The Mike Hosking Breakfast

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.

There is a growing belief that NCEA should be abolished and replaced all together.   The Government is signalling that big changes could be on the cards - including the potential to ditch NCEA level one entirely.   Auckland Grammar Headmaster Tim O'Connor told Mike Hosking that there should be a simple examination-based system, to give benchmarking across the country.  He says NZQA would mark everything, so every student knows where they stand.  LISTEN HERE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rising inflation is hitting low-income households hard, but is expected to spark hikes to the OCR.  New data -- due out from Stats NZ this morning -- is expected to show inflation has risen to between 2.6 and 2.9 percent in the year to June.  ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner says households are facing rising energy and food prices.  She says inflation could surpass three percent in the year to September, but the Reserve Bank isn't likely to change course.  LISTEN HERE     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A suggestion has been put forward for more policy tweaks so infrastructure projects can be delivered in the long term. $6billion of infrastructure will get off the ground between now and late December.   Northern Infrastructure Forum Executive Director Barney Irvine says that will be followed by major roading and prison projects starting next year.   He told Mike Hosking that alongside increasing the workforce, there should be other changes to help infrastructure flourish.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ll tell you why I don’t like the money we’re spending on Sunny Kaushal and the Retail Crime Advisory Group: it’s not a good deal.  I haven’t got a problem with Sunny Kaushal, but he was offering his ideas to the Government for free.  If someone offers you something for free and you then decide to pay for it, that is a bad deal.  And it’s not bad coin we’re paying either.  Sunny Kaushal is earning $920 a day.  Between March 1st and June 10th, which is 102 days, he earned $95,112.  He can claim up to $920 dollars a day.  Now my sums tell me that means he’s been working and claiming seven days a week. For 102 days straight.  Nearly $100,000 for three months work ain’t bad.  Then there's the personnel cost of $330,000 for, what Sunny told us yesterday, lawyers and policy work.  That's work which can mostly be done in-house by Government departments and ministerial offices, who do this all the time, and have probably already done work on some of the ideas pitched by the retail crime fighting unit.  Frankly, at the cost of $330,000 I think we can all see someone’s taking the mickey with their bills.  Now, if you are offered something for free, why would you pay for it?  That’s how the Government gravy train works.  Good for Sunny Kaushal. If I was offered that much money by the Government for doing what I was already doing, I would take it.  But I expected better from National, given that we are broke and they are supposed to be careful with money. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The week has come to an end, and so Trish Sherson and Tim Wilson joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to Wrap the Week that was.  They discussed Woolworth’s latest promotion freebie and KiwiRail’s confusing ban on melatonin and sleeping medications.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wellington Phoenix are desperate to land a high-profile scalp when they confront Wrexham in the Capital on Saturday.  The Nix are keen to bury last year's disappointing 11th place in the A-League.  Crowds are expected to comfortably surpass 20 thousand.  Phoenix General Manager David Dome told Heather du Plessis-Allan that Sydney beat them 2-1 last weekend, and he knows for a fact that their academy is better than Sydney’s.  He says they’ll put out a very good team on the ground, and they definitely have it in them to beat the Welsh club.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 18th of July, new stats reveal that Jobseeker numbers are still rising – Social Development Minister Louise Upston explains the situation.  Some big sporting events are happening this weekend, with the All Blacks’ third and final test against France and the Wellington Phoenix’s clash against Wrexham.   Trish Sherson and Tim Wilson Wrap the Week that was, talking about Woolworth's prize offerings and KiwiRail banning staff from taking sleeping pills.  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 recent wild weather in Nelson-Tasman could push up the price of our produce.   Growers faced weeks of heavy rain and flooding that's damaged infrastructure, affected harvests, and disrupted supply chains.   There are concerns about saturated soils meaning growers can’t plant new crops, affecting vegetables like broccoli, lettuces, and spinach.   Vegetables NZ Chair John Murphy told Heather du Plessis-Allan the market responds quickly to shortages.  He says we will see prices grow marginally.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Robertson can no longer be accused of being timid with his All Blacks team selections.  Ten changes were made to the starting XV for Saturday's third and final test against France in Hamilton.  Ethan de Groot, Fabian Holland, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ardie Savea and Rieko Ioane are the only players remaining from the last run-on side.  Newstalk ZB’s voice of rugby Elliott Smith told Heather du Plessis-Allan that opportunities to test out different players and different combinations don’t come along too often.  He says the All Blacks still want to win the final test, but Robertson has to take these opportunities to find out a little bit more about the likes of Damian McKenzie on 10, Samipeni Finau on blindside flank, among others.  “You just won’t get them too often, and it certainly won’t come in the rugby championship.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A breakthrough in New Zealand's long-running trade dispute with Canada is expected to benefit our dairy sector, to the tune of about $157 million a year.  Canada's agreed to meet its obligations under the CPTPP trade deal to provide New Zealand greater access to Canada's dairy market.  It had previously refused to accept a dispute settlement panel's ruling in New Zealand's favour.  Export NZ Executive Director Josh Tan told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's an important win.  He says it's essential that countries follow through on their international trade agreements.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Social Development Minister says more jobs are coming to address the number of people on the benefit rising.  Ministry of Social Development statistics show almost eight thousand more people were receiving a main benefit in June compared to March.   As well, close to 81 thousand beneficiaries have moved into work in the last financial year.  Louise Upston told Heather du Plessis Allan the Budget included multiple incentives to create more jobs.  She says apart from the infrastructure pipeline, they're also giving businesses the confidence to take on more staff.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former Work and Income boss says the Government getting 81 thousand people off the benefit is a big achievement, despite the overall number going up.  Ministry of Social Development statistics show almost eight thousand more people were receiving a main benefit in June compared to March.   It follows the coalition putting new requirements and sanctions in place for beneficiaries.   Christine Rankin told Heather du Plessis Allan the increase is inevitable with the current economy, but the tougher conditions are the right move.  She says until Louise Upston came along as Minister, there were no expectations for beneficiaries to do anything.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Erica Stanford is this Government's MVP.    Once again, she is taking an inexplicably stupid thing in schools, ditching it, and going back to common sense.  This is something close to my heart at the moment because I have to make a decision in the next six months or so about which school we send our son to.  But I’ve basically already made the decision, and it will be the one school in the area that has single classes instead of open plan, modern learning spaces.  It’s the school his best friend from kindy is now going to. It’s also the school another parent I know has just sent their child to.  All of us are doing it for the same reason: we want to avoid open plan learning spaces.  We know, like most parents know, that if you stick a hundred kids in a big room and tell them to pay attention to the teacher in front of them, they can’t.  They get distracted by the loud noises coming from the other kids over there.  Why the Ministry of Education forced this in schools will probably baffle me for the rest of my life, because there is no logic to it.  No one who has kids, or spends time with kids, can really believe kids can concentrate and learn with 100 voices chirping all the time.  Which idiot came up with this? I’d love to know.  I tell you what, the legacy of this Government could well be that it finally turns around our up-to-now decades long decline in education stats.  That, along with the ban on phones in schools, and the hour a day of reading writing and maths, and the expectation that kids must pass existing standards, actually gives our kids a chance to learn as well as kids in any other developed country, like we used to.  And if that is what happens, given how crucial education is to a country’s success, Erica Stanford will remain as I see her:  The MVP of this Government, if not of the decade.  Or, of this generation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After more than ten years in the musical game, Lachie Hayes has released his sophomore album.  The Kiwi musician hails from the deepest of the deep south, blending rural blues, alt-folk-country, and soul rock to deliver a new wave of alt-country music.  ‘Subsatellite’ is an eleven-track album, produced by prolific musician and producer Delaney Davidson, filled with the colourful stories of ordinary people.    He joined Heather du Plessis-Allan for a chat about the rising popularity of country music and where his career is headed next.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could Roger Tuivasa-Sheck make another code switch in 2027?  The Sydney Morning Herald reports the Warriors great is a target of the proposed Rugby360 competition for when he comes off contract after next season.  The newspaper estimates the value of the offer at over one million dollars per season – double what Tuivasa-Sheck is currently earning with the Warriors.  Former Kiwis Captain Richie Barnett told Heather du Plessis-Allan this is a massive threat to the NRL.  He says they’ve always had to contend with competitions trying to recruit across codes, but the money and consortiums that are coming up now have too big a pool of money to say no to.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday the 17th of July, Erica Stanford continues rolling back bad education policies – this time we're getting rid of open classrooms.  The National Library is looking at getting rid of tens of thousands of copies of books, including religious texts, as they prioritise New Zealand books and authors.  Kiwi singer Lachie Hayes has a new album, so the Catlins-based musician joined to talk the rise of alt-country and where is career is headed.  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 believed new RMA planning systems will relieve at least 50% of unnecessary work from councils.   The Government is putting a halt on council planning work before the new RMA planning system comes into force.  It's also moving to force councils to focus on core services and may move to cap future rates increases.  RMA Advisory Group Chair Janette Campbell told Heather du Plessis Allan councils will still remain very busy.  She says it’s going to be a big job to get ready for and impliment the new system, and councils will not be twiddling their thumbs.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A belief the cost of propping up retail crime advisors is money well spent – and that's from a key member of the advisory group.   It's been revealed $500 thousand has been spent on the Retail Ministerial Advisory Group in the 102 days to June 30. Group Chair Sunny Kaushal told Heather du Plessis-Allan the group's coming in under budget, and money is required for their proposals.   He says retail crime is costing $2.8 billion, and if laws are to change, they need to produce quality reports.   Kaushal says the money's coming from the Proceeds of Crime Fund.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electricity companies could face further rules if the latest measures to drive down prices don't work.  The Electricity Authority's moving to require power companies to charge less for power during off-peak periods and pay more for solar and battery power during peak periods.  But it hasn't stated how much lower off-peak prices actually need to be.  Commerce Commission Chair John Small —a member of the authority's Energy Competition Task Force— told Heather du Plessis-Allan they're hoping competition will drive down off-peak prices.  He says they want to see how things go, but the regulator will need to consider further action if things don't go as planned.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Internal Affairs Minister's being criticised for allowing improper destruction of religious texts from the National Library.   The Government plans to shred around half a million books which include the Bible, the Qur'an, and the Torah, to save on storage costs.  Massey University Professor Emeritus of Religion Peter Lineham told Heather de Plessis-Allan religious texts should be offered to the relevant communities.  He says Minister Brooke van Velden suggested they can do what they want with the books because New Zealand's secular.   But Lineham says being secular doesn't mean being careless with other people’s beliefs.  Lineham told du Plessis-Allan religions have strict beliefs about how texts should be handled and destroyed - if at all.   He says only preserving New Zealand books fails to recognise our society contains —and is stemmed from— many cultures.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many principals are welcoming the Government's decision to scrap open plan classrooms as a no-brainer.  Education Minister Erica Stanford says all new builds will have more traditional layouts, reversing the decision from John Key's government.  Christchurch's Shirley Boys' High School's paid $800 thousand to transform its open plan classrooms to single cells.  Headmaster Tim Grocott told Heather du Plessis Allan they noticed an immediate improvement.  He says they're a secondary school teaching individual subjects, so individual classes for teachers is crucial.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m as interested as anyone on this mystery about whether David Seymour is in trouble over the letter he sent to the UN.  Whether the media reporting is right that the Prime Minister gave Seymour a telling off, or whether David was right that it was just a nice chat, or whether the media reporting is right that Winston is cross with David for sending the letter, or whether David’s right that Winston is fine and is basically going to send the same letter again, or whether Winston is right when he says that’s not true – I’m as interested as you are in what the truth is.  But regardless of whether David is in trouble, he was right when he called the letter "presumptive, condescending, and wholly misplaced".  I personally think he did us a favour giving the UN a slap-down for piping up on the Regulatory Standards Bill with their letter, which started the chain of correspondence.  In particular, what the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples got wrong is his assertion that the bill fails to uphold indigenous rights guaranteed in the Treaty, including partnership.  There is no partnership guarantee. It’s not in the Treaty. It was a judge's comment in the mid 80's and was subsequently misinterpreted to mean partnership.  He apparently also claims Māori have been excluded form consultation, which is again not true, because we’ve just had a full week of select committee hearings which included submission from Māori.  Both of these facts could’ve been discovered with a simple Google search.  Unfortunately for the UN this makes the case, again, for the thing being scaled back to what it was originally set up for: preventing WWIII.  They should get out of everything else —climate change, indigenous rights, advocating for wealth taxes— because it’s gone way beyond its original remit.  It's too political and it's frankly not very good at any of it. Just look at the fact that it hasn’t stopped climate change.  So thank you to David Seymour for giving the UN a well overdue slap-down.  Even if he wasn’t really supposed to. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Parliament sitting once again, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week so far.   They discussed the situation with David Seymour and his letter to the UN, financial audits for political parties, and Ginny’s 50th birthday.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sleep deprivation is worse than showing up to work feeling a bit groggy warns a workplace safety expert as KiwiRail moves to ban sleeping medications.  Its Chief Medical Officer has reviewed Zopiclone and Melatonin and found them incompatible with its safety critical work.   EMA workplace safety manager Paul Jarvie wants to find out what led to KiwiRail making this decision.  He told Heather du Plessis-Allan Melatonin isn't a sedative that lasts too long, and will probably be out of a person's system after an eight-hour sleep.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday the 16th of July, Shane Jones wants to create special economic zones for fuel security – with one at Marsden Point in particular.  Sonny Bill Williams talks about the animosity between him and Paul Gallen ahead of the fight tonight.  Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen discuss the UN letter, financial audits for political parties, and Ginny's 50th birthday 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.

It all goes down in Sydney tonight.   Sonny Bill Williams steps back into the ring for his long awaited bout against fellow footy star turned boxer Paul Gallen.  There’s no lost love between the pair, who have been wanting to fight for nearly a decade.  Williams told Heather du Plessis-Allan that hate is a strong word to describe their dynamic, but the animosity between them is definitely real.  He says that he’s not generally a trash talker, but if someone’s going to keep pushing, eventually you’re going to push back.  “I don’t consider it trash talk, I kind of just spoke some truth, and I think with this bloke, every fight he’s had, he’s made it personal,” he told du Plessis-Allan.  “But the reality is, all I’ve done is spoken some truths back and I think it’s riled him up quite a bit.”  Williams says the bout can’t come quick enough.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Medical Council's expanding pathways for doctors trained overseas to work in New Zealand.   GP registrations from the US, Canada, and Singapore are being fast tracked, and doctors trained in Chile, Luxembourg, and Croatia will be recognised as eligible for provisional general registration.   Timeframes for UK, Ireland, and Australian specialist assessments are also being shortened.  But General Practitioners Aotearoa Chair Buzz Burrell told Heather du Plessis-Allan 60% of international doctors leave after two years.   He says we need to work on retaining doctors and not being an immigration agency for Australia.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand airports and its national carrier may be suffering the winter blues in new data showing the punctuality of global air travel.  The June figures base its rankings on flights arriving and departing within 15 minutes of schedule.  Air New Zealand has dropped to tenth in the Asia Pacific region after sitting in the top five earlier this year.  No airport in the country cracked the global top 20.  Air New Zealand General Manager of Airports Kate Boyer told Heather du Plessis-Allan the seasons play a big part in this.  She says it's impacted by the likes of de-icing, foggy days, and storms throughout winter.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government wants to ensure local councils get back to the basics.   A bill moving through Parliament would require councils to financially refocus their core services.  The Government wants councils to give more value to ratepayers.   Local Government Minister Simon Watts told Heather du Plessis-Allan anything could be defined as "wellbeing".   He says because of lack of clarity on council responsibilities, any activity is in scope, which is bad news for ratepayers.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.