The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The new Secretary of Education believes it’s not all doom and gloom in our education system.  Ellen MacGregor-Reid has been given the green light for the next four and a half years.  She’ll continue to drive the new curriculum alongside Education Minister Erica Stanford.  MacGregor-Reid told Mike Hosking New Zealand does have some strengths in education, however they know they can do better.  She says she’s ambitious for the kids, for the education system, and thinks we can get to the top.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Government is business as usual after the longest shutdown in US history – but only till January. US President Donald Trump's signed a bill to end the shutdown and fund the government, while providing back-pay to federal workers. It's caused a divide among Democrats, as it doesn't ensure access to Affordable Care subsidies. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking the shutdown costs are estimated to be around NZ$24.6 billion per week, or as much as 1.5% of the GDP. He says the National Economic Council is estimating that 60,000 non-federal workers lost their jobs during the period. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister's being urged to take urgent and decisive action on our banking sector.  Ministers have accepted most of the recommendations of a select committee inquiry into the industry, including directing the Reserve Bank to focus on more competition.  But banking expert Andrew Body says Nicola Willis needs to go further.  He told Mike Hosking the Minister should be seeking law changes and a harmonisation of Australian and New Zealand banking rules.  Body says the Minister should be ringing Treasury Secretary Ian Rennie, asking for a proposal for legislative change by 8am Monday.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Regulation Minister says a small number of groups have hijacked the public submission process. ACT's Regulatory Standards Bill has passed its third reading at Parliament. The policy, which provides principles for lawmaking, received 156-thousand public submissions – 98% of those opposed. David Seymour told Mike Hosking there have been more select committee submissions in the past two years than in the history of Parliament. He says organisations like Greenpeace spread mistruths and automate submissions for people. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In America at the moment there is a lot of talk about the “K” shaped economy.  Car dealers see it. If you have a good, safe job, good income and you're in the markets invested in AI (before it all pops) you are feeling good.  You are the upward bit of the “K”. You're buying a flash new car with carbon add-ons.  If you've been laid off, or about to be by a robot, you hate AI because you never earned enough to buy stock anyway and your SNAP payment hasn’t come through because of the shutdown and you're holding onto your car, not to mention sweating on making ends meet, you are the downward bit of the “K”.  It looks like we have a similar story here. Recruiters Robert Walters are already warning of the increased cost of labour in the recovery because people with the skills that are going to be in demand can charge more.  Why?  Because we are short of them. Why? Because the others are in Australia.  In ideal times, as an economy recovers you hoover up those who have lost their jobs when times were tight.  This time anyone who was marketable left and what we have, sadly, are a group of people who it would appear are not available to take part as growth returns.  Yes, there are plenty of unemployed – 5.3% as of last week. Not to mention a growing number of so-called "underutilised". But as far as skills go, that’s where we have an issue.  Not everywhere or everyone of course. But it's becoming increasingly obvious that there are too many under-skilled, under-qualified people in this country.  That is sadly what eventuates when you have system that spits kids out at 15, 16, or 17-year-old without a pathway to success.  When times are good any number of people get swept up for bits and pieces-type jobs that lots of employers can afford to fork out on.  But they are also the first to go. And when the rest of the talent bails, the ones without the skills aren't the ones to fill the growth areas, hence we will once again rely on imported labour, which this time around may or may not be available depending on whether they see us as a cool place to be.  If they don’t, that weighs on recovery and the speed at which we pick up.  Robert Walters seem to suggest it's an issue.  For those who stayed and have the skills though, you will be in a new car before you know it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 13th of November, Public Services Commissioner Sir Brian Roche speaks on McSkimming, Coster, and what’s next for the investigation.  Health Minister Simeon Brown discusses the rollout of 12-month prescriptions, private cancer patients gaining access to publicly funded medication, and the cutting of red tape around medical conferences.   Acclaimed author John Grisham is back on the show for a chat about his latest book 'The Widow'.  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.

John Grisham is back, but with a bit of a twist.  His legal thrillers made him a bestselling author but his latest novel is a bit of a departure, a whodunnit murder mystery titled ‘The Widow’.   Grisham writes his novels in a slightly unorthodox manner, starting with the end and looping back around.  “I learned the hard way years ago,” he told Mike Hosking.  “I wasn’t sure how to end the book, and so you keep writing, and you can’t get to the end, and you boxed yourself in a corner.”   “I’m not gonna waste time like that, I’m gonna know the ending when I start, and if you know the ending, it’s hard to get lost.”   Despite starting with the ending, the conclusion to ‘The Window’ is not the one he initially wrote, as his wife wasn’t a fan.   “It was risky,” Grisham explained.  “This one just didn’t work, and my wife said, hey buddy, this is not gonna work."  “I sent it to my publisher and to my editor in New York, and they agreed and when all three of them lined up against me, I can't, I can't argue.”  So he changed the ending, writing 25,000 more words in the month of January in order to get the novel finished on time.  “I think it’s important to listen to people you trust,” he said.   “You’ve gotta have a reader you trust, somebody who loves you and wants to see you succeed, but will be brutally honest with you.”  Grisham has written over 50 books in his career, all bestsellers, and he says the secret is writing what he likes.  “I write for myself, because I know what has worked,” he explained.  “I know the stories I want to tell, and so far, those are the stories people want to read.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new festival is launching for the wine industry.  Titled ‘Sauvignon 2027’, it will celebrate the innovation and diversity of New Zealand’s most iconic wine.   It'll be welcoming global industry leaders and trade influencers to Marlborough in February.  Chair Natalie Christensen told Mike Hosking that although Sauvignon Blanc is a popular wine around the world, there’s still lots to talk about and they want to get that word spread far and wide.  She says there’s a lot more depth to Sauv that a lot of people don’t know about, things like the subregional stories and different characters you get from different parts of New Zealand, and they want to share that.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A million dollar compensation deal with Watercare is only short-term relief for Auckland oyster farmers, who've lost income from a massive sewage spill in the Mahurangi River.  The issue caused by a power surge at the Warkworth pump station has meant an almost month-long halt on harvesting.  Watercare's now paid out one million dollars to Aquaculture New Zealand for distribution to 10 impacted oyster farmers.  Matakana Oysters owner Tom Walters told Mike Hosking they’re feeling relieved, but it’s only a start.  He says this cheque is just for the event that happened two weeks ago, and the payout would need to be much larger to fix the damage caused by the spillages that happened throughout the year due to outdated infrastructure.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More convenience and savings are being offered for those on long-term treatments.  From February, people will be able to receive 12-month prescriptions.  Patients will still collect their repeats from the pharmacy but will no longer need to return to their doctor each time for a new script.  Health Minister Simeon Brown told Mike Hosking this could save patients up to $105 per year in reduced GP fees.  He says it will also free up appointment space.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Port of Auckland's pushing back against criticism of its move to raise fees.  The port's increasing peak time fees from $130 per container to $180 next year, and $350 the following year.  Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says it's one of several cost pressures facing businesses, alongside rising fuel excise taxes and soon-to-be-introduced congestion charges.  Port boss Roger Gray told Mike Hosking the fees are fair and Kalasih should come visit the port to understand why.  He says he's never met Kalasih, who's never accepted invitations to visit to the port.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Public Service Commissioner is saying little on the details of Andrew Coster's ongoing employment after his involvement in the Jevon McSkimming scandal.   A scathing IPCA report has found the former Police Commissioner was among those in senior police leadership who failed to properly address sex allegations against the then Deputy Police Commissioner.   Coster is now head of the Social Investment Agency.   His employer, Sir Brian Roche, says an employment process is underway for Coster and can't mention details.    But he told Mike Hosking someone can be let go for behaviour at a previous job.   Roche says the key issue is whether the information would have been relevant at the time of employment.  The Public Service Commissioner says a review into the employment process of Jevon McSkimming was a little unfair to the commission.   The independent review has been released into McSkimming's reference and probity checks before his 2023 appointment as Deputy Police Commissioner.   Last week he pleaded guilty to having child sexual exploitation and bestiality material on his work devices.  Sir Brian Roche says the review raised some valid points for improvements, which the commission is embracing.   But he told Hosking it would have detected Jevon McSkimming's behaviour had it been given the right information from the right people.   He says the man was living a double life which he was hiding from his family, his employer, and the Commission.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 12th of November, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers responds to the damning IPCA report into the handling of complaints against Jevon McSkimming.  Did we get anything out of the Arms Act announcement?  Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen give their thoughts on the police and their culture and how much damage has been done to their reputation 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.

It seemed like a thing, until it wasn’t.  Guns are like fluoride and the MSM – they get people angsty.  Out of the Christchurch mosque attack came the idea that gun law needed amending. The amending got another look when ACT came to power because they are libertarians and people with, broadly speaking, a common-sense view of the world.  The idea that the more you restrict weaponry the less likely you are to have a massacre is, of course, nonsense.  Like so many things the Ardern and Hipkins era was responsible for, real world policy for real world behaviour wasn’t one of them.  Nutters get guns. The fact Brenton Tarrant got his legally didn't change the equation, and that’s before you get to the bit that this is not a country of hot-head crazies with a long list of violent massacres.  It's true that we have a lot of guns per head of population. But that reflects our outdoors and rural lifestyles, as opposed to an American-type view of defending yourself.  Anyway, Nicole McKee, straight from the gun side of the equation, was going to have a look and from that came the expectation that some sort of major liberalisation was coming.  But it was not to be. Yesterday was more dabble than revolution.  The fact McKee and ACT have invoked the agree to disagree is either a sign of political maturity, seething anger, or possibly both.  If you listened to Mark Mitchell around the Police's role and the Firearm Safety Authority, National were never budging.  There is some stuff there about 3D printing, which makes sense. But overall, it puts this whole exercise into the category of a review, not an overhaul.  I personally never thought a loosening of access to these so-called "mass weapons" was a major, but I get a lot of people would have.  In a way it’s a good example of the disconnect between the country and city. The city would be aghast because the city doesn’t use guns or get it.  Most gun owners are regular people, burdened by the irregular thinking of the Arderns, who wouldn't know one end of a gun from the other.  McKee was from the other side of the argument but ultimately lost.  So carry on then. The angst was wasted. Nothing to see here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Division within Democrats as US Senators approve the final version of a Bill that could end the weeks-long Government shutdown.   The deal from a group of Democrats and GOP leaders will go to the House of Representatives, then will need signing into law by the President.   Under the deal, the Government will reopen in exchange for a future vote on extending Affordable Care subsidies.  Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley told CNN it's unlikely that vote will go anywhere, because Republicans have vastly different healthcare ideals.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the Democrats who flipped say that they’ve at least set the table for the debate in the midterm elections.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transporting New Zealand warns increases in Auckland port fees will be passed on to consumers.   Fees per container at peak times will increase from $130 to $180 in January 2026.   They'll then jump to $350 in January 2027.   Transporting New Zealand CEO Dom Kalasih told Mike Hosking that it would be one thing if the port was seeing productivity gains from the increases, but they’re not.  He says there comes a point in time where you have to wonder if this is just a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The implementation of roadside drug testing is being hailed as a huge step in the right direction.  From December, Police across Wellington can do random roadside saliva tests – screening for cannabis, methamphetamine, MDMA, and cocaine.   They'll spread to cover the whole country by mid-next year.  Drivers testing positive will need to do a second test that checks for 25 substances.  Drug Detection Agency Chief Executive Glenn Dobson told Mike Hosking data shows 30% of all road deaths now involve an impairing drug.  He says it’s not going to be a game changer, but it is a massive move in the right direction.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A damning report into the handling of complaints against Jevon McSkimming reveals interference and cover-ups during the "Commissioner-appointment" process.   The former Deputy Police Commissioner is awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to having child sexual exploitation and bestiality material on his work devices.  A watchdog report finds some of the nation's highest ranking officers ignored a young woman's anonymous complaints against McSkimming and prosecuted her for harassment.  Gagging orders were put in place to ostensibly protect the reputation of McSkimming - who was a top candidate to replace outgoing Police Commissioner Andrew Coster.  It has been revealed that emails regarding the subject were also sent to the office of Police Minister Mark Mitchell, but he was blocked from seeing them.  “They put a protocol in place whereby I was not to have visibility on it, or any of my political staff, and they were going to be handled by PNHQ,” he told Mike Hosking.  “So I had no visibility on any emails that I received, you know, that came through my office.”   When asked who is the bigger criminal in this case, McSkimming for his behaviour or Costa for covering it up, Mitchell told Hosking they’re as bad as each other.   "It’s atrocious behaviour,” he said.  “They have put the rest of our outstanding police officers in an awful position – who turn up every day and quite simply do outstanding work.”   The concern for Labour’s Ginny Andersen is the impact this situation will have on public trust and confidence in the Police.  “New Zealanders should have every confidence that if they take a complaint to the Police, that it is investigated fully,” she told Hosking.  “It does erode public trust and confidence that taking a complaint forward will be taken seriously and investigated.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland businesses are gearing up for a busy Wednesday next week - as hotel occupancy reaches 100%.  Forty thousand are expected from Metallica fans alone, with the rock band set to perform at Eden Park.  Meanwhile, nearly 3,800 international delegates are gathering at Aotea Centre for New Zealand's largest ever academic conference, celebrating Indigenous education over five days.  Auckland Unlimited Destination Director Annie Dundas told Mike Hosking the city will probably average 80-85% occupancy over the summer.  She says these nice big event spikes lift them up for certain parts of the year, giving the accommodation and hospitality sectors a boost.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a belief New Zealanders are no safer than they were before changes to the gun laws.  A rewrite of the Arms Act simplifies rules for licensed owners for storage, repairs and visitor use, and adds harsher penalties.  Gang members also won't be able to own a gun and semi-automatics will stay banned.   Council of Licensed Firearms Owners spokesperson Hugh Devereux-Mack told Mike Hosking they were promised overwhelming reform but have only got a re-tweak of the existing law.  He says the things that are mentioned are pretty good, but it’s what is absent that is going to annoy a lot of licenced firearms owners who were expecting more.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Commissioner says he only became aware of an investigation into Jevon McSkimming two days before taking up the top job.  The former Deputy Police Commissioner is awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to having child sexual exploitation and bestiality material on his work devices.  A watchdog report finds some of the nation's highest ranking officers ignored a young woman's anonymous complaints against McSkimming.   They then went after her for digital harassment.  The Government has installed an Inspector-General of Police to ensure there is stronger oversight than the IPCA alone.  Commissioner Richard Chambers told Mike Hosking the report points out about five top cops who are at fault.   He says most of them have departed the organisation, but he is also launching employment investigations for other members.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm trying to work out what the ratio would be.  How much squeaky clean, beyond doubt, rock solid truth would the BBC need to deliver to offset the one gargantuan cock up that has seen the Director General and Head of News quit?  Or in this day and age, where doubt and mistrust is so high, is it a futile exercise and the damage is permanent?  Like all these stories you can dilute its seriousness – the Panorama programme wasn’t actually made by the BBC, it was a contract company, so was the bias external not internal? Obviously I am clutching at straws.  Does a resignation mean the organisation is no longer biased, or perceived as biased? I would have thought not.  How do you prove inherent bias? Which is an ongoing charge not just at the BBC but a number of public broadcasters all over the world.  I cited the Radio New Zealand example yesterday, out of the boot camp report, their headline read the conclusion was of a ‘rushed’ exercise.  That wasn’t the conclusion. It was an observation, not a conclusion. But even if you argued the observation was a conclusion, that would mean there were many conclusions. Why pick that one when there were positive ones to choose from as well? And is that inherent bias or just a busy journo looking to publish a story?  Are we the punter inherently biased and therefore whatever we see and we don’t like must be biased?  The BBC bit is of course indisputable. It's not about inference or emphasis, it is about making something seem real which factually wasn’t – they made it up.  Why would you do that unless you had an agenda? Why would the BBC not spot it? Too busy or too biased?  The Culture Secretary said now more than ever the need for trusted news is essential to our cultural and democratic life. Which is what they say when they have carnage to deal with using taxpayers' money.   The BBC were already booked in this week, ironically, for a parliamentary inquiry into their coverage of trans rights and Gaza, cementing in many people's minds what they already suspected.  My summation is basically: it's over. The jury is in, the verdict is guilty, and the people are always right. Whatever the media might once have had by way of respect and trust is largely, if not completely, gone.   And two resignations cemented any remaining doubt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The BBC's chairman has denied claims the BBC is trying to bury accusations of bias as Donald Trump threatens to sue the company.  A leaked BBC memo suggests the Panorama programme edited Trump’s speech to imply he encouraged the Capitol Hill riots of January 2021.  The US President is demanding a full retraction and is threatening to sue for nearly NZ$1.8 billion in damages.  BBC director general Tim Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness have both stepped down.  UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking that Chairman Samir Shah said he doesn’t believe the BBC is institutionally biased, but Liddle isn’t sure he believes that.  Liddle believes Shah said it as he feels the need to hold the BBC together in the wake of its two most damaging resignations, Davie and Turness.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Kiwi is at the helm of the latest movie in an iconic franchise.  The first Predator film was released in 1987, and four films —and two Alien vs Predator films— and 38 years later, Kiwi-born Dimitrius Koloamatangi holds a starring role in ‘Predator: Badlands’.   Auditioning for the role of Dek was a bit of a funny process, Koloamatangi revealed to Mike Hosking.  “My character is obviously an alien, so he doesn’t really speak English,”  “So I had to do a take in just like, a made-up language.”   While the audition process had Koloamatangi integrating elements of Samoan and Tongan into his own language, for the actual film, he had to learn something entirely new.  “When I jumped on, I had thought I could just freestyle and do my own thing, which I was like, ‘oh this is gonna be fantastic, no lines.’”  “But then they were like, oh we’re gonna set you up with the Zoom call with this guy named Britton who constructed the whole language,” Koloamatangi told Hosking.  “I was like, bro, I have to learn a whole made up language? Like, I struggle Samoan somewhat fluently, now I have to learn this? But it was fun.”  The Predator franchise is iconic, boasting a massive fanbase, including Koloamatangi’s father.  “My dad’s a massive fan of the first one – we used to watch that one a lot growing up,” he said.  “It’s pretty surreal to be honest,”  “The franchise has such a massive fan base, like you said, spans like 20 years, you know, and, yeah, it’s kind of crazy to think that I’m now a part of it.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 11th of November, the mess with Te Pāti Māori has resulted in the expulsion of two of its MPs and a communication breakdown is being blamed for the situation.  ANZ CEO Antonia Watson is on to talk their massive record profit and bank margins amidst the RBNZ capital review.  Dimitrius Koloamatangi is the Kiwi star of the new 'Predator: Badlands' film, and joined for a chat about his role in a major Hollywood franchise.  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.

Everything is looking up for one of the biggest days on Christchurch's social calendar.  New Zealand's Cup Day is kicking off, with around 13 thousand punters expected to watch horse racing, fashion shows, and live music at Addington Raceway.   Despite the early morning rain, Addington Raceway Chief Executive Brian Thompson told Mike Hosking he’s confident about how the day will turn out.   He says once the gates open, it never rains on Cup Day.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business NZ believes further action is still needed to address compliance costs for small businesses.  It says the Government's making good on its promise to cut red tape, but its new progress report shows several compliance burdens across sectors, including construction.  The Ministry for Regulation’s engaging with businesses, councils, and industry bodies to begin removing inconsistent regulations.  Chief Executive Katherine Rich told Mike Hosking some areas, including hairdressing, are showing positive progress, but wants to see a similar approach applied across all sectors.  She says 97% of all businesses are small, and the red tape they face can be significant.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Firearm owners are waiting to see what changes to the gun laws are on the way.  Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee is expected to announce her rewriting of the Arms Act this morning.  Deerstalkers Association Chief Executive Gwyn Thurlow told Mike Hosking any details have been kept quiet so far.  He says they believe that's been to stop people on both sides of the argument from getting upset before they've read the whole Act.  Thurlow says there's a lot of trust in McKee.  He says she's seen as someone who can walk the fine line between balancing public safety and lawful use of firearms.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The boss of our largest bank says its latest rise in profit doesn't tell the full story.  ANZ New Zealand's annual profit has reached a new record high of $2.53 billion – up 21% on last year.  That compares to a 13% rise for Westpac and no major change for BNZ and ASB.  But Chief Executive Antonia Watson told Mike Hosking when you exclude the bank's hedging investments, cash profit isn't rising nearly as fast.  She says that headline growth in a cost of living crisis is very uncomfortable, but underlying profit is only up 4%.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Iwi Chairs Forum says a breakdown in communication is to blame for tensions boiling over within Te Pāti Māori.   MPs Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Takuta Ferris have been expelled from the party.  They're both remaining defiant and have labelled the process illegitimate.  Iwi Chairs Forum spokesperson Bayden Barber says he was trying to set up a meeting between the two factions for tomorrow, but that's not going ahead.  He told Mike Hosking the two sides haven't talked in a month.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are concerns housing developers are paying little attention to design and/or comfort.  Christchurch building company, KR Construction, and the Green Building Council are questioning whether townhouses are fit for purpose.  They claim many new builds are getting far too hot and have moisture issues.  KR Construction Director Dan Richardson told Mike Hosking townhouses are a particularly new type of build.  He says standalone houses have been built for about 150 years, while townhouses have only been hitting the market more in the last 10.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The battle of the bank BS is back. BNZ, who announced their profit last week, talked of the strong competition out there. But I note their margin went up, up, 6 points to 2.43%. So if there is so much competition, how come the margin is up? Then came the claim from the Reserve Bank among others that the big banks are being tardy when it comes to passing on the Reserve Bank cuts to us punters. Smaller banks are sharper. SBS claims they have hoovered up almost 6000 new customers as changing banks has become easier. Remember SBS last week put out their 3.99% money, limited to certain people, but a market leader nevertheless. Now tied into all of this is the retail bank's long held argument that the margin is higher because they need the cushion, because the Reserve Bank makes them store away too much money for troubled times. But, those rules are changing and changing in the retail bank's favour. In other words;  less money required therefore, in theory, it should mean smaller margins. You can also put in there the simple truth that has always been in play - there is nothing stopping us shopping around. We have a good number of retail banks and they do do deals. I know because I've done deals. Some banks will shave decent margins to get your business. The trouble is a lot of us are too lazy to try and moaning is easier than hustling. So who is right? Are the retail banks tardy? Is it a major issue? Is Nicola Willis right when she says things, and by "things" we mean rules, need to change? I of course have long argued that Willis is too much hype and it's not all that bad. But I'm increasingly moving towards accepting I'm wrong. As the Reserve Bank points out as wholesale rates drop the margins have risen, and on latest numbers, keep rising. Maybe, God forbid, Adrian Orr was right when he used to come on this programme and lambaste the banks for making too many excuses. What I do know is the conditions are increasingly right, either through wholesale rates or the changes to reserve rules, for us to see the margins fall and for the cuts to be passed through in full, and faster. And the longer that takes to happen the more we need to see the big banks as a problem and bad actors in the economy.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 10th of November, the Government has announced a new plan to combat meth that involves Police, Customs, the GCSB and NZDF. The Prime Minister is in to talk the India FTA, meth and Transmission Gully. Jason Pine and Andrew Saville discuss the F1, the All Blacks, Kiwis and the local derby in the A-league. 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.

Jason Pine and Andrew Saville join Mike Hosking this morning to discuss the weekend's sports. On the table today: The All Blacks fended off an impressive comeback from Scotland to secure a win in Edinburgh.  Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix had a fiery game that saw on-pitch brawls and red cards issued. And Liam Lawson finished 7th in the Brazilian GP after a successful one-stop strategy.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon says India and New Zealand are continuing to get closer to reaching a free trade agreement. Trade Minister Todd McClay hosted Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in Auckland last week for a fifth round of talks on an FTA. The Prime Minister says it's been good to see Goyal coming here when he's so in-demand around the world. Luxon told Mike Hosking that McClay will head to India this week for further talks. He says they're making good progress, with some negotiations, but they're committed to getting the deal done. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trade talks with the Cook Islands have reached a standstill once again. The Government has been suspended payments to the Cook Islands after they made deals with China without notifying NZ - a move that broke the 2021 agreement.  However, International relations expert Stephen Hoadley said that suspending payments will only move them closer to China.  "I think it just opens the door for China to walk in further and have more influence." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Border control is concentrating it's efforts on tackling organised crime.  They said that the progress so far, in collaboration with international partners, has shown positive results - with over 900kgs of meth bound for NZ seized. However, there is still a significant threat. Customs' Deputy Chief Executive of Operations, Jamie Bamford told Mike Hosking that 'what we're facing is scale and an aggressive, well funded, agile, organised crime.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's soaring methamphetamine problem be won't taken down through one approach. The Government's new action plan is eyeing up importation, distribution and demand - as consumption doubles to nearly 1,500 kilos last year. It's also launching a prevention campaign - and allocating 30-million-dollars for community support services. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith told Mike Hosking that meth is a scourge on society. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many businesses that limped through the pandemic are now going under. Insolvency practitioners have been reporting a sharp rise in the number of insolvencies since mid-2022. Smaller retail, hospitality, construction, transport and manufacturing operators are failing far more now,  than they were before the pandemic. BWA Insolvency Founder Bryan Williams told Mike Hosking that many have burned through assets to survive. He says almost every file that comes across his desk is a business that has almost no assets remaining, and has been using all its assets to survive. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ACC vs union work from home legal case is a good one and it became even better after the Westpac dispute in Australia last week.  There are two bits to these sorts of cases. One was the specific, as in what's in a contract, what's the wording, what have you agreed to and what haven't you agreed to.  Then you've got the moral question; the big picture, the team spirit and the attitude.  Work from home is a symptom of all that is wrong with productivity and very few do productivity as poorly as this country.  Covid wrecked the workplace. It allowed for work from home to be invented.  Not literally, but generally for a period it was all you could do.  From that moment a seed was planted, and the seed has grown into a mindset.  Over a remarkably short period of time the idea became a habit, a right and, for some, the norm.  Not just that, but so entrenched did it become in the minds of some that what was once not even an idea became something to be outraged about if the spectre of it ending was even uttered.  Even though you have spent the vast majority of your working life going to the office.  No one jumps on a get-out-of-jail card quicker than a union.  I don’t know what was, and wasn’t, said at the ACC. But what I do know is work from home has become a gargantuan piss take.  Don’t get me wrong – you save on the commute, the cost of parking, and you don't have to worry about hoping the bus is on time.  It all makes sense from a selfish point of view.  The Australian case even had the woman moving miles from town so she could drop her kid off at the special school they had selected.  Westpac said that was a lifestyle choice, which unquestionably it was, but tough luck said the court and the woman won.  So maybe ACC are onto a hiding to nothing. Let's see.  But specifics aside, work is a quid pro quo and taking the mickey, which is what work from home is now that you aren't locked down, isn't a balanced relationship.  It’s a material shift, born of necessity, and then abused. 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.    NZ Inc.: 7/10  A good week. Building consents, credit demand, house listings – up, up and up.    Noeline Taurua: 6/10  Spoke for the first time, but in a way where the knots you are tied up in get in the way of the words.    SCOTUS: 2/10  It went about as badly as you might have expected, unless you thought an argument about being a megalomaniac with uncontrollable powers was going to fly.    Sir David Beckham: 8/10  He is a story of inspiration and lovely with it. I'm a fanboy.    New York: 2/10  Mamdani is likeable and slick. But so was Jacinda.    Transmission Gully: 2/10  How can a new road need $32 million worth of repairs, unless you didn’t do it properly in the first place? Which then leads to the question - why didn’t you do it properly in the first place?    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ongoing US federal government shutdown could stop many Americans returning home for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.  The shutdown's now the longest in US history.  Thousands of air traffic controllers and security screeners aren't being paid for their work, prompting a sharp drop in flights across the country.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that more than 5000 flights around the country were delayed in the past 24 hours.   He says air traffic controllers are reportedly resigning every day due to the prolonged nature of the shutdowns.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another missed opportunity this week driven by fear and blunt honesty, or lack of it.  When asked on Wednesday in Parliament whether the Government was going to change the law to ban homeless people from camping in downtown areas of this country, the Prime Minister gave us an answer of a scared person.  Technically it may currently be true they have not discussed it in Cabinet. Technically it may be true they haven't passed a law.  But that wasn't the point. The point is trouble in CBDs is crippling entire cities and it needs to stop, and that’s where his answer should have started.  Then he should have gone on to say we have had meetings, and we have worked out no one has the power to really tackle the issue, so we are going to change that.  Then he should have outlined how they were going to change it.  We don’t deal with emotive stories well, because of fear, and that needs to change as well.  Homelessness for many is sad. Not all, but many. There will be addiction, and sorrow, and madness, literally and figuratively, and you can get lost in that if you let yourself and then you end up like the Labour Party – apologising for shocking outcomes.  Rotorua anyone?  But each part of any given emotive story has a weighing. If the weighing is wrong on one part, then disaster ensues. Being afraid to deal with a very real problem for fear of offence is overweighing the plight of the homeless.  The homeless need help but they can't wreck the joint simply because of their status. They don’t get more rights because of who they are, and we can't look away just because it's easy to do so.  Also requiring their share of weight is every business operator, bus driver, worker and citizen who wouldn't mind using their CBD but doesn’t, or is fearful too because our leaders won't deal with hard issues.  No one argues it isn't a problem. We can debate a bit, if you like, on how we resolve it. But resolve it we must and that involves getting the problem out of downtown and it requires the right attitude to do it.  Labour asked the question because they back the homeless. They are happy to wreck cites and businesses and their record shows that.  The Prime Minister failed to show up as a leader and run with a solution, because as he stood, his backbone vanished. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Friday which means Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back with Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that was.  They discuss the ongoing saga with Netball NZ and Dame Noeline Taurua, which New Zealand restaurants could earn a Michelin star, as well as fulfilling the secret purpose of Wrapping the Week: bullying Mike.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 7th of November, changes are coming to the film industry’s rebates and there are two major announcements for the energy sector.   The All Blacks are looking to go two for two in their match against Scotland this weekend, Damian McKenzie joining to preview the clash.   And Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson bully Mike and discuss whether any New Zealand restaurants would earn a Michelin star 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.

The All Blacks take on sometime rivals Scotland in the second leg of their potential Grand Slam tour.   After a strong finish to put away Ireland in Chicago, the All Blacks now look to retain their unbeaten record against Scotland.  Scotland is set to be highly motivated, as they’re celebrating 100 years of tests at Murrayfield and are eager to mark the occasion with a historic success.   Damian McKenzie told Mike Hosking they know the strength of northern hemisphere rugby, and the last thing they need is to get complacent.  He says playing in a Grand Slam is a rare occasion and an exciting opportunity, and each week they know they have to get better.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Pacific Championship wraps this weekend with Sunday’s decider between the Kiwis and Toa Samoa.   The Kiwis dominated Tonga last week in front of a record 39,000 strong crowd at Eden Park, cinching their spot in the final.   But even though the Kangaroos aren’t involved, the NRL have decided the final will be hosted in Sydney, despite efforts from the New Zealand Rugby League.   CEO Greg Peters told Mike Hosking they would’ve loved to have hosted the whole thing in New Zealand, as the two fixtures we did host were pretty successful.   However, he said, the NRL is the big dog in town, and they wanted content in the Australian market ahead of the World Cup, which is being hosted there next year.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our largest electricity gentailer is welcoming two major announcements for the energy sector.  The Government's announced it’s widening the scope of its $200 million co-investment fund to support a broader range of projects.  And the Commerce Commission has given final approval for the big electricity gentailers to build a coal stockpile at Genesis' Huntly Power Station.  Genesis Chief Executive Malcolm Johns told Mike Hosking the generation units at Huntly will no longer be retired.  He says they give New Zealand another 10 years to solve the long-term energy security issue.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of Bill Clinton's former top officials says a crucial Supreme Court decision on tariffs probably won't go Donald Trump's way.  The court's due to make a decision tomorrow on the legality of the US President's tariff regime.  Former US Under Secretary of Commerce Bill Reinsch says it's a major decision.  He told Mike Hosking the justices are being asked to determine the limits of presidential power.  Reinsch says Trump won't want to give the tariff money back, but the court could force him to do so.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good news for our screen sector as it looks to become more competitive globally.  The Government's set to lower the minimum spend for feature films to qualify for a 20% cash rebate next year from $15 million to $4 million.  It'll also expand eligibility for an extra 5% rebate to include post-production, so films can be finished locally.  Screen Music and Sound Guild New Zealand Chair John Mckay told Mike Hosking incentives like this are the backbone of film financing.  He says we're not even competitive with Australia's rebate of 30%, so more flexible rules are welcome.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.