The Mike Hosking Breakfast

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 26th of June, Nicola Willis is still unhappy with the supermarkets, sending them another letter – when is it time for action?  Moana Pasifika is in serious financial strife, but it was revealed that Whanau Ora, using taxpayer money, gave them $8 million in funding. How does a company, whose job it is to improve wellbeing in poorer communities, spend millions on a rugby team?  Former Top Gear and Grand Tour host James May is coming to NZ with his new stage show about the world's best explorers, joining out of the UK for a chat.  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 Government's instructed Auckland Council to allow apartments at least 15 storeys high near key City Rail Link train stations.   Density requirements around the Mt Albert and Baldwin Ave stations require at least 10 storey apartments, and requirements around the Maungawhau, Kingsland, and Morningside rail terminals have been increased from six storeys to 15.  Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop say it will ensure Auckland takes economic advantage of the transformational investment in the city.  AUT Future Environments Professor John Tookey told Mike Hosking that even the proposition of consenting a 15 storey building in the middle of a city isn’t a five minute undertaking.  His suspicion is it will take at least a decade to see any kind of measurable mass urban densification around the stations.  He also told Hosking that the Government’s interference in running Auckland is likely to cause significant political issues.   Tookey says NIMBY-type arguments will likely crop up: why here, who’s going to fund it, and how will it impact everyone else in the area?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Infrastructure Minister agrees we're getting bad value for money and need trans-government systems to improve. The Infrastructure Commission's released a 30-year draft plan revealing its first look at how New Zealand needs to invest in our future.  Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking half of all capital-intensive government agencies don't have asset registers, so don't know what they own or how to maintain it.   He says what all parties need to agree on is focusing on asset maintenance, because we don't look after what we've already built.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A law expert says it's important for the Māori Development Minister to look at contracts - to figure out where Whānau Ora's money is coming from.  Tama Potaka is seeking a review of a recent Whānau Ora ad campaign encouraging Māori to sign up to the Māori electoral roll.  He says it would be inappropriate for public funding to be used for electioneering.  Law expert Graeme Edgeler told Mike Hosking the law isn't complicated about this, so long as the money is coming from the right place.  He says this is Whānau Ora's commissioning agency which is private, and can spend money how they like, as long as it is their money.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's issued a fresh warning to the major supermarket chains.  Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis has written a letter to Woolworths, and Foodstuffs' North Island and South Island arms, outlining her expectations.  She says she's hearing of supermarkets charging more than the advertised price, and having specials and multi-buy deals that don't actually offer savings.  Willis told Mike Hosking that's not good enough.  She says supermarkets have publicly said again and again that they do everything they can to be good providers of service, but this doesn’t look like that.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Shane Jones showing the Minister for Treaty Negotiations Paul Goldsmith how to run his own portfolio?  In response to Jones and his Member's bill on the never ending Ngāpuhi drama, Goldsmith says the process can't go on forever.  Which is the same as saying nothing, because clearly it is, and Goldsmith clearly has no plan.  The Jones bill is clever because my sense of it is there is so much infighting in the north of the country, they will, out of bloody mindedness, never strike a deal.  All the logic we heard yesterday about tribes that have cut deals and invested billions and seen the endless benefits will have missed their mark in Northland, given a lot of Ngāpuhi aren't interested in a deal. They thrive on dissent and division and permanent anger and grievance.  Jim Bolger, who I note in the past few weeks as he celebrated his 90th is still prone to the odd piece of public commentary, might like to have pondered his own role in this many, many years ago when they started to put up a few road markers around timeframes.  The idea was they would set a date to file your claim, remembering even in Bolger's day the Waitangi Tribunal had been going since the 70's, and once you filed, they would impose another deadline to get it all wrapped up.  Good idea, but it went nowhere because Bolger and Co. got sucked into the idea that this was unfair, it was rushed, and it was history. What wasn’t said out loud was this was a gravy train that could go literally forever, and people were going to make a living off it.  As Jones revealed yesterday, we've spent $20 million for Ngāpuhi alone, just for lunch and chats and airfares.  You have to remember 1975 was a goodwill gesture. The tribunal and the settlement of grievances was entered into not because anyone had to, but because it was the right thing to do. It was driven by goodwill.  I would have thought it was fairly obvious in the vast array of deals to be done and apologies to be made, like life, that some would embrace it and run with it and some would be unable to get out of their own way.  What was needed but was missing, and still is (Jones aside), was leadership. We needed boundaries set and an explanation of the rules and expectations.  And because that was missing, so is $20 million on lunch, and still no deal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concern over an increasing number of children bringing weapons to school.  Figures released under the Official Information Act show 526 students were stood down, suspended, or excluded for using or having a weapon at school last year.  It's an 80% rise on 2018.  Secondary Principals' Association President Louise Anaru told Mike Hosking that in a vast majority of cases, children have no intent to use the weapon - but regardless, the matter needs to be treated seriously.  She says it’s important to get the message out that they can cause harm, and to take a real strong stance on it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into some of the biggest stories of the week so far.  The cost of living crisis is still weighing heavily on Kiwis’ wallets despite all of the Government’s efforts – can Mark Mitchell explain why we’re not feeling the recovery?  And Ginny Andersen had quite a few points to make on the topic as well.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 25th of June, a ceasefire between Iran and Israel is on, then off, then on again, as another NATO summit kicks off in the Hague.  As we go into another round of pay negotiations, this time with teachers, Judith Collins outlines exactly who gets paid what.  Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk butter and the cost-of-living crisis, whether we should cut regional councils, and if rates should be capped 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.

New Zealand scientists have developed a new technology to reduce food waste and import dependence.  The waste system takes perishable food before it hits landfill and turns it into shelf-stable powders, concentrates, and extracts for food.  Director of Powered by Plants Dr. Andrew Prest says the concept came from frustration with the current production model.  He told Mike Hosking it's a good opportunity to address the country's environmental waste, as powders can be produced from almost any fruit or vegetable.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Assessment processes will still be rigorous for prescribing ADHD medication.  From February, GPs and nurse practitioners will be able to prescribe treatments from the outset without a specialist recommendation.   Wait times for specialist appointments vary but can be over a year.   Royal College of GPs medical director Dr. Luke Bradford told Mike Hosking it's a good move to help people access diagnoses more quickly and affordably.   He says it will be under a specialist interest type GP who will have to up-skill through training courses to prescribe.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Primary school teachers may have less ground to stand on at the bargaining table.   They began negotiations yesterday for the first time since losing their pay equity claim in the May Budget.  The Public Service Minister says there is a public mantra that teachers deserve to be paid more.   But Judith Collins told Mike Hosking it ignores the facts.   She says primary school teachers can earn $115 thousand including allowances, after eight years experience.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A fragile ceasefire's holding for Iran and Israel after the US President got involved.  Both sides claim the other has breached the truce.  Donald Trump scolded both for early violations but directed particularly stinging criticism at Israel over the scale of its strikes.  University of New Haven Associate Professor of National Security Dr Matt Schmidt told Mike Hosking he's unsure if US strikes fully destroyed Iran's nuclear capabilities.  He says it's at least set back the program several years.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new Rabobank report reveals within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will begin its largest-ever inter-generational transfer of wealth.  More than half of farm and orchard owners will reach the age of 65 in the next decade, but only a third have a formal succession plan.  It's estimated $150 billion worth of farming assets will change hands.  Rabobank CEO Todd Charteris told Mike Hosking the challenge is farms are getting better, but there are fewer farm owners, so the capital requirements are big.   He says we need to continue to explore different ownership models.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So having looked at every council in the country and the pending rate rises we are all going to have to pay, a couple of inescapable conclusions are to be drawn.  1) We need central Government to cap rates.  2) We need fewer councils.  If you were to roughly use inflation as a guide, Waitomo and Whanganui are your only councils to get under the wire at 2.93 % and 2.2% – so congratulations to them.  I'm sure every council could, and would, mount an argument as to why whatever it is they have come up with, whether it be the 12.9% in Taranaki or the 15.5% in Hamilton, is in some way, shape, or form, justifiable.  A lot of it will be historic. In other words, if previous councils had done their job and been fiscally prudent the work being undertaken today would not be the current burden it is.  But a lot of it if you were DOGE-like, or brutal, would not in fact be needed at all.  Councils have become fiefdoms. They have entered areas they have no business in, but like so much in life, once you have ventured there is no turning back.  Apart from the specific, like the 9.76% for Otorohanga or the 12.4% for Central Otago, you also have the more general impact. In other words, you are adding cost to the economy, and you are charging fixed-income folk who don’t have the money.  What you are doing is inflationary.  None of us have the ability to simply add more charges. We don’t simply get the pay rise we want, or up our hourly rate to the poor sap we are servicing. Life isn't like that.  We cut our cloth. Could we buy more? Could we do more? Could we spend more? Of course we could, but we can't. Unless you're a council.  Even if a council could say "look at what all that money got you, look at the gold plating and the shiny baubles and the tens of thousands who have flocked to our region because of our expenditure", but they can't say that because none of that has happened.  15% doesn’t buy you utopia. It merely sets you up for another 15% next year because councils know a sucker when they see one.  So, cap those rates and can those councils. It might well be the most popular thing this central Government does in three years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s largest bank is lending less cash to businesses than it was half a decade ago.  Figures from the Reserve Bank show a softening across all bank business lending since the pandemic, with ANZ the only one going backwards.  The overall growth rate across all banks has slowed to just 1.5%, down from 6% in 2013.   ANZ CEO Antonia Watson told Mike Hosking much of the drop is caused by a decrease in lending to commercial property.  She says their decision was to support their existing customers through rising interest rates and tougher circumstances as opposed to taking on new customers.   However, she confirmed the bank is back to taking on new customers.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 24th of June, our golden visa has done better in the last few months than it had under two and a half years of Labour. People want to come here, and they are bringing millions of dollars with them.  Local Government NZ respond after Christopher Luxon and Shane Jones proposed getting rid of regional councils.  All Blacks coach Scott Robertson tells Mike what he's been doing during the offseason and his expectations for the 2025 season.  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.

Scott Robertson has called up five new faces for his first All Blacks class of 2025, with his 35-man squad for next month’s series against France named.  All Blacks regulars Dalton Papali'i, Ethan Blackadder and David Havili have been left out of the squad instead.  The trio’s exclusion comes with the inclusion of Ollie Norris, Brodie McAlister, Fabian Holland, Timoci Tavatavanawai, and Du'Plessis Kirifi.  Coach Scott Robertson says it wasn't easy to leave out players like Papali'i, Blackadder, and Havili.  He told Mike Hosking that you need to give opportunities to players over this period of time and get to know what they’re going to be like in action.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The leader of the country's local government association says there's global evidence a rates caps can have detrimental effects.  The Government's mulling a cap as part of its wider reform to refocus local government.  Sam Broughton —Mayor of Selwyn District Council and Local Government NZ President— says if core infrastructure like water and transport aren't included in a cap, it can lift a council's borrowing costs.  He told Mike Hosking Australia is seeing the negatives: New South Wales has a cap, and has seen higher rates increase than those states without one.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US and UK law enforcement will soon be using a New Zealand-developed strategy to help boost police performance.  Vantaset utilisises research into people’s breaking points to assist elite athletes in performing their personal bests, at a rate of 87%   Now they’ve signed long-term deals with global law enforcement agencies to reengage frontline officers.  Founder and CEO Craig Steel told Mike Hosking that agencies such as the police understand the performance of their people is really critical for their success.  He says they’re really looking for better ways to be able to engage their people and ultimately help them deliver the outcomes that matter.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The application process for New Zealand's 'golden visa' scheme' is firing up and going strong.   The Government's confirmed almost 200 applications have been received from overseas investors since settings loosened in April.   Queen City Law Managing Director Marcus Beveridge told Mike Hosking he's predicting a tsunami of capital into our little economy.   He says he wouldn't be surprised if we don't exceed $10 billion a year from immigration alone, and with those migrants bringing more money, we could end up with up to $30 billion per annum.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First says the country can no-longer afford a drawn-out Treaty settlement with the largest iwi.   The party's drafting legislation to require a single settlement with Ngāpuhi, rather than multiple agreements.   However, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith has signalled he's open to settlements with smaller groups within iwi.  NZ First MP Shane Jones told Mike Hosking the $20 million process is holding up Whangarei Hospital redevelopments.   He says one group is hijacking the claim by introducing notions of sovereignty at the cost of the taxpayer.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you didn’t know, ACC is in some fiscal trouble again. This isn't new. ACC has been in trouble for years. Last year, 1.6 million of us managed to do something to ourselves which involved money - $4.5 billion dollars worth. That's just on rehab. The total is $7 billion paid out. It's an astonishing amount of money - and the problem is what we pay in doesn’t cover what goes out. ACC run a scheme whereby money is invested in the hope the returns offset the bills. I personally pay thousands a year and have done for decades. To this day I have never claimed a cent. The original idea was a no-faults scheme, as opposed to a U.S style scheme where we lay blame and get lawyers. 16,000 people did something to themselves in the garden last year and claimed millions. Previously physio has been the issue. When does physio stop? Who knows, but let's have another three sessions while we decide. Go to any doctor with anything that hurts and the first thing they do is start tapping away on the ACC claim. Like most of these altruistic ideas somewhere along the way we lost the plot. It might be that we need to tidy this up. Foolishly perhaps, I have always seen ACC as work related. If you injure yourself and can't work, this is its value. Not if you cut your finger pruning hydrangeas. We had a family member who was off work for months, I think too many months. They wouldn’t let him back even though he wanted to go back. But they kept saying "oh, just in case". I wonder if there is too much "just in case". The risk payments work to a degree. 40 percent of payouts are in construction, manufacturing, agriculture and fishing. I pay as a journalist, even though I'm not a journalist, but they can't work out what I am or how to charge me. Part of a journalist's risk is being in a war zone. I can tell you journalists generally in New Zealand don’t go to war zones. Anyway, 1.6 million people with two million claims and all up it cost $7 billion. In barely over two years basically every single one of us makes a claim. That's not right, it's not normal and it's why they can't pay their way. The system doesn’t work. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking that ongoing strikes and counter-strikes won't lead to a resolution.  He says all the parties need to get around the table and negotiate a way forward, although that will be very difficult.  The Prime Minister said, “You’ve got to be able to get the parties around the table and have a negotiation.”   This comes ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to the Netherlands, where he will meet with the Dutch Prime Minister and leaders of NATO. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 23rd of June, we go to the US after they got involved in Iran and Israel's war and talk to Winston Peters about NZ's stance on it. The Prime Minister has touched down in Belgium for a NATO meeting but had time to talk to us about Iran, councils and hundreds of millions of dollars of deals done in China. Andrew Saville and Jason Pine cover the big weekend of sports - the Crusaders win, the Warriors loss and Peter Burling's big move. 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.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters joined Mike Hosking this morning to discuss the developing situation in Iran. The Foreign Minister said he wants to “get a proper analysis” before discussing how effective Operation Midnight Hammer was at destroying Iranian nuclear facilities.  “One of the first victims of war is truth, and boy, have we seen it.”   The Foreign Minister also discussed the Kiwis stuck in the regions, and that it is “New Zealand character” to bring them home safely.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US forces have executed operation “Midnight Hammer” - a bombing raid targeting Iranian nuclear development sites.  The US government has claimed an “obliteration” of Iranian Nuclear assets. However, analysts are skeptical of the actual level of damage dealt.   Senior Fellow at the Defence Priority in Washington Gil Barndollar says, “These strikes are unlikely to have destroyed everything,”   He said that it’s likely Iran would have moved key nuclear components from the raid targets, meaning they would be able to recover from the raid faster than the US would expect.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s largest industrial development ever is about to begin in Invercargill.  Mike Hosking spoke to the general manager of the project Ben Murphy this morning, who said the project is making progress.  “We do have a fully zoned sight there, which is the key unlocker for this project.” Ben Murphy told Mike Hosking this morning.   Although progress has been made, the project must secure occupiers before the project breaks ground.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global oil prices are forecast to increase in the wake of US airstrikes against Iran.  Greg Smith from Devon Funds Management told Mike Hosking analysts are forecasting a rise in oil prices, from anywhere from 5% to 70%.  Currently, oil prices sit at around $75 per barrel. But Smith warns prices could rise to $130 a barrel.  The increasing cost of food around the world was also discussed this morning as the price of rice in Japan has doubled due to inflation.   LISTEN ABOVESee 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.    Good ideas: 7/10  Not a bad week. Monthly inflation data, the census scrapped, the Housing Minister to overrule council and health targets improving. Things feel a bit like they're moving.    The Crusaders: 7/10  A great comeback story for Rob Penney, who was vilified a year ago, on the verge of being a hero this weekend.    Nico Porteous: 7/10  Story of the week in some ways for me. Living his dream, charting his destiny, and mature beyond his years. I wish him well.    Venice: 3/10  They're protesting the Jeff Bezos wedding. He has booked the place out, he is throwing money at the joint, and they are a tourist town. What is it you want?    Radio NZ: 4/10  They're looking for people to quit and that, sadly, is what you get when the Willie 'Snake Oil' Jackson rolls his circus into town to hand out lollies that can never be real.    The world: 4/10  It’s a mess, isn't it? This time last week yet another war started and where traditionally we have a country and a leader that rises to the occasion, sadly these days there's no such luck. He's too busy launching his gold phone.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think this was the move of the week.  Housing Minister Chris Bishop dropped the bombshell on local body operators that the Government has decided to give him the power to intervene around housing in local body decision making.  Mind you, we could argue scrapping the calamitous Census was a good move, and indeed I'm a massive fan of reporting inflation data on a monthly basis, which sort of makes us look like a first world country. These are all good decisions.  But as regards councils and housing, in the broader interests of this small country finally getting its fiscal act together, this move cannot come soon enough.  The simple truth is we are over councilled. We have ludicrous numbers of local do-gooders in a vast array of fiefdoms making decisions that may, or may not, make any sense locally, far less incorporating themselves into the bigger national picture.  Part of the problem is too often councils have not been up to much. Too many councils are littered with acrimony and in-fighting, progress is stalled, or watered down, or major work is ignored in favour of more headline grabbing material that makes the local representatives look good.  Not all of course, but too many.  From Tauranga, to Wellington, to Christchurch, to Invercargill; the infighting and dysfunction has become legendary.  What you can say about central Government that you can't say about local Government is most of us took part in the democratic process and as a result this Government, rightly or wrongly, has a mandate to get on and do stuff.  Mainly, stuff that got cocked up by the previous Government.  If there has been a constant theme of this current Government, even from its broad-based supporters, it is that they haven't done as much as they might have.  They have plans and ideas and announcements and KPIs. What they don't have is a vast array of results.  They don't have tangible things that have been changed leading to us quite clearly being better off.  With the Bishop announcement it would appear that message and the lack of traction is finally hitting home, and they have sat around the Cabinet table and worked out they have about a year left to put some major runs on the board so that election time is about delivery and not more promises.  The country basically is too small for this many councils and committees. A lot of decisions have major national economic implications and as such, central Government has, or should have, a say.  They will hate it of course. They will gnash and wail and moan about local democracy. But guess what? Big picture economic success is more important.  The big picture, generally, is more important. The national story is more important.  Christchurch learned this last week over their intensification scrap, which lasted years and cost them millions, that this Government is serious and on a central vs local head-to-head, only one side is coming out on top. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are early finishes to blame for the surgical backlog?  Surgeon Chris Wakeman claims that public health professionals won’t perform surgeries past the 4pm cutoff, causing backlog issues.   Health NZ’s Chief Clinical Officer Dr Richard Sullivan told Mike Hosking that early finishes do occur.  The rosters generally run until about 4:30/5pm, and he says that there are very few operations that can be done in less than half an hour.   He says they’ve been running weekend theatres to try get more people through, but you need quite a big work force to do that consistently.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Matariki this weekend, we’ve come to the end of a short week.  Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking to get their session of Mike-bullying in early – going after his expensive tastes, his lack of control over his life, and his special burgundy suede loafers.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest carbon auction was a bust.  It attracted zero bids, becoming the eighth auction to be declined.  The secondary market currently sits around $58 a tonne, while the auction price sits at $68.  ACT’s Climate Change Spokesperson, Simon Court told Mike Hosking it shows that industrial emitters, such as coal users, already have enough units in the carbon bank to pay for this year's emissions.  With the success of the secondary market, Court says it’s evidence the Emissions Trading Scheme and the carbon markets are working quite well.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Crusaders’ current Super Rugby season is like chalk and cheese when compared to the las.  They missed the playoffs in 2024, with just four wins in 14 matches.  In contrast, this year sees them host the grand final against the Chiefs – clashing at the Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday.  Coach Rob Penney told Mike Hosking the Chiefs have beaten them twice this year, but neither team is the same team as they were on those occasions.  He says it’s going to be another tight match, and the team that holds its composure the longest, prepares the best, and plays the best will be the ultimate victors.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 19th of June, what will our GDP number look like? It’s set to look quite healthy, but will that give us false hope in Q2?  The Crusaders are going to win the Super Rugby final this weekend, so coach Rob Penney is on to tell us how they’ll do it.    It’s a short week, so Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson get to have their Mike-bullying session slightly earlier 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.

A sleep-expert assures Melatonin is safe, but is still urging people to take caution.   Medsafe has given approval for the sleep drug to be available over the counter at pharmacies. It is commonly used to treat insomnia or jet lag.   Sleepwell Clinic Director Alex Bartle says potential side-effects are fairly minor, and long-term effects aren't fully understood.  However, he doesn’t believe it’s as valuable as it’s made out to be.   Bartle told Mike Hosking behavioural treatments are much more effective.  He says a 2017 study shows a person's total sleep time after taking the medication didn't improve, and says he doesn't prescribe Melatonin at all.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are concerns scrapping the traditional census won't deliver the desired results.  Stats NZ is moving to a system using Government collected admin-data, saying the current five yearly Census is financially unsustainable.  Census-style questions will still be asked in much smaller annual surveys looking at a small fraction of the population.  Former national statistician Len Cook told Mike Hosking data-wise, this won't cut it.  He says admin-data comes from about a dozen different sources, none of them complete.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The economy is expected to look better than earlier predictions.  Figures —due out from Stats NZ this morning— are expected to show the country's GDP grew 0.7% for the first quarter of the year.   It's slightly higher than 0.4%, predicted earlier this year.  ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley told Mike Hosking things are expected to slow through the middle half of the year.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now, perhaps the most startling thing of the news yesterday that our old mates at the state radio broadcaster have opened a voluntary redundancy programme, is that they've never done that before.   100 years they've been doing the business at Radio New Zealand. 100 years, never had a voluntary redundancy. Tells you something about how insulated the real world from the real world they are.   Mind you, I don't even know that's true actually, because Radio New Zealand used to be a whole different beast.   In my early days of broadcasting, Radio New Zealand encompassed commercial and non-commercial radio stations, and there was, I can tell you from personal experience, no shortage of carnage fiscally. The place was run by halfwits and we were permanently in a state of flux, if not carnage.   The most famous might have been a thing called Project Aurora, where we allegedly all took pay cuts – that was a scandal in and of itself.  So it's not like the media hasn't seen tricky days, and I think that's the ultimate point here, isn't it?   There's a tremendous amount of coverage of the media, too much, really. And if I can be a little bit blunt, a lot of the tough stuff in the industry is no more upsetting than the dark days for any number of industries.   Also, and this applies to Radio New Zealand, if you live in a false world, it will catch up with you eventually.   Yes, media like a lot of industries is changing, but then it always has. 44 years in and counting for me, I can tell you media has been in a constant state of change, if not upheaval – it's all I've ever known. No, it wasn't always Google or Facebook nicking the ad money, but it was video, or TV, or deregulation of licences, or rubbish management.   Having worked at Morning Report myself, you've never seen such a sheltered workshop of lavish staffing and indulgence. They enter the Radio Awards every year and apart from not winning, the joke in the industry is the number of producers they've got: 19. Are you serious?   For contrast, this show, which 1. wins and 2. has more listeners, has three. And that includes Glenn, which is debatable as to whether we should include him at all.   I wish no one ill will, don't get me wrong. I wish no one ill will. I wish boom times prevailed across the whole landscape. But equally, I wish people lived in the real world. And Willie Jackson handing out tens of millions is irresponsible politics, not a business plan.   Willie and his ilk, as always, never paid the price for this. The poor sap who took the new Radio New Zealand job will.   The money that pays for jobs has either earned or it's given. If it's given, it's always on a whim – in this case a political one. It is not their fault that Willie is an idiot. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Right, let's deal to the economy.  There were two interesting things yesterday.  The first was the food price inflation number showed it is not contained.  Why it is increasing beyond broad inflation is a many and varied thing, and the upside of these numbers is we can control them to a degree.  You don’t have to buy chocolate, given cocoa is through the roof.  You don’t have to buy butter, or a lot of dairy.  Vegetables are up, but that is seasonal. Seasonal fruit and vegetables are always reasonably priced.  Water though, which was the second thing, is not a luxury. Our bill arrived yesterday and, yet again, the price is going up, this time by 7%.  It's like rates and electricity – they're all going up and they're all going up beyond the band of inflation.  The trouble with this is severalfold.  Firstly, this in and of itself is inflationary and it isn't productive. In other words, we are no better off. I still use the same water, it just costs more.  Ideally what you want is more stuff done to produce the income to afford the bills. So if the cost of living is going up 3% and your income is going up 5%, we are okay and are ahead of the curve.  This, sadly, is not happening.  So we most likely have no growth driving the economy and yet we have increasing costs to operate that non-productive economy. That my friends is called stagflation.  So, can we control Israel attacking Iran and the oil price spiking? No.  Can we control the cost of the ship through troubled Middle Eastern waters? No.  But can we control, to some degree, this incessant cost-plus accounting that’s going on domestically by people who got the taste of price increases during Covid and basically never stopped? You would hope so.  This is a central Government thing, especially given a lot of these businesses, weather and power companies, water agencies, or councils have a major central Government input.  If the banks were right yesterday upon the release of the services sector numbers when they said this was an economy in recession, again, price rises in food and water aren't helping what is becoming an alarmingly large hole. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Moana Pasifika are downplaying their dependence on outgoing skipper Ardie Savea.  He will miss Super Rugby next year to take up a sabbatical in Japan, before making a 2027 return.  Savea is signed with NZR through to the end of the 2027 World Cup in Australia and will end up spending half of that cycle playing in Japan.  Franchise boss Debbie Sorensen told Mike Hosking that Savea’s contribution might look inordinate, but there’s a lot of things that go together to make the team work really well.  She says that he’s worked quite hard to ensure he’s not the single outlier, working hard to bring the squad together and mentor other players.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Mitchell's hoping to broaden relations with China in his role of Minister for Ethnic Communities.  He's in the Chinese economic capital of Shanghai with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.  Mitchell's meeting with the Kiwi business delegation today to plan out what they want to achieve.  He told Mike Hosking trade, food, and education are on the agenda.  Mitchell says they're all ambassadors for New Zealand, aiming to solidify a relationship with China.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's having another crack at mental health, allocating $36 million to suicide prevention.  Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey's unveiled a five-year approach for addressing high suicide rates.   The new Suicide Prevention Plan includes strengthening the workforce, targeting higher-risk populations, and improving community care.   But Mental Health Foundation CEO Shaun Robinson told Mike Hosking they remain in a very resource-constrained environment.  He says everyone will do their best with what's available from the Government, but a lot more is needed.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday the 18th of June, our food prices are on the way back up. Is it seasonal or is something happening behind the scenes?  Our health stats are slowly trending in the right direction, and Health Minister Simeon Brown also answers the question as to why surgeries in public hospitals don't happen past 4pm.  Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk Mark's lengthy trip over to China, scrutiny week, and the elective surgery load being taken on by the private sector 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.

The Government is delivering an increased number of elective procedures to try to meet patient wait time targets.  More than 84% of cancer patients are starting treatment within 31 days – 1% more than last year.  Health Minister Simeon Brown told Mike Hosking they want that up to 90% by 2030, and are working to speed up treatments.  He says they've swiftly outsourced nine thousand 500 electives to the private sector in an effort to get Health New Zealand moving faster.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's being suggested the pricey cost of our food baskets is great for the economy but bad for our wallets.  Food inflation has risen 4.4% annually, the highest in 18 months.  Meat, poultry and fish had the biggest increases, while butter, milk and cheese drove grocery prices.  Foodstuffs North Island CEO Chris Quin told Mike Hosking increases in foods like Kiwifruit and butter is fantastic for New Zealand's economy, but tough for households.   Quin says they're doing everything they can,  but they can't contain the same costs of energy and people. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's being suggested small businesses are finding it tougher to get loans than big businesses, despite being a safer option.  The latest data shows the compound annual growth rate of bank lending has slowed from 6% to 1.5% since 2013.  Small Business NZ Founder Phil Wicks told Mike Hosking most banks are making business hard.  He says lending to someone with skin in the game should be more attractive to banks.  Wicks told Hosking many banks assess loan risks like it was centuries ago.  He says there are small businesses with strong work ethics, no debt, and personal guarantees, still being declined  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump's recent social media posts hint at major escalations in the Iran and Israel conflict.   Israel and Iran continue to trade strikes, with at least 224 Iranians and 24 Israelis killed since hostilities began after Israel's initial attack on Friday.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking Trump's posts mean we could be on a brink of a rapid shift in the American role in the Iran and Israel conflict.  He says Trump wrote that they now have complete and total control of the skies of Iran,  which echoes exactly what Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu said in his most recent US interview.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Vocational Minister's hopeful students will flood back to polytechs after the model is de-centralised.  Staff-to-student ratios are still lower than they were in 2016, despite staff numbers being slashed by 8.2%.  Penny Simmonds says low ratios signal financial trouble.  She told Mike Hosking student numbers have dropped by 11,000 since Te Pukenga was established in 2020.  Simmonds says the Government's working hard to get student numbers up and viable again.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.