The Mike Hosking Breakfast

There are fears that retailers will wear the cost of scrapping payment surcharges.   The Government will ban the added fees for most in-store card payments, including paywave.   Hospitality NZ Head of Advocacy Sam MacKinnon says ultimately customers were always allowed to avoid the surcharges by paying in a less convenient way.   He told Mike Hosking more work needs to be done on the issue.   McKinnon says it's actually about the fees banks charge to accept payment.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More money's discreetly finding its way into the pockets of public sector board members.   A quietly released Cabinet document reveals governance board chairs could now be paid more than $160 thousand.   Annual fees had previously been capped at about $90 thousand.   Public Service Minister Judith Collins told Mike Hosking these people are often responsible for large sums of money and assets.   She says if we want good people to reform the public service and get Crown entities humming, we have to pay for it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can I suggest Jarrod Kerr for Governor of the Reserve Bank? Jarrod is Kiwibank's Chief Economist. He has been completely consistent in his ongoing commentary around interest rate cuts and the Reserve Bank's need to do more. To be fair, our own Greg Smith at Devon Funds Management has told us, and argued, a similar story. The Kiwibank economic report that got a decent amount of coverage over the weekend is Jarrod's - proof positives that he is right and Adrian Orr and Christian Hawkesby have been, and are, wrong. As long as they continue to be myopic and look at nothing but inflation they can argue two things. 1) It's in the band, even though it's dangerously close to not being, and will most likely breach it this year, 2) This ongoing, but increasing false, idea that they have cut enough and the efforts of that will flow through eventually. We are virtually in August and the 25 points cut in the latter part of this year that's supposed to be lift off is nothing of the sort and the Kiwibank report confirms it. It tells us what we know already - the further south you go the better it is. But here is the real news; even in the best, most lucrative, optimistic part of the country i.e Otago and Southland they only get 5/10. A half mark is as good as it gets. The rest of the country is miserable. Are there signs? Yes, but how long do you want to squeeze the economic lemon looking for juice? Dairy, meat and kiwifruit - all the stuff we have talked about, and celebrated, is not only doing the heavy lifting; it's doing almost all the lifting. Tourism is there in Otago. But its still only 86% of what it was six years ago. Confidence is hard  to find, foreigners still can't buy a house when they invest millions, and for every dollar you get from lower interest rates you pay $2 more for your power and insurance and rates, which have become the new version of highway robbery. The economy needs help. It needs a major enthusiast, it needs a circuit breaker and the Reserve Bank and their view and actions are potentially it. Jarrod sees it, Greg sees it, John Key sees it and wants a full 100 points drop. But until anyone of them is Governor, we rely on Christian and his committee and that is where the problem lies. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 28th of July, the Government are going to finally allow different and various overseas building products in so our house builds become cheaper. The Prime Minister is in his regular slot on a Monday talking road cones, foreign buyers and whether we're a launch pad for people wanting Aussie visas. Andrew Saville and Jason Pine discuss the Warriors losing to the Titans, the netball final and whether Mike is out of touch with football in New Zealand. 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.

More uncertainty this week for Kiwi businesses exporting into the US. Donald Trump has agreed to a new trade deal with the EU this morning, which includes a 15% tariff on EU imports to the US. Trump's also indicated he'll raise the baseline tariff all countries face, from 10-percent to 15-percent. Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking New Zealand hasn't been advised of an increase. He says they've agreed with the US to look at things again at the end of the year, but they don't want New Zealand to be any worse off than anyone else. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four of the country's largest primary health organisations are pooling their resources together in an effort to deliver more digital solutions.  More than 500 general practices, supporting over two million patients fall under the umbrella of Pegasus, Pinnacle, Procare and Tu Ora Compass Health.  Justine Thorpe is the Co-chair of the new innovation hub, Health Accelerator.  She told Mike Hosking that the next thing they'll be looking at is AI scribe tools for GPs.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government says foreign building materials will help bolster the construction sector. A new pathway will mean any product, no matter where it's from, will be able to be used if it passes New Zealand standards. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says it will increase competition and in turn lower prices. He told Mike Hosking that we're missing out on a lot at the moment, and that it's a no brainer to use a product if it complies with or exceeds our local standards. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The job market is slowly rebounding from last year's low point.   SEEK's latest Employment Report shows job ads dropped for a second month, down three percent month on month.  Applications per job ad fell two percent.  Country Manager Rob Clark told Mike Hosking this is just a small drop, and we're still at record unemployment levels.  He says the job market in the last 12 months has been flat, leaving Kiwis struggling.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fears for safety in our prisons may be pushing more inmates to seek out segregation. The number of voluntary segregations surged 66-percent from almost 7,300 in 2018 - to more than 12 thousand in 2023. Corrections Deputy Commissioner Neil Beales says it's largely driven by the perception of gangs and their activity. He says our prison population is also growing - which affects people's perception of safety and the prison's ability to manage people. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Reddell, who appears on this show a fair bit, has put the Adrian Orr resignation back in the news. He has a source close to the action that, in simple terms, suggests that Orr packed a sad at a couple of meetings, one of which was with Nicola Willis, the chair of the Reserve Bank Neil Quigley wrote to Orr with a list of concerns over that behaviour, and Orr quit. The underlying issue appears to be the fact the Government were determined to cut the Reserve Bank's budget, which ultimately, they were successful in doing. Why? Because like everything else under the Labour Government, too much money was spent, things blew out and the Reserve Bank had wandered off into new and expensive areas they didn’t need to be in. The main point being: essentially what we thought happened, did. Adrian Orr has a short fuse, a fairly elevated sense of entitlement and importance, and didn’t like what was unfolding – which is fine. He didn’t have to like it and if he disliked it so badly, he could walk, which he did. But, and here is where this is important, he held a critical role in all our lives. People in jobs like that need to exemplary. Exemplary in execution and exemplary in person. He wasn’t. He was a failure. Which then takes us back to how he got the job: through Grant Robertson. Not only did Robertson appoint Orr, he reappointed him. Bad people make bad decisions, and those bad decisions go on to have consequences. By way of contrast what do you reckon the pressure on Jerome Powell is like right now? Is Powell yelling and packing a sad? Is Powell going to quit in a massive hissy fit and vanish from the face of the earth without a word? I have a dollar with anyone who wants it that the answer is "no". Maybe Orr doesn’t give a monkey’s. Maybe Orr is that sort of bloke who's so inflated and mesmerised by himself that he is well past any reputational reflection. Maybe Grant is too. But the damage still sits in our bank accounts and rates bills and economic funk to this day. The bloke who stuffed the joint, packed a sad and stormed out, never to be heard from again. It’s a sad indictment on a role and influence that should have been handled a great deal more elegantly and with a mile more professionalism.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.    Trump: 7/10  He has had a significantly positive week: SCOTUS sacking people has gone his way, deals with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan, and Australia flipped on beef. Only downside is he's stuck in the Epstein files, and he has cankles.    Nicola “mainland” Willis: 4/10  The old "I'm going to teach them a thing or two" trick blew up in her face.    NCEA: 6/10  We will wait for the detail, but the idea that the joke that is NCEA gets blown up is no bad thing.    Colbert: 7/10  The defence was "but he is number one". But the reality is being number one only counts if you're making money. He wasn’t.    The helipad appeal: 1/10  This country is too full of timewasters. We had a hearing, everyone had their say, someone won and someone didn’t. That’s life.    Sky TV: 8/10  A small bag of lollies for a buck is good enough, far less a whole TV station.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a way it’s the sort of response you would have expected from Liam Gallagher.  He's back on stage, and seemingly lapping it up, and asked about the love birds in the audience.  He said "don't worry, we ain’t got any of that Coldplay snidey f***ing camera shit. Doesn’t matter to us who you are mingling with - or tingly with, fingingly with.”  “None of our f***ing business".  My gut says the majority of the audience, indeed the world, are with Liam, not Chris.  This has been the biggest story in the world for two weeks now. It has crossed barriers, continents, and age groups in a way few stories do.  It's that rare mix of mirth, horror, and carnage.  Yes, it's funny. Yes, you can decipher the reaction, and how they reacted, and why they reacted, and how dumb the reaction might have been.  But then in real life, jobs are lost, families and friends and relationships were upended. It's a level of personal upheaval we don’t, and won't, know about.  There's a very real question, I would have thought, around morals and business. The business was very quick to publicly talk about standards.  Now he might, as CEO, have had a clause in his contract about public activity or behaviour. But business and morals are a fantastically complicated area I would have steered well clear of.  What about legal action? They have to sue.  Yes, tickets and venues have warnings about CCTV and filming, but this wasn’t about crime or publicity. It went a mile beyond that. It blew up lives and it destroyed things.  What about the mental consequences? How do two unknowns handle global fame, opprobrium, celebrity attention and notoriety all at once?  Yes, it's easy to say, "well they shouldn’t have been there, should they?". What if they are in love, about to be married and starting afresh? As opposed to say, him being a shagger and this was his third fling this year.  Lives are complicated and we have little, if any, business passing judgement.  Or as Liam would say - it's none of our f***ing business. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unprecedented discussions between a high-ranking US justice official and Ghislaine Maxwell.   CNN reports Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Jeffery Epstein's accomplice in her Florida prison, where she's serving a 20 year sentence for child sex trafficking and abuse offences.   Intelligence Analyst John Miller says a meeting like this is unheard of, speculating they could have discussed others involved in the scheme, or what she'd be willing to say publicly on President Trump.   US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking it’s all occurring as the Epstein saga blew up on Capitol Hill.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday is upon us, so Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that was.  There’s been another development in Mike’s hot water and lemon saga – how many lemons can you get for $27?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 25th of July, the Government is changing election rules to stop same-day enrolment and banning food and drink within 100 meters of voting stations.   Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has announced a new measure that would see the cars of court fine evaders clamped or seized.   Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson Wrap the Week, complete with another development in Mike's lemon and hot water saga.  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a conflicting time for the civil contracting sector.  The Government has been touting a ‘turning point’ for the industry at this week’s conference, promising $6 billion worth of infrastructure projects underway before Christmas.  However, the latest industry survey results tell a different story, with 73% of respondents saying the lack of work is the most pressing issue.  Civil Contractors NZ Chief Executive Allan Pollard told Mike Hosking the $6 billion in infrastructure work isn’t entirely civil work, and they need a lot more work to feed the industry.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People with unpaid court fines could be at risk of having cars clamped or seized from tonight.   The Government's trialling number plate scanning technology, which bailiffs can use at police checkpoints to identify fine evaders.   Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith told Mike Hosking there's more than $100 million in unpaid fines.  He hopes the trial's effective in clamping lots of cars, because the rest of the country is sick of people not facing consequences.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our palliative care system may be waning as demand grows, prompting a push for action.  We've fallen from third in the world in palliative care access ten years ago, to 12th place.   An article in the New Zealand Medical Journal finds we have less than a third of the recommended number of specialists per capita, and many are nearing retirement.   Author Dr Catherine D’Souza told Mike Hosking that we lack the funding to train more specialists, despite having ample opportunity and space to do so.  She says that the number of people dying is going to double in the next thirty years, and if we don’t take action quickly, already struggling health services are going to struggle even more and fall apart.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A belief changes to electoral day enrolments addresses slow administrative process and voter slackness.   The Government's looking to ban prisoner votes, stop free food and entertainment at voting stations, and enforce a 13-day pre-election enrolment rule to vote.  Otago University Electoral Law Expert Andrew Geddis told Mike Hosking same day enrolments require people to cast 'special votes', which take longer to process.  He says the number of special votes has been increasing markedly over recent elections, so it's taking longer to get a result.  Geddis denies the changes are deliberately aimed at negatively impacting the left.  He says that special votes always result in more seats for the left, but whether or not that's a driving motivation behind the change is debatable.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis is defending her decision to seek answers from Fonterra about its prices.  The price of butter has almost doubled in the past 14 months because Asia is demanding more, and Europe is producing less.  Fonterra is ruling out selling butter to New Zealanders at a lower price than it makes overseas.  But Willis told Mike Hosking she has no regrets about raising the issue with the dairy co-op in the first place.  She says she can't dismiss an issue lots of New Zealanders are talking about.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government are in trouble in a couple of areas:  1) FamilyBoost. What they said would happen, numbers wise, didn't.  2) Police recruits. What they said would happen, will not.  3) The ban on foreign buyers for houses now looks farcical.  Yesterday's attempt by the NZ Herald to make some Winston Peters' comments look like news was a beat up, because he said the same thing to me two months ago.  Saying the same thing, with nothing new or any change in between, is not news. It's the status quo.  What makes the Peters' stance, and therefore the Government damage, unusual is Peters' stance is inexplicable.  FamilyBoost got messed up because IRD gave the Government poor advice.  The police recruit issue is bad because being a cop is hard, a lot of cops leave, and Australia offers sunshine and beaches, and they are actively making offers.  But on the upside, the golden visa is working. People with money have applied and there are hundreds of millions, heading towards billions, in play. But we still want them to rent or use Airbnb.  The level of stupidity in that is inescapable and inexcusable.  National had a policy of $2 million a house – anything over that a foreigner could buy.  Peters didn't like it, fine. National moved that to $5-6 million. Locals here aren't buying those houses.  Peters still won't move. He says a deal is coming.  But the critical questions are, why would you burn goodwill inside a coalition and why would you risk reputational damage internationally?  The same bloke who is holding us to ransom is the same bloke who has travelled the world telling said world we are open. And yet, we are not.  If this Government is to survive, and possibly prosper, the simple stuff cannot afford to be an issue.  We need money and we need investment and the jobs and growth that brings. It must be part of a package, and the package comes with a home.  Peters gets that, I know he does. And yet, nothing.  Small word to National and Luxon – how about some hardball? How long do you want to look like the weak guys, the dog being wagged by the tail?  National's biggest problem, apart from Peters, is time.  Next year, the country makes a decision on all this. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Banks are sounding the alarm over a new kind of subscription trap.  Instead of a typical ‘forgot to cancel scenario’, businesses are instead selling goods and services that hook customers into reoccurring subscription payments.  Westpac says it’s stopped nearly 20,000 customers from being fleeced in the past three months, stopping more than $25 million in unwanted charges.  Massey University banking expert Claire Matthews told Mike Hosking that the problem with this type of situation is it’s difficult to cancel the subscription.  Some companies, she says, straight up disappear when people try to cancel, so it’s easier to stop the payment upfront.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 24th of July, for the first time since 2009, rents are on the way back down around the country.  The Government has directed Sport NZ to axe inclusion principles for transgender people – Sport Minister Mark Mitchell explains the decision.   Global superstar Ed Sheeran joins us for an exclusive Breakfast chat about bringing his new tour to New Zealand – plus, his thoughts on the Coldplay kiss cam scandal.  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Sports Minister's standing up for a coalition-based decision directing Sport New Zealand to remove its community sport trans guidelines.   The 2022 principles allowed people to play community sports according to their gender identity.   Sport Minister Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking most fair-minded Kiwis would agree with the move, which honours safety and fairness.   He says as part of a New Zealand First coalition agreement, they decided not to dictate what sporting bodies should be doing, saying the bodies themselves know best.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's target of recruiting 500 new police officers has been held up yet again.   A briefing sent to the Government suggests the two-year goal's been set back, and Police expect it'll be by August next year.  That's nine months after the original target and two months behind the Police Commissioner's revised deadline.  They’re now looking at launching a recruitment drive into Australia – the place we’re losing officers to.   Police Association President Chris Cahill told Mike Hosking it's a la la land idea, as poached officers would get a 30% drop in wages, higher house prices, higher cost of living, and lower superannuation.   He says NZ Police need to start looking at the things that would make a real difference for officers in New Zealand, such as the remuneration structure.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the world’s bestselling artists, Ed Sheeran is one of the most influential artists of his generation.  He’s sold almost 200 million albums and is one of only a handful of artists on Spotify Billions Club with more than ten tracks with over one billion streams.  Sheeran last toured New Zealand’s stages back in 2023, and he’s returning three years later, with 2026’s ‘Loop Tour’.  Despite his global musical success, Ed Sheeran has a reputation for being down to earth and humble, shrugging off the trappings of stardom in favour of a much more grounded presence.   He alternates between projects – huge stadium tours and local gigs, painting and podcasts, parenting and performing.   While the most enjoyable period of his career was the first two years after the release of Plus in which the world opened up to him, Sheeran explains that nowadays he prioritises balance.  “It's about finding the balance and not going nuts,” he told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking.  “Not being like, I am just a popstar and that is all that I am, I think it’s really nice to be a dad, and also be a popstar, and have a balance of the two.”   Stardom and fame can take its toll, some people becoming jaded and disconnected from the world around them, however, Sheeran believes that only happens if you live in a bubble.  “I think you get jaded when things start getting very self-centred, and you think like, oh this is happening to me, and this is this, and this is that, and it’s very me, me, me, me, me.”  Sheeran tries to keep himself grounded, surrounding himself with regular people, getting out into the world, and taking public transport at his wife’s strong encouragement.   “I do remember playing shows where no one wants to come to them and releasing music that fell on deaf ears,” he told Hosking.  “So I feel super grateful to be, you know, people are still interested in my music, people are still coming to the shows.”  “I don’t think you can get jaded with that.”  ‘Loop Tour’ is Sheeran’s sixth major concert tour, and although he still performs in the occasional pub, stadium tours are on a completely different level.   Although there’s definitely a pressure to match and even outperform his previous tours, Sheeran has faith in his music and what it means to his audience.  “I know I can create special moments.”  “I think that when you’re doing these shows, it’s an understanding that it’s not about me, it’s about the community and about the couples that are coming to the gig, the families that are coming to the gig, and what the songs mean to them.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rising supply and falling demand is pushing down rents.  New Cotality analysis of MBIE data shows the national median rent dropped 0.3% in the year to May.  That's the first time the rent has dropped in more than 15 years.  Aspire Property Management's Managing Director Mike Atkinson told Mike Hosking housing supply is increasing at the same time incomes are falling in real terms.  He says there's also been a huge drop-off in net migration, with fewer people coming into the country.  However, there could be some good news on the way for landlords.  Atkinson says things should pick up over summer, when migration typically increases.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Housing Minister believes homelessness data can be hard to analyse as there's no one-size-fits-all description.   The Government's June Homelessness Insights suggests communities countrywide are facing more pressure, with people living on the streets.   Councils and support services say rough sleeping's increased everywhere, doubling by some measures over 24 months.   Minister Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking homelessness has been a lasting issue, and deals with complex issues.    He says sometimes it encompasses challenges that include mental health, addiction, and family violence.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More Aussies are hopping over the ditch following a tourism campaign.   Since the 'Everyone Must Go' campaign, almost eight thousand extra Australian visitors have come to New Zealand.   It's estimated those tourists spent about $22 million.   Tourism Minister Louise Upston told Mike Hosking there's plenty more room for growth.  She says about four million Australians are considering a trip, so we need to get in their face more.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you reckon happened at the big butter meeting?  Willis and Hurrell. Nicola and Miles.  Is it a meeting that took on a hopeless amount of hype, or was it a sign that at times this Government, and Willis in particular, say stuff that makes them look like they are on to it when perhaps they're not?  The reality is these two meet regularly. Fonterra plays an outsized roll in our economy and therefore it would be odd if they didn’t meet.  But Nicola has this penchant for saying stuff that might lead you to believe she could produce an Uzi out of her handbag and blitz the room.  She has the banks, who she keeps telling us are people we should not be locked in a dark room with.  She has the supermarkets who, in her Clouseau-type way, suggests she has been ferreting about the isles and has found dastardly deeds.  Jacinda had the same predilection when she told us the petrol companies were "fleecing us".  It's all good stuff for headlines and attention. It's very good guy/bad guy, and if hot air were rocket fuel she could have flown to the moon and back six times.  But is your butter any more affordable?  Of course not, and in that is the problem – not with the price, but with Nicola.  Wouldn’t it be fantastic if there was a scandal, or a rip-off, or some highway robbery? Wouldn’t it be awesome if she could tie a butter producer to a chair and waterboard them until they screamed out "yes, yes, yes it's true, the real price is only $3.76 not $8.50".  Sadly, it isn't going to happen.  Presumably, as if she needed it, Miles worked her through the calculations at last night's meeting.  We pay the global price for butter, the irony being in this case that’s actually good news because dairy in general is booming and we need something to boom.  What we would like to do versus what we have to do, for good reason, are two separate things. That's why butter is the price it is.  The real question for Nicola is how many meetings, threats and finger waggles does she have to produce for no change before someone calls her out for being a lot of mouth and not a lot of trouser?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fallout over the Epstein files appears to have ground Capitol Hill to a halt.   CNN reports Speaker Mike Johnson closed proceedings for August recess a day earlier than planned, ahead of votes around the release of the files.   US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that Johnson says the whole issue should be allowed to cool down, saying they’ve been ‘clear and transparent’.  However, Arnold says, this is not the view of the MAGA faithful, with Republican activist Marjorie Taylor Green saying “if there is no justice and no accountability, people are going to get sick of it”.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Halfway through the week, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen are back with Mike Hosking to discuss the biggest political stories thus far.  Labour MP Camilla Bellich’s member’s bill, the Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill, has passed its second reading. But why do we want to talk about salaries?   Nicola Willis has met with Fonterra over the cost of butter – has anything come of it yet?  And how intense will the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election be?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 23rd of July, red meat continues to go gangbusters, but we could be doing better, and the industry has some warnings.  Lester Levy is moving from the Health NZ Commissioner to the new board chair, and gives us an exclusive on what he has, and hasn't, achieved.  Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen discuss pay transparency, the butter meeting between Nicola Willis and Fonterra, and the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election on Politics Wednesday.    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.

Retailers across the country are surprisingly optimistic in the face of ongoing economic challenges.  The latest Retail NZ report reveals nearly 70% of retailers are confident their business will survive the next year, up from 57% for the same period last year.  This comes despite 62% of retailers failing to meet sales targets for the same period.   Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young told Mike Hosking that optimism is stronger in the provinces and rural areas than it is in major cities like Auckland and Wellington.  She says that the success the rural sector is experiencing is putting funds back into the local economies, which is creating more buoyancy.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don’t expect lower levies as a result of ACC’s “accounting change”.  The Government has approved a change that reduces the amount of money the insurer would need to pay out in claims by $7 billion.  It would see the risk margin reduced from 12.7% to zero, shaving down the outstanding claims liability, which is used to calculate how much it may have to pay out in the years to come.   ACC lawyer and researcher Warren Forster told Mike Hosking in effect, there will be no real change to how it operates in peoples’ lives.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health New Zealand is moving into its next chapter after a year under a commissioner.  The board's making a return today, with outgoing commissioner Lester Levy taking up the role as chairman for the next 12 months.   Levy told Mike Hosking that although the agency's reached a turning point, the challenge isn't over.   He says they need to involve clinicians and those on the ground in decisions and provide modern tools to the workforce.    But Levy says the organisation's financially on track and has a very stable platform to move forward.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sky TV's purchase of TV3 could lead to a change in sports viewing, but not for a while.   Sky New Zealand Chief Executive Sophie Moloney says for the next 12 months programming on TV3 will stay largely the same.    She says she expects TVNZ to put up a good fight for free-to-air rights for different sports, including rugby.   Moloney told Mike Hosking they'd also like to try to acquire them.   She says it will ultimately be up to New Zealand Rugby.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The red meat sector remains positive despite significant trade barriers.   The Meat Industry Association and Beef + Lamb New Zealand have revealed non-tariff trade barriers are costing the industry an estimated $1.5 billion every year.  MIA Chair Nathan Guy told Mike Hosking they've lost an estimated billion dollars of stock in the last three years.   He says it's unfortunate but the demand's still incredibly strong, so they're in good shape.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the sort of theoretical nonsense you would expect from a bunch of wonks like the Labour Party, but blow me down if National hasn't clambered on board as well.  Camilla Belich has a Member’s bill. Member's bills don’t normally get to where hers has, given if they did, the party would have already run with the idea.  But her Employee Remuneration Disclosure Amendment Bill has passed its second reading and given National have turned up, it seems it will become law.  "The underlying reason for the bill is to ensure that people who are discriminated against, have the ability relative to other employees doing the same work and allows them to discuss that."  Discuss it? Are you serious? “Jenny told me she earns $76,000 a year and we all know she is useless, so how come I'm on $69,000?”  Obviously the room for interpretation here, or misinterpretation, is immense.  What you think of yourself versus what the person handing out the money thinks might be very different things.  Jenny might have been there longer, might have been hired away from another employer (hence they needed a sweetener to get her across the line), or she might have been employed by a different person in the same company.  None of this leads anywhere productive.  This is a “sticky beak” law that will lead to resentment, anger, and/or fury, about who does what, gets what and what they're really worth.  It will be office gossip. It will lead to people ganging up on others, to rumour, to spread innuendo. It will lead to backstabbing and a general sense of unease.  Not to mention the fact that if you have an arrangement with your boss, that’s between you and your boss. There is a privacy issue.  Obviously unionised jobs of mass pay are different. But a lot of the world is on a contract and that contract is a legally binding understanding between you and the other party.  I'm not sure Camilla or her party, or now National, quite get the fallout that’s coming.  If I told you my income it would be a headline in Stuff this morning and a national debate would ensure, and 10,000 keyboard warriors would have a field day.  Under this new law there is nothing stopping me.  So watch this space. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People are becoming increasingly more interested in living longer.  Health, wellness, dieting, and fitness are more and more prominent on social media, and health monitoring technology are becoming increasingly popular.  Cardiologist Dr Eric Topol has been researching longevity for decades, and is considered to be one of the top five voices on the subject.  He’s just released his latest book, ‘Super Agers’, a detailed guide to living a longer, healthier life.  Topol told Mike Hosking it’s not necessarily about living longer, but rather extending the years someone lives with intact health.   He says living to 90 and being perfectly health throughout ought to be more important than trying to live to 110 and having many years of dementia, or profound frailty, or poor quality of life.   Although there are revolutions happening in regards to anti-inflammatory and hormonal medications, Topol says it’s never going to be as simple as a pill.  Things like lifestyle factors, environmental pollution, microplastics, and forever chemicals also need to be controlled, he explains.  Listen to the full interview for a detailed explanation of health, longevity, and the new developments in the medical sector.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Construction will begin this year on a new medical school at Waikato University.   The Government's chipping in $83 million, alongside $150 million from the University and philanthropic investors.  It'll have a strong focus on primary care and rural health and offer a graduate-entry programme.  Health Minister Simeon Brown told Mike Hosking they’ve gone through a rigorous process to ensure it’s as efficient and cost-effective as possible, so they can build the long-term pipeline that New Zealand needs.  The postgraduate course element is already a successful model in Australia, he says.  Brown told Hosking that it's about attracting people who are already living in rural communities, giving them opportunities to train and stay in place so we can attract and retain graduates.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 22nd of July, a new medical school in Waikato has finally been greenlit – the Waikato University Vice Chancellor and Health Minister discuss the course.  Netball New Zealand is changing the eligibility rules to allow players to play in Australia for the domestic season and still represent the Silver Ferns.  Longevity expert Dr Eric Topol talks our health habits, red wine, chocolate, and if blue zones are fact or fiction.  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.

Netball New Zealand's updated the eligibility criteria for the Silver Ferns.  Overseas-based players can now be considered for national selection through a formal exemption process.  The updated criteria will be implemented ahead of the upcoming international season, allowing Grace Nweke to be available if she applies.  Board chair Matt Whineray told Mike Hosking they had to balance everyone’s interests – players' aspirations and development, the strength of the domestic competition, and the needs of the high-performance system and Silver Ferns.  He says they’re pleased to have a process in place now to balance the different needs and to understand how everything fits together.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another cut to the Official Cash Rate next month is looking a lot more likely.  Latest Stats NZ figures show annual inflation has reached 2.7% in the year to June – up from 2.5% in the year to March.  But core inflation is tracking much lower, and domestically driven non-tradeable inflation is at a four-year low.  BNZ Chief Economist Mike Jones told Mike Hosking that it’s a green light for the Reserve Bank.  He says the chance of not only reaching 3% in annual inflation, but also getting stuck above 3% has reduced, so the bank can probably feel more comfortably in cutting rates.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An update in the Government's plans to ban Greyhound racing, with the industry's lead organisation fronting in court next month.   Racing Minister Winston Peters says they're considering laws to get the TAB to help pay to re-home ex-racing dogs.   Greyhound Racing NZ CEO says there’s all this talk about rehoming, but no question or consideration of support for their people and compensation for them.  He says they have people who have invested thousands into upgrading their facilities.  GRNZ is heading to court in hopes to overturn the ban, stating they have plans to improve the injury rates of racing dogs.  Rennell told Mike Hosking they had an independent monitor who had been assessing their performance with injuries and had deemed it acceptable, and in many ways leading the racing industry in New Zealand.  He says that they believe the process that has been adopted and the decision itself is manifestly wrong.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s optimism the new medical school will ensure a future influx of GP specialists.   Waikato University's newly announced medical school will begin construction this year, opening the doors to 120 trainees in 2028.   It will focus on primary and rural care.   Vice Chancellor Neil Quigley told Mike Hosking students could choose not to specialise in rural health or become a GP, but there are ways of addressing this.   He says Australian institutions use selection mechanisms which, if implemented, create a markedly different workforce.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions are being raised as to why taxpayer money backs trains but not planes, as more regional flight routes are axed.   Operator Sounds Air is dropping its Blenheim to Christchurch and Christchurch to Wanaka services from September, with 10 jobs lost.  Despite good passenger numbers, the decision is driven by unsustainable costs, so it is having to sell part of its fleet.  CEO Andrew Crawford told Mike Hosking the money spent on the train from Hamilton to Auckland would cover regional aviation in a heartbeat.   He says the Government's happy to put money into trains, roads, and ferries but nothing towards regional connectivity.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 21st of July, we get our inflation number and it isn't expected to be good. Could it be outside the RB's band? And what will the Government do? Is Queenstown at risk of becoming the next Barcelona due to it's growth and tourism? Locals don't want it, but can anything be done? Andrew Saville and Jason Pine talk the All Blacks, Mike's predictions for the remaining All Blacks games - and what Andrew had to eat at FMG Stadium. 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.

Queenstown's underlying infrastructure is unable to keep up with the rapidly growing tourism and population numbers. The town's infrastructure can't cope with international arrivals 28% higher than in 2019, and the population has doubled every 17 years in the last four decades.   Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust Chief Executive Julie Scott says they're a smaller community who needs a lot of infrastructure they can't afford.   She says they need the tools to enable them to have an equitable share in how infrastructure is paid for.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon is staying upbeat about New Zealand's trading relationship with the US. Donald Trump's threatening to raise tariffs against key trading partners if they don't reach trade deals before the end of the month. New Zealand goods currently face the base tariff rate of ten-percent. The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking discussions with US officials have been positive so far. He says New Zealand is currently no worse off than any other country, and there's a sense that the US has "bigger fish to fry". LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.