The Mike Hosking Breakfast

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.

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.