The Mike Hosking Breakfast

It’s time for the business end of the NRL season.  The Warriors have finished 6th, securing a home final against the Penrith Panthers, but losing a couple more players to injury.  Coach Andrew Webster says after their loss to the Manly Sea Eagles over the weekend, the real season starts now.   Webster told Mike Hosking that he wants them to be judged on where they are now and what’s about to happen.  He says their mentality is to play the best football and see where it takes them, instead of putting a team on a pedestal and assuming they’re beaten before they get to the start line.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 11th of September, the Government are looking at the idea of guilty until proven innocent when it comes to shoplifting.  MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University and Mike provides the latest details throughout the morning.  Warriors coach Andrew Webster details how the Warriors are going to win this weekend in their do-or-die playoff game against the Panthers.  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.

Jetstar says it's done its homework on the New Zealand market before unveiling its latest —and biggest— expansion in the trans-Tasman market.  The airline's adding close to 500 thousand seats a year across five of its most popular domestic and trans-Tasman routes.  The Australian based carrier has operated in New Zealand for 20 years.  Jetstar Chief Executive Stephanie Tully told Mike Hosking it's always looking to open new markets and expand on existing ones.  She's seen a shift in preference and demand for Jetstar.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A young inventor has taken home the top honours at the James Dyson Awards for a pair of glasses made to tackle epilepsy.   University of Canterbury engineering student Mark Campbell has developed ‘Lensare’, which uses smart LCD lenses that detect harmful light patterns and instantly darken, providing protection for people with epilepsy and photophobia.  Campbell told Mike Hosking it’s still in the early stages of development, but the aim is to make it as bulletproof as possible.  He says the next steps are to make the prototype as robust and unobtrusive as possible, but after that there’s the potential to commercialise it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A telling response as speculation swirls around the standing down of Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua ahead of next week's international series against South Africa.  Netball New Zealand claim they've made the decision due to "issues" within the high-performance environment which remain unresolved.  When asked by Mike Hosking if the players were boycotting Taurua because she’s pushing too hard, Board Chair Matt Whineray paused, before denying the claim.   Whineray told Hosking that they have some issues they need to resolve, and they’re hopeful they can, but in the meantime, they need to focus on the series against South Africa.  Yvette McCausland-Durie has been parachuted in as interim coaching cover.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government wants to deal with shoplifting offences in a quicker way instead of going through the entire court system.   The Justice Minister's newly released Cabinet paper proposes the burden of proof should fall on the suspect to prove their innocence.   This clashes with the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, as protected in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.   But Paul Goldsmith told Mike Hosking this could be compared to a traffic offence.  He says someone caught speeding is given a ticket and must pay a fine unless there is a reasonable excuse.  He’s also welcoming a High Court ruling that the decision to extradite Kim Dotcom was legal.   The Megaupload millionaire had challenged Paul Goldsmith's decision to surrender him to the US earlier this year, arguing the charges against him are politically motivated.   Dotcom fought the extradition process all the the way to the Supreme Court and his latest effort was a judicial review.   The Justice Minister told Hosking he's pleased to see his decision upheld but notes there are still potential appeals to be had.  The Dotcom legal battle began 13 years ago.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An expectation New Zealand needs to do more to keep people here longer.  Latest Stats NZ data shows close to 48 thousand New Zealand citizens left in the year to July.  There were 14 thousand migrant arrivals and nearly 10 thousand departures during the same period.  Immigration lawyer Marcus Beveridge told Mike Hosking half of the citizens leaving for Australia weren't born here.  He says the government could look at extending the period new residents have to be here before they become a citizen.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have been wondering when the penny would drop and yesterday might have been it.  There were two stories on Chris Hipkins' problems with the Māori Party.   For all the energy the media wants to put into Chris Luxon and his future, the very obvious other side of the coin, if they ever wanted to explore it, lies in the very real issue for Labour in even coming close to putting together the numbers for a government.  The genesis of the coverage came out of the Takuta Ferris post on all the "Asians and blacks" and other racist bile he managed to pedal in the lead up to last Saturday's debacle of a by-election.  The Māori Party had to apologise, and obviously Hipkins had to face the growing reality that these folks are crazy and not remotely interested in being helpful, useful, or part of a coalition.  Why this hasn’t occurred to more in the media before now, I have no idea, other than to offer the suggestion it may just be a bit inconvenient for them and their agendas and its far easier to help build on the so-called demise of the Prime Minister.  But yesterday we got there at last, through simple questions: how does Labour even begin to form a deal with the Māori Party?  This is one for their coverage of the polls too. You will note polls are presented as simple centre-left/centre-right numbers.  A collection of parties added up and the headline is formed from the result of the maths. In this week's Curia poll, there was to be a change of Government, apparently.  But each time it involves the assumption, and what an assumption it is, that Labour and the Greens and the Māori Party are one group and no such thing has ever happened.  Let me make this prediction right now: it never will.  So add the numbers of likely groupings and you are left with Labour and, maybe, the Greens. Do they get to Government? No, they don’t.  So Hipkins, given it's his issue, not the Māori Party's, has to answer the very simple question: will you work with the Māori Party, and if so, how? What jobs do they get? What policies of theirs are you implementing?  Given he can't answer that and, dare I suggest, won't, he needs to grow his party support to about 40%, which he can't, and won't, either.  Which is why he is not winning the election next year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ministers from both sides of the divide are praising the Police for their handling of the Tom Phillips situation.  The four-year manhunt for Phillips ended early on Monday, when he was shot and killed by Police after he shot at an officer in rural Waikato.  The children were safely recovered and are in the care of Oranga Tamariki.  Former Police Minister Ginny Andersen says authorities have been doing their best, during the four-year search for Phillips.  She told Mike Hosking the area is very remote and a difficult part of the country to navigate, so she thinks the police did everything they could.  Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Hosking the police have been outstanding, and the huge relief is having the children in a safe situation.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 10th of September, the Children's Commissioner speaks on what happens now with Tom Phillips' kids and calls to give them privacy.  We have a record number of 15-year-olds leaving school early, but the vast majority are moving straight into different education.  Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen speak on the police operation that finally caught Phillips 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.

Airports could save money and drive down airfares by bringing domestic and international terminals together.  A study has found integrated airport terminals save on double-ups and encourage passengers to spend more money.  It shows this extra revenue could help airports cut costs for airlines, which could mean cheaper fares for travellers.  NZ Airports Association CEO Billie Moore told Mike Hosking integration is the dream for all airports.  She says it helps them build better, save on spending over time, and makes the passenger experience better.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand red meat prices are at record levels and are expected to remain strong throughout the year.   Earnings for core red meat exports are expected to rise by $1.4 billion to $10.5 billion for the 2024–2025 season.   Beef + Lamb New Zealand Board Chair Kate Acland says there's incredible global demand for red meat.   She told Mike Hosking that while they're seeing lower export volumes in the current year, the value is rising.  Acland says there's been fewer exports from key countries like Brazil, Australia, and the US, so it’s a perfect storm of supply and demand coming together.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A panel of experts has a solution to tackling organised crime but won't yet say what it is.  The Ministerial Advisory Group on Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime has put out a new list of recommendations ahead of its final report later this month.  Among the suggestions are greater accountability across government departments and a new minister whose entire job is working on the problem.   Group chair Steve Symon told Mike Hosking the overall solution is bold.  He says they've had a lot of encouragement; the question is whether it will translate into financial support and the political will it needs.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A view that more students are dropping out of school early because they have a clear career pathway in mind.  More than 1300 15-year-olds received an exemption last year and 90% went into further study.  Canterbury's Darfield High School Principal Andy England told Mike Hosking schools have been working hard with polytechs, while the Ministry runs a youth guarantee programme.  He says students can spend one or two days with a tertiary provider while attending school, and sometimes they want to do that full time before they turn 16.  It’s also believed some students are leaving early due to the people around them in successful careers.  England told Hosking lots of students, particularly in rural areas, look up to people who leave school early.  He says role models often don't have an academic pathway but many are in successful careers or running businesses.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new digital health service is being praised, but one doctor believes it's doing more harm than good.  More than 21 thousand consultations have been delivered through the 24/7 online scheme, which launched in July.  Health Minister Simeon Brown says it gives Kiwis faster access to care when usual GPs are unavailable.  Despite views it's easing pressure on the health system, General Practice Association Chair Angus Chambers told Mike Hosking it hasn't made any difference to staffing issues.  He says it's making problems worse as it's taking doctors away from providing care for people in clinics.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country is being urged to give Tom Phillips' children time and space to begin their long road to recovery.  The children are now at an undisclosed location after their father died during an altercation with Police near Marokopa in western Waikato.  Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad told Mike Hosking the children's needs must come first.  She says over time, more can be understood about what's happened, but right now the privacy of the children is the most crucial thing.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We should all thank Kelly Eckhold, a some-time participant on this show and most-of-the-time economist at Westpac, for his thinking around the future of the Reserve Bank.  As I have said many times, if one good thing came out of Covid, it put the Reserve Bank, its role, and its influence front and centre for many more of us that may never really have paid attention to its workings and its ability to shape everyday aspects of our lives.  Eckhold suggests the new governor put the inflation target a little higher than 1-3%. Historically we sit at about 2.5%, so chasing less than that can have a lot of effects you may, or may not, want.  Do remember some inflation is good. You want inflation, you just don’t want the amount we have had, and you want it produced from growth, not just cost-plus-accounting from councils and power companies.  More importantly for me is the public accountability. The Quigley/Orr debacle shows you what can go on when public disclosure is not as fulsome as it could be.  Eckhold wants the Monetary Committee vote made public. Good idea, so it should be.  It's not often there is a divergence, but there has been lately. In fact, the last statement involved a 4-2 vote, which has never happened before.  So why don’t we know who they were and what they said?  The rules as they stand mean a person on the committee can out themselves. But you will notice from last time that no one has. Why not?  Next idea: a press conference should be held after each meeting, not just the ones that produce a cash rate call.  I know I'm a wonk, but I cannot press enough the value of watching these things live. Not just the Reserve Bank, but opticians who these days, thanks to digital coverage of places like the Herald, run them in full routinely.  The irony of that is you would be amazed what you learn, as opposed to what you may or may not learn from a news bulletin edited and often curtailed to a point of nonsense later in the day in a news bulletin.  The best example is the Prime Minister's press conference on a Monday after Cabinet.  So, more pressers, more transparency, which is more detail, more sunlight, more inquisition and more knowledge.  What possibly could the Reserve Bank argue is wrong with that? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

France has been plunged into a fresh political crisis, with MPs voting to oust the prime minister.  The BBC reports Francois Bayrou called the surprise vote of confidence on himself after huge opposition to his budget plans.  France's National Assembly voted by 364 votes to 194 to eject him from office, and bring down his minority government.   President Emmanuel Macron now faces a choice between calling a snap election or picking a fifth prime minister in less than two years.  France Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking that part of the problem was Bayrou’s attitude.  She says he seemed to antagonise everyone he spoke to, and he didn’t try to negotiate or seek coalitions.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to achieve excellence?  James Laughlin is a 7 time world champion drummer, a high-performance leadership trainer, and the mental skills coach for Canterbury Rugby.   He's written a book, ‘Habits for High Performers’, distilling his approach to life into a book that’s shot to #1 on the Book Scan List, and comes highly recommended by the likes of Sir John Key and Sam Whitelock.  The book contains 27 simple principals for those aiming for success.  “High performance is not a birthright, it’s a habit,” he told Mike Hosking.  “What separates high performers from everyone else is not hustle, it’s not luck, it’s simply habits.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 9th of September, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers and Police Minister Mark Mitchell discuss the successful operation to find Tom Phillips’ kids and the police officer who was shot in the process.  Sir Brian Roche details his disappointment in the unions for rejecting yet another pay offer, and what they say is the issue.  High performance coach James Laughlin is in for a motivational word.  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.

Rents are falling, with the national average hitting the lowest point since September of 2023.  It’s sitting at $628, with Wellington being hit the hardest, with a drop of 11.8%, while Auckland fell 2.3%.   New rental listings also surged 16% year on year, with 6,700 in August.  Aspire Property Managing Director Mike Atkinson told Mike Hosking Wellington in particular is facing some specific economic challenges, as well as the ones faced by the rest of the country.  He says that the culling of public service jobs, consultants, and contractors has reduced the numbers of people who need to live in the Wellington City area, impacting rents.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand Super Fund has bucked economic trends.  It's generated returns of nearly 12% over the past year, growing to $85 billion, and it’s suggested it will reach $100 billion by 2028.  CEO Jo Townsend told Mike Hosking that despite the ever-increasing amount of uncertainty in the world, markets have been incredibly strong over the last five years.  She says it goes to show it’s almost impossible to pick what the market is going to do over the short term – be it one year or five.  Their job, Townsend says, is to build a portfolio that’s resilient enough to cope when markets are doing well, and when they’re not.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell says officers faced a difficult and complex situation bringing an end to Tom Phillips's time on the run.  He was shot dead by Police in the early hours of yesterday on a rural Waikato road following a burglary.  An injured officer, who was shot multiple times, remains in Waikato Hospital and is facing a number of surgeries.  One of his three children was with Phillips, the remaining two were found yesterday afternoon at a campsite around two kilometres from where Phillips died.  Mitchell told Mike Hosking it's almost the worst-case scenario for Police.  He says that although it was an absolute tragedy, safely recovering the three children is a good thing.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent pay offers to teachers are seen by the Public Service Commissioner as entirely reasonable.  Primary teachers decided to reject its latest offer, while PPTA members are voting on the revised one.  It includes increasing the number of days secondary teachers can be called back to work outside of term time.  Commissioner Sir Brian Roche told Mike Hosking they have the ability to call them back for 10 more days a year, which is what's being asked.  He says they're getting paid for this and just want teachers to be available for career development when students aren't at school.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Commissioner says they're very relieved to have safely recovered the children of Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips after nearly four years.  He was shot dead by Police in the early hours of yesterday on a rural Waikato road following a burglary.  One child was with him, the two others were found in the afternoon at a remote campsite.  Richard Chambers told Mike Hosking it took them a while to recover the children, but they'd been told there were firearms at the campsite.  He says the way the situation played out was not something they wanted, but they suspected it could end that way.   Chambers says the injured officer who was shot multiple times remains in Waikato Hospital.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 8th of September, NZ First leader Winston Peters speaks after his party conference over the weekend. Scott 'Razor' Robertson is on the show on a Monday after an incredible win over the Springboks at Eden Park. Jason Pine and Andrew Saville discuss the All Blacks win, the Warriors loss and buildup to the playoffs and the first "Sunday" football in the NFL. 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.

What a contrast Saturday night was. At Eden Park the rugby as good as you could possibly want. For all the hype and worry of the week, the All Blacks reminded us that when it all comes together, when it really matters and records of significance are on the line, there is no side in the world that can touch them. We won well. We never looked like we would lose and when you know you are that good there is no reason to believe you won't win the rest of the season. In the meantime, in the by-election, what a shocking reminder of several things; 1) Given MMP, we no longer need Māori seats. 2) Given those who argue for Māori seats do so at least in part because Māori need to see themselves represented and they need the chance to participate, why then don’t they? The turn out was appalling. It was a joke. 3) What does the result tell the Labour Party? 4) What does the result tell the Māori Party? Let's deal with number three first. The seat has been Henare's for three terms until he lost last time by 42 votes. Not great, but not the end of the world. Yet on Saturday they rejected him spectacularly. Not only couldn’t they get the vote out, but those that did turn up didn’t want Henare or Labour. You can argue all you want about by-elections and history and turn outs, but this was embarrassing. On number four, this was not a win for their candidate. This was a win for the party. The candidate didn’t seem up to much but, worryingly, that doesn’t seem to matter, which indicates in most races we don’t vote for the individual, we vote for the party. The Māori Party will be worried because they too failed to get the vote out. But they'll be buoyed by the fact that they seem to have the Māori vote, such as it is, stitched up. So the All Blacks march on after one of the great matches and the Māori Party take a win that was worryingly troubled. The Labour Party must really be wondering if the size of this rejection is potentially there to be played out again next year, short of them doing something pretty spectacular between now and next October/November.  See 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 have defeated South Africa to defend their unbeaten streak at Eden Park. The Wallabies have narrowly defeated Argentina after scoring a try 6 minutes after full time. And the Warriors have suffered another loss ahead of their game against the Panthers later this week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's surprised Labour lost in the Tamaki Makaurau by-election.  Te Pati Maori's Oriini Kaipara won the seat over Peeni Henare by three thousand votes.  The by-election was triggered by the death of MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp. Total turnout was around 27.1 percent.  Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking he thought Labour would trounce Te Pati Maori, as they've had no policies and have only been criticising. Luxon says he also felt bad for Peeni Henare with Chris Hipkins not showing up to the party.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A colourful makeover coming for Auckland's Paremoremo prison unit which houses the country's most dangerous criminals, won't be anything too flashy. In a bid to lift its oppressive conditions, the Prisoners of Extreme Risk Unit is receiving a fresh paint job with colourful designs and shapes. It follows a Chief Ombudsman report raising concerns of human rights abuse. Corrections Custodial Services Commissioner Leigh Marsh says it won't involve detailed murals of people and places. He says it'll be a range of natural colours , with hues of blues and greens with geometric triangles that look like trees. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand First election campaign may have begun, and Winston Peters believes the party is marching forward with practical solutions. MPs and supporters gathered in Palmerston North over the weekend for the party's annual conference. Members discussed 55 remits, which could end up being policy proposals in next year's election campaign. Party Leader Winston Peters told Mike Hosking NZ First is compellingly different from other parties, doing the right thing for Kiwis. He says the party sits in the middle, is pragmatic, and talks about common sense solutions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belief the health sector should set targets for all elective surgeries to ensure wait times are reduced fairly. The Government's exceeded its half-year target, by delivering more than 16-thousand extra operations before the end of June.  The overall waitlist has also dropped by nine percent. General surgeon Chris Wakeman told Mike Hosking targets are a good manoeuvre - but they do have their downfalls. He's worried staff won't be able to deal with smaller and high turnover cases if they don't see them in public institutions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have all seen it. I have seen it a good number of times.  The café that was exemplary, sold, the new owner changes the menu, brings in a few kids to serve, and then wonders why six months later they are out of business.  As the hospitality people yet again told their tale of woe, and do not get me wrong, times have been tight and many an outlet has struggled, but as the new numbers got rolled out for the obligatory headline, it is probably time to get a bit honest  about a sector that at times is its own worst enemy.  In the past 12 months, 2,564 hospitality outlets have closed. That’s an increase of 19%. As a stat it's miserable.  But ask yourself this: are all the cafes gone? No.  So is it possible we were over-cafe'd?  Is part of the problem with hospitality the fact anyone can join? You simply write a cheque, put an apron on, and you are in the hospitality game.  Do you know what you are doing? Are you interested in excelling or are you looking for an easy job and an easy job for your family?  Are you providing something new, or better, or different, or just adding to the collection of people who pedal paninis and bowls of cappuccino?  We talk a lot about the two step, or two stage, economy. Normally it's rural vs urban, Auckland vs Queenstown.  But there is another two step story: the people who are good at what they do and those who aren't.  This doesn’t just apply to hospitality. But hospitality is the standout example because it is one of those sectors where anyone can join and you can be anything from exceptional to useless, and a lot of things in-between.  In 1990 Paul Keating, then Australian Treasurer, famously said this is the recession we had to have. Australia had not known a recession and had always been the lucky country.  But part of the argument was a recession cleans out the hopeless. It tidies an economy up.  The strong survive because they hustle and adjust. The weak wither and die and out of the renewal starts something afresh.  A lot of people liquidating only tells you a fraction of the story and the story is supposed to make you feel bad.  It shouldn’t. It's life. If you are good and determined and work hard in hospitality or anywhere else, you'll be fine.  If you are really determined, you will be more than fine. 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.    The Chinese parade: 8/10  Forget politics. As a “thing”, as a spectacle, as a “can you believe how in time those goose steppers are?”, it was spellbinding.    Helen Clark and John Key and Dan Andrews and Bob Carr: 4/10  On balance, given what it was really about, I think it was a mistake.    Trump's death: 2/10  A sad reminder of just how thick, gullible and worryingly naive some people are. And that’s before you get to the morons who thought Taylor had DM'ed Eden Park as a wedding venue. I am not making it up.    Teachers: 7/10  Big increases in enrolments. Just wait until the unions get hold of them and kill the buzz.    The Tamaki Makaurau by-election: 2/10  Is this the most pitiful display of disinterest in modern democracy? If you thought Port Waikato was bad, this thing looks like it will hit it out of the park. That’s if the park is open.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the old "cart before the horse" department are two setbacks for ideas we thought were going to work, or perhaps we hoped were going to work, but aren't.  Idea 1: We get big tech to pay for locally produced news.  That’s Google paying NZME for news that ends up on their news feed.  To a degree, deals had been done specifically between some companies, but the Government had the idea that as part of their "supporting the troubled media" plan they could drag big tech to the table to cough up.  It turns out they couldn't, they can't, and they won't.  Australia had the same idea. Then Donald Trump got wind of it, told them that these are American companies and if you tax them, he will whack tariffs on all over the place.  We were waiting in the wings to see how it all went in Australia before we gave it the full crack here.  Neither of us will be cracking anything.  Idea 2: Banning social media for kids. One of those almost universally agreed upon, feel-good ideas that was never going anywhere.  It's a nice thought. It's just not real.  Australia had a crack at that too and, like idea number one, we are sitting, waiting and watching.  Their ban comes in in December. It won't work.  A landmark national study has found its impossible. The age assurance technology trial, which was commissioned by the Government, looked at everything and their conclusion was that no single solution exists.  Can you fiddle and poke and prod? Sure.  But they say, "we found a plethora of approaches that fit use cases in different ways, but we did not find a single ubiquitous solution that would suit all use cases, nor did we find solutions that were guaranteed to be effective in all deployments".  And this is where bandwagons come in. We all like to hate on social media, we all like to protect kids and we all want to be seen to be doing the right thing.  Governments are not devoid of that particular weakness. But the problem with Governments is they shouldn’t promise what they can't deliver, and they were never going to be able to deliver either ideas one, or two.  Not Australia. Not us.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday has come so Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back with Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that was.  Mike comments on the effort another ZB host puts into his prep and the effort an MP puts into her appearance.  They also discuss hair styling, supermarket promotions, and the new IKEA opening in Auckland.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another tough week for brick and mortar retail.  Outdoor goods retailer KMD Brands, who owns the likes of Kathmandu and Rip Curl, has announced the closure of 21 stores across its network.  It’s making the move in an effort to turn around struggling sales and find $25 million in cost savings.  Chairman David Kirk told Mike Hosking that it’s a tough environment for all businesses, but discretionary retail is being hit hard.  He says people have to buy food, and if a kitchen appliance breaks you have to replace it, but people don’t have to go out and buy an insulation jacket, or a raincoat, or a wetsuit.  “In difficult times, people hang onto their money.”  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 5th of September, Immigration NZ is cracking down on overstayers as numbers surge – Steve Watson discusses the situation.  All Black Codie Taylor tells us how they're going to beat the Springboks this weekend.  Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson try to stop Mike from being sexist and discuss whether he needs to give up his Smeg rests 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.

No surprise from All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor at the competitiveness of the Rugby Championship.  All four countries enter the third round fixtures tomorrow with a one win, one loss record.  Taylor told Mike Hosking it's a continuation of what occurred in 2024, with a loss to Argentina and South Africa both.  He says it’s always close, which is what you want with test footy, but the All Blacks need to be better.  “That’s what we’re striving to be.”  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Immigration New Zealand's working on picking up immigrants who have overstayed their visa, following a surge.   New figures estimate there's 21 thousand overstayers in the country, up from 14 thousand in 2017.   The Government's also cracking down on immigrants who commit serious crimes and could deport them if they've been here under 20 years, instead of the current 10.  Immigration New Zealand Compliance General Manager Steve Watson told Mike Hosking they still pick up on overstayers, even if they're not criminals.  He says they quickly speak to people staying past their visas, and they usually depart quickly and easily.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Defence Minister Judith Collins has had frontline access to the war in Ukraine.  She's returned from the war-torn country, visiting sites impacted by Russia's three and a half year long invasion.   Collins met with Ukraine's Defence Minister while there, alongside speaking with the Foreign Minister, the Office of the President, and Deputy Minister of Defence.  She told Mike Hosking it's a difficult situation.  Collin says the Ukrainians are not giving in, but they do want a ceasefire, and they do worry about the people being slaughtered.  The Defence Minister says she saw appalling behaviour from Russia, with war crime after war crime.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Health Minister wants the senior doctors’ union to put patients first and enter binding arbitration.  Simeon Brown has given Health NZ and the union until 4pm today to respond to his urgent request to let a third party decide the terms of the contract.  Health NZ's agreed to participate in an effort to resolve 12 months of collective agreement negotiations.   Brown told Mike Hosking he's doing what he can to find a way forward.  He's trying to persuade both parties to come to the table and agree to the process, which is in the best interest of patients.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The trouble with change, apart from the fact we don’t like it, is it's especially bad if we don't know what it is.  The good news for real estate this week has been the foreign buyers changes for visa holders.  Adding to that, we've had a series of interest rate cuts, with more to come.  But in a place like Auckland what do you buy, and where?  There is no small amount of angst currently over a new unitary plan.  The new plan came out of the Government's idea of having three houses, three stories tall, on a regular section with no real clearance required.  Auckland didn’t want that, so they were, and are, allowed to make up their own.  The answer roughly, at the moment, appears to be high-rise and a lot of it around public transport hubs. Cue the outrage, the upset, the questions, and the heated meetings.  The new plan must be able to accommodate two million houses.  What this does to a real estate market is simple: it hobbles it, especially at a time when none of the decisions are made or are concrete.  What neighbourhood is affected? What part of that neighbourhood?  We looked at a place the other day. Currently it's mixed use with next door being commercial. It could be 27 stories. It's not currently, but it could be.  Another place we looked at had a nice view of the harbour, apart from the house in front that could be multi-story. It isn't currently, but it could be.  You don’t look at a house anymore, you look at the house next door, or behind. What is it? What could it be?  There is little in life to fire us up more than our castle and its environments being meddled with.  Making it worse, specifically, in a place like Auckland is the fact the place has been butchered by clowns. You wouldn’t trust these people to run your bath, far less a city.  So as we sit and wait and debate and get tense and object and fume and worry, how many people who were about to borrow, or spend, or shift, or expand, or build are now second guessing?  And in second guessing, doing nothing? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of New Zealand’s brightest is looking to be a leading figure in the robotics and self-driving car game.  Kiwi Dave Ferguson is one of the minds behind Nuro, a US maker of self-driving car technology – a company that just raised US$203 million in a funding round supported by Uber and Nvidia.  He began his career in self-driving vehicles with Google, working as a principal engineer on the Waymo program before splitting off to begin Nuro.  Self-driving cars have existed in fiction for decades, but real-life examples are a fairly new example, and although many people are sceptical about using them, Ferguson believes that will change.  “I think that the safety benefits that we’re going to get, the improvement in access, the sustainability, the economic benefits, the time back, like, it’s going to be an incredible project,” he told Hosking.  “A pretty incredible part of society long term.”  “Almost everyone I’ve ever known who has been in a Waymo, which is the only fully self-driving vehicle ... everyone that has been in a Waymo in San Francisco absolutely loves it.”  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 4th of September, does Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith have a fix for a system a new report says is under “considerable stress”?  Great news for the teaching sector as we see a 30% rise in training enrolments.  Kiwi robotics genius Dave Ferguson's company Nuro is now worth over $10 billion, and he talks to Mike about wanting to lead the way when it comes to robotaxis.  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.

An SOS call has been answered in Wellington’s hospitality sector.  Local brewers Garage Project have stepped in to save Fortune Favours’ bar and brewery from permanent closure after a decade in operation.  The brewery saw a 45% drop in revenue over the past two years, even after taking home top honours at this year’s Beervana festival.  Garage Project founder Pete Gillespie told Mike Hosking they did such an incredible job with that space, it would be a crime to see everything ripped out.  He says they may have more optimism than they should, but he feels like it's worth doubling down on the bar.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a view that large tech companies could be challenged to pay more tax.   A report from tax expert Nick Miller says companies like Google take payments from a New Zealand subsidiary and then pay them to an offshore section of the business.    These are listed as service or licence fees, but Miller says they could be seen as royalties, which come under a withholding tax.   Miller says it's not just New Zealand having this issue.   He says it's a debate Australia is having at the moment and one that New Zealand can't afford to sidestep.  He told Mike Hosking we can learn a lot from what’s happening across the ditch, but if we want to obtain more tax from multinationals operating in New Zealand, our courts may have to reach a view on the issues.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Smooth sailing so far for Ferry Holdings, as a preferred supplier of two new Cook Strait vessels is selected.  Rail Minister Winston Peters has announced a fixed price has been agreed for two 200-metre-long ferries with road and rail decks, and room for 1500 passengers each.  Ferry Holdings Limited Chair Chris Mackenzie says final negotiations have started - and contracts will be signed by the end of the year.  He told Mike Hosking a letter of intent was signed with the shipyard and now technical discussions have begun before contracts can be signed.  The name of the shipyard will be released when the contracts are signed.  Mackenzie told Hosking 60 shipyards were in the mix to begin with, and it had shipyards in four countries, that's now come down to one.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour says he's opposing planning changes in Auckland in his role as local MP, rather than his role as Act Party Leader.  Seymour's opposing a move to allow more intensification near transport corridors.  The Deputy Prime Minister and MP for Epsom told a public meeting that supporters must impress on Housing Minister Chris Bishop that the plan is not necessary.  Seymour told Mike Hosking he's representing the views of his Epsom electorate constituents.  He says his job is to ensure Epsom, Mt Eden, Newmarket, Parnell, and Remuera have their interests advocated for.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief the number of people studying to become teachers needs to keep rising to meet demand.  There's been about 3,500 new domestic enrolments to initial teacher training so far this year – up 30% compared with the same time last year.  Massey University Professor of Teacher Education John O'Neill told Mike Hosking it's not a surprise, as numbers typically rise when there's economic downturn.  He says forecasting shows there will be an extra 100 thousand students in school by 2030.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.