mike Hosking that it seems as if employees have a shorter fuse following lockdowns. She says while people would've walked away from conflict in the past, we're now seeing outbursts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MetService is explaining why its models struggled to predict how bad the fatal Auckland Anniversary Storm was going to be. An internal review reveals it failed to indicate the severity of the event and has found fault with the warnings issued. MetService CEO Stephen Hunt told Mike Hosking that teams were in a real state of flow on the day. Stephen Hunt says they're looking at using AI technology to better predict the weather. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The caretaker convention's being blamed by the outgoing and incoming governments for their lack of comment on the situation in the Middle East. The convention applies when an outgoing administration is preparing to make way for an incoming one. Otago University International Relations Professor Robert Patman told Mike Hosking that what New Zealand says on the issue is important. He says as the crisis has unfolded and people have witnessed the disproportionate response of Israel, people are looking for a more qualified and nuanced response. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not that I was aware of it on the night, but we asked Tamatha Paul to have a chat with us about her victory in the Wellington Central electorate. She said no, based on some thinking within the Green Party that I say stuff they don't like. Now, here is the problem with that. It shows an astonishing arrogance from the Green Party that, somehow, they feel as public representatives that they can dictate who they do and don't talk to. Don't get me wrong, I am not bothered in the slightest. It is unlikely I would ever have talked to her anyway as a newbie, given this is a nationwide show and until she did something newsworthy, or got herself higher up the pecking order in terms of influence, she would not have qualified to end up here in any case. There is a bus load of Labour MP's making their way back home as we speak that I never got the chance to ask a question of because many MP's arrive, don't do a lot, and then vanish without ever having troubled the wider public. Ol' Dan Rosewarne only came to most of our attention this because he was whining about the Koru lounge. Anyway, Ms Paul may or may not like things I say, but that actually isn't the point. In choosing to represent someone i.e a whole electorate, it is your duty to defend, advocate and answer on their behalf. You are at their service. Simple question - are there people in Wellington Central that want their story, no matter what that story entails, talked about in front of the biggest radio audience in the country? Yes there are, and that's Ms Paul's job. She doesn't have the right to pick and choose based on personal, or in this case, the party's taste. We have been here before of course with the Ardern mistake, and I think time has shown without a shadow of a doubt her decision to exit her opportunity on this programme was a mistake. It proved damaging to both her party and to her reputation. That decision and the Paul decision tramples on the very basic premise that I think most people would support - that discourse is critical. If the only discourse allowed is between fellow travellers who nod heads in agreement, then it will never be robust, it will never challenge, it will never change things and you certainly won't get the chance to argue your case or defend your corner. Rounded out, human beings relish the debate, and I would hope that would be one of the basic criteria for any public representative; that you relish debate and you are rounded out. See 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. The election: 7/10 A change of Government, reasonably clean result and an immediate lift in mood. National: 8/10 Better result than most thought, a leader proved better than most thought, new MP's, a lot to play for and high hopes of at least two terms. Labour: 3/10 Worse than they believed and that could be part of the problem. Got smashed in Auckland and deserved every bit of it. Now there's a lot of people without work, a leader who doesn’t seem to want to stay and no obvious successor. There's a long time in the wilderness coming. Damien O'Connor: 4/10 Telling people to f*** off sort of summed up the mindset. Tamatha Paul: 4/10 Not coming on a show like this is their loss, not ours. Andrew Little: 6/10 First of those to walk but he won't be the last. But he's a good bloke with a decent disposition and a pretty solid contribution. He will be remembered well on the Coast and rightly so. The All Blacks: 9/10 As good as rugby gets and another example of a team that was underestimated. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEWSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Infometrics has revised its expectations for economic growth next year upwards. It now predicts year-end growth at 0.9%. Inflation data out this week also shows inflationary pressures were easing more than had been expected. Chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan told Mike Hosking that they’re looking at a soft landing. He said that growth is holding up and inflation is slowing in line with what the Reserve Bank would be hoping for, so there would be little need to increase interest rates further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks have their eyes on the prize as they go into the semifinals tomorrow. Former All Black Sean Fitzpatrick told Mike Hosking that while the fans are more relaxed than last week, the team itself is focused and driven. He said that the teams previous experience in 2019 is helping keep apathy and complacence from setting in. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A step towards increasing the availability of CBD products. CBD is a compound found in marijuana but has little to no psychoactive effects. Medsafe has reclassified CBD from prescription only to a restricted medicine, meaning low-dose CBD medicines can be sold by pharmacists. But Pharmacy Guild Chief Executive Andrew Gaudin told Mike Hosking that there are currently no low-dose products approved here. He says this is the encouragement to manufacturers to start the process of developing products, which they'll then have to demonstrate the benefits of to get them approved. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Wellington City Councillor says the mayor's ignoring the wishes of the incoming government by pushing ahead with the Golden Mile redevelopment. Tory Whanau says the final contract is days away from being signed despite National opposing it. It would see cycling and pedestrian improvements and get rid of cars between Lambton Quay and Courtenay Place. Diane Calvert was asked by Mike Hosking if the comments are just to stick it up the new Government because Whanau doesn't like them. She reckons that's part of it, because she claims Tory Whanau's continually championing the Green agenda. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A construction boss is allaying fears of flooding of development sites. Neighbours are raising concerns about a new housing development on land which flooded during Auckland's January downpours. Mayor Wayne Brown says he's not aware of the specific situation, but he has concerns there are plots of land with resource consent that have recently flooded. Naylor Love Chief Executive Rick Herd told Mike Hosking that just because the piece of land has flooded, doesn't mean there isn't an engineering solution to it. He says it may be the developers have already got a plan to get rid of the water off the site should there be flooding. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belgium and France remain on high alert despite a potential terror suspect being shot dead by police. The Tunisian gunman —believed to have shot dead two Swedish football fans yesterday— has been killed by authorities in a Brussels cafe. The 45-year-old identified himself as a member of Islamic State and claimed responsibility. Italy Correspondent Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking that the gunman had applied for asylum in Belgium in 2019 but first arrived on Italian island of Lampedusa in 2011, making his way to Europe from Italy. She said that the Italian Government is stepping up controls over concerns about similar attacks. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Blues have found their home for the next two years. Eden Park has been confirmed as the Blues’ home venue for the 2024 and 2025 Super Rugby seasons. Eden Park CEO, Nick Sautner, told Mike Hosking that they’re confident the contract will be extended in the future. He said that sport and entertainment are evolving, and fans’ experience is critical on game day. Sautner said that they’ve invested $33 million into infrastructure over the last three years to ensure they can continue to provide great experiences to fans. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand is falling behind in terms of digital competitiveness. A new report has revealed that the country’s manufacturing sector is the weakest performer in terms of productivity over the past 20 years. The annual growth rate of labour productivity and manufacturing is only 0.92% over the last decade, sitting below the New Zealand average of 1.17%. Employers and Manufacturers Association CEO, Brett O’Reily, told Mike Hosking that we’re falling behind because we refuse to put in place things like the accelerated depreciation scheme. He said that there’s a lack of incentive for businesses to grow their productivity. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the ironies of MMP and the fact this year's election marked its 30th birthday, if birthday is the right word to use, was that a recommendation had been made years earlier over some sort of electoral reform, but nothing had been done about it. But in a debate with Jim Bolger, David Lange promised that he would look to hold a vote on it if returned to power. Sort of like David Cameron promised, under pressure, to have a vote on Brexit, never assuming in his wildest dreams that people would actually vote to leave Europe. But reform it we did and here we are 10 elections later still wondering if it was all it was cracked up to be. The greatest lesson is that there is no perfect electoral system. The last Labour Government, with their First Past the Post numbers, surely nailed the coffin shut on any form of debate around resurrecting FPP. If you wanted a show of a tin ear and blind arrogance and all that is weak about the old system, the Labour Government of 2020 to 2023 was it. But in this election alone we have several of the MMP frailties on show. There will be an overhang, both from the Māori seats and an overhang from Port Waikato, based on a rule very few knew even existed, far less how bizarre it was. And, once again, a minor player may or may not have an outsider role when it comes to participating in the Government. What both systems have managed to throw up is the frailty of democracy itself. Not that having a one person, one vote system is bad. But the outworkings can be. From the very minor parties who literally wasted their time and money to drum up a percent or two's worth of support to no end whatsoever, to the ongoing confusion among so many three decades on as to just how the system works and the belief that a level of manipulation and control is available with your two votes, when nothing of the sort exists at all. As I have said before, I honestly can't remember how I voted in 1983 when we held that binding referendum. It would have been my first vote, given I had just turned 18, but what I do remember is, like most elections, many turned up without a real clue as to just what it was they were voting for. As a result, a certain level of surprise and disappointment ensued. But at 30 it's too late. We won't change it, we won't revisit it, we had a crack and it went nowhere. It is what it is. But that’s the point - what is it? I'd say it's something OK, without being anywhere close to great. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

X —formally Twitter— is creating a $1 annual fee for new, unverified users, starting with a trial in New Zealand and the Philippines. The company says it's a bid to combat bots and scammers. Gorilla Technology CEO, Paul Spain, said it has the potential to make a difference. He said that while this may drive some people to move away, it doesn’t impact any existing users in a negative way and reduces the chances they’ll see bots going forward. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the world's most popular authors is going back to where it started in his new book. John Grisham is releasing a sequel to the book which launched his career: ‘The Firm.’ The legal thriller, which was released in 1991, was adapted into a film starring Tom Cruise. It's sequel ‘The Exchange’ picks up 15 years later with the same characters. Grisham told Mike Hosking that the book sees main character Mitch McDeere —an international lawyer— going around the world. He says parts of the book take place in Rome, Libya, London, and Istanbul. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Z Energy's Chief Executive is raising concerns over government monitoring of fuel profits. The Ministry of Business and Innovation releases weekly data that shows the margin retained on a litre of petrol. It shows on regular 91, the margin made by fuel importers has risen from 33 cents to 52.4 cents a litre in the past three weeks. But Lindis Jones told Mike Hosking that it's not reflective of the margins they're seeing. He contends that in a ballpark figure, the margins are roughly half those quoted in the data. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden's walking a diplomatic tightrope as he does his part to ease tensions in the Middle East. Israeli and Palestinian officials are trading accusations over who's to blame for a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital. The latest death toll has 471 dead. The US President has spoken from Tel Aviv, saying he's outraged and saddened, while urging Israel not to be consumed by rage. New Haven University Professor of National Security Matthew Schmidt told Mike Hosking that Biden's trip has achieved something. He says it gave a strong signal to groups like Hezbollah and Iran to stay clear as much as possible, which is quite effective. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Those who failed to fill out the 2023 census will not be prosecuted, due to an error by Stats NZ. The agency says it generally prosecutes up to 60 people for refusing to take part, encouraging others to do the same, or threatening census staff. Deputy Government Statistician Simon Mason told Mike Hosking that they're following legal advice after realising they hadn't met all the requirements of the Data and Statistics Act. He says they decided not to prosecute as they didn't feel it was right to try to force prosecutions through the court. Mason says this decision won't affect the quality of the data. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's no small irony yesterday in watching Sam Neill's lovely interview on the ABC about his diagnosis and ongoing battle with blood cancer. His family featured some of his background and his arrival from Ireland. I didn’t know he was called Nigel, but hated being called Nigel so changed it to Sam. It looked at his life in Australia and his passion project in Central Otago with that pinot noir that’s turned out to be such a success story. The prognosis isn't that flash. The experimental medicine he is on will not work forever. Which then led me to the article on Sue Wall-Cade. She is an advocate of funding life-prolonging cancer medication, the very sort Sam Neill is on. She is a survivor, or what she calls a METAvivor. She, like so many of us, is furious at Pharmac over the Sarah Fitt scandal. She wants Fitt gone and the board not far behind her. This is over the emails that have exposed Fitt's attitude to journalists and her general contempt for pretty much anyone who would dare ask a few questions and want a few answers. Wall-Cade says the emails are sickening and derogatory, and she is right. And possibly a little contained in the description. Part of the trouble with the story, to this point, is the election got in the way. Last time we talked about it with Chris Hipkins all he would say was the Health Minister had had a word with the chairman, who is Steve Maharey, a former Labour minister who would do... well... who knows what. He's done nothing so far as far as I can tell. What strikes me as alarming is the lack of apology from Fitt herself. I am happy to be corrected, but I have not heard from the woman post the revelation through the Official Information Act. Where is she? Does she want to apologise? Does she not want to apologise? Why hasn’t the minister told her to front? Why hasn’t the chair fronted? Why hasn’t the chair told Fitt to front? To a degree, this is the level of contempt that not just Fitt, but clearly chunks of the public service, and indeed the Government, hold the public in. It's sniggering, condescending chat that we aren't supposed to know about, if it wasn’t for the sheer stupidity of Fitt having put it all in writing. So lets start with the apologies, shall we? It needs to be genuine and fulsome and then follow it up with at least one, if not, two resignations. Or is this to be a final mark of this Government to deal with nothing and hope it goes away?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's Ginny Andersen and National's Mark Mitchell joined Mike Hosking to take a look at the election result and how the next few weeks will play out. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The death toll in Gaza is well past 3000, with Israel seeing at least 1400 casualties. US President Joe Biden will arrive in Israel tomorrow, and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is also understood to be going. Biden is hoping to avoid a wider regional war breaking out with Iran's warning it may get involved if Hezbollah steps in. International Geopolitical Analyst, Geoffrey Miller, told Mike Hosking that Biden’s initial plans to get humanitarian aid into Gaza and take the heat out of the conflict may no longer be enough. He said there’s a real risk that Israel will wind up fighting a two-front war. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Performing surgeries on the weekend is being described as a short-term answer to a long-term problem. Hospitals are increasingly running surgical lists on weekends to reduce the huge wait times which built up during the Covid pandemic. While that's helped cut some of the worst waiting lists, medical staff claim it's also contributed to a rise in surgery cancellations as nursing rosters are run thin. Association of General Surgeons President Vanessa Blair told Mike Hosking that weekend surgeries have been done before, but don't resolve the underlying reasons for long-wait times. She says it's a complex issue, but asking people to work weekends is not a long-term solution. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins is still mulling over his future as Labour Leader after what he admits was a "pretty rough" meeting with his Caucus yesterday. Tempers flared at the meeting, with Damien O'Connor swearing at a journalist stationed outside the caucus room. Under the party's rules, Labour MPs must vote on the party leadership within three months of a lost election. Hipkins told Mike Hosking that he still doesn't know whether he'll put himself forward but will have more to say soon. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Reserve Bank economist says while inflation is falling, it's still terrible. CPI rose 5.6% in the year to September, down from 6% in the year to June. Michael Reddell says he hasn't seen anything which would give him confidence the Reserve Bank is trending towards the 2% target. He told Mike Hosking that the Reserve Bank shouldn't put a pause on OCR hikes. Reddell says they should have raised it last month and should raise it in November. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.