The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Fixing major challenges in the justice system might need to be a team effort from key players across the board.  Concern around mounting stress in the system is highlighted by Chief Justice Dame Helen Winkelmann in her Annual Report.  It identifies key stressors including delays, limited capacity, security challenges, and insufficient funding.   Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith told Mike Hosking speeding up the courts is a classic system challenge.   He says there's a whole lot of different players, like Police and Judges, and everyone tends to blame each other for the situation.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour's call around the Paris Accord merely adds to the list of calls around the Paris Accord.  If we could park the emotion and the bandwagons associated with the obsession around saving the planet, the case for 2050 would no longer add up.  For example, take the countries that never signed up, take the countries like America that are leaving, take the future British Tory Government who will bail, take the world's biggest climate alliance for banks who have suspended their activities and proposed a vote on scrapping its current structure after a whole pile of members bailed.  The Net-Zero Banking Alliance stated their commitment was to align their lending with achieving net zero. It didn’t work.  It didn’t come close.  Since Paris in 2015, banks globally have provided loans of $6.4 trillion USD to oil and gas and $4.3 trillion to green projects.  The founder of Reclaim Finance Lucie Pinson says the reality is the banking alliance never truly challenged the fossil fuel business models.  On facts alone, climate is losing. You can argue forever about why and whether that’s good or not, but if it is fact you are using, then the Seymour call and the growing actions of places like America are actually sensible.  Just how much farce, how many COPs 18, 19, 27, 32, do you want to continue the failure?  How many press releases do you want asking for us to redouble our efforts, knowing it will never happen?  How much funding? How many air miles? How many promises that will never come close to reality do we want to pursue in what is simply a vain hope?  A well-intentioned hope, yes. Laudable, but futile.  Maybe net zero or Paris is a guide and an aspiration. A "let's give it a go and see how close we get" sort of thing. Perhaps with no target the whole thing falls apart.  But like a lot of nonsensical ideas, this one has fast become exposed as a bust.  If good intention and hot air was currency it might be different, but the facts and the truth tell us it isn't. Maybe we are all going to hell in a handcart, a dirty, filthy, climate-induced hand cart. Or maybe we aren't.  But the juggernaut of Paris isn't working and never really did.  Good, clear, decisive decision making would mean we stop the rot, expense and energy sooner rather than later. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump says reports of his death have been greatly exaggerated.  The US president is addressing media in the White House after his recent absence from the spotlight over the weekend sent social media into a tailspin.  Health rumours have been ramping up since his diagnosis of a chronic vein condition, with photos of his bruised hand circling online.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking his reappearance comes after yet another federal judge ruled against his deployment of military tropes in Los Angeles in June.  He says the ruling could have significant implications for the President’s future plans if it holds, but the Trump Justice Department is planning on appealing.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is this a turning point for the wine industry?  Data shows export volumes are expected to grow 4% to 285 million litres in the year to June 2025.  Export revenue is also forecast to lift to $2.4 billion by 2029.  Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers CEO Brent Linn told Mike Hosking Hawke’s Bay is more domestically focused, with production to export only representing 25% of their market.  He says that they’ve built their pedigree on the premium end of the market, and they have noticed some return to purchases of the Hawke’s Bay brand.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The growing volume of purchases from the likes of Shein and Temu are hitting New Zealand’s import economy hard.  Stats New Zealand has revised the National Accounts, with imports down $2.5 billion in the June quarter.  The average value of parcels has dropped sharply, driven by fast fashion and cheap e-commerce.   Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young told Mike Hosking a lot more people are looking to buy goods from overseas retailers as opposed to New Zealand.  She says they’re trying to encourage people to buy from local stores and businesses, as it’s important to try keep the money in our economy as opposed to shipping it off to China.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 3rd of September, our tourism stats are slowly continuing to move in the right direction. So when will we reach 100% of our pre-Covid numbers?  David Seymour says New Zealand should pull out of the Paris Agreement – National says no. Former Fed Farmers Chair and Associate Agricultural Minister Andrew Hoggard speaks on the topic.   On Politics Wednesday, Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk the Tamaki Makaurau byelection and Brooke van Velden’s controversial comments, plus Mike extracts a promise as to how early they’d get up in the morning for a prerecord.   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.

Government ministers have received a reminder about the "separation of powers".  Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden has been criticised for claiming Employment Relations Authority members believed “money grows on trees”.  She's told our newsroom Attorney-General Judith Collins has discussed the matter with her.  National's Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking Collins has reminded ministers they can't openly criticise the judiciary.  He says the separation of powers is important in a strong western democracy like ours.  Labour’s Ginny Andersen says the problem is that van Velden seems to have appointed people and expected them to make different decisions.  She says her comments demonstrate that they’ve been appointed on the basis that they’ll make certain decisions as opposed to being independent.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Christchurch father-of-three has won a nationwide competition to design a helmet for Formula One driver Liam Lawson.  The competition, run by Lawson’s team sponsors Red Bull, invited New Zealanders to submit original designs and offered a rare chance to see their creativity come to life on the F1 grid.  Nearly 500 designs were submitted, and the winning design will debut at the Singapore GP in October.   Winner Ian Ebbs told Mike Hosking he took into account things Lawson likes —the colours on his previous helmets, and hobbies like golf— as well as including tastes of home.  He says the design is a taste of New Zealand.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT believes New Zealand needs to be more realistic when it comes to the Paris Agreement.   The party, along with NZ First, have expressed interest in withdrawing from the agreement unless we can negotiate a better deal.  Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard says that trying to meet our current targets is costing the country too much.  He told Mike Hosking that we’ve got a lot of good stuff going for us, and we shouldn’t beat ourselves to death over being some sort of sacrificial guinea pig.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Schools are keen to move on from open-plan classrooms due to the negative impacts on learning.  The Government's announced it will give funding to schools for the classrooms to get fixed up.  They will be able to get the money from a contestable fund based on need to put walls in the barn-style classrooms.  Christchurch's Avonside Girls' High School Principal Catherine Law told Mike Hosking a few things worked in them, but overall, the experiment was a disaster.  She says there are some defenders, but the majority of people in education believe they were a mistake.  Law says they were implemented at a time when inquiry and student-based learning was a focus.  She says it was a perfect storm, but having 70 students in a classroom meant the importance of teacher-student relationships and routine was lost.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The tourism sector's still fighting for pre-Covid numbers.  The most recent International Visitor Survey shows overseas visitor numbers have lifted by nearly 200 thousand over the past year – up 5%.  Their spending was up by around $500 million but is still only 86% of pre-Covid numbers.   Tourism New Zealand CEO René de Monchy told Mike Hosking they're pushing to get visitor numbers back up to pre-Covid levels by the end of next year.  He says a lot of overseas markets are competing for international visitors.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We got there at last.  If you are a Golden Visa holder, that’s a person who puts $5-10 million into the country, you can now buy a house.  The idea that we expected you to put that sort of money into a country and then rent was, and is, absurd.  Not to get into the weeds too deeply, but the Golden Visa is different to the 183 days rule.  The Golden Visa means you can invest but not be here the 183 days. But it now means you do qualify for a $5m+ home.  None of this is complex. None of this needed to be as hard as it has turned out to be.  You will note from Winston Peter's comments yesterday he has preserved his ongoing dislike for so-called foreigners coming here and snapping up the countryside and locking the rest of us out of the market, none of which happened of course, but the xenophobic streak runs deep in that party.  But if you go back to National's original idea of $2m, a lot of water has gone under the bridge. A lot of banging of heads has happened and some people have had to be dragged kicking and screaming to what I would've thought was a fairly obvious finish line.  The weird thing for me about Peters is this is the same bloke who is out in the world pleading with said world to come and invest. He's saying come and do business, we are open.  He is trying on one hand to desperately rectify the damage of the Labour Government Covid era, while at the same time doing the old New Zealand First "cake and eat it too" trick. "Please come, please bring your money but, oh, given you're a foreigner you can use Airbnb". It's nonsense.  At $5m it changes little for you and me. It’s a tiny portion of homes. Its two million pounds and it's three million US dollars. For some global citizens it's pocket change.  But it all helps, and man do we need help.  The worry is the difficulty in getting here. Easy, obvious decisions should not be hard. They should be quick and slick.  But we got there. It all helps.  It was a good day for NZ Inc.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Kiwi chef is demonstrating that success can be found even in a tough industry.  Ben Bayly owns six restaurants around New Zealand, including Ahi and Aosta, and is set to open a seventh.  Wellington will be getting its first dining experience helmed by Bayly, located in the infamous Wellington Pavillion.  Between his six restaurants and his TV show ‘A New Zealand Food Story’, which has just finished up its fourth season, Bayly lives a busy life. Despite this, the work isn’t wearing him thin.  “I have this sense of enthusiasm that I can’t extinguish,” he told Mike Hosking.  For Bayly, working in hospitality is less of a job and more of a lifestyle, answering calls, emails, and setting up bookings even on the weekends.   “I love that stuff.”  “There’s nothing better than putting a smile on someone’s face,” Bayly said.  “What other job do you walk out at the end of the day and every single customer said, ‘wow, that was amazing, thank you so much.’”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 2nd of September, the Prime Minister and Winston Peters joined to discuss the new investment changes allowing foreigners to buy a home.  Is our government too big? Do we have too many ministers? A report says yes, and we should drop dozens of roles to be like Singapore or Ireland.  Kiwi chef Ben Bayly has exciting news for Wellington and for fans of his show 'The New Zealand Food Story'.  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.

Our largest-ever North Island tourism alliance is just getting started, as they work to win over Australian travellers this week.  More than 70 tourism operators are attending events in Sydney today and Melbourne tomorrow under the partnership Kiwi North.  It was formed in May, when 15 tourism North Island organisations joined forces to draw more attention from key markets.  Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Destination Director Annie Dundas told Mike Hosking that the aim is to show that the North Island has just as much to offer as the South Island does.  She says the South Island enjoyed a great lift in tourist numbers from Australia, and they’re hoping to see a lift of 1-2% for the North Island from this work.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a call to cull some of New Zealand’s ministers.   A new report from the New Zealand Initiative found New Zealand has 81 ministerial portfolios, while comparable countries have a third of that.   The think-tank says we should be more like countries with comparable populations, like Norway which has 17 portfolios, and Singapore with 16.  Co-author Roger Partridge told Mike Hosking we keep slicing off pieces of portfolios and giving them new names, resulting in important policy areas being split across multiple ministers.   Housing for example, reports up to 12 ministers, he says, and when you splinter key portfolios you get fragmented decision-making, a lack of accountability, and higher costs.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Refinancing activity is continuing to surge as the Official Cash Rate continues to fall.  Latest Centrix figures show mortgage enquiries are up 16% for the month of July and new mortgage lending rose almost 25%. Chief Operating Officer Monika Lacey says the market is active at the moment and people are keen to get the best deal they can.  She told Mike Hosking that about 36% of fixed mortgages are set to roll off in the next six months, so that’s quite a bit of activity that will start to flow through. Lacey says it should result in a bit more cash in people’s pockets.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters says he wasn't dragged kicking and screaming into a new foreign investors deal.  The Government’s approved changes to allow people with an investor residence visa to buy or build one home, starting at $5 million.  They’re required to invest an extra $5 million into the economy to qualify.  Peters told Mike Hosking he supports the changes and wants to make very clear it's not a change to the foreign buyers ban.  He says it's a change to investment rules to attract money to the country that we desperately need.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister is celebrating tech-giant Amazon's continued moves into the New Zealand market.  Amazon Web Services' data centres are now open in Auckland - something that is slated as a $7.5 billion investment. The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking it will create up to a thousand jobs, and make an $11 billion boost to GDP.  Luxon says it’s probably the largest ever publicly announced technology investment in New Zealand by an international tech firm.   Speaking of international investors, the Prime Minister wants foreign investors to feel comfortable here so they invest more.  New rules mean Active Investor Plus visa holders can now buy or build one home in New Zealand if it’s worth at least $5 million.  They’ll still need to invest another $5 million separately, as part of the visa’s criteria.  Luxon told Hosking everything will fall into place for these investors once they have a house here.  He says it's not just about the first $5-10 million they're spending, it's what comes after that when they start seeing more investment opportunities.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday 1 September. 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.

Rhetorical question - why do you think Neil Quigley quit on a Friday night? The key is, he would have been booted if he didn’t walk. So it sort of ends a shambolic and shameful period for what should be one of our most esteemed institutions. Between Orr and Quigley (mainly Orr) they have made a joke of the Reserve Bank. What should have happened is simple. When the Government decided, rightly, that the gargantuan amount of money Orr wanted to run his fiefdom was never going to fly Orr should have, in an adult way, stated he disagreed and he disagreed to the point he could not see himself continuing in the job. He would then resign, they would organise a nice, but frugal, farewell morning tea and that would have been that. But what actually happened was Orr chucked his toys, yelled and stamped his feet to the extent that Quigley had to write to Orr. All this was also kept secret until the Official Information Act and the Ombudsman forced their hand and exposed them for the bunch of egotistical babies they are. Quigley was yelling at Treasury, Orr was yelling at Willis, deals were looking to be done, letters and proof was looking to be binned and cheques were being written to make it all go away. Lest we forget, in an irony of ironies, this is the same group of clowns who buried the economy in the hole we are still trying to get ourselves out of years after Covid. So they couldn’t do their job, they stuffed the place, then packed a massive sad when their rain shower of funding was getting rectified, started a big tantrum and scrap with various departments and ministers, then tried to cover it all up. Have I missed anything? Oh, Orr vanished with the money, never to be heard from again. To his credit Quigley hung around and made a few public appearances while trying to paint a picture of normality, until the Ombudsman undid him last week and that was that. They really are an embarrassing, shambolic mess. On a side note, it's also why I assume Christian Hawkesby stands zero chance of getting Orr's old job. He is fatally linked to this period of mayhem. We'd be glad to see the back of them, if it wasn’t for the fact we are still trying to clean up the mess and every one of us is paying the bill. 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: How are the Warriors shaping up for the playoffs, and do they have a chance at success?  The Springboks have arrived in Auckland ahead of next week's game against the All Blacks. And new technology graces the world of surfing, thanks to surf legend Kelly Slater. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent decision by the US Court of Appeal has ruled Trump’s tariffs illegal.   The court has said it will leave the tariffs in effect for the next few weeks, giving time for Trump to appeal the decision. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that although the President has been given the chance to appeal, his team are likely shaken by this ruling.   ‘The back and forth shows the concern behind the scenes in Trump world.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon doesn't think the Reserve Bank's reputation has suffered any long-term damage. Neil Quigley resigned as chair of the central bank on Friday night, after Nicola Willis raised concerns over its handling of Adrian Orr's resignation earlier this year. Willis has revealed to Newstalk ZB, she would have asked Quigley to resign, if he hadn't resigned of his own accord. The Prime Minister says Quigley has made the right decision. He doesn't think the current situation is a mess, but it would have been a shambles if it had carried out much longer. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Board games have rolled past go, and seen a massive resurgence in popularity in the past decade. The global market has an estimated value of more than 31-billion dollars, and is expected to grow a further five billion by 2029. New Zealand's largest board game convention, WellyCon has just been held. Convention organiser Ceedee Doyle told Mike Hosking some of the world's top games are made here locally. She says a game from the Kapiti Coast won game of the year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A game-changer for smaller airlines that don't want to up prices, amid soaring aviation costs. The Government's offering up to 30-million dollars in loans from the Regional Infrastructure Fund.  It's also approved funding for a digital development that will allow regional transport bookings,  to be integrated with the platforms of major carriers. Associate Transport Minister James Meager told Mike Hosking most regional airlines couldn't opt to charge more,  as a solution to tough times. He says if they push prices too high, people will make the decision to travel regionally by road.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Commissioner's putting a focus on the basics down as a key contributor to a fall in violent crime. The New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey reveals most violent crimes have been dropping in the past two years, while sexual assault cases increased. There's been a 113 percent increase in Police beat patrols over the last year. Richard Chambers says he's been clear he wants his staff to do the basics well. He says it means getting officers out into the community, but beat patrols are only one aspect and his team is doing an incredible job. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emergency housing may not be being used the way it's intended, with application rejections on the up. Data obtained by our newsroom shows applications have dropped significantly to the end of June, but the number being declined, is rising. Rules introduced last year allow officials to decline grants if they believe a person has caused or contributed to their immediate need for housing.  Social housing commentator Bernie Smith told Mike Hosking that people have become too reliant on the Government to back them up.  He says it was never set up to do that - it was to support the most vulnerable, like those kicked out of home.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is with real enthusiasm that I see the Public Service Commissioner potentially doing what the main Government should have done two years ago.  What the Government did two years ago was say they were going to rectify the absurd size of the public service.  It had blown out to gargantuan proportions under the Labour Government, who knew no bounds in terms of fiscal largesse based on debt.  What the new Government actually did with the public service, sadly, was tinker.  It peaked at a bit over 65,000 and it sits at over 63,000. In fact in the ensuing period, it's gone up again.  So rough math will tell you they got rid of about 2,000 jobs. As a raw number it's a lot of jobs. A percentage it's tiny.  As an effective exercise in efficiency and savings, it's a joke.  The shame of it was the new Government of the day had licence. Yes, it was controversial. Yes, the unions bleated and moaned. Yes, the media went to town on a Tory slash-and-burn exercise.  But the trick was always simple – if you're going to dish out the bad news go hard, DOGE it, blow it up, do it once and do it properly.  The fall out, headlines, and anger will be exactly the same whether you trim a couple of thousand for no effect or 6,500 and make a difference.  So they blew it. They took the heat but got few, if any, results. In an odd way it’s symbolic of the weaker parts of this Government; the ideas, rhetoric, and execution are never quite aligning.  But now the Commissioner Brian Roache looks to be having another crack by merging departments. The Ministries of Women, Pacific peoples, disabled peoples, and Māori Development could all be in for an upending.  I'd go further. The never-ending series of commissioners and their offices that have no actual power and really only write reports would not be missed.  But ministries for ministries sake is what holds this country back. They all fill a space to meet their budget and so-called mandate.  If this is on, and I pray it is, wait for the bleating. Every one of them will tell you the critical nature of their existence but I defy anyone of you to list me the profound and productive change they have made to all our lives.  Given you can't they then fall into the category as largesse, waste and tokenism.  Do it once and do it right. That's how change should happen. 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.    New Zealand: 7/10  We're the 3rd safest country in the world and about to outgrow Australia. How's that for openers?    Horticulture NZ: 7/10  Their plan is to double export returns within 10 years. That’s the sort of attitude that turns tides. More please.    Sean O'Loughlin: 8/10  My hero of the week. He took Auckland Transport to court and won. Brains - 1. Arrogance - nil.    Nicola vs Tory: 6/10  Who doesn’t love a bitch slap? And who doesn’t think Nicola has an excellent point?    Principals: 4/10  Or at least the ones who wrote to the Education Minister asking for her to stop her reforms. In that letter is so much that’s wrong with education – people overseeing failure and yet not wanting change.    Putin: 3/10  You forgot that, didn’t you? Where is the meeting? Where is the place? Where is the date? Did Trump get stiffed?    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I got a sense about something this week and it's not because it's about to be spring, although that will undoubtedly help.  I got a sense this week that the tide on the New Zealand story is turning.  The ongoing stats, like the size of the infrastructure pipeline, more money this year, more money and projects for years to come, the new visas, and the visas that are working better than we thought, money, jobs, and culture are on their way.  But the gold medal goes to the dawning realisation that we are about to outgrow and outperform Australia. Not just next year, but for a number of years.  The stats have been there – the Reserve Bank Governor in Australia reduced her GDP forecast and that number is below ours, which is about 2.5%, maybe more.  But put it together, as Westpac did, call it a report, lay it out for all to see and pennies drop.  Why it's so important is a lot of our plight is as much mental as it is physical.  Australia has a myriad of real issues, from housing, to debt, to transport, to race.  We do too, but they have never sunk like us.  Part of what is and has held us back this year is too many have decided we are stuffed, so they left.  But left for what? What is the psychology of moving countries? Pay? It can be, but not always and I'll tell you this for nothing, the pay gap does not bridge the house gap.  But do those leaving realise that, or they don’t care, or don’t even know?  Obviously what bogged it down this year was the "Survive to '25" thing. It started well in January but never took off. So were we sold a lemon? A false dawn?  What this report does, and it's not alone because there is plenty of material out there if you hunt for it, is quantify our reality. Between the law changes, the visas, the farmers, the currency, and all the fixes and reforms, it adds up to an irrefutable picture of change that is about to pay dividends.  The pieces seem to be fitting together. But the prize is they paint a better picture than our nearest neighbour, our greatest friends, our biggest opponent.  We are not just beating anyone. We are beating Australia.  When that comes to pass, watch the mood then. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minneapolis' Police Chief says they'll be working to make sure schools are protected following a shooting which killed two children.  Eighteen people were also injured when a gunman shot through church windows at Annunciation Catholic School, before turning a gun on himself.  The FBI's investigating the shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crimes targeting Catholics.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking a survey reveals that in the last year, there were at least 91 shootings on school grounds – almost two a week.  He says the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in the United States is not illness or accidents, it’s gun violence.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim Wilson is back from his holiday and ready to Wrap the Week alongside Kate Hawkesby and Mike Hosking.  They try to get Mike to have a more positive outlook as Tim recaps his travels and tries to fill the boots left behind by Sir John Key.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 29th of August, we're changing the alcohol laws, making it easier to hold both on and off licenses. Common sense or no real change?  Air New Zealand boss Greg Foran is in to talk their results and why we're seeing what we are when Qantas’ numbers are through the roof.  Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson try to make Mike more positive and talk about Tim’s return from holiday and having to fill the boots left behind by Sir John Key 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.

Kiwis have racked up more than a billion dollars in green loans for energy efficient items like EVs, solar panels, and heat pumps.  BNZ, ASB, and ANZ all lend up to $80 thousand on a 1% interest rate over three years.  Massey University Banking Expert Claire Matthews says these are small loans, meaning the banks are pumping them out, while not actually lending a huge amount.  She told Mike Hosking customers still have to go through the same process as loans with higher interest rates, and go through affordability checks.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alcohol reforms are seen as a step in the right direction by a hospo industry voice.  The Government's proposing to allow businesses a right of reply around licensing objections and is allowing wineries and breweries the ability to have both an off and on licence.  Hospitality NZ’s Head of Advocacy Sam MacKinnon told Mike Hosking there’s a range of measures in these reforms, and they all support hospitality.  He says they’re pleased overall with the direction of travel.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air Zealand's boss is predicting another challenging year ahead.  Our national carrier has seen profits plunge.  It's partly due to weak domestic demand and ongoing engine maintenance issues.  Chief Executive Greg Foran told Mike Hosking it's also facing unavoidable price hikes for things like landing charges, wages, and engineering materials.  He says they can't go down to Bunnings or Mitre 10 to buy a replacement toilet seat for a 787, although he wishes they could.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several factors are behind a flat-lining in investment from China. New research by the New Zealand China Council and NZIER has found Chinese investment grew steadily between 2014 and 2019, but has stalled since then. China now ranks as our 12th largest source of foreign investment. Council Chair John McKinnon told Mike Hosking there's a number of reasons why the investment has stalled. He says Covid, a slow down in the Chinese economy, and changes to the regulatory environment in both countries have contributed, and it's not worrying.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The initial construction of Transmission Gully is being described as a 'dog’s breakfast' as the chipseal and drainage systems prove unable to cope with demand.  Newstalk ZB revealed yesterday that NZTA is planning to re-surface and rebuild several kilometres of the road north of Porirua, likely meaning lane closures during the day and full closures at night.  Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett told Mike Hosking the road was rushed and opened without all consents being satisfied.  He says New Zealand is not that experienced in building big projects, as things keep getting switched on and switched off.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis was back yesterday for another "guns at dawn" with the supermarkets.  She had the results of the RFI, the Request for Information. The main takeaway was we are too tied up in red tape and we need to make it easier to do business.  Now we know this of course, because before the RFI she told us this, and she told us she was going to do something about it. She told us she was going to do something about it again yesterday.  Play another song Nicola.  Then the bad news: ALDI and Lidl, a couple of large supermarket players who she had been courting, didn’t even take part in the RFI. Why?  Because, as I have said for about two years, we are too small and the scandal Nicola insists exists, actually doesn’t. There is no scandal, they just can't be bothered with a country our size.  Costco did take part though. But Costco isn't Nicola's answer. Why?  Because Costco isn’t going nationwide, even though Nicola said they may, may, have one or two more stores in the coming years.  Then the worst bit of her greatest hits show, the finger wagging exercise, yet again, of threatening to break the industry up with regulation.  She is awaiting a report. When? She doesn’t have a date.  Who's doing the report? The same company that did the same report for Labour. It's good work if you can get it, aye?  So what did we actually end up with? A re-announcement of the fact we are hard to do business with. Fine, stop telling us and actually change the laws.  The second issue is major players couldn’t even be bothered taking part.  And the third point, the thing that may bring real change. Do remember, I think all this is nonsense but in Nicola's mind it's a scandal.  But the thing that can bring real change is no closer because we don't have the report and we don’t even know when we are getting the report.  Having got the report there is of course no reason to think such a major business-busting trigger by a so-called "business friendly" Government would even be pulled.  So, is your trolley any cheaper? Has Nicola or her Grocery Commissioner, another game-changing pile of nonsense she referenced, actually achieved anything?  Has a cent been saved? Has a law been changed? Has a new player arrived?  Or is this just like the banks? No smoking gun to be found?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Fashion Week is headed down south.  A bespoke version of the event is headed to Christchurch this Spring, a three-year partnership bringing Fashion Week to the South Island.  It’ll be held in November and feature designers from all across the country, but with a focus on Christchurch-based creatives.  NZFW Owner Feroz Ali told Mike Hosking it shouldn’t bleed any support from the Auckland event, with this being an entirely new event that will make NZ Fashion week financially stable and sustainable in the long term.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the country’s talented singer-songwriters is leaving our shores as she looks to crack the big leagues.  Georgia Lines has been on the scene since 2019, and a couple of EPs and a debut album later, she’s making the move to Nashville.  But not before a few final shows and one more EP - she's celebrating the release of The Guest House with a performance in Tauranga on August 29th, following it up the next day with a show in Auckland.  She’s heading stateside next month, finally moving over after having loved the idea for quite some time.  “I’ve spent a lot of time there,” Lines told Mike Hosking.  “I really love it. I love the bigness, I love, I feel like there’s this mentality, where everybody’s like ‘you can do it.’”  New Zealand is well-known for its Tall Poppy Syndrome, but in the States there’s no such thing, Lines explains.  “Every time I go there I’m reminded of like, oh, this is possible, the possibilities are endless,” she said.  “I can always grow and get better, and get bigger, and that’s an exciting thing for me.”  For more information on her live shows, click here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Central Otago hospitality precinct Ayrburn is forecast to be the most popular attraction in the region.  Winton Land owns the property near Arrowtown, which already has 10 restaurants and bars, while a screen hub, retirement village, and other amenities are in the works.  Owner Chris Meehan told Mike Hosking it was a risk to turn what was an empty paddock a few years ago into this venture.  He says they're aiming to be the thing everyone goes to in Queenstown, so projections of one million people to visit this year is a good sign.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 28th of August, Nicola Willis has her solution to the supermarket problem. Mike isn't convinced.  Mike’s offered the chance to fly to London and research a banking scam, however he’s not sure there is one.    Kiwi singer Georgia Lines is in for a song and a chat ahead of the release of her new EP and career move to Nashville.  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.

Nicola Willis says she's not bluffing with the idea of potentially breaking up the supermarket duopoly.   The Economic Growth Minister has introduced a fast track consenting process for supermarkets encouraging more players into the market.  She told Mike Hosking it’s a welcome mat for international players that makes it very clear in law and regulation that opening stores in New Zealand is easier than elsewhere.  Willis says this is a big issue for New Zealand, and she’s going the things that are sensible to help.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lower mortgage rates and income growth have helped improve housing affordability.  Cotality NZ’s new report finds the national value-to-income ratio reached its lowest point since mid-2019 in the June quarter, at 7.5%.   National property values also remain almost 17% below their post-covid peak.  Cotality Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson told Mike Hosking mortgage serviceability has seen a significant change, compared to its 2022 high of 57%.  He says it now takes around 44% of the median household income, so it's getting close to normal.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s optimism over the future of professional development training for teachers.  A new report from the Education Review Office has found half of teachers don't know how to use what they've learned in their classroom.  It highlights training as one of the biggest drivers of success.  Deputy chief executive Ruth Shinoda told Mike Hosking new development for English in primary schools this year is doing the things shown to work.  She says three quarters of teachers are using what they learnt in that development every day.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calls for certainty from the supermarket sector as Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis weighs more action.   She's introduced fast track consenting to encourage new players into the market.  Willis says she's looking carefully at the idea of breaking up the duopoly.   Foodstuffs North Island Chief Executive Chris Quin told Mike Hosking the future of their business needs clarity on what regulations will be put in place.   He says the individual owners are scratching their heads wondering what's going to happen.   Quin also believes the amount of competition already in the market may be higher than people realise.  He says 30% of the retail grocery market is third players in Auckland and 18% nationwide.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I would have thought the timing could not be more awkward.  If you broadly accept the current narrative that this Government is working awfully hard to get us out of the massive economic hole left to it by the previous Government, and if you accept that the previous Government was one of the worst in living memory, then just imagine where we would be if that hopeless lot of 2020-2023 had actually been rampaging across the countryside until last year because they had had a four-year term.  Surely it's that cold, present, still-throbbing reality that prevents a discussion on a four-year term going much further.  A lot of politicians seem to want one, and who can blame them? There is logic to what they argue.  In year one you arrive in your office, introduce yourself to everyone, put a few press releases out and start the spade work.  In year two you go for broke because year three is written off in campaign mode.  As Britain is discovering, five years is an awfully long time and until they changed the law about calling early elections, they got into a nasty habit of calling early elections because five years tended to exhaust them, and various calamities would present themselves with the only exit strategy being a vote.  So, if you're following the logic three years isn't enough and five is too long. So four years is goldilocks.    Or is it?  David Seymour is a fan of four years. He argued that most countries have longer terms and there are very few countries with three years.  There are also very few countries that balance their budgets or pay down their debt. That doesn’t make it good.  What is good is his admission that the gerrymandered shambles he offered up as a twist on an extended term with committees and numbers will never see the light of day.  It's taken us 25 years to get our head around MMP. The Seymour version of an extended term has a half-life of eight million years.  So, four or not? My gut says it will get to be a thing. Change is coming.  But here's a small warning: time isn't the issue. It's quality. Time doesn’t bring talent, or skill, or insight, or dedication, professionalism, or success. It just brings time.  The rest is what we should be way more concerned about. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump is escalating his threat to deploy the National Guard in Democrat-run cities.  He’s doing it under the guise of cracking down on crime, beginning with Washington DC. New York City, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Chicago were among the cities singled out.  The US President called Chicago a “mess”, and derided its mayor, Brandon Johnson, as “grossly incompetent”.  The Illinois Governor, JB Pritzker, is hitting back at Trump, saying it’s not about fighting crime but rather finding an excuse to deploy the military and intimidate his political rivals.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that in the past, the National Guard has been temporarily deployed by state governors only, not the federal government, so this is all new.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.