The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The Hamilton to Auckland passenger rail service could come off the tracks if it becomes too expensive for rate payers.   Waikato Regional Council is writing to the NZTA board to ask for a one-year extension of the service, through to 2027. They want to test full integration with Auckland’s City Rail Link, which opens next year.  Waikato Regional Council Chair Warren Maher told Heather du Plessis-Allan 60% funding through the Land Transport Fund will be vital to keep it going.  He says if it drops back to 51%, they want the review of the trial to go ahead at NZTA's April meeting, and that could be the death nail for Te Huia.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The resignation of Netball New Zealand CEO Jennie Wyllie had to happen.  That's the view of former New Zealand men's netball skipper and commentator Kruze Tangira.   Tangira told Heather du Plessis-Allan he believes the drama around the standing down then reinstatement of head coach Dame Noeline Taurua has plagued the year.  He says it started all the way back in January at the Sydney training camp, and it’s taken until December for there to be a real resolution.  It was unfortunate that Taurua had to lose her job and have her name tarnished in the process, Tangira told du Plessis-Allan, but change needed to happen in order to rebuild the reputation of netball within New Zealand.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A push for the Government to use its powers to begin dismantling Gloriavale.  The Secretary for Education has cancelled the Christian sect school’s licence, forcing it closed from January.   The call comes just a week after former leader Howard Temple was sentenced to more than two years in prison for sex offending.  Leavers' Trust Founder Liz Gregory told Heather du Plessis-Allan she’s now urging the Government to go further, starting with de-registering the community’s charity.  She expects that to be the next step and anticipates it could be shut down before Christmas.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A view school violence is changing, with fewer mass fights, but far more frequent outbursts.  New data shows 12,300 students were disciplined for physical assault this year – up 49% on 2019.  Most incidents involved students attacking other students.  Darfield High School Principal Andy England told Heather du Plessis-Allan increasing neurodiversity in classrooms is likely one factor.  He says devices are also a problem, with social media trends often sparking more organised assaults.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A prediction that 2026 will be a very good year for the economy.   GDP grew 1.1% in the September quarter.   Former Associate Finance Minister Richard Prebble even suspects we could see a turnaround in unemployment, which has ticked up since 2022.   He says Stats NZ data is always backwards looking.   Prebble told Heather du Plessis-Allan job ads are on the up and Seek numbers up 7%.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump has unveiled a new Presidential Walk of Fame in The White House.  It includes portraits of all the previous presidents and corresponding descriptions, written in the style of social media posts.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Heather du Plessis-Allan Trump has helped write some of them.  The one for Joe Biden refers to him as Sleepy Joe, the worst President in the history of America.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The $8 billion Waihi North mine has been given the approval to go for gold, and there could be many millions of ounces out of it.  It's been given the green light through the Government's fast track programme.  The permit secures 350 existing jobs and creates more than 100 new roles.   Oceana Gold Chief Executive Gerard Bond told Heather du Plessis Allan they're investing one billion dollars of capital to get things going.  He says that will be put towards a tunnel to go under the forest park and hundreds of millions will be spent during its operation at well.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surely that judge throwing out the election result in Auckland has started the clock ticking on postal voting.  This case may not seem a big deal given that it involves just 79 votes, in just one subdivision, in just one relatively small local board election in Auckland.  But the 79 may just be the tip of the iceberg. It may be that hundreds of ballot papers in that subdivision were stolen from letterboxes, filled in and sent in as legit votes.  Now Ken Turner from the Waitakere's is also considering legal options because he reckons something funny happened with 212 votes in his election too.  None of this is a surprise to me because years ago when friends of mine were flatting, as happens, mail turned up for previous tenants.  Some of that mail was voting papers. So my friends filled the papers in and sent them all back in as legitimate votes and no one ever got in trouble for it.  We all know the mail voting system is ripe for being gamed.  But perhaps in our naivety we hadn’t imagined it would go from a bunch of silly flatties to what seems like may have been an orchestrated rigging of an election.  Postal voting should go the way of the horse and cart. It's not the only reason so many of us can’t be bothered with council elections, but it is a significant part of it.  You get the mail, pop it on the counter, forget about it, find it after election day is well past, or find it too hard to remember where to find a post box.  Not only does it make it harder to vote, it also makes it harder to trust the election outcome. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s not a Kiwi summer without Six60, and the county’s highest selling live band is rolling on.   They’ve dropped their latest single, ‘We Made It’, coming in the wake of their bestselling Australian performance at the Sydney Opera House.  They’ll also have the honour of being the first live act to perform at the new One NZ Stadium in Christchurch and are curating a new country and roots music festival, taking place this summer in Matakana.   Lead singer Matiu Walters told Heather du Plessis-Allan it’s just a one-day festival at the moment, but they have plans to grow.  “It’s definitely a tough time for the arts, music, and for everyone really, to be fair,” he said.  “We didn’t, we never want to kind of just, to like, rest on our laurels.”   Over the years they’ve been performing, Six60 has smashed records, being labelled as the country’s first-ever Chart Icon at the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards, and Walters says their drive stems from their desire to do “cool stuff”.  “Our goal was, was always just to write and perform music, and my purpose is to sing and play guitar, and all these things that kind of happened around us,” he told du Plessis-Allan.  “We’re aspirational dudes.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast with Heather du Plessis-Allan Full Show Podcast for Thursday 18th of December, we speak to the new Deputy Police Commissioner and preview the Q3 GDP number.  The Government is saying the road cone hotline's performed as desired, so they’re shutting it down – six months early.   Six60 lead singer Matiu Walters stops by for a chat and performs their new single 'We Made It'.  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 Kiwi classic with added convenience.  Rotorua has its first hot pie vending machine, stocked with the famous Maketū Pies.  All ten varieties are on offer in the machine, which sits just outside the I-site and besides the Redwoods Treewalk.  General Manager Craig Williams told Heather du Plessis-Allan the site was selected for visibility, with around 700,000 tourists passing through per day.  He says a lot of international tourists are looking for a hot pie as part of their Kiwi experience, and the novelty of the machine will capture attention.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hopes a Reserve Bank move will translate to better prices for borrowers might be overly optimistic.  It is changing the mix of capital banks are required to hold, aiming to reduce funding costs and freeing up around $5 billion in equity across the sector.   It’s also targeting closing the gap between bigger and smaller banks, making the market more competitive.  Financial Markets and Banking Expert Andrew Body told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the change might result in a couple more chicken dinners for your average borrower, but nothing substantial.   He says the big deal here is competition, which will require political leadership like we’ve seen in housing, education, and health to solve.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government maintains its road cone hotline has been worthwhile.  The pilot, which encouraged the public to report excessive cone use, ends tomorrow, six months ahead of schedule.  Site visits found 86% of work sites were already compliant.  Workplace Relations Minister Brooke Van Velden told Heather du Plessis-Allan the hotline has found there are issues with the traffic management plans councils design.  She says the people on the ground putting the cones out aren't the problem.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newly minted Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Pannett says he's up for the challenge as he starts the job.   His predecessor Jevon McSkimming was given nine months home detention yesterday, for possessing objectionable material.  Pannett told Heather du Plessis-Allan the reputational damage from McSkimming is something police need to take into account.   He says policing is even more complex and dynamic now than it has been in the past, and there’s some big challenges ahead of them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Schools and kura could have an important role to play in preventing youth suicide.   Coroner Tania Tetitaha's inquiry into the self-inflicted deaths of six young people finds they were effectively lost in a fragmented system.   Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad says we need to make sure getting help is as easy as possible at the earliest stages of distress.   She told Heather du Plessis-Allan school-based services like counselling and social workers provide a lot of benefits. Achmad says their presence makes them more accessible and more trusted by children and young people.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several of the major banks expect a significant bounce back in GDP for Q3 when Stats NZ releases its economic figures later this morning.  Westpac and ANZ both predict a gain of about one percent, putting that down to a jump in activity across the board.  ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner told Heather du Plessis Allan while she's nervous some of that could turn up in the revised numbers down the track, it's looking positive.  She says some of the corners should be knocked off the volatility in the economy and the overall level of GDP will be revised up.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast with Heather du Plessis-Allan Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 17th of December, Nicola Willis responds to the surplus being pushed out another year, the third blowout in her two years as the Finance Minister.  Indycar champ Scott Dixon is on to talk his career and the launch of a new world class karting facility in Auckland.  And Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen cover all the highs and lows of 2025 on the final Politics Wednesday for 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.

It's no surprise that Nicola Willis has pushed out surplus by another year.  That now makes it three years in two years, as in she has delayed surplus by three years in just the space of the two years she’s been at the Finance Minister’s desk.  Had she kept her pledge, the one she made about tidying up this country’s books when asking for our votes in 2023, we would be seeing a surplus next year.  Now it’s 2029 at the earliest.  Getting our books back in order is important if we don’t want our kids to pack up and leave for Australia when they’re old enough to.  Nicola can blame everyone from Treasury to Trump if she wants, but she has not done enough to get us back to surplus.  She has defended, and kept, Jacinda’s wasteful policy of paying for one free year for university students. The policy has been repeatedly criticised as a flop that doesn’t actually make anyone go to university.  Cutting that would save us in the vicinity of $1 billion over four years.  She has given welfare to households on more than $200,000 a year by giving them money for childcare. People on that kind of coin don’t need benefits.  Cutting that would save $1 billion in a little over five years.  She still hasn’t cut or income tested the Winter Energy Payment, which is going to people who are still in the workforce and being set aside for nice trips to Fiji.  Cutting that would save $1 billion in less than two years. Trimming it would save less, but it would save something.  She has cut 2000 public servants when Grant and Jacinda added 14,000.  Be in no doubt - money is tight.  But there is still a lot of waste that could be cut if Nicola Willis was brave enough. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The son of Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner is being held on suspicion of the murder of his parents.    Police say 32-year-old Nick Reiner's been booked for murder after Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their Los Angeles home.   They say he's a suspect in the case and is being held on a US$4 million bail.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Heather du Plessis-Allan that Reiner and his wife had apparently taken their son to a holiday party, where he had apparently been disruptive, the day before their bodies were found.  He says it allegedly led to a shouting match between the father and son.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Heather du Plessis-Allan was joined by Labour’s Ginny Andersen and National’s Mark Mitchell to recap the highs and lows of 2025 on the final Politics Wednesday for the year.  They also discussed the retail crime numbers, the state of the Government’s books, the need for a social media ban, and the situation with Nicola Willis and Ruth Richardson.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A momentous day for New Zealand motorsport.  The Sir Colin Giltrap Raceway, a world-class karting facility in Auckland, is officially opening.  The track builds on the country’s heritage and pathway to the world stage.  It will be opened by Indycar champion Scott Dixon, who told Heather du Plessis-Allan it’s going to be huge, especially for the young talent in this country.  He says that we pack a big punch for such a small country, so it’s really great to see that everyone’s pulled this off.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A possible win for the General Practice Owners Association, as they take on the so-called healthcare duopoly and cost pressures.  Their proposal for a breakaway Primary Health Organisation is gaining traction, with 116 GP practices, covering 833,000 enrolled patients, showing interest.  If approved by Health New Zealand, it would become the country’s largest PHO, representing around 16% of total enrolments.   General Practice Owners Association Chair Dr Angus Chambers told Heather du Plessis-Allan that there’s widespread dissatisfaction within the GP community.  He says some of it’s because PHOs have gone off their path and are doing things that aren’t best for GPs, but they’ve also had years of underfunding and woeful workforce planning.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions over whether the postal voting system is working after a South Auckland local body election was overturned.  Judge Richard McIlraith ruled irregularities altered the outcome of the Papatoetoe vote for the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board.  The case involved stolen voting papers and fraudulent use, and a new election must be held by April 9.  Former Deputy Chair Vi Hausia told Heather du Plessis-Allan this was discovered when names of people who didn't cast a vote, showed in the system.  He says groups of people also went to cast a special vote after not receiving their paper but found they supposedly had already voted.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government insists it has a plan to turn the economy around.  Treasury's Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows the country is first forecast to be in the black by 2029-2030.  The Finance Minister has admitted the country is borrowing money to pay the interest bill on the debt.  Nicola Willis told Heather du Plessis Allan that bill is about $9 billion a year.  She says around 80% of borrowing over the next few years will be for capital assets like hospitals, schools, and roads.  There may also be more cuts to the public service as they aim to get back down to surplus.   Economic growth is expected to be just 1.7% next year, and Willis says there's still room for efficiency in the public service.  She will be sending letters out to her cabinet colleagues to give them ideas on where they can make some savings.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Critics aren't convinced the Government's new mega-Ministry will work.   It's merging the environment, housing and urban development, and transport ministries into a new Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport.   Right-wing think tank NZ Initiative executive director Oliver Hartwich says it will still report to the same number of ministers.  He told Heather du Plessis-Allan having it fully operational in six months is also ambitious.   Hartwich says the ministries are busy with RMA reforms, which are taking up all their resources.   He says putting a super merger on top of that could be asking too much.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This business of Australia tightening up its gun laws feels like it runs the risk of distracting from the bigger problems over there.  I don’t think guns were the problem on Sunday. Australia already has some of the tightest gun laws in the world.  This is a race relations problem.  This attack was predictable. There was no shortage of warnings.  Jewish businesses have been set alight in recent years, synagogues have been attacked, obviously Jewish people have been hassled, Israeli people have been denied customer service in Melbourne, cars have been set alight in an anti-Semitic attack and two nurses in Sydney lost their jobs for bragging on TikTok that they would kill Jewish patients.  There is a timeline on Time magazine’s website of all the events leading up to Sunday that is confronting.  The Albanese Government knew there was a problem brewing. They asked the special envoy on anti-Semitism to give them a set of recommendations.  For the last six months they’ve had those recommendations and done nothing.  So, tightening up gun laws is never a bad thing. Checking in on a licence holder every few years rather than never must be a good thing.  But if the Aussies think that’s the fix for what just happened, they are misguided and allowing themselves to be distracted. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tom Sainsbury is back in our ears, and he’ll soon be on our screens too.  Season three of the Kiwi comedian’s one-man murder mystery series has just released, but it’s actually season one that’s about to make the headlines.  The first season of his ‘Small Town Scandal’ podcast has been turned into an eight episode TV series, releasing in February next year.  It’s the biggest project Sainsbury’s done to date, but he revealed to Heather du Plessis-Allan that he’s struggling a little bit to recognise just how big of a moment it is.  “When you’re kind of working on a TV show, it’s just such a long process,” he explained.  “When you kind of live with it, to the minutiae of watching every little bit of it, it doesn’t feel like a big moment.”   Unlike the podcast, in which Sainsbury voices every role, he’s performing alongside other actors in the TV show – a bit of a change of pace. "The funny thing is we talked about me playing characters at the very beginning,” he told du Plessis-Allan.  “We talked about it, but it just turned, like, as soon as you do the kind of maths, it’s the logistics, it’s too bonkers.”   While he’s no longer behind the wheel for every character, Sainsbury is very happy with how actors such as Morgana O’Reilly have replicated them.   “They’ve gone above and beyond.”   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast with Heather du Plessis-Allan Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 16th of December, how is Australia responding to the Bondi Beach terror attack, and what questions are being asked of the national intelligence network?   Former Finance Minister Steven Joyce previews the HYEFU numbers and explains why it may not be the worst thing if the surplus is pushed out another year.  Kiwi comedian Tom Sainsbury talks the new season of his podcast ‘Small Town Scandal’ and the first season being turned into a TV show.  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.

Splore's announced it'll come to an end next year after hopes of a Government lifeline fell through.  Next year's instalment of the annual boutique music and arts festival at Auckland's Tapapakanga Regional Park will be the last due to low ticket sales in recent years.  Long-time owner John Minty says they weren't considered for the Government's $70 million Major Events Fund.  He told Heather du Plessis-Allan that while ending the festival is potentially premature, the writing is on the wall.  Minty says he could hang on for another year and hope things will get better, but from a financial point of view, he can’t take that risk again.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sydney's terror attack is raising questions about intelligence shortcomings and where security systems could be beefed up.   A 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son allegedly shot dozens of people celebrating the Jewish holiday Hanukkah at Bondi on Sunday evening.  The younger man had been investigated by the country's security agency before and wasn't considered a threat.  A senior lecturer of terrorism and radicalisation told Heather du Plessis-Allan that intelligence services are probably watching dozens of people, forcing them to make decisions as to who is likely to be the most relevant threat at that time.  Australian National University’s Dr Michael Zekulin says the alleged shooter didn’t meet the criteria in this case, which is something that’s been seen time and time again, in other countries as well.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a view that New Zealand's still a while away from being a 'rockstar' economy.  Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update documents are coming out early this afternoon, carrying key economic metrics. Treasury's also releasing a Budget Policy Statement outlining priorities for upcoming spending. Former Finance Minister Steven Joyce told Heather du Plessis-Allan it was a pretty average year for the economy, and next year looks to be better.  Joyce says getting core spending below 30% of GDP is the goal, but it won’t happen overnight.  He says Bill English spent eight years after the Canterbury quakes and the global financial crisis wrestling to get back into surplus.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Students are still battling to find consistent work leading into the summer break.  Fifty thousand people applied for work through Student Job Search in November – the highest number this year.  Chief Executive of Student Job Search Louise Saviker told Heather du Plessis-Allan while there are more jobs being listed, these are largely one-off or casual roles.  She says this means students need even more jobs.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bondi Beach massacre has propelled the Australian Government to overhaul its already-tough gun laws.   Sixteen people died and dozens were injured when two shooters opened fire on a Jewish gathering on Sunday night in what's been labelled a terror attack.   Now 26 victims remain in hospital, with six fighting for life.   A 24-year-old suspect is also in hospital under police watch while his 50-year-old father, who's also believed responsible, died at the scene.   The older man had been a licensed firearms holder for about a decade and owned six registered firearms.  9News Australia correspondent Charles Croucher told Heather du Plessis-Allan the federal government now wants to cut down the number of guns a person can own and conduct more regular checks on those with licences.   He says it also wants to restrict gun ownership to Australian citizens only.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data shows the service sector has now dipped in activity for six months in a row.  The most recent PSI recorded performance at its lowest since May, at 46.9.   For growth, it needs to sit at 50 or above.  ABC Business Sales CEO Chris Small told Heather du Plessis-Allan the results were a surprise.  He says the data had suggested the low point would be during Winter.  The sector is blaming the weak economic environment for the downturn, Small saying that in comparison, the retail sector saw a boost around Black Friday.  He says this shows things are turning around and services are just the lagging factor.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 15th of December with Heather du Plessis-Allan, we go to Australia to discuss the latest with the antisemitic Bondi terror attack. The Prime Minister drops in for the final time this year and tells us of his contact with Australia PM Anthony Albanese over the Bondi attack and whether this debate between Willis and Richardson is harmful to the Government. Jason Pine and Andrew Saville talk the Black Caps, the cost of the FIFA World Cup and their biggest moments of the year. 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.

If you weren’t already feeling confident about 2026, I've got two reasons you should. At least two major retail banks see signs of an economic recovery and we have a new Reserve Bank Governor. No pressure on Anna Breman, but she hasn’t arrived a day too soon given that the old lot were still managing to stuff things up until literally the last chance they had, with Christian Hawkesby saying the wrong thing and sending wholesale market rates, and therefore fixed term interest rates, up by 30 basis points. To be fair to him, he was only the fill in. And if we’re honest with ourselves it's more hope than certainty that the Swedish import will be any better than Hawkesby or Adrian Orr. But then again you could argue it really would be hard to be worse given the last four years. But we’re here for the good news.   The good news is that Anna Breman arriving as the new broom coincides with ASB, and now Kiwibank, all saying it’s on. They’re seeing signs of a recovery for 2026. Kiwibank’s call arguably matters more than the others because they’ve been the gloomiest. They were calling for more rate cuts than the Reserve Bank was prepared for. They were warning it was more grim out there than the Wellington bankers realised. They were right. So here’s hoping they are right again when they say sales are already up, and when sales go up, everything else follows. House prices are up 2-3% next year. The economy is growing 2.4% and then it’s 3% the next year. I don't know about you but that combo - a new person in charge of the central bank and growing consensus that the recovery is now on - is probably the best Christmas present i could wish for. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwibank says it's on with a 2.4% GDP increase for 2026. But the bank has joined the chorus blaming the Reserve Bank for messing up the communications leading to increased fixed-term rates at the major retail banks. Independent Economist Cameron Bagrie told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the economy is slowly stabilising, and because of that interest rates don't need to be as low.  "When you turn the corner, interest rates don't need to be as low." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The crackdown on drug drivers is due to start today. Starting in Wellington first, saliva testing will be used to test the drivers for 4 drugs; cannabis, meth, MDMA and cocaine. Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the drug tests being used are new to police, and a trial period is necessary before a national rollout.  "We will scale it up, but the police have to make sure. It's a new form of testing, so it's important to trial it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An anti-Semitic terror attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach has claimed the lives of 12 people.  Thousands were attending a Hanukkah celebration just before 9 last night our time - when two gunmen dressed in black opened fire on the crowd.  At least 29 people are injured - including two police officers.  Australian Correspondent Murray Olds told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the attack is the worst since the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996 - which left 35 people dead. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The principal of Auckland's Diocesan Girls, School for Girls is stepping down after more than 16 years in the job. Heather McRae is the retiring principal of one of Auckland's biggest schools, and she says she's optimistic about the school's future, and the education of children in New Zealand.  She said she likes the changes that Education Minister Erica Stanford has made to the curriculum, saying a focus on making the curriculum more specific is the right move. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast with Heather du Plessis-Allan Full Show Podcast for Friday the 12th of December, Primary Principals have turned down the latest pay offer from the Government, saying it doesn’t acknowledge their workload.   It’s been revealed that water infrastructure is going to cost $9 billion more than originally expected after every council submitted their plan for Local Water Done Well.  Tim Wilson and Kerre Woodham talked AI, Air NZ, and the Willis v Richardson debate as they Wrapped 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.

Time Magazine has just named its Person of the Year for 2025.  And it’s not a single person. It is "the architects" of AI.  The magazine says "no one" had as great an impact this year than the people “who imagined, designed, and built AI".  This was the year that we stopped talking about how clunky AI is and instead started sprinting to deploy it as fast as possible. And now the risk-averse are no longer in the driver's seat.  Which may be true, but the risk averse are still a really big proportion of us, aren't they?  I think there are broadly three categories of people when it comes to AI;  1) The ones using it,  2) The ones apathetic about it and waiting to be convinced that they need it,  3) The ones terrified of it.  It's the terrified ones that fascinate me.  They're the unions convinced AI will take jobs. They're the 47% of Kiwis who don’t trust companies to use AI ethically. They're the rule-lovers who want the Government to set up more rules for AI.  They're the artists and musicians who are pretending that they can stop AI learning from (they call it stealing) their ideas. They're the people complaining that AI photos and videos and songs are somehow evil and misleading.  Resisting AI is not a strategy. It's happening and it’s not going away.  Resisting it is like a repeat of the resistance towards the computer decades ago, which even Time magazine called a fad at the end.  The way to deal with AI is to accept it's going to fundamentally change everything and then figure out how to make that work for you.  A case in point is Disney today giving OpenAI permission to use its characters, like Star Wars characters, to make videos.  Like Mark Cuban said on the show yesterday, AI is going to be big, and we have no idea how big yet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US has escalated tensions with Venezuela and seized a tanker off its coast, described by Donald Trump as the largest ever seized.   He's otherwise keeping tight lipped, saying it was done for 'a very good reason'.   CNN reports it intensifies Trump's pressure campaign aimed at forcing the leader Nicolas Maduro out of power.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Heather du Plessis-Allan that while US officials are saying the seizure does not signal a broad scale war, Trump doesn’t want to rule an American ground invasion in or out.  He says the US has now carried out 22 attacks on Venezuelan drug boats, Trump saying that every drug boat leads to the deaths of some 25,000 Americans, but it’s unknown where he pulled that figure from.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday has come and Heather du Plessis-Allan was joined by Kerre Woodham and Tim Wilson to Wrap the Week that Was.  They discussed Air New Zealand’s new safety video, the Willis v Richardson debate, the quote of the year, and artificial intelligence.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The capital is on track for a star-studded Saturday with the premiere of ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’.  Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, and Jemaine Clement are all set to hit the red carpet in Wellington.  The 13th and 14th are set to be a huge boost for the local economy, hospitality, and screen sectors, the City Council says – the franchise now bringing $1.1 billion into New Zealand’s economy.   NZ Film Commission’s Head of International Attraction and Marketing, Philippa Mossman told Heather du Plessis-Allan the premiere is a really important and exciting occasion for the country.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cost of water infrastructure projects have been rising as councils learn more details about what's required.  Every council has now submitted their plan under Local Water Done Well programme.  As Newstalk ZB first revealed last week, the final bill is now expected to reach almost $48 billion – about $9 billion more than first thought.  Local Government New Zealand Vice-President and Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz told Heather du Plessis Allan they've taken a more detailed look into costings over the whole ten years than they previously had.  She says we're comparing a ten-year plan which wasn't as in depth, to the current very detailed plan.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s relief as the Government loosens rules on growing hemp, despite law enforcement concerns.  Cabinet's agreed to remove licensing requirements for industrial growing and handling crops, although growers must now notify Police and MPI before starting up.  A Regulatory Impact Statement shows Customs and Police warned of risks from illegal cannabis growers.  Hemp Industries Association Chair Richard Barge told Heather du Plessis-Allan its good news for the growers and the people who will produce the raw materials.  He says the supply chain will be well enhanced, and the next step now is to get the value chain established.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Upper Hutt primary school principal says their workloads are comparable with secondary school principals, and they deserve a better pay offer.  Principals who belong to the NZEI union have rejected the Government's latest collective agreement proposal.  They say it fails to acknowledge their work.  Birchville School Principal Robyn Brown told Heather du Plessis-Allan unlike secondary principals, they weren't offered a curriculum change allowance, and the pay rise amounts to a cut.  She says primary school principals have far fewer people to implement curriculum change.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi consumers could finally see butter prices fall, thanks to increased global dairy production.   New research from Rabobank shows EU, UK, and US production has been surging, pushing down global prices.  Fonterra's already forecasting a lower farmgate payout than last season.  Fonterra Co-operative Council Chair John Stevenson told Heather du Plessis-Allan the change could be good news for supermarket shoppers.  He says if the surge continues, there'll be an impact on our store shelves.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, to the Nicola Willis v Ruth Richardson debate.  Here’s a challenge to Nicola Willis: do it this year. Do it next week.  I’m hearing that having challenged Ruth Richardson to the debate, Willis’ office would prefer to do it next year.  I can understand why. By next year the momentum will be gone and we’ll all have moved on to other things and it, probably, won't get as big of an audience.  Next week though is a big week.  The Government is opening its books. It sounds like Nicola might be pushing out surplus, again, for the second time in two years.  Then we’ve got the GDP number and that’s coming off the back of the Taxpayer’s Union campaign calling her out for her big spending, which kicks off today.  So next week there’s much more energy around a debate. If it’s pushed out to next year, I would read it as the first sign of losing courage.  And if I was cynical, it's the first sign of them hoping this will fizzle and die because frankly, it was a political mistake to challenge Ruth Richardson to a debate.  Regardless of what you think of her, Ruth can article all the problems with Nicola's big spending budgets and debt gathering in a way that most members of the media can’t, which is to say she will mount a case that Nicola is spending too much and taking us down exactly the same path of economic trouble that Grant started us on.  And I suspect that will convince a lot of voters that we have a problem here.  And we do. We have a problem when we have a government that promised to cut spending and yet spends more than Grant and will, by mid next year, have taken on $45 billion more in debt, which will by then account for almost a quarter of our total debt.  This is an important debate, because what is more important for a government to do well than run the country’s books?  So, next week? How about it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.