The Mike Hosking Breakfast

LISTEN ABOVE OR IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE NEW ZEALAND - LISTEN BELOW Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson is not having “fun” in his new car, but is excited to see what the new Formula One season brings.  Melbourne hosts the first Grand Prix of the year this weekend, and the Kiwi driver had some productive practice sessions ahead of his second full season in the competition but is still getting to grips with his car.  Speaking on Mike Hosking Breakfast, Lawson said his new car is not “super fun” to drive yet.  “In some ways the car moves around quite a bit more and it depends on how you look at it - that can be more enjoyable.  “But obviously we’re trying to extract every bit of lap time out of the car and in some ways it feels like you can’t attack as much as you could in the past when you had a lot more downforce.”  The cars have become smaller and lighter in an attempt to enable improved racing.  Racing Bulls' 2026 Formula One car in pre-season testing. Photo / AFP  “They do feel a little bit smaller,” Lawson said, “a little bit more playful to drive.  “But I think the main reason for that is just because we have a significant amount of aero taken off the car.  “When you have a car that’s extremely high downforce, it’s designed to push through the air in a straight line. As soon as you start sliding the car, you lose a lot of that downforce because you start to hit the air on an angle with your yaw and it basically upsets the car massively.”  The Kiwi driver said his team was surprised at how good the power units have been, but felt engine reliability is going to play a big factor with some teams struggling at the start of the season.  Liam Lawson for Racing Bulls in Formula One's pre-season testing. Photo / Red Bull  When asked about his own chances, Lawson felt he had learned a lot from last year and felt it was important he was able to “survive” it.  “I’m grateful to have done that and feel a lot better going into this year, but just because of new cars and new regulations it sort of throws a whole new thing in there that is quite unknown.”  Despite the issues with the cars, Lawson said he was looking forward to the new season starting.  “On a personal level, I feel very comfortable and excited for the season, but, in a lot of ways obviously with these new cars, there’s a lot of unknowns.”  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The impact of the Middle East conflict on our trade is still unclear.  Thousands of Kiwi containers are stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, with more than $3 billion worth of goods headed for the Gulf each year.  Trade and Associate Foreign Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand would only look to alternative markets if the conflict drags on.  He told Mike Hosking it's interesting US stock markets haven’t reacted significantly, which shows they've likely factored something like this in.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government believes its traffic welfare system is increasing people's chances of getting a job.  The system was introduced in August 2024 and uses traffic light colours to help beneficiaries stay on track with their obligations.  An evaluation has found nearly 99% of Ministry of Social Development clients are fulfilling their obligations, and the number of sanctions issued has dropped 10.6%.  Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston told Mike Hosking 83 thousand people have left the benefit into work.  She says people are more clear of the expectations, and the consequences if they aren't filled.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Promising signs when it comes to consumer arrears.  The latest Centrix data shows the number of people behind on their payments in January was 491 thousand.  That was up 20 thousand from December, largely expected due to seasonal trends.  But Chief Operating Officer Monika Lacey told Mike Hosking that despite the seasonal increase, arrears are still down on last year by almost 1%.  She says overall, Kiwis are managing their money quite well.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 2nd of March, we get the latest on the war in Iran plus what it could mean for petrol prices back here in NZ. The Prime Minister is in and gives his thoughts on the legalities of the strike, airport charges the highest in the world at Auckland and the Air NZ result. Andrew Saville and Jason Pine talk the NZ Open, the first race of the Indycar season and whether it's the Warriors year as they have their first game this weekend. 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.

To the so-called poverty issue. The report actually uses the word "hardship". Kids in hardship, roughly, is flat. About 14% of kids allegedly live in some form of hardship. Hardship is often replaced with the word poverty. They are different things and, also, the measure of hardship is open to real inquiry. The stats department interviewed 18,000 families and "hardship" is a house that goes without 7 of 18 necessities e.g paying the power bill on time, feeling cold etc. Now, without getting too picky, a seven-year-old who lives in a house who's power bill is overdue has nothing to do with hardship, unless the power is cut off, which mainly it is not. i watched a press conference last week with the Prime Minister and police and justice ministers on crime and the poverty question came up. You note the word they used was "poverty", not hardship. The question, inferred as they so often do, was what the Government were going to do about it. The answer was one of only three; 1) Is a Labour view, which is hand out more money, 2) A current Government view, which is grow the economy, 3) The answer that is rarely used - get the parents to pull their finger out. My read of these stats is that given the number is steady at 14%, you are essentially dealing with the same people, many of whom are hopeless. Under Ardern her personal project was to reduce child poverty. It didn’t happen. Under this Government it hasn’t either. So approaches one and two haven't worked. There are rightly or wrongly (obviously wrongly) a group of people who struggle. Their circumstances will be little different to many who have it tough as well, but get by. They have kids that aren't in hardship but face the same fiscal issues. It will be benefit related. It will be about decisions, about priorities, what bill gets paid first, how far down the food chain, literally and figuratively, are the kids. Within the same fiscal envelope, some kids are fine and some will be a statistic. That, sadly, is not the Government's real problem. Government's can only do so much. Sometimes parents might have to do a bit more and be a bit better. The child, as always, is innocent. You don’t choose to be born to some of the parents who masquerade as parents. But these stats tell a sad truth. I don’t think there is an answer. Whether its 14% or 15% or 11%, there are no miracles.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has been helping to fund events such as the NZ Open for a while, but should they be contributing to an already successful competition?  NZ Open Tournament Director Michael Glading says that the Government gets a return on it's investment, and that the NZ Golf Open is one of their top earners.  'Certainly right up there in terms of return for dollar spent, and the money that flows into this event is phenomenal.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says New Zealand has never supported the Iranian regime.  Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking that it's a regime which has brutally repressed it's own people, killed tens of thousands, and sponsored terrorism around the world.  He also said that the missile strikes were 'independent attacks' from the US and Israel, and that New Zealand was not informed of the attacks before they happened.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US/Israeli missile strikes against Iran have caused uncertainty around oil prices.  20% of the world's crude oil travels through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has threatened to close and it has already heavily restricted access to the region.  AA Principal Policy Adviser Terry Collins told Mike Hosking that prices hinge on the ability to move oil through the Strait, but that won't be an easy task. "it's easy to target vessels within it, and it's what the response will be from the Americans around protecting those vehicles" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iran may be overstating its military capabilities in the wake of US and Israeli attacks.  Coordinated strikes have killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and multiple senior officials, resulting in Iran launching counter strikes across the Middle East.  Iran officials say almost 150 people have been killed from a strike on a girls school.  The Iranian President has appeared on state television claiming its armed forces are crushing enemy bases.  The Economist's Middle East Correspondent Gregg Carlstrom told Mike Hosking that this is not true.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Farmers say new KiwiSaver rules are a win for rural staff looking to buy property. Farm workers, rural teachers, police and defence personnel can now use KiwiSaver to buy their first home, or even a farm, due to the Government lifting a long-standing restriction. Previously, these workers were blocked because their jobs required living in employer-provided housing. Federated Farmers' Dairy Chair Karl Dean told Mike Hosking that there's about 50,000 farms nationwide, most with just one or two staff living onsite. He expects 10 to 20% to take this option. 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.    New Zealand: 8/10  It really has been quite the week. From the dairy to the spending, the turnaround, without question, is real. The confidence is up and the roll could be close to being on.    Kiwifruit: 9/10  The forecast and plan released this week is a good example of how you think big when you are bullish.     Mitch Barnett: 4/10  We wish him well, obviously, but the geography of the Warriors cannot be escaped. And we get a swap. And more importantly, this is our year.    Air New Zealand: 3/10  In an industry awash with profit, they still can't find one.    Cash: 7/10  The banks are, rightly or wrongly, out of step with this one. We like cash. We may not use it all that often, but enough do. Reserve bank - 1. Retail banks - 0.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is no doubt that Air New Zealand has issues.  In a week of company reports, the vast majority contained good news. Air New Zealand was a glaring exception.  A national airline losing money in an industry that is booming doesn’t make sense.  They have engine issues – that is real and it's not over.  They have eight grounded planes and planes that don’t fly don’t make money.  They have issues getting planes, but that has been applicable to everyone.  So it's a perfect storm of sorts. But if you read the report the engine compensation was $55 million, but the bottom line would have been $90 million if the engines were on the plane.  But add $90 million to the loss and you still aren't making a lot of profit.  They blame domestic demand, or lack of it.  They blame increased charges and they are real. The cost-plus-accounting of landing charges and so on is not only material, but criminal, and the Government as a main shareholder needs to do more.  Then enter David Seymour in election year who says we should sell the thing. "Go woke, go broke" and "they are too politically motivated," says Seymour.  Seymour is wrong. We need a national airline. Just imagine the sale to a private operator and the thing tanks. A country needs an air network and Jetstar isn't it. The Government has saved Air New Zealand before, they could do it again as a country with no airline is not a country.  But that doesn’t mean Seymour is completely wrong; Air New Zealand is woke and it does have reputational issues.  It has focused on uniforms and departure videos to a degree that is laughable. The great airlines like Emirates, Singapore, and Qatar have ordinary uniforms and ordinary videos, but world class product and a shedload of profit. That is where Air New Zealand is badly missing.  Too often they charge first-world prices for budget services and domestically the services are not reliable enough.  There is a line between their genuine issues and their brand issues. They do have problems, but they also don’t look like all they could be and haven't for years.  Some of it is a small country with a small population. Some of it is too much purple and too much PR around Cassava crisps and $800 flights to small towns.  The CEO has a hell of a job. The turnaround, they say, is coming.  If you read this week's report, I don’t see it yet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Progress towards a nuclear deal between the US and Iran remains murky with all-out war still a potential outcome.   A third round of indirect talks has just concluded in Geneva, with further discussions to take place in Vienna next week.   The pressure's on Iran, with the US deploying its biggest military build-up to the Middle East in decades.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking the debate about whether an attack is viable is spilling out into the public now.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 27th of February, there’s a material drop in the number of victims of violent crime – Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith discusses.   Air NZ CEO Nikhil Ravishankar discusses their half-year financial loss in a world of airlines making huge profits.  And Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson talk speeding tickets by the kids and Sam's final bill for the dinner at Cibo as they Wrap the Week.  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.

It’s Friday, which means Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back on the air with Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that Was.  They discussed children and speeding tickets, and the final bill from Producer Sam’s dinner at Cibo.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch turns up the volume today as Electric Avenue gets underway.  45 thousand punters are expected to attend each day of the Hagley Park event, with a further two thousand working on site.  Last year's festival produced $10.5 million in visitor spending.  Managing Director Callam Mitchell told Mike Hosking about 45% of their attendees travel from outside of Christchurch, so the $10 million includes things like accommodation, bar spend, and retail in the city.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More New Zealanders are putting their faith back into the housing market.   ASB's latest survey shows confidence has lifted sharply this quarter, with respondents who expect house prices to rise over the next year jumping from 17% to 30%.  Chief Economist Nick Tuffley says it's a buyer's market and advises caution when it comes to banking on strengthening house prices.  But he told Mike Hosking the affordability factor is quite good currently, with plenty of supply, reasonably stable prices, and debt servicing rates from banks remaining very low.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand is fighting with one hand tied behind its back facing local costs its international competitors avoid.  The national airline's announced a $40 million half-year loss.  The new Chief Executive says airlines are a cyclical business, and New Zealand is disproportionately exposed to local inflation.   Nikhil Ravishankar told Mike Hosking some of the other airlines making more money are the ones that have recently gone through a downturn.  He says it's partly nature of the business, but there are also things we're exposed to locally that some of our competitors aren't.  They’ve also been struggling with aircraft being grounded due to global engine issues, a slower than expected recovery, and rising costs.  Ravishankar told Hosking he took on a business grappling with a post-Covid rebuild.  He says up until now, they've been playing not to lose, but now they're building a business that can play to win.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Justice Minister says reducing the remaining number of crime victims will continue to be hard work.   Data from the latest Crime and Victims Survey shows there were 49 thousand fewer victims of violent crime in the year to last October, compared to the two previous years.  It's reduced to 136 thousand.   Paul Goldsmith told Mike Hosking that number is still too high.   He says the obvious place to start reducing it is with locking up the people who create multiple victims.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There was a huge reaction to yesterday's Politics Wednesday segment on homelessness and move-on orders.  Labour argues homelessness is up dramatically and there is nowhere for these people to go.  New numbers released today show that simply, in Auckland anyway, is not true.  Advocates working in the area tell us numbers are down 29%.  Part of that drop is due to Government funding in October of last year to improve outreach, as well as the provision of 207 housing places in the Housing First programme.  So, like a lot of other issues being raised as being disasters, the truth tells a different story.  As I have said, Labour is going to lose the election anyway. But their growing problem is reality is smashing directly into their ideology.  Their plan to this point, and it was reflected well in the Hipkins so-called "State of the Nation" speech, is to tell you everything is a mess, it's all broken, it's all been cocked up and is going backwards.  The theory is if they set the mood right what they have to offer doesn’t need to be a thing, hence they have no policies outside their capital gains tax.  You're in a funk and you vote the Government out because they have convinced you life sucks.  Except the evidence that it isn't, is starting to arrive, and in some volume.  Growth is up, spending is up, confidence is up, performance in schools is up, kids are actually turning up to school, large industrial relations deals are being signed so strikes are off, crime is down, and now homelessness is down as well.  By November employment will have turned and the picture, broadly, will be complete.  It's hard to compete against good economic news and it's hard to compete against positive social news like the homelessness stats.  And it's really hard, and this is where Labour and the Greens are blowing it, against the wider will and view of the populous.  On move-on orders, like the gang patches and like the ram raids, crack downs are popular.  Defending crooks and drug addicts and trouble makers is not a vote getter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After almost six months, IndyCar is returning this weekend.  Scott Dixon, Marcus Amstrong, and Scott McLaughlin are all lining up on the streets of St Petersburg for the first race – the same streets where McLaughlin got pole last year.   However, McLaughlin has admitted that 2025 was a frustrating year, as he finished 10th in the Championship with three podiums.   He told Mike Hosking that it was really the lowest of lows for him in many cases, and he’s trying to turn that negative into a positive.  McLaughlin says he doesn’t have to do too much differently, he just has to execute it better.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 26th of February, the dairy sector is experiencing record high milk production and exports.   Kiwi Alex Kendall is CEO of Wayve, a self-driving tech firm that just secured $1.5 billion to support the commercial rollout of their tech.   Kiwi Indycar driver Scott McLaughlin lays out his prospects ahead of the first race of the 2026 season this weekend.  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.

Someday soon your Uber could arrive with no one in the driver’s seat, and a Kiwi’s tech is behind the shift.  UK self-driving company Wayve, spearheaded by Alex Kendall, has secured $1.5 billion in capital to support to the commercial roll out of their ‘Robotaxis’.   The funding round also includes backing from Mercedes, Nissan, Microsoft and Nvidia, while local VC Icehouse Ventures is contributing $12.5 million to the capital raise.  Kendall told Mike Hosking there’s a couple of different ways to commercialise self-driving technology – creating your own cars, running your own fleets, or licensing the technology.  Wayve is using the third option, and he says the AI they’ve built is so flexible that it will be able to bring self-driving technology worldwide.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's being argued the government has taxed beer to a point where people can't afford it as consumption levels plummet.   Stats NZ data shows the volume of all alcoholic beverages made last year fell by 8.3%, with beer dropping by 10%.   It follows the beer excise tax rising more than 20% in five years.  Garage Project Brewery co-owner Jos Ruffell told Mike Hosking the multi-billion-dollar industry is feeling the pain of this bizarre tax.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A record-breaking State of the Union speech from Donald Trump.  His 107 minute address is the longest since records began in 1964.  The US president also spoke directly to invited guests, including the US Olympic champion men's hockey team, victims of crime by illegal immigrants, and a 100-year-old World War Two veteran.   Political author and pollster John Zogby told Mike Hosking aside from the veterans, there weren’t really any other heroes sitting in the seats, which is a reminder of how degraded US politics have become.   He says that Trump made a good attempt to paint a rosy picture in his speech, but early polls indicate it hasn't persuaded anyone. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's hoping to send economic growth sky-high, announcing a 24/7 alternative runway for commercial airlines.  It's approved funding for Ohakea Air Force base, near Palmerston North, to run round-the-clock air traffic control so planes can divert there if needed.   Associate Transport Minister James Meager says this opens up an easier option for long-haul flights that may run low on fuel.   He told Mike Hosking Qatar Airways downgraded its services to New Zealand last year because of how much fuel its planes had to carry.   Meager also says they’re hoping regional airlines can refinance their debt and make some upgrades as loans are dished out.  Golden Bay Air will receive a government loan of around $1.1 million from a $30 million package.  Fund administrator, Kanoa, says it's working to fully allocate the rest of the funds quickly, processing loan applications from other airlines.  Meager told Hosking loans will be low-interest and paying them back will be a priority.   He says if these airlines can't make it work, they've got to find a way to ensure the country has reliable regional connectivity in the long run.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It feels like the golden days for dairy farmers as they celebrate a record-breaking year.  Dairy NZ's annual state of the dairy nation report shows farmers produced an unprecedented 21 billion litres of milk in the 2024/2025 season.   The sector smashed export records – raking in more than $27 billion.  Dairy NZ Chief Executive Campbell Parker told Mike Hosking it reflects the good work farmers have done over a long time.  He says this injection into the economy can be invested back, meaning it's especially good for New Zealand.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A war of words between the banking sector and its regulator over how much New Zealanders want cash.   The Reserve Bank's proposing opening more branches and hubs to provide cash services, costing the sector $104 million a year.   It says cash continues to play an essential role for small businesses and communities.   But Banking Association Chief Executive Roger Beaumont told Mike Hosking customers are moving towards digital payment methods.   He says they're using apps or online banking, rather than going to punch in a pin at an ATM to buy an icecream from the dairy.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marilyn Waring. Remember her?  Once an activist always an activist.  Marilyn took it upon herself to form her own select committee and she and a bunch of other MPs and interested parties opened their doors for submissions on pay equity and the changes the Government made that they didn’t like.  When doors like that get opened, people of like minds tend to wander through, and they sit around all agreeing with each other about how bad things are.  The ensuing report, which has just been released, tells you exactly what you would think it would.  The problem with pay equity is it's an unsolvable problem, unless you take on a North Korea/Cuba type view of the world and simply get the Government to make all the rules.  The simple truth of it is different jobs have different values.  Another truth is some women choose work that doesn’t pay as much as other work. Men do as well, but not as much.  Some of the work that doesn't pay as much is predominantly done by women.  The most famous case involved a woman called Kristine Bartlett and the aged care sector. Rightly or wrongly jobs of compassion and care tend to be done by females. I would argue that’s largely because they tend to be nicer people overall but that would probably lead to a charge of me being sexist, which I'm not.  What I am is a realist and you can see the issue. Should age care workers be paid more? Probably.  But if they were, who would foot the bill? The people paying the age care bills of course.  Could we artificially boost their pay? Well, that is where we got into dreadful trouble. They ended up comparing age care workers with mechanics and got a massive pay rise.  Trouble is it was always false. Mechanics are not age care workers any more than air stewards are. You can look for commonalities, twist logic all you want, but you either artificially mess with it, or you let the market be the market.  Most jobs have a rationale as to why they pay what they do and at all times, all jobs are open to all people, depending on desire and skill.  So essentially Marilyn and her mates have wasted their time.  Logic wins. The market wins. If you want more money, do a job that pays more of it, male or female. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s Prime Minister was evacuated from his official Canberra residence on Tuesday.  Anthony Albanese was moved from The Lodge to another location around 6pm, as the police investigated a bomb threat.  He was able to return once a search has been concluded, after 9pm.  Australia Correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking information is currently limited, but he’s never heard of an Australian Prime Minister being evacuated from an official residence.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Kiwi start-up's labours are bearing fruit.  ‘Forever Harvest’ has raised $1.2 million to grow fruit and nuts in a lab, all year round.  The project uses cellular agriculture, removing the need for orchards or soil and making production climate resistant.   Co-Founder Mick Riley told Mike Hosking they’re not looking to replace things like bulk cherries or bulk nectarines, but rather they’re creating a whole new kind of high value ingredient.  The products would be for commercial use, he says, as they’re not looking to compete in the consumer market.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Wednesday, it’s a verbal brawl between Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen over the new move on orders for rough sleepers and beggars.   They discussed how effective such measures would be, whether or not they have anywhere else to go, and whether the wider public agrees with the orders.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 25th of February, MediMap’s Director explains what’s happening with the hack of their platform, plus we look at what would need to happen for Andrew to be removed from the line of succession.   Warriors CEO Cameron George speaks on co-captain Mitch Barnett’s departure at the end of the year and whether or not the Warriors are just seen as a stepping stone team.  Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen bicker and argue about move on orders on Politics Wednesday.  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.

Legal cases against Lord Mandelson and former Prince Andrew are in the works as officials tread carefully to avoid prejudicing the proceedings.  The UK Government is hoping to release files on why former UK Ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor were appointed to their high-profile roles despite ties to Jeffrey Epstein.  Royal Correspondent Robert Hardman told Mike Hosking because of the ongoing legal case, no one wants to prejudice it.  He says generally the view is, regardless of the outcome of the legal process, Andrew has behaved so appallingly they don't want him anywhere near the throne.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another Australian is leaving the Warriors on compassionate grounds.  Co-captain Mitch Barnett is departing after the upcoming NRL season – a year ahead of his contract expiring.  Barnett has a child that requires medical support and he wants to be closer to family.  Warriors CEO Cameron George told Mike Hosking it’s unfortunate because he’s been such a great leader for the club.   He says the situation only come to light in the last month or so, and they’d even had some discussions about possibly extending his contract before this.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington's Mayor is considering taking the city's bus lanes back to the drawing board.  People driving in bus lanes are Wellington City Council's biggest money grabber, raking in around $6 million in fines.  A new bus lane on Cambridge Terrace caught tens of thousands of people exceeding the 50 metre maximum, worth a penalty fee of $150.  Andrew Little told Mike Hosking he doesn't want bus lane cameras to be seen as a source of revenue for the council.  He says there's a genuine question on whether they need to be designated bus lanes for 12 hours a day seven days a week.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MediMap's Director says they've traced a breach to the platform back to a profile, which has likely been compromised.   The platform's widely used across the country, especially in aged care, disability, hospice, and community health.  Director Geoffrey Sayer says there've been unauthorised changes to some demographic records.  Sayer told Mike Hosking the person hasn't used brute force to infiltrate the system, they've somehow gained access.  He says there's no reason to believe this is a cyber-attack, they've simply used credentials of an existing user to cause harm.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Primary teachers are the last on the list in the education sector, still to strike a pay deal with the Government.   Primary principals have accepted a cumulative 2.5% immediate pay rise and another 2.1% next year.  It introduces a $15 thousand curriculum-change allowance, recognising their work implementing reforms.  Education Minister Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking teachers want the Treaty of Waitangi acknowledged and increased learning support.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's in the numbers?  Well-known economist Shamubeel Eaqub has crunched a few figures. It turns out if you want to see it, being a student at university is a miserable experience.  And boy does the media love a story of misery. Being a student is pricier than ever, they tell us. "Does it pay off?" was your headline.  The answer, and this isn't from the story, it's from me, is yes.  Yes, if you have a plan. Yes, if you are careful. Yes, if you are driven in a specific direction professionally.  Our most recent graduate at our house is fully immersed in her first job and loving it. She owes a shed load of dough, but wouldn’t for a minute have it any other way.  But back to the numbers. All we really learn, when you compare the cost of stuff from Shamubeel 20 years ago versus the cost of stuff now, is the cost of stuff has gone up. That's got little to do with university and a lot to do with life because all our bills have gone up.  Student support has gone up 86% but essentials have gone up 220%. In 2005 the allowance was $160 while essentials were $140 and you had $20 left over.  These days you're in the red to the tune of eight bucks, which I wouldn’t actually have thought was that bad.  University fees have gone up 113%. You might want to ask why.  But here is a reality check: the story tells us 35,000 students received some form of assistance. That number on the last quarter is up 5%.  But the amount they get is down 3%. So more get money, but not as much. Surely that’s good?  But here is the real number: how many students are there? ChatGPT tells me almost 400,000, so less than 10% get any assistance at all. 90% don’t need help. Isn't that the real story?  Too many stories and too many headlines are about what's wrong, not what's right, who is doing badly, not who is doing fine.  You can play with numbers forever. Palmerston North rents have gone up more than Auckland rents, so it's not as cheap to be at Massey as it once was, and so it goes.  But the big picture, the real story, surely is what you got out of university. What did the qualification do for you?  If it changed your life, set you on a path, set you up, got you a career and opened the doors then the bill is immaterial.  Like life, university is how you see it. Like life, the choices are yours.  So does it pay off? Guess what, if you want it to, you are already there. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A major moment in British politics as Peter Mandelson is arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.  It relates to his alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein.  The former UK ambassador to the US and Labour minister has been accused of passing on information to the sex offender when he was business secretary.  UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking while this might deflect heat off Keir Starmer in the short term, it’ll likely come back around to him in the end.  He says that Mandelson was a Labour appointment, and it wouldn’t surprise him if he himself was almost directly responsible for appointing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as Trade Envoy in 2001.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Though he was never seen, Andy Wilman was an inextricable part of the success of Top Gear.  He’s the co-creator and executive producer of the show, which has been seen by over 350 million people around the world.   And when Top Gear came to a close, he was in charge of The Grand Tour, the show that picked up right where its predecessor left off, and now Wilman is running Amazon’s record-breaking show Clarkson’s Farm.   More than two decades later, he’s written a book about how it all came to be, looking behind the scenes in ‘Mr Wilman’s Motoring Adventure’.  While it may have started out as an ordinary TV show, Top Gear quickly became a phenomenon, and Wilman told Mike Hosking there were dozens of tiny moments that made them realise it.  “Richard [Hammond’s] crash, obviously, we were, I think we were already big by then, but Richard’s crash stunned us at how we were part of the nation’s TV watching fabric.”  “I think the, the things, the elements that were inevitable were because we were making things up as we went along, because we had no plan,” he explained.  “So you surprise yourself ... those moments in turn generate new material, which keeps you fresh.”   But as the viewership grew, so did the pressure, and the combination of a smaller crew size, ideological differences within the BBC, and the team getting “too big for their boots” started to cause problems.  “Those three elements were the perfect storm that led to our demise.”  A little further down the line is Clarkson’s Farm, which despite being a smaller production, Wilman says is more rewarding.  “[It’s] a far more challenging and rewarding show to make, simply because they shoot all the time.”  Since Clarkson is at work from the moment he steps out his front door, the filming has to cover everything.  “We just shoot and shoot and shoot and then we’ll see what sticks to the wall.”  And a large part of the show’s appeal is its supporting cast, which Wilman says was like catching lightning in a bottle for the second time.   “A bit like Jeremy, Richard, and James – you couldn’t plan that.”  “Magic happened.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 24th of February, Finance Minister Nicola Willis explains why the Government has bought $200 million in Genesis shares.   The EU Ambassador to NZ Lawrence Meredith speaks on the 4th anniversary of the Ukraine war and what it will take for it to end.  Andy Wilman, the creator of Top Gear, Grand Tour, and Clarkson's Farm, joined to discuss the decades he’s spent behind the scenes and what it’s like to be the right hand man of his best friend, Jeremy Clarkson.   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’s some concern about our air traffic controllers being poached.   Airways New Zealand has raised the issue during an address before a Parliamentary Select Committee, warning that there’s a global shortage of controllers.  General Manager of Commercial James Evans told Mike Hosking that New Zealand is currently positioned very well to cope with tight numbers.  But, he says, there’s definitely a problem globally, and they are having overseas Air Navigation Service Providers approach New Zealand controllers.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today marks the fourth anniversary of Russian forces mounting a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.   Peace efforts to date have yielded little results, with casualties climbing day after day.   EU Ambassador to New Zealand Lawrence Meredith told Mike Hosking Europe's recognising it needs to do more in terms of defence.   He says the Ukrainians are not just fighting for their own peace and freedom, but for that of the free world.   Meredith says this is a global conflict and it's important the right side wins.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A battle for front door delivery as Bunnings joins Uber Eats in Australia and New Zealand.   More than 30 thousand tools, garden, and household items will be available on the delivery service sometime this year, claiming to be at your door within 60 minutes.   Takeaways, groceries, and pharmacy items are among the products currently available  Gorilla Technology Chief Executive Paul Spain told Mike Hosking it's a move to compete with Amazon.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says there's no mandate to reduce the state's shareholding in Genesis Energy.  The Crown's directing $200 million towards new shares to retain a 51% shareholding in the company, following a $400 million capital raise.   Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking if we don't take part in this raise, we'd be breaching the law requiring the state to maintain majority ownership – something the coalition's committed to.   She says we don't want to be a barrier to these energy companies growing in the way New Zealanders need to secure electricity supply.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Signs of a turnaround in the retail sector as sales rise.  Stats NZ data shows sales jumped by $239 million in December, compared to the September quarter – up nearly one percent.  The growth was driven by pharmaceuticals and other store-based retailers, as well as electronic goods and hardware supplies.  First Retail Group Managing Director Chris Wilkinson told Mike Hosking some of this is discretionary spending which is a great sign.  He says potential interest rate rises could have an impact in future, but they're hoping the momentum will continue.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are concerns using vaping as a tool to quit smoking contradicts the rest of the world. Health New Zealand's free vape programme has given out more than seven thousand devices to smokers, despite Newstalk ZB revealing last year's trial had a success rate of less than half. Now, a half-million-dollar contract has been signed to provide the devices through New Zealand-owned company, Alt. Auckland University vaping researcher Kelly Burrowes told Mike Hosking it isn't recommended as a quitting tool, due to the risk associated. She says that's why other countries aren't doing this. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 23rd of February, Trade Minister Todd McClay responds to Trump's latest tariff threat and whether it's real and can be enforced. The Prime Minister comments on the tariffs, the surcharges bill and the public sector vs what the Government want to achieve. Jason Pine and Andrew Saville cover off the sport and concerts over the weekend. 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.