The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Thousands of Police issued 'formal warnings' have been scrapped after findings that 63% were issued unlawfully.  'Formal warnings' are used as alternatives to prosecutions where the offence is deemed unworthy of going through the courts.  Last week, Police told all staff that compulsory training will be rolled out and an updated policy for formal warnings would be issued by the end of the year. Defence lawyer John Munroe joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to chat about how this happened, and what it means.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another major shake up is coming to the streaming sphere as Netflix agrees to acquire Warner Bros Studios. The $125B acquisition includes HBO Max - giving them the rights to shows like Game of Thrones, Succession, and Euphoria.  Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has said theatrical releases will become more limited, as Netflix sees them as not 'consumer friendly'. Wall Street Journal media and entertainment reporter Joe Flint told Heather du Plessis Allan, "generally Wall Street and Hollywood already felt Netflix was the king. So yes, if this goes through, not only are they the king, but they've probably extended their reign by 100 years or so." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday the 5th of December with Heather du Plessis-Allan, Mark Mitchell responds to Andrew Coster's allegations and the police are having to do away with thousands of formal warnings because officers haven't followed protocol. Prime Minister Chris Luxon responds to Coster's allegations and the taxpayers expected campaign against the Government. Andrew Saville and Jason Pine take us through Lando Norris winning the F1 Championship, Lawson getting the nod for next year and why Bazball is failing England in the Ashes series.   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.

Signs of a brighter economy in the year to come.  ASB's forecasting annual growth of more than two-and a half percent in 2026. It points to an accelerated housing market, more resilient exports, and a renewed willingness to spend. Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Heather du Plessis-Allan we can expect inflation to soften further,  with the Reserve Bank seeing more stimulus in the pipeline.  He says it's in wait and see mode - but seems fairly confident it won't have to cut interest rates any further.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell's doubling down on his version of the McSkimming saga timeline - calling recent claims "absolute utter nonsense." Former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster's come out over the weekend claiming Mitchell - and Chris Hipkins - knew about the McSkimming affair, years earlier than they're letting on.  However Mitchell told Heather du Plessis-Allan he was only told on November 6th 2024.  He says Coster was told to brief him by the Public Service Commission, and he didn't buy or swallow the narrative that McSkimming was a victim.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the definition of madness. And stupidity.  How many times do you have to do the same dumb thing with no result, thus proving your system doesn’t work, before you admit your system doesn’t work and give up?  The last of the carbon auctions was held this week. You know where this story is going.  I first got interested in this a couple of years ago when it struck me that this auction malarkey might be one of the better examples of the sheer, ideological madness that drives so much of the climate policy.  One of the reasons so many people have got into forestry is it's free money.  It's on land and land, generally, is a good investment and free money isn't a bad deal either.  Also, after a while, they might pay you some good dough for your wood.  So if trees get carbon credits why would you turn up to an auction? You wouldn’t, and indeed this week they didn’t.  Not one person. Not one bid. Not one credit sold.  There are four of these each year for the past two years. No one has bought a thing. Ask yourself why.  They have tried to price the units, to no avail, but what is really causing the issue is the Government.  To buy something you must believe it has value. It has to have worth.  Why would you buy into the Government carbon narrative when they keep changing the rules?  This Government is doing their best to do as little as possible to meet their climate emissions. I applaud that because it’s the right thing to do.  But given the rules keep changing I'm certainly not turning up to buy stuff like a credit I may not need.  The minister, as I told you the other day, took the unprecedented step of offering commentary about the auction and telling us how committed the Government is to climate in the hope we would go "well that’s OK then, see you at the auction".  It didn’t work.  The auction didn’t work, again. Eight down and zero sales, no revenue.  How long before they pull the pin on a gargantuan embarrassment?  The longer this goes the more foolish they look. 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.      Consumers: 7/10  Confidence at a 6-month high.    School lunches: 3/10 This is the stupidest story of the week. Four days it lasted – we've become myopic. We fixate on triviality. It’s got a small village idiot vibe to it, don’t you reckon?     Social media ban: 6/10 Mainly for effort, because it’s not real, it’s not practical – it’s got idealism all over it.     Pete Hegseth: 3/10  Between the narco boats and the Signal report, what odds are you running that he doesn’t make Christmas?     Rates caps: 7/10  Move of the week from the central government.  If local government just stopped whining for a moment and asked themselves who the architects of the mess actually are and why, they might not have as much to moan about.   LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 5th of December, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Mike to wrap the year before he takes off on holiday.  They also exchanged gifts, and both of them were hugely impressed with each other's loot.  And for the final time of the year, Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson Wrapped the Week, talking about the gift exchange and Mike's reaction.    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 New Zealand retail experience, as summed up by a frustrated Katherine Hawkesby as of yesterday.  She visited half a dozen shops - one was decent and the rest were useless.  They were useless for a variety of reasons, but the common theme was service, or lack of it.  How is it continually possible that we have a sector crying out for support and yet so unable to offer something worth spending money on, and a country with a lot of people allegedly happy to go find a job and yet the people with the jobs are so fantastically incompetent?    We all know the story. It's not unique to Katie yesterday, on the early burst of Christmas shopping. Retail, tragically, is filled with hopelessness, lack of stock, lack of desire and a lack of professionalism.  Which is why the good ones are so welcome and why I have been able to tell you many times in the past few months, and can name you a decent number of operators in a variety of fields, that have weathered these past few years with no real issues at all.  They are good at what they do. They want to do well. Word of mouth and reputation travels far and fast and they are fine, thank you very much.  Yesterday's highlight was at a liquor shop. It's a large one and is part of a chain.  The woman behind the counter, slovenly, full of tattoos and on the phone with no interest in service or acknowledging a customer.  When asked, because she didn’t offer any help, she didn’t know what Prosecco was.  How can you work in a shop that sells nothing but wine and spirits and not know what Prosecco is, or where in the shop you find it?  Who employed her, and why? And why was there no training? This is a big brand and a brand, I would have thought, that would be interested in reputation and a decent customer experience.  How does a person with clearly no knowledge or interest in the thing they are selling actually get work?  Are you telling me the people who can't get work are even worse than her?  The resentment, Katie fumed, is based on the idea that we all work hard for the dollars.  Handing them over would be easier, nicer and more fulfilling if you thought the recipient, just for a moment, was even slightly grateful. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Defence Secretary seems to be in hot water.  A Department of Defence report concluded that Pete Hegseth put military personnel at risk when he shared information of a planned airstrike over Signal.  The incident came to light when a journalist for the Atlantic was accidently added to the chat in which sensitive details of the strike on Houthi fighters in Yemen back in March.   US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking Hegseth refused to take part in interviews for the investigation, claiming he has the power to declassify material mentally.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the final time this year, Tim Wilson and Kate Hawkesby joined Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that Was.  They discussed the gift exchange that happened earlier on the show and Mike’s reaction to the Prime Minister's interesting gift.  Plus, they got into the price of postage, shopping, and good service.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Retirement Commissioner's unfazed at the prospect of a potential retirement village price rise.  The Government's announced changes to the Retirement Villages Act 2003, aiming to ease the experience of elderly people and their families.   Changes include ensuring money is paid back within a year after a resident leaves.  Commissioner Jane Wrightson told Mike Hosking it’s been a five-year process with painstaking consultation and assessment, and the Government has done a very careful balancing act, going straight through the middle of most of the disputes.  She says that both parties, the operators and the residents, are pleased about some things and not so pleased about others, which suggests the changes are mostly right.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister's pleased to see secondary school teachers vote yes for their new collective agreement.   PPTA members have accepted the Government's offer, which includes a 4.6% pay increase over two years and a million dollar a year fund for professional development.   Minister Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking it's a good resolution and she's happy for teachers.   She says they've worked hard to raise achievement and close the equity gap, and they deserve the pay rises they're getting over the next two years.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘Tis the season for the annual swapping of gifts between the Prime Minister and broadcaster Mike Hosking.  For Prime Minister Christopher Luxon the festive season has begun with meal tray tables bearing the longtime broadcaster’s face, after the pair exchanged gifts in a Christmas tradition that dates back several years.  As for Hosking, he’ll leave the Newstalk ZB studio today with a bespoke calendar with a range of dates highlighted, from sports events to Parliament’s Question Time and random world elections.  “I get a lot of unsolicited advice when I’m in Parliament during question time. So, I’ve marked out in green all the times that you can give me that unsolicited advice,” Luxon said.  “And then the other two big interests in your life are obviously F1 and the Warriors games, so they’re all mapped out there on the planner. And then sometimes you love to give a bit of esoteric advice to the listeners around sort of the Cameroonian election that might be taking place. So, down this side, I’ve just given you a list of random world elections.”  Luxon also gave the broadcaster two wine glass rubber lanyards, briefly alarming Hosking as he unwrapped his gift, which was “only for you and [wife] Kate”, Luxon said.  “Oh my Lord, what is it?” Hosking replied before the Prime Minister revealed the lanyards were bought at Ikea after the Swedish giant opened its first New Zealand store in Auckland yesterday.  Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Newstalk ZB host Mike Hosking after the pair exchanged Christmas gifts on the Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning. Photo / Cameron Pitney “I was the first person in the country to make a physical purchase in the store at Ikea. And I bought Mike ... wine glass lanyard[s], because as he ponders his estate ... him and Kate go wandering around and they often have a glass of wine in hand.  “As you’ve got older, I don’t want you to trip and fall, because that’d be a real problem.”  You can listen here to the exchange.  The tray tables were inspired by a comment Luxon made this year about him and wife Amanda eating dinner on their laps while watching Netflix.  “Stop eating dinner on your knee, it’s not healthy”, Hosking scolded the Prime Minister.  “All I ask of you when you’re sitting with that on your lap looking at me … is not to spill your food.”  The Prime Minister described the trays as having “lovely wood surrounds” and the image of Hosking as being “very wistful”.  “It’s ponderous and thoughtful,” Hosking said.  “The question I’m asking you with my eyes is, ‘Do you really think you’ll win the election next year?’”  The Government has been struggling in the polls as economic challenges continue, with Luxon himself the subject of ongoing speculation that his leadership may face a challenge from within his own party.  But the Prime Minister’s response was to the point.  “Oh hell yeah, don’t you worry about that.”  ‘The Complete Guide to Surviving a Mike Hosking Interview’  Last year, after Luxon’s first full year in the top job, Hosking gave the Prime Minister a gift he described as “one of one” and a “prototype”.  It was a book titled “The Complete Guide to Surviving a Mike Hosking Interview”, which Luxon described as “genius”.  Luxon gave Hosking a Christmas card with a family photo on it and some “furikake seasoning,” a Japanese seasoning typically made with toasted sesame seeds and nori.  “People like me, who are men of the people, just use salt, I mean, I come from a very humble background,” Luxon said.  “This is what really posh people do.”  “Absolutely love it,” Hosking said in response to the gift.  Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking Breakfast with host Mike Hosking in October. Photo / Mike Hosking  Luxon also gave Hosking a “special energy Voost” that was described as “posh Berrocca”.  Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also exchanged gifts with Hosking during her time leading the country.  This included in 2018 a framed photo given to Hosking of the pair riding Lime scooters together and, in exchange, a T-shirt with a picture of Hosking holding a vacuum cleaner.  Broadcaster Mike Hosking proudly wearing his Christmas gift from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - a T-shirt immortalising a verbal stoush between the pair. Photo / Supplied  The following year Ardern – who in 2021 would cancel her regular weekly interview on the Mike Hosking Breakfast – gave the broadcaster a T-shirt showing the pair mid-verbal stoush and with the slogan “I heart Tuesdays”.  “This could go wrong,” Hosking then said as he prepared to give Ardern her gift, a miniature “one-off Mike Hosking vacuum cleaner”.  “And I don’t want you to think it’s a sexist gift either because … no one loves to vacuum more than me.”  Broadcaster Mike Hosking gifts Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern a miniature vacuum cleane

The Australian social media ban has started.  Well, sort of. It came in on Monday but begins officially on the 10th of December.  The worrying thing is one of the big proponents of the idea said she believed with all her heart that "we were saving a generation".  That is not true. Saving them from what? Themselves?  Theory vs reality is very powerfully at play in this move. We are dealing with too many intangibles.  Between Monday and this time next week, teens are busy finding new apps that aren't covered by the ban. Influencers are busy directing traffic to these new outlets in order to work around the rules.  The Government is smart to this and has announced a new series of apps that will be covered. So we are in a sort of whack-a-mole stage.  As far as I can work out a lot of pressure has been placed on the tech companies to make sure kids don’t lie.  How literally that works I have no idea.  Like alcohol, you will be asked what age you are.  Whether a tech company can be held liable for dishonesty, I suppose in some way, shape or form, will end up in court.  With face recognition user profiles can be used, I guess. But at some point, a market the size of Australia may end up being more trouble than it's worth.  It's far better to battle, as they do, with places like the EU where privacy and trading laws are constantly under review and fines are handed out on an almost continual basis.  Never forgetting of course, we are now dealing with businesses worth more than many countries and Governments.  However, on the flip side this could of course be the Trojan horse. Australia is at the forefront of a major global movement that is going to somehow shift the nature of technological interaction of an entire generation.  Studies may be launched. They'll look at things like if you were banned before you turned 16, when you got to the golden age did you go nuts? Remember repression is a problematic trait in a lot of social activity.  So we watch with interest. I don’t think it will lead to a lot. It has a touch of virtue signalling about it.  But theory in Australia is now reality. I bet a lot of parents wish them well. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘Song Sung Blue’, a story of hope amidst a tragic love story.  Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson star as Mike and Claire Sardina, aka Lightning and Thunder, a duo Neil Diamond tribute act that got major attention in Milwaukee.  The film is based off a documentary about the couple with the same name, that was released in 2008.   Before working together on this project, Jackman and Hudson didn't really know one another – meeting a few times but not in any great detail.  But for a movie like this, where the relationship between the two leads is the basis of the film, that can be a risk.  “On day one, Kate said to me, you know, if we don’t work, this movie doesn’t work,” Jackman told Mike Hosking.  “And she was right, but I had a lot of confidence.”   “I had a strong sense that it was gonna be great, but I didn’t know it was gonna be this great or this easy.”  For Hudson, things clicked into place when the two kissed for the first time.  “It’s like we’ve been kissing each other for years,” she said.  One review described the role as Jackman’s most ambitious yet, a sentiment the actor agreed with.  “I think it combines a lot of different things that I do, but in many ways it was asking things of me that I hadn’t done before.”  Hudson agreed, comparing it to asking a baseball player if they want to play in the major leagues.  “It’s scary, but I want that.”  “I love hard work, and I like work that gives me a little of the, you know, the butterflies.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 4th December, Sir Brian Roche discusses Andrew Coster’s resignation from his new role over the McSkimming scandal.  We've got a new ski deal with China that’s set to bring in high value tourists.  Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson talk Oscar buzz on their new movie ‘Song Sung Blue’, how easy their kiss was, and what Neil Diamond gave to each of them.  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 welcome boost to New Zealand's premium meat sector, with strong growth expected this season.  Headwaters Farmers —who produce Lumina Lamb— are forecasting returns of $23.50 per lamb, up 60% on last year.  It also reports successful expansion into the Middle East.  Headwaters and Lumina Chief Executive Steve Brown told Mike Hosking these markets attract premium pricing.  He says they also want to take on producers in the UK market and show them what quality lamb looks like.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new partnership deal in the ski industry aims to tap into the booming Chinese market.  NZSki and Sunac-BonSki have signed on, giving New Zealand direct access to 13.5 million active skiers in China.  NZSki CEO Paul Anderson told Mike Hosking while the New Zealanders and Australians make up the bulk of skiers, they’ve seen an increasing number of Chinese visitors to ski areas – particularly Queenstown.   He says they’re no longer the traditional bus tours of groups that came through from China, but high spending free independent travellers.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A view the Government has to get a handle on debt, with forecasts showing the economy's now finally recovering.  BusinessNZ's Planning Forecast projects the GDP will grow at just under 3% per year to 2027.  But it warns that an ageing population's set to drive superannuation and healthcare costs to unsustainable levels, consuming all income tax revenue by the late 2040s.  Chief Economist John Pask told Mike Hosking we’re not getting back to surplus until 2028/29, and even that’s touch and go.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a view that Government funding for major events is a smart investment.  The first round of events in its $70 million package has been unveiled, including the first ever concert at Christchurch's One NZ Stadium at Te Kaha next May.  Other events include Linkin Park in Auckland and the Ultra Music Festival in Wellington.  Auckland Unlimited Chief Executive Nick Hill told Mike Hosking this funding is designed to make existing events bigger.  For example, he says, the Readers and Writers Festival in Auckland is a fantastic event, but could they use the funding to make it more international?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Public Service Commissioner says he believes former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster is genuinely sorry, following his resignation as Social Investment Agency Head. Coster's accepted responsibility for shortcomings highlighted in an IPCA report on the handling of complaints against his then Deputy Jevon McSkimming. His final pay will be near $124 thousand. Sir Brian Roche told Mike Hosking Coster's always seemed genuine in all his experiences with him.  He says Coster's very sincere and has real courage, and is confident what he says he believes, is true.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The mail I'm getting got a bit more official yesterday with Fitch suggesting they think the Reserve Bank isn't done.  A lot of people thought the Reserve Bank was done cutting because fill-in Governor Christian Hawkesby basically said as much last week.  On the inference that it was over, swap rates on the wholesale market started going up.  Why should you care? Because if you owe money to a bank a lot of their income to lend comes from the wholesale markets.  If it goes up so does your interest rate, which is what has been happening since last Thursday.  Now this is where we get into subtlety and nuance.  Technically Hawkesby said the bank remains open to further action, so if you lined Hawkesby up in court he could defend himself.  But as always in these matters it is the between the lines stuff, the nod and the wink stuff, that markets read.  And they are reading an end and, as a result, the numbers are rising.  Tied in, if another cut is coming as Fitch suggests, things are further complicated with our dollar, given places like Australia are doing the opposite.  Their Reserve Bank is closer to hiking than cutting. That affects how the world sees our economy and our currency, at 87cents to the Australian dollar and at 43cents to the pound, looks anaemic.  For good measure, Fitch seems downbeat about our recovery. They are calling 2% next year by way of GDP. They were saying 2.7%.  This then brings in the Government. The Government, in election year, would like 2.7% over 2%.  2% they'd be able to milk but 2.7% is home court advantage.  If you want one more thing that kind of backs up the Fitch funk, Black Friday didn’t work.  Spending was down on last year. Personally, I think that’s about it being a crock of you-know-what and it's more clickbait than it is bargains and people are over being ripped off.  But that’s just me.  So anyway, Hawkesby leaves with a trail of questions left behind as he heads to the beach.  If you are one of the so-often quoted ones who are rolling out of one mortgage into another, these are still tricky times to try and get right and you want to hope Fitch has misread it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Secretary of Defence is facing scrutiny for potentially having committed a war crime.  Pete Hegseth is facing scrutiny over a strike he ordered on a boat in the Caribbean Sea suspected of smuggling drugs.   The Washington Post reported last week that Hegseth authorised a highly unusual second strike to kill all survivors on the boat – reports Hegseth has denied.   US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that Hegseth has previously railed against the Geneva Convention and the legal rules of engagement.  In his book, Arnold says, Hegseth shares an anecdote in which he tells the soldiers in his platoon to ignore such legal advice.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the year nearing its end, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking for the final Politics Wednesday of 2025.   They discussed Scrutiny Week, Labour’s decision to chase the Māori seats and what’s ahead as we enter an election year.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 3rd of December, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers outlined the Police's new targets in the wake of the McSkimming debacle.  Liam Lawson has officially retained his seat for Racing Bulls next season! Former Ferrari and Williams manager Peter Windsor broke down the decision for us.  And Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell joined Mike for their last Politics Wednesday of the year.   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.

New Zealand’s relationship with the "Land of Opportunity" is taking the spotlight in Auckland today.  Business, trade, and political leaders are attending the annual US Business Summit.  Christopher Luxon is set to open the summit, shedding light on the Government’s actions to strengthen bilateral ties.  NZUS Council Executive Director Fiona Cooper told Mike Hosking New Zealand is doing great business with the US and the summit is about sharing stories about how to navigate the tariff turbulence.   But at the same time, she says there are tonnes of opportunities in the US, in areas like technology, investment, education, agriculture, and aerospace, and this is about seizing them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The success story keeps rolling for Kiwi company AF Drinks.  The alcohol-free brand has just secured nationwide distribution in the UK with supermarket giant Morrisons.  It follows on from their US expansion, with them now stocked in over 4000 stores including Target, Walmart, and Sprouts.  Founder Lisa King told Mike Hosking there’s been a huge trend towards alcohol moderation.  She says that a lot of people are still drinking alcohol, but they’re moderating it and choosing to drink less or drink non-alcoholic versions.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A mentoring role for Liam Lawson in the 2026 Formula 1 season.  The New Zealand driver has retained his spot in Racing Bulls alongside 18-year-old debutant Arvid Lindblad.  Lawson had been vying for the vacant seat with demoted Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda, following Isack Hadjar's promotion to the parent team.  Former Williams and Ferrari executive Peter Windsor told Mike Hosking Lawson's the best fit for the requirements.  He says Liam will flourish in a senior role and it’ll bring out the best in him.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief support for first-time principals is falling short.  Newstalk ZB analysis has found 970 principals quit in the past three years – one in five within their first year.  Retirements jumped 26% over the same period.  Secondary Principals' Council Chair Kate Gainsford told Mike Hosking other countries have solid systems to prepare principals, but we don't.  She says part of the role teachers can get used to while they're middle and senior leaders, but part can't be learnt until you're actually in the role.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The economic impact of international students is surging.  New Stats NZ data shows education-related travel exports jumped to $4.52 billion in the year to September, up from $3.6 billion the previous year.  Education New Zealand wants to increase that figure to $7.2 billion by 2034.  Chief Executive Amanda Malu told Mike Hosking growth is across all sectors and there’s still room to expand.  She says universities have higher enrolments than they've ever had, schools are growing, and private training has grown 33%.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Confidence from the Police Commissioner that New Zealanders don't see police any differently in the wake of the McSkimming scandal.  Richard Chambers has announced four new targets, which include restoring public trust and confidence to 80%.  It follows the IPCA's recent and scathing report into how serious allegations against former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming were addressed.   Chambers told Mike Hosking people understand the blame lies with former leaders.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It probably came out on the wrong day to get the coverage it deserved, but one of the last pieces in the economic turnaround told us we are basically there.  Consumer confidence is back, up six points to 98. It needs to be 100 or more for expansion, but it’s the highest figure since June and backs the business confidence, which last week was up a lot.  Business comes first because they see the turnaround on sales. The spending numbers back that up because they are pretty real time and then you get confidence as a follow up, given although we are spending, some may not want to admit it may still feel like they are in a bit of a funk.  But add it all together and the conclusion is inescapable.  You can also add the ASB housing numbers if you want. Confidence in the housing market is at a 15-year high.  Why? Because it's almost perfect – good supply, cheap money, but most importantly we seemed to have crossed the psychological barrier and given ourselves permission to start to feel good again.  The irony is the growth that drives all this might just have been there all along. We get the Q3 GDP number later this month with Infometrics suggesting it is 0.9%.  Add that to the rest of the year and we are well above the growth line. Not that a lot of the commentary has backed that up.  Which is not to say some still do it tough. It's not to say it's the boom times. It's just to say there comes a point where the facts, figures and evidence can no longer be denied.  Here is my next prediction: as a result of all this, 2026 might well be a very good year indeed.  That's based on the idea that economies are about psychologies. Yes, they are about fundamentals but if the fundamentals are in place, then the next thing you look for is mood.  And given the mood has been so repressed, when we decide to take the handbrake off there might just be no stopping us.  As I said last week don't underestimate the Reserve Bank and the finality of their cut. They said this was it, they they've done their job, we are free to go and enjoy our lives. For those waiting and dilly-dallying, that was what they were waiting for.  The next confidence survey will be over 100 and that will be the start of a trend for the year ahead.  Remember where you heard it first. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 2nd of December, the Government is bringing in rates caps in 2029. Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Nelson Mayor Nick Smith give their takes on the proposal. Will there be a coup in Netball NZ? A Special General Meeting has been called this weekend to discuss a vote of no confidence of the leadership. UK comedian and author David Walliams has a new children's book out and he can't wait to catch up with Mike and make of his tight jeans! 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.

Although he’s best known for his comedy, David Walliams has a growing portfolio of children’s literature.  He’s sold more than 60 million copies worldwide and has just released his 44th book ‘Santa & Son’, just in time for Christmas.  He released his first children’s book in 2008, and even after 17 years and nearly 50 books, Walliams still finds writing to be a challenging task.   “You’re constantly scared, you think, oh my god, I’m gonna run out of ideas, or you think, oh god, this is too similar to something I’ve already done,” he told Mike Hosking.   “The thing I try and do is move as far away as I can from something I’ve just done, because the thing is you just don’t want to repeat yourself.”   A lot of his earlier works were set contemporary Britain and revolved around schools, and after a while he found he’d run out of ways to make a teacher character work.  “I can’t think of any more traits that would make teachers funny,” he told Hosking.  “So I thought I just have to move away from that and find different stories.”  “I sort of have to make it difficult for myself just so I don’t end up going down the same path.”  When it comes to success, Walliams explains that he’s not competitive in any major way.  “I don’t see other people who do what I do as sort of foes or anything,” he said.  “But of course I want my book to be well-received, I want kids to enjoy it, I want it to make people happy.”   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coach Rob Walter is comfortable with how the Black Caps are tracking heading into the three-test series against the West Indies, beginning today at Hagley Oval.  New Zealand is fresh from overcoming the West Indies by a combined 6 games to one in the two white ball series.  While Walter was pleased to get the results, he reckons the Black Caps can still improve as a cohesive group.  He told Mike Hosking they’re not expecting the West Indies to be a pushover.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Netball stakeholders attempting to overthrow the national governing body say issues extend beyond the Silver Ferns coaching saga.  The Waikato Bay of Plenty Zone has called a Special General Meeting for Sunday to declare its intention for the board and chief executive to be replaced.  Tauranga Netball Centre board chair Nicola Compton says Dame Noeline Taurua's treatment is one of three major concerns.  She told Mike Hosking the other two are the uncertainty surrounding the ANZ Premiership after next year and the mishandling of the television rights deal.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An assurance a council rates cap will only target unnecessary costs, not community services or infrastructure.  By 2029, councils wanting to increase rates by more than 4% will need approval from a government-appointed regulator.   Water rates are excluded from the cap.  Local Government Minister Simon Watts told Mike Hosking this will be an education process for councils.  He says there's a lot of fat in the system and councils need to ensure cash has to be going into essential areas.   Watts says he will work with the industry, not against them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A view more New Zealanders are adapting to get on the property ladder to overcome economic woes.  Kiwibank's Annual State of Home Ownership Index finds 57% of non-owners feel locked out of the market, improving by 6%.  It notes 60% still find the cost of living the biggest obstacle to owning a house.  Chief Executive Steve Jurkovich told Mike Hosking more people are open to exploring different pathways to ownership.  For example, he says, people are exploring co-owning, getting together with their parents and grandparents to try buy a house.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour's shrugging off food poisoning concerns at a Christchurch school, saying its principal is often complaining about Government policies.  Haeata Community Campus recalled all lunches yesterday after discovering some boxes contained rancid and "dead" looking food.   Some children had already eaten their lunch.  Minister-in-charge Seymour told Mike Hosking a previous batch has likely been re-served to students.  He says they're keeping an open mind while looking into how meals from last week got in front of children this week.  The School Lunch Collective, Ministry of Education and MPI are all investigating.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's an expectation a rates cap will prove challenging and require teaming up with central Government.   The Government's proposing to stop rates increases at 4% a year, excluding water and other non-rates revenue.  Councils wanting to go beyond this will need approval from a government-appointed regulator.  Nelson Mayor Nick Smith told Mike Hosking he's not surprised councils have been targeted by the Government as it aims to reduce costs across the board.  But he says delivery will require the Government to work with them to get costs down, especially in the construction sector.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 1st of December, Local Government Minister Simon Watts speaks on what councils will be spending on 'Water Done Well' over the next decade. The Prime Minister speaks about our maths results, whether EU countries are worried about our climate targets and the City Rail Link being delayed until late 2026. For the final time Andrew Saville and Jason Pine speak to Mike for the year about the F1, Supercars and Auckland FC. 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.

In the UK the Justice Secretary has suggested the end of the jury trial, except for rape, murder, manslaughter, or what he calls "cases that pass a national interest test". The idea has received the sort of reaction you would expect from the usual quarters you would expect it from. My hope is we might want to look at something similar here. The wait, like in the UK, for a trial is absurd. The system is overwhelmed. Getting a jury is hard work and will never get any easier. So if we accept the system doesn’t function in a way we would want, judge-alone would be an immediate improvement in efficiency. Could I be controversial and suggest the reality also is that most people who end up in court are in fact guilty of what they are accused of doing? Which is not to change the idea that you are innocent until proven otherwise. It's just that you can mount a fairly solid argument that a jury is made up of a collection of people who may or may not want to be there, may or may not know what's really going on, may or may not get nuance and minutiae of certain aspects of the law and, therefore, as a collective be a fairly weak representation of the justice you seek. In a way it's like democracy. We love the idea but at local body level we literally can't be bothered. We don’t even turn up so is the idea still a sound one, even if it doesn’t work? Being judged by a jury of your peers - what a wonderful 1800's style thought. But here in the real world it's got a very stale, arduous vibe to it. Why is it important that 12 people agree on something? Well, it isn't if they can't because in some cases we then make it that only 11 people need to agree. So you see, rules are malleable. In some places it's 10 needed. So lets not get all rigid, because the law has been around a while. If the basic premise is justice being seen to be done then the “doing” has to have an element of pace about it. Not rushed, not rubber stamped and open to skullduggery, but an efficient system seen to be working well. You can't argue we have that, or anywhere close. Lammy of the UK has been bold and good on him. Let's hope the same boldness resides somewhere here as well. 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: Auckland FC suffered a loss at home amid monsoon-like rains. Should the game have been called off?  The F1 Driver's Championship is headed to the final race of the season, with three contenders for the title.  And the V8 Supercars Championship has changed up their format, but is it too confusing?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump's working to force Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro out of office. Trump's warned airlines and travellers to avoid the country on social media - and says land strikes on Venezuela could come 'very soon'. The Trump administration has pinned illegal migration and drug trafficking on Venezuela's Government - amid a crackdown on the issue. Foreign Policy Institute Senior Fellow Jeffrey Price told Mike Hosking that it's hard to tell what the strategy is from here, but it's clear Trump wants Maduro gone. He says it's not clear how he'll do this - but the US is willing to do it with force. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An anti-smoking group says young people don't think vaping is as cool as it used to be.  Action on Smoking and Health has released the results of its survey which asks more than 30-thousand Year 10 students about their smoking habits.  It shows 7.1-percent of the age group vape daily - down from the 10-percent peak in 2022 - and less than a third have ever tried it.  ASH Chair Robert Beaglehole says Government policy has played a big role in the change.  He says it took some time for the regulation to catch up with the issue - but it is clearly working now.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon says banks need to be passing on their OCR cuts to customers - and customers should be switching banks if they don't. Mortgage rates have been falling significantly, following recent OCR cuts. But the Reserve Bank says the banks still have room to move, to be cutting the rates further. The Prime Minister says [told Mike Hosking] banks should be competing for customers, and customers should be trying to get the best deal they can. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Local Government Minister is pleased to see councils joining forces under the new water infrastructure model. The Department of Internal Affairs expects councils to spend nearly 48-billion dollars on Local Water Done Well over the next decade. The reforms could create more than 40 water entities, with some councils joining multi-council-controlled organisations. Simon Watts told Mike Hosking that 38 councils have already combined to form 12 entities. But he says it's never been about the number of entities - the critical part is whether it's financially sustainable. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Repeatedly low wheat prices are driving more farmers to turn to dairy. The Canterbury Regional Council says up to 25-thousand more dairy cows could be added to the region this year - with 32 new farms given the green light. Federated Farmers' confidence survey in July found 81 percent of dairy farmers surveyed were making a profit, compared to just 40 percent of arable. National Dairy Chair Karl Dean told Mike Hosking that dairy has a more consistent cash flow. He says arable farmers are the ones with the land to convert. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you follow the carbon market, and you should, it is yet another lesson in the abject failure that almost certainly results in gerrymandering markets.  Four times a year you bid for credits (offsets) to counter your polluting habits.  You do this because we signed up to Paris and made a bunch of promises we were never going to be able to keep.  By selling credits the Government has the potential income of about $2 billion a year. Except little, if any, of that happens because by and large people don’t turn up and bid.  And they fail to show up, broadly speaking, because people don’t believe a word the Government says on climate.  It's not just this Government. The last one was even worse.  They have tried to set a price for carbon credits, remembering of course that it's an entirely invented market. So it's a dart-at-a-board stuff at the best of times.  Of late the price was $52. Then it was $33 before settling back to about $40-something.  Enter Climate Minister Simon Watts. Now, he doesn’t normally talk about the market because that’s interference, the same way the Prime Minister doesn’t talk about the Reserve Bank.  But Simon has talked about the market, and he has done that because the Government are panicked.  He issued a reassurance that despite all the changes they are making around climate, the carbon market and the ETS are still a thing. We are still committed, it's still going to happen.  His commitments, he said, are firm.  Except, Simon, that’s the problem – no one believes you.  This is a Government that says one thing and does another. Don’t get me wrong, what, roughly, they are doing is the right thing.  The tide has gone out on climate. The promises are a bust. No one is going to make Net Zero, so the answer is stop pretending you are.  Science might come to the rescue and if it does, fantastic.  But the governmental promises around carbon and the ETS and car import duties is all BS. There is no better proof of that than the carbon market.  The market is calling the Government's bluff.  Carbon credits or snake oil? Same thing.  No one's buying figuratively and literally. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.