The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The dream continues for a teen running sensation, Sam Ruth. He became the fastest ever 16-year-old to run the mile following this weekend's Cook's Classic.  He stopped the clock at 3:53.83, but he was beaten by fellow runner Sam Tanner, who is 25. Father Ben Ruthe told Andrew Dickens that, "we just want to keep giving him the opportunity to do what he loves." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some renters across the country feel they're still being unfairly rejected for owning pets, despite recent legislation changes. New rules came into force in December, making it easier for renters with pets,  by requiring reasonable grounds for refusal if landlords don't want animals on their properties. Some renters fear nothing has changed, and enforcement of the rules is needed. Aspire Property Managing Director Mike Atkinson says landlords can always choose lower risk tenancy applicants. He says there's nothing in the new laws that say landlords can't just choose someone without a pet. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global tourist hotspots like Barcelona and New York are banning or restricting the use of short term accommodation, like AirBnB to try to free up housing. Now , Sydney is looking into it.  Queenstown is also interested - with a third of homes empty every night due to short term rentals.  Opes Partners Resident Economist Ed McKnight told Andrew Dickins that it makes sense for Sydney but not necessarily Queenstown.  He says if  you take away Airbnb in Queenstown - it doesn't mean there's more housing for sale - because a lot of them are holiday homes anyway.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tauranga's Mayor says they're hopeful recovery work can resume today,  after Thursday's slip at Mount Maunganui. Six people remain unaccounted for and are presumed dead. Recovery work was paused yesterday after a crack was found on the maunga, making the site unsafe. Tauranga City Council has ordered an independent review into the slip - and what happened leading up to it. Mahe Drysdale says specialist equipment was flown in from Wellington last night - to help with recovery operations.  He says geotechnical engineers are up Mount Maunganui at the moment - to ensure it's safe for work to continue today.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Queenstown's seeing a surge in ultra wealthy overseas buyers looking to purchase houses. A luxury real estate agent is reporting a 600 percent increase in overseas enquiries for properties across the lakes district. There's increased interest from former Soviet bloc countries, suggesting buyers are trying to get away from the conflict in Europe. Oliver Road Luxury Real Estate Founder and Managing Director Cam Winter told Andrew Dickens that the issue of affordable accommodation in Queenstown is separate from the luxury real estate market. He says buyers don't want to buy a home here and spend so little time in it that they feel like aliens. 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.    Trump: 6/10  An infuriating mix of effective and insane. It's rare for a single person to dominate news everyday all week, but there you go.    Iceland: 2/10  Was Iceland his Biden moment and no one called it out? Can you threaten to invade a place who's name you can't even remember?    Tony Brown: 8/10  Appeared on the show this week and set the cat amongst the pigeons.    The rugby union: 2/10  When you look at Razor and listen to Tony, where do you reckon the real issues are?    Anna Breman: 6/10  The Dr vs Winston vs Nicola. I side with Anna. She is either independent or she isn't.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACC is in crisis.  I'm not sure if that’s news to you or not.  They are sinking in a sea of debt. They are forecast in four short years to be in the hole to the tune of $26 billion.  Now there are side issues like court cases, which make decisions that envelop the organisation into a fiscal level of responsibility they can't calculate, and in that I feel sorry for them.  But their turnaround plan, which has just been launched, involves them getting back to black in four years.  That, if done, will be well worth applauding. Now, I have no doubt it can be done, mainly because the problem is one of will and determination.  But it does involve tough decisions, a bit of backbone and a whole new attitude.  A couple of key figures give the story away.  Figure 1: The number of people in the past decade who are on long term payments. It's gone from 12,000 to 24,000. In other words, it's doubled.  Has the population doubled in that time? No.  Have we fallen over a lot more? Not necessarily.  Have we milked a system able to be milked? Of course.  Figure 2: The cost of rehab. In the same period, it's gone from $2 billion to $4 billion, so it's doubled.  Has inflation doubled? No.  Have people seen ACC coming and adjusted their costs accordingly? Yes.  The whole thing is not a lot short of a scam.  It's an industry in which if you take your eye off the ball, make the rules convoluted and look to scrimp and save in the wrong areas, is ripe for the sort of calamitous outcome that has clearly eventuated.  Literally half the country claims ACC each year. It's astonishing.  It's not normal.  Recently a family member was a recipient of ACC. Without boring you with the details, at times ACC seemed determined this person should not return to work.  There was a rigid inflexibility in their approach. Rules were rules. Ironically this family member was desperate to get back to work, but, said any number of doctors and specialists, not before just a bit more treatment.  Do that two million times over and you're $26 billion in the hole.  The good news is there is no reason it can't be fixed. The question is, do they have the gonads and the wherewithal to do it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greenland's been kept in the dark over discussions between Donald Trump and NATO about its future.  The US President claims he’s laid the groundwork for a potential deal involving the Arctic island, while also backing down on proposed tariffs on NATO countries.  Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen says nothing can proceed without Greenland’s clear support.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that Denmark is open to Greenland being used as part of the Golden Dome anti-missile system and an extension of US-controlled military bases.  However, he says, the US has had basing rights in Greenland under an agreement reached in 1951, so there’s a question of if this is anything other than the status quo.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday has come and Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back for the first time this year to Wrap the Week that was. They discussed ACC and Kate’s pickleball injury, marriage and anniversaries, and Tim’s gift.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 23rd of January, Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell provides an update on the slip in Mount Maunganui and the recovery efforts.  ACC has a plan to turn around its multibillion-dollar debt, and it seems to be bearing fruit.   Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back to Wrap the Week for the very first time in 2026.   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 tourism rebound continues.   New figures from Stats NZ show 3.48 million arrivals in the year to November – up 214 thousand on last year, and the highest level since March 2020.  November alone saw 347,600 visitors, with arrivals from the US, Asia, Europe, and China all up.   Tourism Holdings Ltd CEO Grant Webster told Mike Hosking there’s more to come.  He says January and February are going to be even better than what was seen in November.  Webster says recovery is naturally happening, and we're expected to inch back up to pre-Covid numbers within the next 12 months  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The forestry sector is set to pay less, more efficiently.   The Government is proposing further cost reductions on carbon credits, Forestry Minister Todd McClay saying they’re lowering payments from forest owners to $10.25 per hectare.  It's the second reduction since the coalition took office, and proposals would see costs go down from $14.90 a hectare.  Forest Owners Association CEO Dr Elizabeth Heeg told Mike Hosking they’ve been looking for efficiency in the government processes, and MPI has done a good job in finding ways to bring those costs of operations down.   She says they also looked at moving some of the things in the annual charge into targeted fees, so if someone uses a service multiple times, they don’t all have to pay for it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank isn't expected to change its course, despite inflation remaining higher for longer.  Stats NZ is providing its latest CPI update at 10.45am.  Economists expect the inflation rate to remain about 3% – the very upper end of the Reserve Bank's target range.  That's higher than forecast, reflecting a higher-than-expected rise in travel costs.  ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Mike Hosking it’s a little too soon to be thinking about hikes to the OCR, which is likely to be conditional on inflation.  He says the Reserve Bank likely feels that there’s still a bit of spare capacity in the economy, and that should be sufficient to push down domestic inflation, which should contribute to overall inflation going closer to 2%.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACC believes it's already seeing results from a new plan to dig itself out of a fiscal hole.  The plan's been released after a critical report that found its deficit would balloon to $26 billion by 2030.   It focuses on getting people back to work more quickly and significantly increasing the number of clients who have their own case manager as a single point of contact. ACC Chief Executive Megan Main told Mike Hosking it comes down to everyone playing their part.  She says ACC is having early conversations with people to manage cases that may be getting off track.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

McDonald’s finally has the green light to build its golden arches in Wanaka, more than two years after first floating the idea.  The fast-food giant’s secured consent for a new restaurant in the town’s Three Parks commercial area.  It's almost a year after an earlier proposal was knocked back amid widespread public opposition.  Queenstown Lakes Deputy Mayor Quentin Smith told Mike Hosking the bid might’ve gone through first time if McDonald’s had aimed for a commercial zone from the start.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Destruction and tragedy have come in the wake of slips caused by record rainfall in the upper North Island.  Police have confirmed two bodies have been found following an early morning landslide on Pāpāmoa's Welcome Bay Road.  As well, a man is still missing after being swept away by the Mahurangi River north of Warkworth on Wednesday.  Hundreds of homes remain without power and there's widespread closures on the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne District on State Highways 2, 25 and 35.  Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking unfortunately tragedies like this happen with the amount of rain we received.  He says the ground loses its ability to soak up any more water, which is why slips have been so widespread across the eastern seaboard.  Rescuers at the base of Mount Maunganui have been working through the night and into the morning to find campers buried by a landslide.   A source has told the Herald there could be up to nine people unaccounted for —including children— after the hill gave way and smashed through a popular campsite and hot pools.   Mitchell told Hosking there's no timeline for how rescue efforts will unfold.   He says a lot of earth has come down and destroyed buildings, campervans, and caravans.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A nod to Dunedin.  The place of my birth and a bunch of fairly happy years in the early part of my radio career.  We were back last month for the graduation of a daughter, now plying her trade in the medical profession.  Everything about it was awesome. It is what every city in this country should aspire to.  Christchurch has, rightly, got a lot of headlines for doing things well. And Dunedin is not Christchurch.  It has not been rebuilt or re-imagined and many bits of it are the same as when I worked there 30 years ago.  But a lot of bits are better.  The Ebb hotel is brilliant. It's perfectly placed and you walk everywhere.  Perhaps most importantly, everywhere we went, and I mean everywhere, people were friendly.  Not just friendly, but inquiring and helpful.  Not a shop was entered where we got anything but help and interest and advice and service. It was like New Zealand used to be, or that’s the way it seemed when you live in Auckland.  From restaurants to cafes, to an art gallery, to hotels and bars and rental car operators, every single interaction delivered. I honestly cannot remember the last time that happened.  I asked my daughter whether she would miss it. She said six years was plenty, so maybe living and visiting is different.  Mind you, the lady at Michael Hill said she had moved from Auckland and would never be back.  The airport is still too far from town. They built it with a vision, ironically, that the city would spread across the Taieri. It didn’t, well not enough, and I think we can conclude it never will.  It was sunny that weekend and 23 degrees and everyone told us how unusual all that was.  So maybe we got lucky – good weather, nice hotel, we bought three paintings, plane arrived and took off on time, daughter won some prizes so we were full of pride, food was good and service was professional and friendly.  So maybe we were lucky. Or just maybe, Dunedin rocks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s an appetite for live comedy in New Zealand at the moment.   Major international players such as Jimmy Carr and Matt Rife have had their success, and now attention is shifting to local acts.  And Jeremy Corbett is a big part of that – headlining the upcoming ‘Weekend Laughs’ comedy showcase, is the star act for a show in Matakana next month, and is the host of our longest running comedy show ‘7 Days’, which is setting up for its 18th season.   He’s been doing comedy for over thirty years, telling Mike Hosking the real success is sticking around.   When ‘7 Days’ first went to air in 2009, Corbett had much lower expectations for its longevity.   "If you’d asked me, I would have gone, I reckon we could get five years,” he explained.  "Someone said to me, how, y’know, what’s the success?”   “And I think just sticking around, much like yourself Mike, if you stick around long enough, they can’t get rid of you.”   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 22nd of January, we go to Davos to react to Trump's speech on Greenland at the World Economic Forum.  We get the word from Tony Brown as to whether he is still interested in the All Blacks coaching job, and if he'd leave his South Africa contract early for it.  Comedian Jeremy Corbett talks the 18th season of 7 Days and headlining a couple of upcoming comedy shows.  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.

Despite record hydro inflows, the average Kiwi is unlikely to see any savings on their energy bills.   Inflows into the lakes hit 123% of the historical average in December – marking the second highest July-December period on record.  Generation volumes are also up 13% on the same time last year, pushing wholesale prices down.   Meridian Energy CEO Mike Roan told Mike Hosking the country’s energy stores are in better shape than they were in 2024, and compared to that period, we might even have the lowest wholesale electricity prices in the OECD.  However, while wholesale customers will see some savings, he says residential customers will see increases in their bills driven by Commerce Commission approved increases to the lines, and distribution and transmission charges that will flow through in the next few years.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump may have turned down the heat by pledging no force will be used to take over Greenland, but he remains determined to control it.  The US President told a large audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos he wants immediate negotiations for acquiring the Danish territory – at one point calling it 'our territory.'  Nine News Europe correspondent Mimi Becker told Mike Hosking he's still sending a strong and pointed message to Europe.  She says Trump says they have a choice – saying yes and the US will be appreciative, or saying no and the US will remember.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony Brown has admitted to frustrations around the vacant All Blacks coaching role.  The former first-five has confirmed he intends to honour his contract as an assistant with South Africa, rather than make himself available for inclusion in any New Zealand group.  Brown was a part of Jamie Joseph's pitch for the job in 2023, which lost out to Scott Robertson.  Brown revealed to Mike Hosking that Robertson sounded him out about joining the All Blacks a couple of months ago.  But he says his commitment to South Africa was four years and he’s always wanted to honour that.  “I’m just so frustrated that no one talked to me two years ago.”   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economists say New Zealand’s outlook is improving, but we're not in recovery mode just yet.   SEEK NZ's latest Employment Report shows job ads dipped 0.3%, with weaker demand in retail, technology, and hospitality.  Infometrics Principal Economist Nick Brunsdon told Mike Hosking he's cautiously optimistic heading into 2026.   He says things are looking positive, but we're not in a roaring recovery just yet.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra has new plans to expand.  It’s bringing its organics business to the South Island, inviting farmers to join, with certification and processing targeted for 2028.  Around 100 farms are already involved in the North Island programme as global demand continues to grow – driven by the US, China, and Europe.   Fonterra Co-operative Council Chair John Stevenson told Mike Hosking the key will be for Fonterra to grow at a rate where the demand doesn’t get swamped.  But, he says, it’s a really good news story for their farmers down south.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cryptic answers from Donald Trump around what his next steps will be to achieve his goal of buying Greenland.   World leaders are meeting in Switzerland for the World Economic Forum and using the platform to unite against Trump's tariff threats.   The US President has spoken at a stand up for almost two hours, talking about his claimed achievements on the first anniversary of him taking office.   To questions about how far he'll go to acquire Greenland, he's responded with 'you'll find out'.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking some of his latest statements have directly linked his failure to get a Nobel Peace Prize to his demand for Greenland.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are standing by for the election date today.  It’s not what it was, kind of like budgets. The suspense, the scuttlebutt, the guessing game – it’s all gone.  You might remember Albanese, not having learned our lesson, got himself into dreadful trouble last year and failed to forecast a date.  So they guessed, and guessed, and second guessed, and then the flooding and storms came, so it delayed what was supposed to be an announcement. But that’s what you get when you’re a power freak and you think holding the cards counts for something.  John Key put all that to bed some years back. Return from holiday, announce the date in the latter part of the year, and basically get on with life.  Short of a government falling apart, elections should be scheduled at the end of a three-year term.  Also today, apparently some policy —and perhaps this business of housing— is to be dealt with. Specifically, the thinking is the Auckland issue needs to be sorted.  Elections, rightly or wrongly, are won and lost in Auckland, and the Government’s two million house housing plan is one of those ideas that no one quite gets and freaks people out.  When we had councillor Maurice Williamson on last year, he suggested we ask Minister Chris Bishop just where the two million figure came from, because he couldn’t work it out.  What we do know is the council were forced into agreeing to it. If they didn’t, the “three houses, three storeys on a regular plot” plan was a goer, and no one liked that either.  And that sadly is the trouble with housing and big cities. No shortage of moaners and issues but a big shortage of solutions and agreement around them.  What I do know from personal experience is that having uncertainty in the market —which is what we have— kills enthusiasm and demand.  “What’s going up next door?” you ask the agent. The agent doesn’t know. No one knows. Could be nothing. Could be an 11-storey headache in suburbia.   Who is buying a house next to that nightmare? And that is what the Bishop plan has created, and that hopefully is what gets fixed.  And fast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another Kiwi success story.   Pic’s Peanut Butter has now hit a 41% domestic market share in New Zealand.  They’re forecasting 20% sales growth in 2026 after 20% growth last year, and plans to expand into commercial peanut growing in Northland are underway.  CEO Aimee McCammon told Mike Hosking Kiwis can taste the quality of their product, and they’re happy to be eating it and paying for it.   She says people are still looking for good, healthy food that is good to feed their families, and so Pic’s continues to grow.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 21st of January, we hear some more good economic news with the services sector in growth for the first time in nearly two years.  Mike finds out what the inquiry into the Tom Phillips case will look into and likely achieve.  There are record numbers of New Zealanders with bachelor's degrees, but Universities New Zealand's Chris Whelan tells Mike the numbers compare poorly internationally.  We have the first Politics Wednesday for 2026 and we get early election predictions from Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen.  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.

Dietary fibre could soon receive a long-overdue promotion.  Otago University researchers want it recognised internationally as an essential nutrient, as it's proven to lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.  But New Zealanders average just 20 grams a day – below World Health Organisation guidelines.  Professor of Medicine and Human Nutrition, Sir Jim Mann told Mike Hosking that classifying it as an essential nutrient changes the emphasis it’s given in nutritional recommendations.  He says it would encourage people that sell and prepare food to increase the amount of dietary fibre in their products. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fletcher Building's sale of its construction arm is being welcomed. It will sell to French construction firm Vinci for just over $315 million. The Combined Building Supplies Cooperative says it will create more competition, and expects a boom for the sector. Chief Executive Carl Taylor told Mike Hosking that global companies have worked in New Zealand before. He says examples of that include Te Kaha Stadium and the Metro Pools in Christchurch. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell is skipping today's National Party caucus retreat in Christchurch to deal with the unfolding weather situation in the upper North Island.  Watches and warnings are in place for several parts of the country.  Heavy rain is now battering Northland and the Coromandel Peninsula causing flooding in many places and completely cutting off Whitianga from both the north and the south.  Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking he'll be based in Auckland, so he can travel to where he needs to go.  He says he and the Prime Minister have agreed it's best if he stays there, as most of the severe weather is expected to hit the North Island's eastern seaboard.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's thought New Zealand is lagging behind international trends in university education.  Ministry of Education data shows 39% of adults aged 25 to 64 hold a bachelor’s degree or above in 2024 – up from 17% 20 years ago.  Universities NZ Chief Executive Chris Whelan told Mike Hosking compared with 65% in Canada and 54% in the UK and Australia, we’re trailing.  He says the New Zealand economy hasn't developed perhaps as quickly as others, but almost two-thirds of jobs now require at least two years of post-school training.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lawyer says documentary evidence will be considered in the inquiry of Tom Phillips' disappearance.   Him and his children were missing for four years when the saga ended with a shootout in September, killing the fugitive.   An inquiry into how agencies handled the case will begin hearing evidence today.   Lawyer and former police officer Matthew Hague told Mike Hosking he doesn't think there is obvious fault on the part of the police.   He says there will be things they could've done better, but it was a very complex situation.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are hopes our services sector is finally starting to turn a corner.  The latest BNZ – Business NZ Performance of Services Index shows the sector's growing after almost two years of contraction.  The sector accounts for more than two thirds of businesses, employing almost three quarters of Kiwis.  Business NZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich told Mike Hosking while this isn't a trend, it is a positive sign.  She says what was good about the result was the positive change came from indicators that mattered, particularly a rise in new orders.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Of all the nutty stuff Trump is up to, the most egregious is the DOJ-Jerome Powell investigation.  Powell —I have not one shadow of doubt— makes, along with his board members, decisions based on traditional economic or monetary thinking.  Trump does not.  Of course you can debate, as we have in this country, whether a governor or chair of a central bank is doing the right thing or a good thing. But what you don’t do is weaponize the law to hunt him down.  A central bank’s independence is the cornerstone of how a lot of the world’s economy works. It matters.  Which is why so many central bank chiefs came out in defence of Powell — one of which was our newly minted Reserve Bank Governor, Dr Anna Breman.  She is now, it seems, in trouble for doing so. Winston Peters I didn’t take that seriously, but Nicola Willis I do. And together I most certainly do. Both have now spoken out against her move. Willis says she should have taken advice.  Breman says she didn’t want to wake Willis at 3 in the morning. That worries me. I have woken the boss here at 3 in the morning because my computer password didn’t work. I would have no hesitation ringing Willis at a similar time. I worry about her weakness.  But more importantly — advice on what? Breman is independent. The irony is that the entire debate around Powell is about independence and the defence of it. Can Breman now only be independent if the government says so? And if that’s the case, how far removed from the Trump view of the world are Peters and Willis?  Are Willis and Peters scared of America and the White House? Would the advice have been: “Look, obviously you are independent, but please keep in mind we are scared witless of the nut job in Washington, so anything you can do to stop things getting messy would be appreciated”?  Or —if we are universally agreed Breman should have taken advice— is she in fact a loose unit? Have we hired the wrong person? A person who has put her foot in it having only been in the job 15 minutes?  So which is it? She is independent, and good on her? Or she is a puppet of government and she’s trouble waiting to happen?  Answers please. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conservative MPs are continuing to jump ship to Reform UK.  Andrew Rosindell is the second MP to defect in the span of a week, following on from Robert Jenrick, who was sacked as shadow justice secretary last week.   UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking it’s unlikely to stop until Reform starts showing signs of sagging in the polls.  He says there has been some resistance within the Party to the influx of Tories, as they don’t want it to become the Tory Party Mark 2.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Europe is split on how to handle Donald Trump's escalating attempts to take control of Greenland.   The US President's said he will impose tariffs on eight European countries unless he can buy the Danish territory.   Newstalk ZB's Paris Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking the bull is in the china shop, and leaders can't agree on next steps.   She says for example, the Germans want a combative approach behind closed doors while appearing conciliatory in public.  Field says on the other hand, the French President wants to use what they're calling the bazooka, which would see the US hit with $190-billion worth of tariffs.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People can’t get enough of Sail GP.  There was an average of 18 million dedicated broadcast views per event in 2025, with both social media and the events themselves continuing to grow.   Black Foils co-CEO Blair Tuke told Mike Hosking the model’s proven itself.   Tuke attributes the sport’s growth to the fact that it’s a race that hasn’t been seen before, and it was built for the fans from the outset.   Because of that, he says, the league and teams have been able to pivot and adjust to follow what the fans and commercial partners want, which has helped with the trajectory.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday the 20th of January, Education Minister Erica Stanford downplays the number of teacher vacancies at our schools.  Mike finds out more about the new oil and gas exploration being proposed for some parts of the country.  Outgoing Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson talks the Prime Minister's comment the superannuation age will inevitably rise.  And Black Foils Co-CEO Blair Tuke joins Mike for an extended chat about the success of Sail GP and to look forward to the Auckland regatta.  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.

A couple of green shoots beginning to emerge in the energy sector.   US owned oil and gas company JETEX has applied for a permit to extract coal seam gas near Huntly, and Australia-based EnZed Energy has lodged an application for an offshore petroleum permit in Taranaki.   Energy Resources Aotearoa CEO John Carnegie told Mike Hosking this is what the restart of an industry looks like.  He says we’re seeing a rebuilding of a pipeline of prospects for the future, which means new entrants, new work programmes, and new possibilities.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A timeline of sorts for the new $15 million ASB Classic roof in Auckland.   2027 is the “dream date”, with a more realistic timeline being before the 2028 tournament begins.   Tennis Auckland CEO Rohan West told Mike Hosking the consenting and planning phase takes a while and the construction is logistically challenging.  He says the ASB Classic starts its temporary build in the first week of October, taking about three months to put everything in place.  This means they have to stop construction on a roof, or have it completed, before that, and while completing the project in seven months is possible, West says, it’s probably unlikely.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Retirement Commissioner is asking for a careful and considered approach for changing the retirement age. During his State of the Nation speech yesterday, the Prime Minister said increasing the retirement age was inevitable. Christopher Luxon says as life expectancy rises, the pension age of 65 is too low. Jane Wrightson told Mike Hosking it's good it is now on the political agenda, so the people can hear ideas from all parties. She says political parties will need to discuss what the next decade will look like, and they need to carefully look at how all people will be affected by any changes.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some relief is being felt by Auckland's local boards as the Government looks to back-track on its housing requirements.   The Government has mandated intensification plans for the city to open the door to two million potential homes over the next 30 years.  But Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says feedback clearly shows change is needed.  Orākei Local Board Planning Portfolio Lead Troy Churton told Mike Hosking he'd like to see a slower, more considered approach.   He says the plan was made to accelerate housing change, but the scale and bluntness has undermined the system.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister's unfazed by a rise in sector vacancies, saying these aren't the right figures to be looking at.   Around 450 teaching and principal roles remain vacant – 12% more than this time last year.  Minister Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking most of these aren't full time.   She says it doesn't mean there are 450 classrooms without teachers, and she expects a higher vacancy rate at this time of year.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions over why our largest bank has hiked its floating home loan rate.  ANZ's lifted its rate 10 basis points to 5.79%.  It says the move, which brings ANZ in line with most other banks, reflects changing global and local conditions.  But Squirrel Mortgage Brokers Chief Executive David Cunningham told Mike Hosking it's raising interest rates because it can.  He says its floating rate is much higher than its one-year fixed rate.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I don’t think there’s a scriptwriter in Hollywood who could out-dramatize real life right now. It seems the show is back just in time for a year of… who knows what. Venezuela - was it illegal? Probably. But the key question is: who is going to do anything about it? And if you protest, you look like you’re backing a dictator and a thug. Greenland? I think a deal where NATO boosts resources should have been done years ago - remembering the thinking behind it: if America doesn’t plant a flag, China might. Cuba? Colombia? Also linked to the China obsession Trump has. But they’re small fry - they’ll ultimately get settled and sorted. Minnesota? Proof there’s angst locally as well as internationally. Trump is rewriting the world. Note that Rubio keeps using the term 'Western Hemisphere' - that’s deliberate. It goes back to President Monroe in the 1800s. All of this is fascinating - not necessarily good or bad, but gripping nonetheless. If you’re watching the new Night Manager season… the overthrow of a government - is it fiction or a documentary? You don’t know these days. Locally… apart from being bored witless as local media obsessed over endless weather warnings and crime, we actually have a lot to look forward to. In case you forgot - this country is actually on a bit of a roll. The pre Christmas GDP number - Q3, so July, August, September - was gangbusters. While so many moaned about our lot, we were in fact going and growing very nicely, thank you. And there’s no reason to believe Q4, when we get it, won’t be about as good. So that sets the year up - an election year, with a Government that has delivered. We haven’t even got to Iran, or the astonishing cock up Albanese managed to make of the Bondi tragedy. The Supreme Court and tariffs - speaking of which, our India FTA came too late for the good news coverage it deserved. Oh - and the Federal Reserve DOJ scandal that dragged our Reserve Bank Governor into the political world of Winston Peters. You can’t make a lot of this stuff up - and yet it’s all happening. It’s all changing. It’s all on. What a year it’s going to be - awesome.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 19th of January, the Prime Minister joins Mike in studio to talk the state of the economy, the coalition and when the election date will be announced.  We find out about the New Zealanders who are moving to Australia who are finding out the grass isn't always greener.  The Commentary Box talks Scott Robertson's depature as All Blacks coach and the Blackcaps historic ODI series win in India.  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m a bit exercised about Scott Robertson, because I like him and I thought he was a good coach. His record at Canterbury spoke for itself. The trouble in this country is that we can’t have a sensible conversation about All Blacks coaches, because so many of us come to it with myopic, emotional views driven by idiocy like geography and personality expectations that have nothing to do with the actual job. Hansen had pro and anti camps, as did Foster, and now Robertson. It all wastes too much energy. Also, we might just be a bit too energised because we’re a small country with not a lot else to think about. In the NFL at the moment, there are nine head coach vacancies — after eight sackings and one resignation. Over a quarter of all jobs in the NFL are up for grabs, and that isn’t unusual. As for the EPL, there’s a sacking every second day. What I can’t quite work out is this: when David Kirk says we aren’t where we need to be at this point in the cycle, what does that even mean? Where specifically do we need to be? Once upon a time, when the All Blacks won every test as of right, we still didn’t win the World Cup. So presumably, when we won everything, we must have felt in a good place. Also, how is it that Robertson is banned from going elsewhere? Not good enough to coach us, but too dangerous to ply his trade offshore? Apart from paying him to not work… I wouldn’t have taken that deal. I also can’t quite work out how much of this is player driven — and of that player feedback, how much is personal versus professional. How much responsibility does a player have for what happens on the field, as opposed to the coach? Back to the NFL — a bloke called Vrabel was sacked from Tennessee because they weren’t winning. After he left, they still aren’t winning. But the team he went to, New England, were hopeless until this year… they might be in the Super Bowl. So was that him? Luck? Or other factors? Someone always seems to have to pay the price whenever someone decides things aren’t right. Which is the other weird bit: the All Blacks’ winning record, in an increasingly competitive world, wasn’t that bad. So why the panic? Loyalty, consistency, and longevity are all traits of value. But you have to recognise them. If you don’t, you tend to make mistakes by going around sacking people with no real, obvious next step in place. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Pine and Andrew Saville join Mike Hosking this morning to discuss the weekend's sports. On the table today: Australian cricket legend Usman Khawaja announced his retirement from the sport in a moving address,  Darryl Mitchell continues to impress for the Black Caps, and the Australian Open: $40,000 just to get eliminated immediately? Is it worth it? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says his State of the Nation speech will focus on his plan for setting up the country's future  Chris Luxon is set to make the address at the International Convention Centre in Auckland this afternoon.  Newstalk ZB understands he will try to draw attention away from turbulent affairs overseas - and to the Government's successes back home.  Luxon told Mike Hosking that he won't be announcing policy - but will reveal a framework for going forward.  He says the speech is a chance to lay out where we're at,  and what's going on.  Chris Luxon says he will announce an election day shortly. LISTEN ABOVE OR WATCH BELOW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.