The Mike Hosking Breakfast

A glass half-full mindset for All Blacks coach Scott Robertson after naming a group of six players as injury cover for the start of their Rugby Championship campaign.  Uncapped trio Kyle Preston, Leroy Carter, and Tevita Mafileo, along with Finlay Christie, George Bower, and Josh Lord comprise the back-up unit in the 42-strong wider squad.  Ahead of their tournament opener in Argentina next weekend, Robertson says injuries are a reality of the game.  He told Mike Hosking you never know how things will play out – you could get two or three years with a player, and then two or three injuries in a row.  Robertson says that when you get a double break in one position, it provides an opportunity for a less experienced player.   He says that you always want your best players, but sometimes it doesn’t happen.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 5th of August, we talk to the vocational sector and Education Minister Erica Stanford about the NCEA overhaul.  Should New Zealand On Air be using millions of our tax dollars to fund reality TV shows that aren't making money themselves?  Rianna O'Meara-Hunt is a Kiwi name to watch in racing, and talks to us about her big push to get into the F1 Academy.  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New NZ On Air funding announcements provide some hope in a tough time for Kiwi made TV shows.  Their latest non-fiction funding includes more than $1.3 million for Celebrity Treasure Island and $750 thousand for Country Calendar.  Screen Producer's Association President Irene Gardiner told Mike Hosking with so little ad revenue, it's a high pressured, intense time for NZ on Air.  She says the New Zealand version of Treasure Island is thought of as one of the best in the world and is selling, so if we get more international sales, NZ On Air contributions can reduce.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister says balance of choice is a priority under its new qualification system.   The Government is proposing to throw out NCEA for two certificates in Years 12 and 13.   Level 1 will be replaced with a foundation test in numeracy and literacy.   Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking that after Year 11, students are free to choose the subjects which engage them.  She says the key difference will be when students study English, math, or physics, it will be against a world-leading benchmarked curriculum, and children in Invercargill will be learning the exact same thing as those in Auckland.   The Education Minister’s also looking at trimming down the variety of subjects available to students.  Stanford told Hosking they’re taking a look at the number of subjects and the amount of students taking each one.   But she still wants the option for children to take classes which excite them, like dance and drama.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland house prices have held firm through a busy July.  Real estate agency Barfoot & Thompson's revealed it sold 957 properties across the Auckland region last month – its highest July total in four years.  More than 46% of sales sat at more than a million dollars and new listings rose more than 14%.  Managing Director Peter Thompson says the market's holding steady and is ready to take-off when interest rates come down further.  He told Mike Hosking things are starting to move again with more first-time home buyers entering the market and more activity from developers as a result of the fast track legislation.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Excitement from the trades sector for a better pipeline for high school students.   The Government is looking to phase out NCEA over five years – replaced with a foundation test in Year 11 and certificates in Years 12 and 13.   It also wants to improve vocational pathways for students entering the workforce.    Motor Trade Association Advocacy Head James McDowall told Mike Hosking NCEA is an absolute mess.   He says it isn't effective when students only pick up occasional credits in vocational pathways.   McDowall also says NCEA has far too much flexibility – saying credits for changing a car's oil doesn't give someone the experience to be an automotive engineer.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's disappointment Canterbury communities weren't consulted on a proposal to shut down rural Police stations.  Police are looking to reduce personnel, disestablishing some rural roles in favour of larger 24/7 hubs based in Rolleston and Rangiora.  Federated Farmers North Canterbury president Bex Green told Mike Hosking the community's heard about it via the media.  She says their Police live in their area and know their people, and if you lose that in a rural community it has a huge impact.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 4th of August, could we have done anything to ensure we got 10% instead of a 15% tariff hit? The Prime Minister joins Mike in studio to talk humanity, tariffs and when we are getting the NCEA announcement. Andrew Kelleher and Jason Pine talk everything from a dismal Warriors team to a good Wallabies side to a good Liam Lawson race. 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.

The Prime Minister is hoping to refocus secondary schools on literacy and numeracy - like the Government's done with primary schools.  A major announcement on the future of NCEA is expected in the coming moments.  It's understood public consultation will be launched on proposed changes -- in which teachers and parents can give feedback. Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking that the country needs an internationally competitive education system.   He says students can get through the current system without proficiency in the basics.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disappointment, at the lack of people putting their name forward for October's council elections. Several people have been elected unopposed around the country. They include three of Christchurch's 16 councillors, two of Auckland's 20 councillors, and five of Lower Hutt's 13 councillors. Lower Hutt's outgoing mayor and the Vice President of Local Government New Zealand Campbell Barry says it's a less-than-ideal situation. He says the environment may be putting many people off standing, but a high-profile mayoral race can help drive interest. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A housing spokesperson warns homelessness is the worst it's been in several years.  The Government is seeking urgent advice as communities report rises in rough sleeping across the nation.  Auckland outreach providers alone reported a 90 percent spike in homelessness.  Salvation Army Senior Policy Analyst Paul Barber says it could come from issues with both resourcing and delivery.  He suggests a solution could be re-investing the hundreds-of-millions of dollars taken out of emergency housing support.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There was little this country could do to dodge the latest  tariff - this from a former trade minister Donald Trump's raising tariffs on New Zealand goods to 15 percent, while keeping tariffs on Australian and British goods at 10-percent. Tim Groser has dealt with the US extensively -- as our trade minister during the Barack Obama administration, and ambassador to the US during the first Trump administration. He told Mike Hosking current trade minister Todd McClay couldn't have prevented this, even if he'd camped outside the White House. Groser says our tariff rate rose, because New Zealand exports more goods to the US, than we import from the US. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The direct line between Wellington and Washington will see material results on tackling crime in New Zealand. The FBI has set up a Wellington based office - meaning it now has an office in each of the capitals of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. It will work on combating terrorism, organised crime, and foreign intelligence threats. Assistant Police Commissioner Mike Pannett told Mike Hosking the FBI has specialist capabilities and having a NZ presence is a testament to a longstanding partnership. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are being urged, again, to "break up with property".  We are urged this way once every few years.  It's based, not unreasonably, on the idea that we could take our money and make it work differently, if not more productively, than it does stuck in a house.  The latest iteration comes from a bloke at Craigs Investment Partners, who suggests if you put $100 into a house, in 30 years it's worth $600. But if you had done it with shares, it would be worth $1,100.  Not just that, but the country would be better off. Those dollars would have been out and about investing in stuff, growing stuff, creating jobs, opening markets, and making the world a better place.  That may well be true.  Trouble is, that’s a long-term view and most of us don’t have long term views.  The view most of us have is: what's happened to New Zealand shares so far this year? Answer: they have gone backwards. In the year to date they are down 1.4%.  Mind you, housing is hardly booming.  And if you want a glass half full, shares in New Zealand in the last five years are up almost 10%. Houses are most certainly not up 10% in the past 5 years.  It may change with the time. One child of ours started buying shares while at university. They are of the generation that believes they will never own a house.  That’s not true of course – they will, but they also have a portfolio.  But the perception could be the key. If housing is perceived to be unobtainable, what is obtainable? Maybe shares.  But credibility is also an issue. Shares can be blue chip or meme-type stock. You can invest, or you can punt.  Stock can be priced to perfection, or it can be solid as a rock. You can be in Fisher and Paykel Healthcare when Covid arrives, or Air New Zealand when Covid arrives.  It requires a lot, whereas a house is a roof and shelter and a thing you can show your mates and have a BBQ at.  Houses are easy and they hardly ever lose you money over time.  To get people to shift, especially when it comes to money, the pitch has to be compelling.  In an uncertain, crazy world, is a stock market compelling? 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.    August: 6/10  Is it just me or is this year moving at pace? Where did seven months go?    The recovery: 4/10  Yes, by August the recovery was supposed to be here. The greens shoots were to have flourished, and stuff was supposed to be better.    The payWave charge ban: 6/10  Not perfect, but a practical move that should help.    Rob Penney: 7/10  Glad he is back, and why not? One bad year and one great year. You want another dose of great, don't you?    Shane Jones: 8/10  Move of the week. Had a couple of glasses of red, turned his phone off, and missed the alerts. Now that is a plan.    The Warriors: 7/10  A loss to the Titans and we lose James Fisher-Harris for a couple of weeks as well. If you are a doubter there is a bit of material for you to angst over. But I'm still a believer and this is our year.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If a council gives a media outlet some numbers and the media outlet simply re-posts those numbers, is that reportage? Or propaganda?  The headline was "more cyclists get on their bikes", which is true. But at no point in my reading of the cycleways of the nation's major cities, was any definitive analysis done as to whether the cost of the infrastructure to get people on their bikes was worth it.  In Christchurch some popular routes clocked 2000 trips a day. Is that a lot?  Well, remember to halve those numbers because trips are each way. So it's 1000 trips going to and from something, and this is in a city of 400,000.  In Wellington there are four key corridors. They racked up 87,000 trips in a month.  So if you have 87,000, you actually have roughly 43,000 trips to and from. Divide it by four for the corridors and you have roughly 10,000. Divide that by 30 (for days of the month) and you have 333 people a day.  That's not a lot of people for cycleways that would have cost many millions of dollars.  In Christchurch they were claiming a 40% increase in usage, except that was from 2017. So in eight years it's about 5% a year. Not really a booming number.  Newtown in Wellington is one of their most popular routes. They do, they claim, between 8,000-12,000 trips a month.  So let's average that. It's 10,000 divided by two so we are down to 5,000. Divide that by 30 and we end up at 166 a day for one of the most popular routes.  So is cycling booming, or has the council PR department cobbled together their best numbers and passed it off in press release form to a gullible newsroom in the hope no one has a calculator?  Don’t get me wrong – there's nothing wrong with cycling. Cycling is fun and good for you, but when you add the cost of specialist infrastructure and do the math, it's got a very EV-type vibe about it, doesn’t it?  It's a lot of hype that is never quite matched by the reality.  Numbers and percentages are easily messed with to paint the sort of picture you want.  The favourite is the huge percentage increase, but you're not supposed to ask from what, to what. One to two is 100%, but it's still only two overall.  Beware the bandwagon and the machine, normally tax or ratepayer funded, that pushes this stuff.  And, sadly, the media who peddles it. No pun intended. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump's latest tariff deadline is rapidly approaching.  The US President has reached 11 deals, and agreed to pause tariff increases for Mexico, ahead of his deadline of 4pm today.  He's indicated he'll raise the baseline tariff faced by most countries, including New Zealand.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that at the same time, the trade wars are facing a critical court test within the United States.  The Trump team is being sued by a coalition of states and businesses who claim Trump has been overstepping his powers when it comes to some of the steepest tariffs.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plenty has happened this week, so Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that was.  They discuss Mike's interview with Jeremy Piven yesterday – was it awkward or just realistic?   Plus, they talk about Kate’s pickleball league and the Government’s decision to axe card surcharges.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The opening of a standalone FBI office may be putting New Zealand in a bit of an awkward position.   The bureau's establishing a permanent presence in Wellington, focusing on trans-national crime like terrorism money laundering, child exploitation, and foreign intelligence threats.  FBI Director Kash Patel has also said it would counter China’s influence in the Pacific.  Geopolitical Analyst Geoffrey Miller told Mike Hosking Patel’s statement has ruffled feathers at the Chinese Embassy in Wellington, who put out a statement condemning “groundless assertions and vilification of China”.   He says the Government is loath to upset the apple cart when it comes to China and our trading relationship with them, but they also have to take the United States’ desires into account.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 1st of August, New Zealand has yet to receive an updated tariff rate from the US as the deadline looms. Trade Minister Todd McClay joined to discuss the situation.   The FBI is setting up an office in Wellington – citing concern over China’s increasing influence in the Pacific.   Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson talk awkward interviews and paywave surcharges being dropped 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.

An announcement on the future of NCEA is imminent and the whole system could be in for a shakeup.   A Government briefing from June shows an over-reliance on internal assessments and suggests students are gaming the system to accumulate credits.  It's also revealed NCEA doesn't support coherent pathways for students into the likes of trades or hospitality.  Tertiary Union National Secretary Dr Sandra Grey told Mike Hosking there’s no doubt that all systems can be tweaked and made better, but it needs to be done carefully.  She says that we need to make sure teachers and students are at the heart of the review process.  When it comes to vocational pathways, Grey says that schools don’t have the capacity to show kids what they're like, so we need a coherent, working system that gives kids a taste of what things like trades are like.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Food Minister's backing the move to remove the labelling of genetically modified food, despite concerns.  Andrew Hoggard's given the green light to rules meaning food produced using new breeding techniques, including gene editing, will not need to be labelled as genetically modified unless it contains new DNA.  The change will see New Zealand mirror the genetic technology legislation in Australia.  Group GE Free says it's unfair for consumer choice.  Hoggard told Mike Hosking mandatory food labels should only be for safety concerns.  He says adding more labels adds cost, and everyone is concerned about the cost of food right now.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country's largest music festival, Electric Avenue, has been bought by Live Nation.  The multinational entertainment company announced the acquisition of festival producer Team Event, which owns the two-day summer festival held in Christchurch's Hagley Park each February.   Promoters Association President Layton Lillas told Mike Hosking that given the tough environment festivals are facing, this is good thing for New Zealand.   He says Live Nation is going to put some financial might behind the event and secure big name acts.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of people behind on payments in June fell slightly from May, but is largely unchanged compared to the same time last year.  Latest Centrix data shows there were 478 thousand people in arrears, representing more than 12% of the credit-active population.  Managing Director Keith McLaughlin says they'd normally expect the figure to fall further over winter - but people are being impacted by things outside their control.  He says the costs of insurance, rates and power are leaving their mark, and that's why arrears are a bit sticky at the moment.  He told Mike Hosking there will be an ongoing improvement in household budgets as interest rates continue to fall.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand has yet to hear from the US ahead of Donald Trump's latest tariff deadline – 4pm today, New Zealand time.  The White House says all countries will have heard from the US by that time.  The US President has indicated he'll raise tariffs, including the 10% baseline tariff imposed on goods from New Zealand and most other countries.  Trade Minister Todd McClay told Mike Hosking our Government is still waiting to hear what that increase will be.  He says there are indications that the new minimum base line tariff rate will be 15%, and it's an anxious time for exporters.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you want to talk about doing stuff that matters, this week will produce one of the great ones.  Repealing the oil and gas ban, as the Government are about to do, puts right an egregious wrong – possibly the most egregious wrong of the last Government.  What gives this current Government a better than even chance of a second term is the fact the damage done to the economy was done by the very same people who are still in Labour, still running Labour, and presumably will still argue for the same recipe of destruction next year.  Megan Woods drove the oil and gas ban under the instruction of you-know-who. There was no warning, no consultation. Just a fateful announcement in Taranaki.  It was idealism at its very worst. If we had all the windmills and solar panels and batteries in place it might have made more sense.  But as we have seen and felt for the past handful of winters, we don’t. Not even close.  What has made it particularly galling is that Australia has doubled down on gas. It understands gas is the transition fuel, while the so-called renewable transformation takes place.  Australia's gas industry is run out of Western Australia, which is run by a Labour Government, and fed to the rest of Australia, which is run by a Labour Government.  And that, as I have said before, is what can make Labour palatable. A centrist Labour party is electable i.e. Albanese's version or Hawke's.  The Ardern and Hipkins version look like a bunch of wonks who never met an economy they couldn't wreck.  Now, the repeal won't solve everything overnight. Our reputation is so damaged that a lot of face time and explaining has had to be undertaken with potential investors, hence the Government's $200m stake in the game fund.  If you ever wanted a living, breathing, tangible example of a Government that simply didn’t get it, think back to your last couple of winters where the coal pile is a mile high, the rain may or may not have come, the gas reports keep getting worse, the spot price heads to the stratosphere and your power bill continues to head to the roof.  That is Labour's energy policy.  That is the Labour Government's idea of a fun winter.  Getting that repealed is rectifying a shockingly shallow, ill-conceived idea and a monumental mistake. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An instantly recognisable face and name, Jeremy Piven is hitting New Zealand shores for the first time.   The actor and comedian is best known for the roles of Harry Selfridge and Ari Gold – the latter of which he won a Golden Globe Award and three consecutive Emmys.  But it’s not film or television that’s brought him here, instead Piven is bringing his stand-up comedy tour to the stage.   Piven has been performing from a young age, with both his parents being actors in their own right, and practically raising him in a theatre.   “I've been butchering some of the great writers of all time, I’ve been butchering it since I was eight years old.”  Piven’s foray into stand-up comedy came from a desire for balance, stretching and developing his performing muscles.  “I make that transition and get up there and do my thing with that, and then go back to acting, and it makes you a better actor,” he told Hosking.  “Most actors are sitting idle, they have a lot of rust on them ... with standup, I’m performing all the time.”  “There’s no rust on me.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 31st of July, Kiwibank has been given the go-ahead for their capital raise. So will another $500 million help them compete with the big Aussie banks?  Air traffic control costs are going up 17.7% over three years, so who will be bearing the brunt of those costs?  And Actor and comedian Jeremy Piven pops into the studio for a chat ahead of his Auckland stand-up show.  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.

An appointment sure to pique the interest of many New Zealand football followers.   Olympic gold medal-winning coach Bev Priestman's penned a two-year deal to take charge of the Phoenix women's side.  Priestman —who led the Canadian women's team to Olympic glory in 2021— has just finished serving a one-year ban from the game for her role in the Canadian team’s misuse of drones at last year’s Olympics.  She told Mike Hosking that it’s a long suspension and not something she’s proud of, but in that time she’s had a chance to learn, reflect, and grow.  Priestman says she can’t wait to get on the grass and do what she loves every day again.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Agriculture is leading the way as the country's top performing industry.   Xero’s latest Insights report shows consistent under-performance in New Zealand’s small business sector in the past year, with sales falling by 0.1% in the June quarter.  Country manager Bridget Snelling told Mike Hosking sectors that are more sensitive to consumer spending and interest rates are being hit hardest.   She says construction is down 6.4%, retail is holding flat, and hospitality is down 2.1%, so it's tough conditions for small businesses.   However, sales in the month of June rose 4.4%, the strongest monthly increase since April 2024.  Snelling says we're in an unstable global economic situation, and people are not feeling confident to spend as they may have done in a more prosperous economic time.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief it's going to be a long journey to get Kiwibank into the ring with the big leagues.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced the bank's parent company is being allowed to raise $500 million from investors to help it compete with the four major banks.  Simplicity founder Sam Stubbs says Kiwibank will need more capital over time.  He told Mike Hosking if the country has five banks making profits, at least one will re-invest in KiwiSaver.  Stubbs says it'll bring pricing pressures into the market, which there's very little of right now.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concern over a never-ending pile of costs for airlines as our air traffic control prices soar.  Provider of the service, Airways, is putting its fees up 17.7% over the next three years.  It says its pricing is based on the number of flights scheduled in and out of each airport.  Airline Representatives Executive Director Cath O'Brien told Mike Hosking some countries' governments invest in these services, but here, airlines pay for everything.  She says they pay for air traffic control the civil aviation authority, and also airport buildings.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Resources Minister says New Zealand's missed a trick with geothermal energy.  Shane Jones' draft strategy lays out a goal of doubling its production by 2040.  He says we should have begun investment seven years ago, when we banned oil and gas exploration.  Jones told Mike Hosking we have some great expertise on geothermal energy that we should be harnessing.  He says Indonesia and other areas are investing in this, and our New Zealanders are more highly regarded there, than here.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister for Courts says updating procedures for running Judge Alone Trials is a good step in the mammoth task of speeding up the courts.  Newstalk ZB can reveal it'll be implemented countrywide tomorrow.   It introduces registrar-led prosecution and defence teleconferences three weeks before trial and allows courts to start earlier to review and prioritise scheduled cases.  Minister Nicole McKee told Mike Hosking pilots they've run have seen good results.  She says it's based on the need of the trial and the readiness of the person being prosecuted, especially for those sitting on remand for a long time.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Contradicting statements out of the US and Israel over the hunger crisis in Gaza.   The region's health authority says 14 people have died in the past 24 hours due to starvation, which Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denies.   He says Israel's enabled humanitarian aid throughout the duration of the war, otherwise there would be no Gazans.   But US President Donald Trump says he's seen it, and is promising to set up food centres.   US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the question now is how long does a starving kid continue to starve while new systems are being set up?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the more memorable days of my life was spent at Michael Hill's house at Lake Hayes in Central Otago.  He showed me his art. There was a lot of it and it was eclectic.  He had his own nine-hole golf course, and it was all par 3s. This was in the days before The Hills, which in many respects was what Michael was all about – vision.  He took his par 3s and then turned it into one of the best golf courses in the country. Watching the New Zealand Open each year is worth it just for the views of his course.  When I was there, the charity event he ran started at Millbrook just across the way. Millbrook was new then and you wondered whether it was one of those investments that would grow to be the success it has or turn out like Formosa or Gulf Harbour.  I had won the pro-am that day. He presented me with a ticket to Australia, a few thousand dollars, and various bits and pieces from his jewellery business, that I ironically couldn't accept, given I wasn’t a pro, and amateurs were banned from winning stuff.  But I had beaten Sean Fitzpatrick, Andrew Mehrtens, Peter O'Malley, and Greg Turner, so what did I need prizes for?  Michael never forgot the day and reminded me each time I talked to him that I should give golf a go again and to come and play at his place anytime I liked.  I first interviewed him in the 80's. He was newish then. The story of the Whangarei shop, the fire, setting up his own business, it became New Zealand business folklore.  I did one of those motivational events with him, where I hosted. He and other success stories told paying guests how they did it, what the tips were, and how to never give up.  He was big into classical music and was a philanthropist in that area.  His company became a household name, expanding into Australia, Canada, and the US.  The advertising was genius.  He revelled in the personality thing. He was a health nut, doing a lot of juicing, probably before his time in that sense.  Like most success stories, he had a magnetism about him. He was very likeable, had good stories and was funny with it.  He was in many respects the quintessential New Zealand success story – hard working, self-made, and deprecating.  He was a memorable, inspiring Kiwi. He will be missed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sir Michael Hill's being remembered for his love of the arts.  He died yesterday aged 86, after a cancer battle.  Hill's chain of self-named jewellery stores began in Whangārei, before becoming a global brand.   Former Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult says he's well-known for his Queenstown golf course 'the Hills', and the international violin competition he founded.  He was also a cartoonist, publishing a weekly cartoon in the local newspaper, 'The Mountain Scene'.  Boult told Mike Hosking Hill was one of those people who was never satisfied until they’d actually achieved something.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a wide range of announcements and figures coming out over the last week, Labour’s Ginny Andersen and National’s Mark Mitchell joined Mike Hosking for Politics Wednesday.  They discussed Brooke van Velden’s consultations on children collecting eggs, clamping the cars of court fine dodgers, and scrapping surcharges.  Plus, they delved into the changes around voting – is axing same-day voting the right choice?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 30th July, nurses are on strike today and gang numbers are up – a double blow for the Government.  Netball NZ has secured its broadcast deal – a one year deal with TVNZ. Is it the solution, or just a band aid?   Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk gang numbers, the House performances, and Brooke van Velden and eggs 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.

Short term loans, minimal or no break fees, and cash-back incentives are driving a record number of mortgage holders changing lenders in June.  More than 3,500 holders switched nearly two and a half billion dollars of debt between loan providers last month.  It's the highest since records began in 2017.  Squirrel Mortgages CEO David Cunningham told Mike Hosking it’s a bit of a pass the parcel exercise for banks.  He says that rather than pass on a lower interest rate to everyone, they just give them to those who go searching.  Cunningham told Hosking it’s a good way to seemingly compete with each other without really impacting their profits.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Netball New Zealand will dip into its own pocket to keep the ANZ Premiership afloat in 2026.  A one-year broadcast deal with TVNZ has been confirmed, with the competition to remain in the current two-round format.  Chief executive Jennie Wyllie has not revealed how much the deal is worth or whether players will take a pay cut.  She told Mike Hosking there is a change in economics, but they feel it’s the new deal is aligned with the vision they have for the game – that Kiwis can see it with ease.  Wyllie says the broadcast is different and there’s more risk in the market, but they’re willing to step into it as they know the game has a future.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nurses are fed up over chronic short-staffing, despite graduates seeking jobs.   More than 30 thousand nurses and heath professionals will be off the job from 9am, withdrawing labour from all Health New Zealand services for the next 24 hours.   Strikes are taking place in over 30 locations across the country, with thousands of procedures and appointments postponed.  Nurses Organisation Chief Executive Paul Goulter told Mike Hosking Health NZ doesn't realise the risks its staff and patients are under.  He says you need nurses for a safe health system, and we don't have that, so it's a political choice.   Goulter says their pay gap needs to be improved by a matter of a few percent, and at the moment they don’t even come close to the cost of living.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has begun looking for possible areas for cutbacks for next year's Budget.  Associate Finance Minister David Seymour said he hopes the Government can equal or exceed the savings achieved in its first two Budgets.  He says the Government's trying to reduce its spending from about 35% of GDP to about 31%.  Seymour told Mike Hosking it's an ongoing process of "looking behind the couch" for savings.  He says it's a matter of every year, every Budget, finding things that the Government would never have started and stopping them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the gang numbers grow police say they're keeping a better check on their behaviour.  Gang numbers have climbed past 10 thousand, up from 9,270 in 2023.   Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Basham says since the Gang Act was passed, they've launched more than nine thousand charges against gang members.   He told Mike Hosking they have a laser focus on gangs.   Basham says part of the increase could be attributed to police keeping a closer eye on them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you want to get a bit angsty about the voting changes, the one everyone seems to have missed is the one about how it's being changed because we are so hopeless.  On the “disenfranchised” side of the equation, I have little, if any, time for it.  An election is held every three years. Between the last one and the next one that’s a lot of days to, at some point, stick your name down for another crack.  The fact you can't rock up on the day is only going to “disenfranchise” you if you are a bit disorganised.  Everyone loves a conspiracy theory so a few jumped on the old "it will favour the right" line. It won't.  But here is the bigger question: why can't you enrol on the day? Because we can't cope.  Why can't we cope? Because we are a small island backwater with a technological mentality to go with it.  I asked Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith last week why we aren't like the Germans. The German elections have their results as the polls close. Watch them next time, it's awesome.  We don’t, he said, because they're efficient. Why aren't we efficient? He laughed, as well he might.  Elections, technologically, are the thing time forgot. Years back we talked of phones and votes and electronic registration. None of it has happened and none of it will.  We can't conduct a Census properly, we make a marae a polling station where the CEO is also the candidate and we still have rules being changed around food and drink, despite the fact that got first raised as an issue 100 years ago when they called it treating.  We have mail votes at local body elections, despite the fact no one uses mail, so the post office is besides themselves.  Our rules around political donations are constantly tinkered with.  Elections just appear a bit hard for us. It's true there are issues elsewhere - we don’t seem to have the waiting times many do, we are corruption free, and participation is high.  But the fact you can't execute a fairly simple and logical idea like same-day registration does remind you that when it comes to modern day efficiency, it's not a “disenfranchising” scandal that did us in.  It's the gliding-on nature of how we run things. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Looks like the decision to go full steam ahead and focus on music has been the right one for Joel Shadbolt and L.A.B.  In the time since he stepped back from teaching, the band’s won awards, released new albums, and has just released their summer schedule that will see them tour both New Zealand and Australia.  They’ll be performing alongside Stan Walker and Corrella for three shows in Auckland, Tauranga, and the Gold Coast.  Shadbolt told Mike Hosking they’ve toured with Walker a few times now, and he’s a great addition to their summer line up.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The video game sector continues to impress.  One of the biggest players in our sector has recorded another stellar year, reporting $105 million in revenue for the year to September 2024, up from $83.4 million the previous year.   Grinding Gear Games, out of West Auckland, is behind the multiplayer online fantasy game Path of Exile.  Managing Director Jonathan Rogers told Mike Hosking they’re probably doing better than average, having nailed their formula.  Path of Exile is a service game, which is designed to be continuously updated over a longer period of time, which he says creates reoccurring revenue and an ongoing draw for players.  Rogers says that people will play until they have their fill and go on to do something else, before a new release pulls them back in again.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 29th of July, the Government is getting rid of surcharges when you pay by card. Consumers love it, businesses aren't a fan.    Board members’ pay is going up by up to 80% in some instances, with ministers justifying it by saying it's about finding the best people.  Joel Shadbolt of L.A.B fame is back on the show to talk their newly announced summer schedule and his career growth since leaving teaching behind and going full time as a musician.  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.

Another instance of violence on our sports fields.  A brawl broke out between parents and students during the rugby match between Auckland Grammar and De La Salle College.  The match was called off, with eight police officers needed to break up the chaos.  Former Springbok and Kings College Rugby 7s coach Kevin Putt told Mike Hosking while all-out brawls aren’t common, they see intolerance and volatility in the crowds nearly every week.  He says that we’re living in a much more intolerant and volatile society, and even if another person tries to shut down abuse and poor behaviour, it can instead result in it escalating.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce Minister says he's disappointed in businesses who say they will pass on the cost of surcharge scrapping.   Most in-store surcharges on card payments will be banned, with the changes set to kick in next May.   Scott Simpson says this is a win for consumers.   He told Mike Hosking they've also taken action on the fees banks charge businesses.   Simpson says those rates will be lower following regulation that will kick in at the end of the year.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.