The Mike Hosking Breakfast

A win for striking firefighters, with confirmation of an inquiry into the national fleet.  Parliament’s Governance and Administration Select Committee has launched the probe with hopes of increasing the number of fit-for-purpose fire trucks.  Deputy Chair and National MP Tim Costley told Newstalk ZB he has some serious questions for Fire and Emergency New Zealand.  He told Mike Hosking that he's been going around in circles with Fire and Emergency’s leadership, who have been giving contradictory and incorrect reports on how many of trucks are in use.  Costley says either the Board has been receiving incorrect answers from team leadership, they haven’t been asking questions at all, or they’ve received honest answers but haven’t passed them on – regardless of the reason, he has questions.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are hopes a successful launch to the Moon today will lay the groundwork for future Mars missions.  Artemis II's launch window begins at around midday New Zealand time, taking those on board further into space than ever.  The 10-day manned mission around the moon is the first in more than 50 years.  Astronomer Nikku Madhusudhan told Mike Hosking we will learn a lot from it.  He says it's a three-day trip to the Moon, so it's a lot easier to test equipment and technology needed to go to Mars.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Auckland housing number and the Government's housing vision now looks like a school project gone wrong.  Chris Bishop, by anyone's standards, is a competent, if not excellent, political operator but he appears to have come unstuck on Auckland housing.  His two million homes got the sort of reaction anyone with anything to do with Auckland might have expected, so after a lot of gnashing and expletives it got readjusted to 1.6 million and now, if you can believe it, it's 1.4 million.  The real issue of course is the number. All the numbers are huge, so they freak people out.  Not helping is the fact Bishop is not from Auckland, he is from the Hutt. Which doesn’t mean he can't make decisions on Auckland, it just means he doesn’t seem to know what rarks Auckland up, and the obvious suggestion is made that maybe that’s because he is from Wellington.  Making it worse is the Government has a Minister for Auckland, but he seems to be nowhere to be seen and one wonders whether he was in Bishop's ear at any point suggesting bandying around large numbers and causing confusion about high-rises in suburbia wasn’t the smartest thing he could have done.  It's not helpful either for the Government, given it's election year. Like it or not, elections are won and lost in the country's biggest city and economic engine room.  Also about to land is a report on volcanic view shafts, another of Auckland's special features Bishop doesn’t seem to get.  We can delve into it another day, but in a sign Bishop is all about bottom lines and not the real world, the report suggests there is $4 billion worth of lost productivity because of these view shafts, which is $2500 per household. The inference being if we just got on and built stuff, even if they are high-rises smack bang in the middle of your Rangitoto view, we would be off to the races economically.  I can tell Chris even before the report is released that this will go down worse than his original two million homes idea.  In really simple terms, if the National Party, and by default the Government, want to piss a large number of Aucklanders off, let Bishop loose on the place and we'll catch up for a drink at the Opposition benches. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into some of the biggest stories of the week thus far.   They discussed the Government watering down the Auckland housing intensification plan again, Labour’s concerns with the India Free Trade Agreement, and the bill going before Parliament today that could revamp holiday alcohol trading laws.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trade Minister doesn’t see anything material in Labour’s concerns over the India Free Trade Agreement.   New Zealand First's shunned the deal, leaving its coalition partners reliant on Labour to ratify it.   But Leader Chris Hipkins says his party's support can't be taken for granted, and he's concerned there's a mismatch between descriptions of the deal, and its contents.  Todd McClay told Mike Hosking they’re going to do this in good faith – a formal meeting has been set for tomorrow so they can go through the details and the advice, but it's rather straightforward.  But he says Labour needs to make a decision soon.   He says it’s important that Parliament as a whole gets to scrutinise the deal instead of having individual parties closing the door.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 1st of April, criminal defence lawyer Nigel Hampton KC discusses the quashing of David Tamihere’s double murder convictions.   Trade Minister Todd McClay has returned from Cameroon to answer Labour's new queries about the India Free Trade Agreement as Mike asks whether it's still on or not.  And on Politics Wednesday, Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk National's housing mess and the bill that should pass today allowing bars to operate normally on Easter and Anzac. Plus, wait until you hear about the April Fool's joke that got Mike.  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report highlights a need for bipartisan support for New Zealand’s tech sector.  It’s currently our fastest growing sector, outstripping meat, wine, and wood combined, and has the potential to hit $30 billion a year within a decade.   They've sent a manifesto to MPs, warning that a lack of cohesive policies may stifle the sector’s growth.   Tech NZ CEO Graeme Muller told Mike Hosking some things need to be put in place to allow a digital economy to really fly, and only a government is able to do some of it.   He says like infrastructure, technology has multi-year investments, so both or all parties need to get on board and understand how important it is.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several Trump aides have reportedly told the Wall Street Journal the US President is privately suggesting he’s willing to end the war in Iran, even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely shut down.  Petrol prices in the USA are at a four-year high with warnings they will go significantly higher, and “people are feeling it”, US correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking.  Trump has threatened to destroy Iran's water and energy infrastructure if a deal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is not done soon, while the Gulf states are urging him to press on with the US military operation, Arnold said.  Those states warn if Iran gets to control the flow of oil, there will soon be ripple effects in many other areas including spiralling food and transport costs, Arnold said.  But a ground war would be risky, and a “huge liability” for Donald Trump, whose favourability numbers have hit a historic low of 33% in the latest opinion poll.  Trump posted to Truth Social overnight telling other countries they should reopen the Strait of Hormuz themselves, saying “Go get your own oil”. That sentiment was echoed in a briefing from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said the US used the international waterway “dramatically less than most”.  “The world ought to pay attention and be prepared to stand up. President Trump's been willing to do the heavy lifting on behalf of the free world,” Hegseth said.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An urban planning specialist believes Auckland's density plan is far too important to meddle with.  The Government again revised the super-city's plan yesterday to reduce minimum housing capacity to 1.4 million.  It's the second revision within weeks from the original two million after continued push-back in some suburbs.   Mt Hobson Group's Hamish Firth told Mike Hosking the plan needs to be done by and for Aucklanders.  He says it's been wrongly directed from the start, as it was lunacy to mandate two-million houses.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Pacific security expert says the Foreign Minister's visit to the Cook Islands today follows hard work to repair relations.  Winston Peters is meeting Prime Minister Mark Brown again, the two having met in Auckland last month.  Peters paused almost $30 million in support last year after Brown signed a strategic partnership with China without consulting New Zealand.  Massey University's Anna Powles told Mike Hosking relations have been a priority for the Cooks in recent months.  She says Elizabeth Wright-Koteka was appointed head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the explicit goal of mending diplomatic ties with New Zealand.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A criminal defence lawyer believes the quashing of David Tamihere's convictions unveils major errors.  The Supreme Court's scrapped his double murder convictions for killing two Swedish tourists in the 80s.  He served two decades before being released on parole in 2010 and made multiple attempts to clear his name.  The last saw the Court of Appeal confirming a miscarriage of justice took place, but it upheld the convictions.    Nigel Hampton KC told Mike Hosking many fundamental things were wrong with the trial going back over 30 years, from a lying jailhouse witness to other shaky evidence.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From our "don’t waste a crisis" file, is it possible this Government's handling thus far of oil events might well see them rewarded with an increased level of support as the election draws closer?  The initial reaction when the war broke out and oil went up was twofold.  1) Around the economy, the rebound, the resurgence we had seen may well be, yet again, off.  2) That the poor Government worked their butts off, trimmed the Budget, changed the laws, got rid of the mess, and at last were seeing the fruits of the labour.  Then bang – Operation Epic Fury.  The next question so far unanswered here is, will the Government of the day take the political heat because the cost of living is up, even though it is none of their fault?  The partial answer comes from Australia in their polling and that answer is 'no'. The war and its associated economic outworkings fall entirely on America.  Polling in America shows the same thing. This is on Trump.  As I said last week, New Zealand v Australia in terms of messaging, organisation, reaction, and action is not even a contest. Australia is a hot mess of confusion, claim and counterclaim, and a growing bitch session between state and Canberra.  Here, it would seem close to faultless.  For those upset over the lack of free money, you might not agree with it, but you can't blame the messaging or say it hasn’t been explained.  Yesterday's LNG explanation from the Prime Minister that it either stacks up or it doesn’t is what we desperately need more of. Not ideology, not feels, not obsessions; just stats, numbers and facts. Does it work, or does it not?  The oil numbers yesterday seem reassuringly well organised. We are clearly hustling and so far, it's clearly working.  There's messaging about what it isn't, i.e. this isn't Covid, this isn't about sourdough, or animals in windows. This isn't about hugs and kindness and all the other BS.  It's about adults, and organisation, and getting stuff done as best you can in an environment that is largely beyond your control and in a country that is at the end of a very long supply chain at the bottom of the world.  Although we wouldn’t wish any of this on our worst enemy, it's so far so good from what looks like a seriously competent Government and one that might get some support simply because when it hit the fan they were up for it and not making it up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auspicious timing with one of New Zealand’s best chefs returning to our shores as excitement around Michelin Stars continues to build.   One of only two Kiwi chefs whose restaurant earned a star, Matt Lambert held one between 2013 and 2020 with his New York restaurant ‘The Musket Room’.   He’s now decided to return to New Zealand with a new culinary venture, ‘Return’, a restaurant described by Lambert as ‘The Musket Room 2.0’.   Having experience with the guide, Lambert believes the arrival of Michelin Stars in New Zealand will be amazing for the country’s tourism and dining scene.  “It basically tells the rest of the world we have restaurants as good as the rest of the world,” Lambert told Mike Hosking.  “A lot of people travel through Europe, and they’ll just use the guide verbatim to go to all the restaurants they go to ... now, if they’re coming here, it opens the door for a lot of restaurants.”  Earning a Michelin Star was a long held goal for Lambert, and it was one of the reasons he moved to New York in the first place.  “The goal was to get a star within three years,” he told Hosking.  “It was one of the most special things I’ve done in my career, because I’d had that sort of vision for a very long time, and having the opportunity to be able to achieve a goal like that, [it] was a special moment.”   Despite all the doom and gloom that seems to surround the sector, Lambert doesn’t believe things are as bad as they seem.  “I love the hospo scene – I think it’s vibrant, I think it’s great ... there’s a lot happening and it’s all pretty good.”  And while some might look at the economy and the conflict over in the Middle East and decide to hold off on opening a new establishment, Lambert has no such qualms.  “What am I gonna wait for, do you know what I mean?”  “I'm aware of all the negative things that are kind of happening, but y’know, this is a place of celebration, a place to come and feel good,” he told Hosking.  “I feel, maybe now more than ever, that’s what we need.”   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 31st of March, new economic forecasts have been released amid the uncertainty of the war.  Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour responds to Labour’s hesitance towards the India Free Trade Agreement and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones offers reassurances around the country’s fuel and diesel supply.   Michelin Star winning Kiwi chef Matt Lambert is opening a fresh venture in what most would describe as a tough environment, so what does he see in our sector that others don't?  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With so much uncertainty in the Middle East, people should focus on preparing for different scenarios that could affect their businesses, ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley says.  ASB’s revised outlook forecasts inflation to climb further this year and GDP growth contracting for the second quarter thanks to higher fuel prices hitting consumers.  Tuffley told Mike Hosking that Q2 was when the peak impacts of the oil shock would ripple through and affect people’s spending power.  The ASB forecast —of GDP growth at 1.3% and inflation at 4%— was “not the end of the world” but would delay New Zealand’s economic recovery, he said.  Inflation had hit 5% before, when oil prices were high before the financial crisis. That level of inflation was still possible this year, but the Reserve Bank had time to wait, given New Zealand’s economy wasn’t overheating.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

French intelligence services believe an attempt to plant a bomb outside the Bank of America in Paris is linked to a pro-Iran group, Europe correspondent Catherine Field says.  Police in Paris foiled the bombing and arrested the suspect – a 17-year-old immigrant who said he had been recruited via Snapchat for €600 (NZ$1202).  Field told Mike Hosking the attempt bore the hallmarks of previous Iran-linked attacks in Belgium and the Netherlands as well as an arson attack on four Jewish–run ambulances in London.  “That is what's got the intelligence services and the anti-terrorism police here particularly concerned,” she said.  “It's possibly a group they've not heard about before and they're using social media in a way that they've seen before, that's very difficult to monitor.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are concerns poor planning has contributed to the tsunami of demand on kidney disease treatment.  Hospitals across New Zealand are struggling to keep up with life-saving dialysis treatment.  Health New Zealand told 1News there's been a lack of funding in some parts of the country.  General Practice NZ Chair Bryan Betty told Mike Hosking this problem was predicted 15 years ago, but no one planned ahead.  He says it's driven primarily by a surge in diabetes, and if it’s not addressed it will undermine the health system going forward.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s fuel suppliers will be “substantially punished” legally and financially if they don’t live up to their word in supplying fuel, Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones says.  Those international companies had asked for the current just-in-time supply model, and “rightly or wrongly I took them at their word”, Jones told Mike Hosking.  “I said, okay, you guys know how to keep New Zealand afloat, but the political downside is that the national security question always remains with the Government, not just the commercial companies.”  There was no suggestion of any problem with supply, he said. But the issue was even if the Government were to underwrite additional fuel imports —as Australia plans to do— there was not currently space to store added fuel volumes.  “We could have a ship bobbing off the coast of Marsden Point for a while, then someone's got to pay for that ship to sit there and do nothing while we draw down.”  He repeatedly blamed the closure of the Marsden Point oil refinery for leaving New Zealand with inadequate storage.  Jones said he had been warned that refineries in Singapore, Malaysia and Korea were set up specifically to deal with oil from the Middle East. While they would be seeking oil from other regions, they would need work before they could process that oil.  He also revealed more details about the unsolicited proposals the Government is receiving to increase New Zealand's offshore fuel supplies.  Jones says both the Government and MBIE officials have received approaches from either New Zealanders, people already known to them, or people who have lived in New Zealand.  But Jones he told Hosking the offers they're making don't last long, with ships usually being snapped up within 72 hours.  He says many Kiwis don't appreciate how serious the situation is in Asia.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economic headwinds coming out of the Middle East could set back the labour market. The number of filled jobs across the country lifted 0.3% from January to February. But where public safety, healthcare, and education hiring improved in the past year, construction and manufacturing jobs slumped. Employers and Manufacturers Association's Alan McDonald told Mike Hosking we're yet to see the impacts of this war on business confidence and hiring intentions. He says they're keeping a watchful eye on what happens with fuel supply and prices which could lead to difficult decisions, if it continues. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's support for an India Free Trade Agreement remains tentative as it digs through the details.   Leader Chris Hipkins has written to Trade Minister Todd McClay concerned the deal's contents don't line up with the version he's presented.   Hipkins is warning it would be recklessly irresponsible for McClay to sign onto it without majority backing across Parliament.   But Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour told Mike Hosking Labour needs to look at the broader benefits to exporters.   He says the Government has a sea of red ink stretching out for decades looking at Treasury's accounts.   Seymour says Labour needs to man up and put the best interests of the country at heart.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 30th of March, apparently red tape could be getting in the way of solving our fuel issues so Simon Parham from Waitomo magic wand's it for us. The Prime Minister is in to talk our fuel situation, help for those who need it and opening the Christchurch stadium. Andrew Saville and Jason Pine talk Tiger Woods' arrest, the F1 and the Warriors first loss. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch is so awesome. I told the room that on Friday. It was a fun hour with a bunch of Christchurch businesses and a panel of local experts and, basically, we just chatted about what an amazing story Christchurch is. It's not perfect and a few issues remain. I note on the same day I was there Winston Peters was there promising money for the cathedral, which as I drove through the square is a shame beyond shame that it remains in the state it's in. Just a few blocks down, also on the same day, was the Prime Minister opening the stadium. That's Christchurch - so forward thinking and successful, and yet, bits remain that remind you that if you want to be bogged down in drama and angst you will be left behind. Anyway, interesting part of our discussion, which by the way was at the Town Hall which remains to my mind one of the great architectural triumphs of modern New Zealand artistry, was when I asked the room about the war. I said give me a number around angst. We settled on six or seven out of ten. The angst is real. As much as the day was filled with the joy of the stadium, and as much as Canterbury as a region is booming, no matter how good life is there is nothing like the prospect of running out of diesel to send shivers up a collective spine. By the way Canterbury is a good study in the art of remembering your blessings. They told me traffic is bad - it isn't. They told me they need more positivity and they need some spending decisions. Do they? I mean everyone probably does. But from a person who flew in from another city, outside looking in, it's easy to simply enjoy your success so much and to become possibly even complacent in your “up-beatness”. Yes, there is always more to do. But my word, if I was the Government I would look at handing out day passes to Christchurch for everyone who wants a blueprint on what the future looks like. For every town, suburb or city that is stuck in some sort of infrastructural quagmire, spend time in Christchurch. Drive it, look at it, soak it up and talk to a few locals. Yes, they want more. But that’s what happens when you're on a roll. Cheap-ish housing, good education, decent weather, access to city and country, open spaces, international air connections, new facilities everywhere you look and you're already in the South Island. Christchurch is what New Zealand can be. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon says the Government's proposed LNG important terminal in Taranaki will only proceed if it makes commercial sense. A procurement process was announced last month, with the Government due to make a decision on whether to proceed around the middle of the year. Newstalk ZB understands multiple ministers privately admit high gas prices might lead Cabinet to walk away from the project. The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking that the Government will seriously consider the options put on the table. He says he genuinely wants to make sure the business case is right - and if there's a good business case they'll do it, and if there isn't, they won't. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Review Office has said schools need to get tougher on enforcing phone bans.  Research found that only 50% of students are following the rules, a number it says is not good enough.  Mount Albert Grammar Headmaster Patrick Drumm told Mike Hosking that the study needs to be unpacked further, as it's likely that students are using their phones outside of lessons instead of in a learning environment.  He said that it's been a 'successful initiative' so far, but says it's an ongoing process to reduce numbers further.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest New Zealand First policy will see 50% of the royalties from mines returned to the region where the mine's located. Under the policy, the role of government agencies would also be limited.  Minerals Council Chief Executive Josie Vidal told Mike Hosking that it's great to be recognised as the industry that keeps New Zealand going.  She says the world is finding out you can't live on rainbows alone - and fossil fuels are needed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The problem with people like Paul Conway, who is the Chief Economist at the Reserve Bank, is they “know” some stuff.  They sound good in a speech, but their record exposes them badly.  Paul gave a speech this week to the National Financial Advisers conference.  He talked about how expensive this country is, and he talked about our lack of productivity. If the speech had been a school project, he would probably have got a good mark.  You couldn’t argue with what he said.  We aren't very efficient. Things like construction cost more here than anywhere in the OECD. We were once okay at productivity, but we aren't anymore and our real ability to buy stuff is going backwards.  He noted before 2020 our purchasing power was growing faster than the OECD's. Now ask yourself a question – what happened in 2020 and post 2020? Covid of course.  Covid was no one's fault (well, possibly the Chinese). But the response was the key and, in that response, as is well documented, we blew it. We blew it sky high and ended up with inflation north of 7%, some of which was over seen by Mr Conway and his mate Adrian Orr at the Reserve Bank.  Paul argues inflation is critical given the cash rate helps anchor prices. Does it?  He cites the prices that make us the most expensive place in the world: rates, power, and insurance. Did the cash rate do anything for those? No.  Other prices he cited, like butter and lamb, are also expensive and expensive for obvious and well documented reasons. And, ironically, expensive for good reason for NZ Inc.  Part of the issue is market size. It's why Walmart is successful. It has a population base of over 300 million. We don’t.  Supply of goods is cheaper per unit when you buy millions of them. We don’t.  The productivity question has been bounced around for years and never really been solved. Many people don’t even agree what productivity is.  Is it a robot replacing a human? Is it building a road faster? Is it inventing a thing that changes the world?  Part of the reason the Reserve Bank blew Covid so badly is they write speeches like Conway's.  They live in Wellington in small rooms theorising. The moment you give them a bit of real world, look what they do with it. 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.    Donald Trump: 3/10  Possibly a worse week than last week. His airports are jammed, he’s desperate for a war off-ramp, he lost another seat to the Democrats, mortgages are up, recession risk is up, and he can't jawbone oil anymore because no one believes him.    $50: 6/10  It gets a decent mark because of its restraint and fiscal realism and perhaps, at last, we finally have a government that realises spraying money we don’t have is a path to ruin.    EVs: 8/10  It's still way too early, but first data this week shows this could be a tipping point. The market has moved. Is it permanent?    Lotto: 5/10  I have no idea whether more balls are more fun, but I occasionally see a queue at the dairy on jackpot weekend, so a decent chunk of the country is still into it.    The Warriors: 9/10 The best start ever. Ever! Decades in the competition and we have never been better than this.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think we have a couple of emerging themes as we come to the end of week four of Operation Epic Fury.  If you follow Australia as closely as I do, you will, like me, have been filled with a sense of pride or surprise that we are out doing them in adultness.  Yes, unions here and media have pedalled the usual BS on more money for every man and their dog, let's work from home, let's panic about days left of petrol etc. But believe me – in Australia it's been worse.  They have lost their you-know-what.  They are at each other. It's not helped by their state system and that tension between state and federal and the confusion over who is doing what, and when, and whether it's any good.  Stations have run dry, not because they don’t have fuel, but because they don’t know how to drive a truck up the road.  Rural has been going at city, punter has been going at petrol operator, the Coalition and One Nation have been going at Labour. It's been a free for all bitchathon, driven by an underlying panic.  Another realisation – despite the fact a few hundred people have bought a BYD, it has become stunningly clear just how far off a renewable future we are.  Buy all the EVs you want and cycle until you are blue in the face. The cold, hard truth is that solar and batteries do not, nor I suspect will they ever in our lifetime, run a country.  Diesel runs a country. You put oil in tractors and trucks and in factories. We can be grateful our power is mostly renewable and that means we are better off than most of the world, including Australia.  But the cold, hard truth is a small bit of water carrying only 20% of the overall supply can cripple a planet, or it will if this thing isn't over shortly.  We have of course been here before. Oil has been an issue in the 70's and early 2000's.  Did we change because of it? No.  Did we say we should, or would? Probably. But we didn’t.  And you know why? Because we can't. Until the combine harvester runs on wind and the plane takes off using batteries and every factory, farmer and person who produces anything we wear, or eat, or live with does it differently, oil is it.  The whole renewables argument has been blown sky high. The world has never used, nor needed, more fossil fuels.  Four weeks of a scrap in one country has laid theory vs reality bare. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US President says it’s up to Iranian leaders to convince him to halt the war, or they'll be Iran's "worst nightmare."  Attacks on Israel, Iran, and Lebanon continue, with the Israeli military stating it's killed an Iranian navy chief overseeing the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.  The US claims it's presented a 15-point plan to Iran and negotiations are taking place –which Tehran has denied.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking Iran has publicly stated that there are no negotiations but say any ceasefire would require reparations.  He says the war and diplomacy are once again at an impasse.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Friday, which means Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back to Wrap the Week that Was.  They discussed the rising fuel prices and which alternatives to driving are actually viable, flight delays, and the Cabinet paper revealing Chris Hipkins received advice about the potential risks of a second Covid vaccine for teenagers, despite him saying otherwise.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whangamatā is the hot spot for car enthusiasts this weekend.   More than $4 million worth of classic and performance cars are going under the hammer, closing the main drag.  Around 120,000 people will be in town for Sunday Drive’s Beach Hop live car auction, and global bidders are watching on.   Sunday Drive Director Taylor Campbell told Mike Hosking the recent weather hasn’t dampened spirits too much – the streets are packed with cool cars.   He says that bidder registrations for this auction are higher than they’ve ever seen, and they have a pretty remarkable catalogue.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday the 27th of March, Health Minister Simeon Brown offers reassurances around possible shortages of key medical supplies as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.  A mega cruise terminal is set to open in Auckland next year – Port of Auckland CEO Roger Gray delves into the details.  And the Warriors are on a hot streak, unbeaten heading into tonight’s clash against the Tigers. Former captain Tohu Harris joined to discuss the team’s run.  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors are back home after adding another tally to their scoreboard.  They emerged victorious from their clash against the Newcastle Knights, which followed on from their wins over the Roosters and Raiders.  Tonight will see them face off against the Wests Tigers at Go Media Stadium, with Luke Metcalf returning to the side after an injury.  Former captain Tohu Harris told Mike Hosking it’s been good to see how happy the players are and how that relates to their performance.   He says they’ve got some great senior players leading the way, and a raft of younger guys who got some valuable experience last year and are getting better and better.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Strong growth in university enrolment numbers is bringing challenges for the tertiary sector.  Seven of our eight universities are up on last year in some form, with Auckland recording its biggest-ever Semester One intake.  Universities New Zealand Chief Executive Chris Whelan says the growth is in line with their forecasts, but it’s unfortunately above where Government projections had been and where funding is.  He told Mike Hosking two thirds of all jobs in the economy now require you to have at least two years of post-school education.  Whelan says higher education needs funding, so that people are able to get the necessary qualifications, and the skills and knowledge that comes with them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Years of waiting are nearly over for Christchurch, with the city’s new stadium on the brink of opening.  Ministers and city leaders will attend this morning’s official launch of One NZ Stadium ahead of its first major event – Super Rugby’s Super Round on Anzac weekend.  Venues Ōtautahi Chief Executive Caroline Harvie-Teare told Mike Hosking residents have put up with a compromised stadium for years.  She says the focus is now on locking in top-tier events and securing long-term partnerships.  Harvie-Teare told Hosking they're lucky to already have partnerships with the Crusaders as well as the Warriors.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Health Minister isn't worried about possible shortages of key medical supplies as a result of the war.  Health officials are closely monitoring how the Middle East conflict could affect access to crucial health supplies.  Minister Simeon Brown has been seeking advice, particularly around the supply of helium, which is needed for MRI machines, often used in cancer diagnoses.  He told Mike Hosking suppliers primarily source stock from the US, and stocks seem to be healthy and on the way to New Zealand.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are hopes Auckland's new cruise terminal will re-attract people to our biggest city.  The new precinct will allow visitors to walk directly into the CBD, with the facility able to process up to 1,500 passengers an hour.   It includes the new Bledisloe North wharf, which will be able to take very large cruise ships.  Port of Auckland Chief Executive Roger Gray told Mike Hosking cruise operators now have certainty they can bring ships into Auckland, with facilities that are up to standard.  He says the facility comes with niche hull cleaning capabilities, and they've addressed other issues operators were worried about just a few years ago.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I note the whinging has started from EV owners as their fixed price deals for recharging their Nissan Leafs at home come to an end.  Some claim the new deals will be 50% higher. How can you possibly be surprised?  Did you think you would get away with it forever?  For a while the more deluded lauded the road tax loophole, until it got closed as well.  The power companies see EV owners as a new revenue source.  As petrol may or may not become a commodity not worth bothering about, at least for cars, car dealers will be licking their lips that a product three and a half short weeks ago they couldn’t shift for love nor money, may have a wait time as the desperados clamber in for something that unshackles them from the tyranny of oil.  But equally if it becomes a “thing”, and it's way too early to say whether it is or not, but if it does, power companies will not believe their luck.  An almost entirely new revenue stream, not just a whole new series of customers, but old customers paying way more now that they are hooked in.  We must remember power prices are rising because of renewable investment and basic line maintenance.  The Commerce Commission has allowed big increases for you and me to upgrade infrastructure so maybe the way to see an EV is not about the cost, although it is still cheaper.  But it's more about the convenience and despite the doom merchants, we are no longer running out of power.  In fact, in one of the countries more upbeat stories is we have seemingly transitioned, or will, pretty well in terms of base load and meeting ongoing, if not growing, demand.  It's why Sri Lanka has turned the neon signs off and told office workers to kill the air conditioning – they don't have Clyde or the Taupo geothermal. They need oil.  This won't be a moment for public transport. They've blown that. It's too unreliable. The current burst of patronage will vanish as quickly as it arrived.  But EVs might be having their moment. Once you are in one you may not go back.  That critical tipping point might have been provided by a war.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has suffered her first major setback with a bruising referendum result.  Voters emphatically rejected the judicial reform, which proposed separating the careers of judges and public prosecutors, and splitting the magistrates’ self-governing body into two sections.   Italy Correspondent Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking the reforms were a bit muddy, and looked like a grab for power by the Meloni Government.  She says many Italians didn’t want the constitution to be touched in the first place, and on top of that, there’s a lot of disillusionment about Meloni’s close relationship with Donald Trump, particularly among young people.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jenni Smith is entering a brand-new era with the release of her long-awaited debut album.  The Kiwi pop country musician has been a part of the New Zealand country music scene since she was 12 – her first single, ‘T-Shirt’ hitting #3 on the official NZ Singles Chart.   Since then, she’s taken home the Songwriter of the Year Award at the 2018 NZ Country Music Awards and had a couple more charting singles, including her most recent, ‘Mirror’, which currently sits at #1.  “They tagged me on Instagram, and it just blew my mind,” Smith told Mike Hosking.   ‘Mirror’ is the first single of her debut album ‘Girl Next Door, a collection of diary-style songs three years in the making.   “I’ve been working on it for three years, so exciting is like, a lesser word for it,”  While there are artists out there who create rapidly, making and recording artists in very short periods of time, Smith told Hosking her timeframe didn’t come from overthinking, but rather from necessity.  “I’m an independent artist,” she said.  “So I have to find the time to record, but also fund it myself.”  Smith has been honing her craft over the years, graduating a few years ago with a degree in songwriting from the University of Auckland.   “I definitely learned a lot in my time studying songwriting,”  “I think it made me think a little more in depth about what I’m writing – it arguably made my songwriting process slower, because I go back and tweak things multiple times, but I think it paid off.”   ‘Girl Next Door’ is releasing tomorrow, and as part of the launch, Smith will be performing some intimate shows in Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new review by the Financial Markets Authority found most Kiwis aren’t getting the financial advice they need.  Just 28% of Kiwis sought advice in the last 12 months, despite rising debt and inflation pressures.  As a result, many people are making KiwiSaver, insurance, and retirement decisions without any guidance.  Financial Advice NZ CEO Nick Hakes told Mike Hosking people do want financial advice, but they don’t know how to access it or potentially, what it is.   He says as a culture, we’re not very good at talking about money no matter what our situation is, despite the fact that it’s often the biggest cause of stress.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 26th of March, the fuel issues continue. Jetstar has started cancelling flights to New Zealand, but Channel Infrastructure is looking at storing more fuel at Marsden Point.   The Ministry of Education is considering remote learning options as fuel costs increase, but Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the shift will only happen if we face severe disruptions.   Kiwi singer Jenni Smith has a new single and a debut album set to release tomorrow, so she joined us in studio for a song and a chat.  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are “a couple” of empty tanks at Marsden Point which are in good condition and could be ready to store fuel within 2-3 months, the import terminal’s owner says.  The Government is considering helping refurbish the terminal’s empty fuel tanks to quickly increase storage capacity amid the oil crisis.  Currently 300 million litres are in use, but another 350m litres could be converted.  The empty tanks were cleaned out after the refinery was converted to an import terminal, Channel Infrastructure chief executive Rob Buchanan told Mike Hosking.  “They're all ex-crude tanks, so we can't immediately put petrol or jet fuel in them. There are tanks there that you can put diesel into much more quickly, which is one of the options that we've been looking at.”  The company had already added 100 million litres of storage, Buchanan said, and would “absolutely” fund any further conversions of tanks.  “The key issue is that we would need a customer for those tanks at the end of it. So if we're going to spend the money and do the work to bring a tank into service, we need somebody that wants to put fuel in it.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recreational fishing advocate says the Government's back-track on controversial fishing rule changes is too little, too late.  The Government's U-turned on plans to ease minimum size limits for commercial fishing companies.  Organisations like LegaSea were concerned the policy would significantly affect fish populations.  LegaSea Chief Executive Sam Woolford says scrapping this one aspect of the law change, and not other aspects, isn't good enough.  He told Mike Hosking there’s some nefarious things still in the legislation, such as the intention to remove judicial review or make it hard for the public to get involved in consultation, and the legalisation of dumping and discarding fish at sea.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour says schools will remain open as long as possible as fuel prices continue to rise.  The Ministry of Education's been developing contingency plans as rural schools grapple with a shortage of relievers and falling attendance.  Seymour —the Associate Minister of Education— says the Government won't repeat Labour's mistakes during the Covid era.  He told Mike Hosking schools will only move to online learning if we face severe fuel disruptions.  Seymour says we're not even close to that right now.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We may not have seen the end of cutbacks to flight schedules.  Jetstar has reduced domestic and trans-Tasman flights due to rising fuel prices, following a similar move by Air New Zealand earlier this month.  Airports Association Chief Executive Billie Moore says these will probably be the main cutbacks.  But she told Mike Hosking airlines are thinking strategically, and more flights could be scrapped if the conflict continues.  Moore says the issue right now is with the price of fuel, not the supply of fuel.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Employment Minister's backing a push to grow the energy sector's workforce.  A report by two industry groups —Energy Resources Aotearoa and the Electricity Engineers’ Association— has found the current workforce is a constraint on growth.  They're recommending a new energy workforce governing body and a more bipartisan approach on energy so workers have job security.  Minister Louise Upston told Mike Hosking attracting more people into the sector is a key focus.  She says many school students don't understand how essential energy is for our future and keeping everything running.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How many ways can you slice the petrol handout?  Many.  The Government is to be commended on restraint, and I hope that message of restraint has sunk into the New Zealanders who think we have money on trees and debt is never to be paid back.  And for those who think Hipkins, Robertson, and Ardern were economic geniuses, Fitch have provided the wake-up call.   The bill on interest alone for our debt is heading towards $10 billion a year. We have no room to move.  We commend them too on the $370 million coming out of the operating Budget. In other words, no new borrowing.  But its downhill from there I'm afraid.  $50 a week for a year, or until 91 octane is at $3 or less for four weeks.  In that random mechanism is the weakness of not only government, but relying on government.  What's targeted about $50 for certain people based on the fuel price? How many of those people getting $50 drive an EV and their fuel bill is unaffected?  How many don't use much fuel anyway, no matter what the cost? What about the city dwellers who walk a lot?  I drive 12km a day, so 60km a week. If I do 10L per hundred, that's six litres. That's $35-45 a week for fuel.  I'm winning. The Government is giving me free money that pays for my fuel bill. That's nuts.  The people affected by fuel are the people who travel the distance. It has nothing to do with income. It's miles, but a government can't hand out money in that way.  So how targeted is this actually? Yes, low incomes are affected in greater percentage terms when prices rise, but only if the price is a major for you. Petrol might be more expensive, but it's only a burden if you use a lot of petrol.  Money is going to people who we have no idea whether they actually need it, because the mechanism that drives the support is all wrong.  But what are they to do?  The truth is this is the best of a series of bad options. Cap the fuel tax? A lot of people argue that. Sure, then millionaires get Ferrari's full of gas cheaper.  It is the weakness of having a populous who has come to rely on government too heavily.  Itches are scratched for political ends, not economic solutions.  This looks more like a dartboard gesture than an actual economic solution. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump says negotiations with Iran are already underway and Iranian officials are very keen to make a deal.  Pakistan's offering to hold talks and Iranian officials have told CBS its mediators are involved in a potential precursor to discussions.  The US President delayed the Strait of Hormuz reopening deadline after what he says were positive talks with Iran.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that while multiple countries are offering to host peace talks, there is currently no confirmation anyone from Iran would be attending.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mike Hosking was joined by Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen to delve into the biggest stories of the week thus far.  They discussed political ‘cash for access’ fundraising events and the Government’s newly-announced fuel relief package for lower and middle income working families.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.