The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Now is the time to sell your business.  According to ABC Business Sales, the number of buyers enquiring about purchases is up 30%.  Demand is currently outstripping supply, as new listings are down 10% on last year.  CEO Chris Small told Mike Hosking much of the interest is led by migrants, and hospitality, services, and construction are the three sectors people are primarily looking to buy in.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Solar energy company Lodestone is expanding to the South Island.  It's constructing a solar farm in Canterbury's Clandeboye, with first generation expected next year.  It will generate 43 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity annually, similar to the company's sites in the Upper North Island.  Managing Director Gary Holden told Mike Hosking there are six more consented sites in their portfolio.  He says they're trying to build a solar farm in every area they can, to follow the populations.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Outgoing New Zealand Rugby boss Mark Robinson believes he's leaving the game in a better place than he found it.  He's confirmed he will leave the job at the end of the year, bringing to an end a six-year tenure that started just before the Covid-19 pandemic.  Robinson says he's proud of what's been achieved during a turbulent period.  He told Mike Hosking that the next six months are critical for their role both domestically and internationally, with both their involvement in the establishment of international calendars and competitions as well as the opportunity they have to reset the financial model for the New Zealand game.   Robinson likes to think those would both be signed off by the end of the year, and that in conjunction with his family moving over to Australia, makes him feel it’s time to move on.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A tick of approval for the Government's new tourism funding boost, aiming to generate an extra $300 million in spending.  Minister Louise Upston's announced a $13.5 million injection into Tourism New Zealand, targeting markets in Australia, the US and China.  It's hoping to bring an extra 72 thousand visitors over coming years.   Tourism Holdings CEO Grant Webster told Mike Hosking it'll provide recovery from the post-Covid hangover.   He says this is the most ambitious Government from a tourism perspective in around eight years, and looks forward to helping the economy grow.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's heading down a precarious road of corruption, with organised crime networks targeting our institutions and borders.   An independent advisory panel on Transnational Crime says we need to take urgent action.   It says police officers, immigration officials, and private sector employees are facilitating corruption.   Group chair Steve Symon told Mike Hosking they talked to senior officials in enforcement agencies, former gang members, and frontline staff.   He says the problem with organised crime is it's everywhere you look, and it's seeping into all areas of business which deal with potential for drugs coming into the country.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister says several factors are at play in making teaching an increasingly attractive career option.  New figures released to Newstalk ZB show the teaching workforce increased 2.5% last year – the largest annual increase since records began back in 2009.  First-time enrolments in teaching courses are also up, 6.3%.  Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking the Government's doing several things to attract and retain teachers.  She says that includes good resources, world-leading professional learning and development, on-site training programmes, and paying teacher fees.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government will allow a 'Parent Boost' visa from September.  It will grant parents of citizens multi-entry access for five years, with the opportunity for renewal once - meaning they could hold the visa for 10 years.  Applicants will also need to meet specific health, income, and insurance requirements.  NZ Immigration Principal Consultant Katy Armstrong says New Zealand's not always just a skip across the ditch. For some people its a 24-hour journey or more, so the visa's a significant move.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Price and Mike Hosking discuss the impacts of Scott Morrison’s COVID policies and support for Australian citizens. Morrison provided relief money for countless Australians during COVID to keep families afloat during the pandemic. A move he now says has led Australians to lean on the government. Price also discussed the use of Amazon to order machetes and large knives into Australia, and if the machete ban will work as the government intended. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are plenty of questions after an Australian naval ship accidentally blocked internet and radio services across parts of the country. It's understood the radar of the HMAS Canberra accidentally interfered with one of the shared spectrum bands that anyone can use free of charge. Intelligence expert Paul Buchanan saysoperational security was lacking. He wants to know why the Canberra was on a commercial band, given it's the most important ship in the Australian navy LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 9th of June, the Government is making changes to parent visas so will this actually change anything? Will it help bring in the people we need?   The Prime Minister is in for a chat about our ferries, our gas (or lack of it) and when some of the changes they've promised will actually come into effect.   Andrew Saville and Jason Pine cover off the Super Rugby playoffs, the Warriors' big win and the French Open final.   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.

Large-scale protests have erupted in Los Angeles in response to ICE deportations set up by President Trump to crack down on illegal immigrants.  The National Guard has now been deployed to LA by The President to assist the local police and riot squads in stopping the protests.  A third of the people living in Los Angeles were born outside of the USA, with many hailing from Central and South America.  President Trump has insisted that these deportation raids only target “hardened criminals.”   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Little guidance around how money is spent on principals' wellbeing,  is being seen as a key cause for excessive state-school spending.  A report from the Office of the Auditor-General - as reported in the Post - has discovered 54 schools were questioned for “sensitive” spending with no apparent educational benefit. In 2022, the Ministry of Education paid $6.3 million dollars to 524 schools, with principals able to access up to $6,000 dollars each for wellbeing. PPTA President Chris Abercrombie told Mike Hosking that there was little guidance on the money, which he says gave principals freedom to do as they see fit. He says there weren't many rules about how the money should be used at the start. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Hoskings and Prime Minister Chris Luxon sat down in the studio this morning for a discussion on electricity and gas in New Zealand. “The oil and gas ban was one of the dumbest, most insanest moves I’ve seen happen.” said the PM this morning. According to Luxon, New Zealand must steer back away from coal in favour of gas as a source of energy. “We’re the only country I’m aware of in the world that’s actually transitioning from gas to coal.” Which Luxon said is “twice as bad as gas.”  The PM says his plan for future-proofing New Zealand’s energy grid is essential for supporting planned datacenters and other high-energy usage projects.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The polling industry, whose only answer to fairly obvious questions seems to be “this is just a snapshot in time”, may have trouble explaining the past week of polling in this country.  There was one on Tuesday night and one on Wednesday morning. They have completely different results.  One has Luxon as the most popular leader.  One has Hipkins as the most popular leader.  One has National leading Labour.  One has Labour leading National.  One has the current Government as the current Government.  One has a new Government, with the current Government out.  It doesn’t get a lot more contrasting than that.  Even if you accept a lot of the numbers are tightish, some of the numbers aren't even within the margin of error.  It's almost as though the polls aren't accurate.  It's almost as though you could ring up 1000 people and get one answer, then ring up another set of 1000 people and get a completely different answer.  If you can do that, why would you pay money to people who will tell you these things mean anything?  At least TVNZ use commercial money to pay for this stuff.  Radio New Zealand, who seem to have taken over from TV3, use our money. And given they have just had a budget cut and given they are losing their audience at a rate of knots, I'm not sure this can be classed as quality expenditure.  I went to their website yesterday. The headline was "What the polls are telling us in 7 charts".  And there they were. There was lots of colour, lots of lines up and down, and squiggles.  But I already knew, given I had seen the charts from the night before, that either their charts meant nothing, or if they did mean something, then the other guy's charts weren't up to much.  Or quite possibly if we did this charade for a third time, they would both be exposed as having shonky numbers.  But remember: "they are only a snapshot in time". Except given they were done at the same time, they aren't, are they?  So what are they, other than a very large waste of time and money? 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.    David Seymour: 7/10  In Britain, debating as we speak. But last weekend he ascended to Deputy Prime Minister and gave an excellent speech about what our country can be. It was uplifting, and uplifting is good.    Chris Bishop: 7/10  Was at the music awards and expressed an opinion. People of the left didn’t appear to like opinions. That's not as uplifting.    Mitch Barnett: 3/10  Professionals get injured, but a season ender is a cruel blow, especially given this is our year.    The Waiuku raised crossing: 2/10  Because it's bollocks, but at least it's on hold.    Polls: 1/10  Joke of the week. Buy a dartboard and pretend it means something.    Six million: 7/10  Our population prediction by 2040. I like more people because more people brings growth. I've always thought we are way too small.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've struggled with a couple of authors this week – Jacinda Ardern and Jake Tapper.  What I struggle with is one of them is making money out of the fact they made an astonishing hash of their job, quit, bailed out of the country and is now collecting money for retelling what happened in a way that would suggest no carnage was left behind.  The other is making money by exposing what he watched unfold in front of his eyes for four years and really did nothing about.  I'm not sure who the bigger fraud is.  The Ardern book is widely traversed and has been marketed very well internationally. My wife showed me a snippet from Oprah.  Let's be frank: post WeightWatchers and Ozempic Oprah is not exactly reputationally untouched herself. She's fascinated with Ardern, and it appears to be around kindness. I bet you anything you want Oprah doesn’t have the slightest idea about how the country was wrecked under Ardern.  She sees what Ardern wants you to see: fragile, huggy people who run things with good vibes.  In the meantime, at CNN, I have no idea what Jake Tapper was watching between 2020-24 because we all watched the same thing. Except CNN wasn’t spending a lot of time saying "hey, have you noticed the old guy is getting worse by the day?".  Given that was CNN's job is it any wonder they rate the way they do? But for Tapper to then go out and monetise what he was already, allegedly, being paid to do, seems a new low of sorts to me.  But back with Ardern. In one review former Labour Party leader David Cunliffe runs the classic line of "I have a different recollection”. That's in response to Ardern's attack on him whereby she essentially calls him a fraud and how she couldn’t understand how he got the top job and not her mate Grant.  You had to, she said (probably in tears), question his authenticity.  Are you serious? Authenticity? From Jacinda Markle? The only bit of marketing that seems to have been missed along with the hand-wringing interviews on Radio New Zealand and TVNZ is some Ardern jam or cake recipes.  If she had just been useless, it might have been alright. Hopeless, but didn’t break the china.  But she wasn’t. She was dangerous, she was the pulpit of truth, she was a control freak, and she was a narcissist dressed up in Kate Sylvester pretending she wrote back to all the kids.  She wrecked the joint then collected the dough in Boston.  Tapper and Ardern made money for failing to do their job.  There should be a law against it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The public breakdown between the Donald Trump and Elon Musk is snowballing - as the Tesla CEO calls for the US President's impeachment.  Musk criticised Donald Trump's spending bill days after his departure from the President's administration.   Trump says he's very disappointed, as Musk knew every aspect of the bill and never had a problem until he left.   Musk's hit back, sharing a post saying Trump should be impeached and replaced by Vice-President JD Vance.   He also claimed Trump appears in unreleased Epstein files.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Hakesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking once more to Wrap the Week that was.  Newstalk ZB won big at last night’s Radio and Podcast Awards, claiming Station of the Year for the fifth straight year.  The Mike Hosking Breakfast also has reason to celebrate, winning two awards of their own.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Super Rugby Pacific playoffs are upon us.  The three-week series kicks off tonight, and the Chiefs are currently sitting in the top spot on the table.   They’ll clash with the Blues tomorrow night in the only Kiwi derby in the qualifying finals.  CEO Simon Graafhuis told Mike Hosking a good game can always be expected between the two teams.  However, when it comes to the finals, he’s expecting the Chiefs will be facing off against the Crusaders or Hurricanes, as both teams are tracking well.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 6th of June, the farce in Parliament over the Te Pati Māori MPs is over and we can finally get back to fixing our country.   The Super Rugby playoffs begin this weekend, so we need to catch up with the table topping Chiefs ahead of the only Kiwi derby in this round.  Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson celebrate Newstalk ZB’s and the Mike Hosking Breakfast’s success at the NZ Radio Awards.    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.

Positive news from the manufacturing sector.  Data from inventory management software company Unleashed shows that both revenue and profitability is up.  In the first quarter of the year, revenue across the sector was up 7.5%, and profitability was up 30% compared to the same time last year.  Food, beverage, and the building industry are the big winners.  Alan McDonald, EMA Head of Advocacy, Finance and Strategy, told Mike Hosking this latest survey just reinforces the trend we’re seeing about growing confidence in the sector.  He says all signs indicate things are looking much better down the track.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers say the Vape industry and regulators needs to show they're taking consumer safety seriously.  A study in today's Medical Journal shows more than half of vape juices have incorrectly labelled how much nicotine they contain.  Most of the mislabelled products had significantly less nicotine than advertised – some by over 50%.  Otago University Senior Research Fellow Jude Ball told Mike Hosking this is suggestive of widespread issues in manufacturing quality.   She says New Zealand has strong regulations about what can and can't be in vape products, so the fact nicotine levels are way off raises concerns.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inland Revenue's cracking down on unpaid tax bills.  It's been allocated an extra $35 million in Budget 25 to boost its tax compliance and collection activities.  The tax department expects to return an additional $4 for every dollar in the first year, and $8 in year two.  IRD Commissioner Peter Mersi told Mike Hosking it's hard to estimate how much tax is owed across the board.  He says they don't really know the size of the gap, but believes it's around $9 billion.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A focus on boosting our gas supply in the short-term from the Resources Minister.  New Zealand's gas reserves have dropped by 27% over the past year.   Last month, the Government committed $200 million to new gas projects following removal of a ban on offshore oil and gas exploration last year.   Shane Jones told Mike Hosking there's a lot of interest in the South Island, but new projects need to be well-thought out.  He says so if people make a commitment, their investment is protected from the return of unicorn, fairy-head ideas.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Satisfaction the Privileges Committee stood its ground over Te Pati Māori's viral haka in Parliament.   The harshest sanctions in Parliament's history have been handed down, with co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi suspended for 21 days.    Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke's been suspended for seven.   Privileges Committee Chair Judith Collins told Mike Hosking the committee was almost universally appalled by the demonstration and six months’ worth of hearings.  She says the committee's work was worth it, and it's about time Parliament realised the public is appalled by the antics. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keir Starmer has signalled a potential U-turn regarding the winter energy payments.  Back in March, the UK government changed the rules for the Winter Fuel Payment, so that from winter 2024/25, it was only available to households that received the Pension Credit or certain other means-tested benefits.  This made it so that only 1.5 million pensioners received the payment, down from 10.8 million.   UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking reinstating them looks like a defeat for Starmer, as it was his government that axed the payments in the first place.  He says the Prime Minister’s in a difficult position.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There seems to be increasing reportage, based around some new research, that our dream of being smokefree is up in smoke.  2025 is the year when we were aiming to be smokefree. By smokefree, it would have been reduced to 5% left smoking.  To meet that goal, the research says about 80,000 more people need to quit. They won't.    As always, the fact they haven't, or won't, is somehow the Government's fault, who haven't done enough. Or worse, this particular Government, who they say have been shocking, led by New Zealand First and Casey Costello who is a devil and in the pocket of the tobacco companies – or some such gibberish those like the Labour Party spend a lot of time trying to suggest.  Where it went wrong was twofold.  The first was the belief, and this was classic Labour under Helen Clark, that you could force people to do something they didn’t want to, and there were always going to be people who didn’t want to.  Where it worked, and we can be grateful, was in the public space part of it. No longer are you forced to inhale if you don’t want to, or smell like a smoker, or stand in a group, or be trapped by it.  But beyond that, once the hardcores were on the footpath, some were never giving up.  The second thing that went wrong was vaping, a shocking miscalculation that it was a cessation tool, when what it really was a gateway for kids. A whole new generation got easy access, and the slippery slope was never going to get stopped.  Governments could have nipped it in the bud but didn’t. They could have made vapes script only like Australia, but didn’t.  The Labour Party under Ayesha Verrall, a medical professional from the party who invented smokefree, hurled their best wet bus ticket at the vaping market. So nothing happened.  History will show they were out of the gates, Clark-style, with gusto. There was early progress on public spaces and a general change in attitude to the habit, followed by the predictable malaise and hardcore resistance, leaving us 25 years on with a change in society but well short of what was envisioned.  Good crack, failed on the follow through.  I'd give it 7 out of 10. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi Supercars driver Matt Payne has had a dream start to the season.  He’s been racing under Grove and Penrite, and has already racked up three wins for the season.  It’s had fans and former drivers raving about his prospects as a future champion and considering he’s currently sitting third on the overall ladder, he’ll be hoping it’s the very near future.   Two of his wins so far came in the same weekend, on the home track at Taupo.  “I think that was a pretty special weekend for, for all of us,” Payne told Hosking.  “Y’know, two wins in one weekend is pretty cool, and I think for me, winning at home, especially in front of the New Zealand crowd, it couldn’t have been any better.”  His other win came in Tasmania, Payne moving from his starting position in 10th to claim the victory.  “That was a pretty special race,” he said.  “Just how everything played out, as the tyres were going away, and just how close it was at the end... it definitely stayed with me for a while.”  “Pretty awesome race.”   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 5th of June, we're finally making ground when it comes to clearing the backlog in our courts. And when it comes to competition in the supermarkets, we might have good news too.  The NZR have their sponsor to replace INEOS - it's Gallagher, an insurance broker out of the US. NZR CEO Mark Robinson discusses the good news.  Kiwi Supercars driver Matt Payne has had a stellar start to the year, and joins ahead of the next race weekend in Perth.  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 Rugby have secured a new sponsor.  They’ve partnered with American company Gallagher Insurance, who’s logo will appear on both the training and match day shorts of all our national teams.  It comes two months after Ineos terminated their $21 million a year contract with the union.  NZR CEO Mark Robinson told Mike Hosking Gallagher’s got a deep connection with the sport, having been involved with World Rugby and the English Premiership, as well as already being involved in NZ rugby at the provincial level.  He says they’re connected to the values and ethos of the game, and they obviously feel that there’s a strong opportunity for branding, as well as business opportunities.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce Commission's making moves to level the playing field in the grocery sector.   It's found the big supermarket players are shovelling in billions of dollars a year through supplier charges and promotional pricing, which largely isn't reaching consumers.   It's proposed a simplified grocery code that limits the range of payments supermarkets can charge suppliers.   Grocery Commissioner Pierre van Heerden told Mike Hosking it's about taking away all the carve-outs.   He says smaller suppliers currently have difficulty pushing back against large supermarkets because of the power imbalance.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Courts Minister is chuffed at improvements to the backlog in Auckland's criminal district courts.   The latest Government figures show a 26% reduction over the past year, with an 11% reduction nationally.  Since April 2023, the number of jury trials awaiting hearings in Auckland has dropped by 8%.   Minister Nicole McKee told Mike Hosking she's confident they're making good changes for victims and people entering the court system.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good news for tourism operators in Milford Sound, as the Government rejects plans to ban cruise ships  More than $15 million has been invested into infrastructure and conservation upgrades in Milford Sound.  Cruise ships will also be allowed back in the area, rejecting the 2021 master plan advising against their access to the sound.  Cruise Association Chief Executive Jacqui Lloyd told Mike Hosking Milford Sound is an icon of a New Zealand itinerary by land or sea.  She says the option to lose Milford cruises would've impacted the industry in New Zealand.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament's picking up where it left off last month, debating proposed sanctions on three Te Pāti Māori MPs.   The Privileges Committee's suggested Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer be suspended for 21 days, and Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke for seven.  The three had performed a haka during a vote on the Treaty Principles Bill last year.   Leader of the House Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking he just wants the debate over and done with.   He says we need to deal with the issue, but it's a distraction from the need for economic growth, and he hopes it's dealt with swiftly at Parliament this afternoon.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Insurance Council's highlighting the tough balancing act facing the Government, over the Natural Hazard Commission insurance fund shortfall.   The Government is signalling a home insurance levy increase to help bolster the Commission's kitty.   Cabinet is set to decide on the changes in the coming months.   Insurance Council Chief Executive Kris Faafoi told Mike Hosking it's a tricky task when money is tight.   Faafoi says funds are necessary, as the commission provides the first payout, but increases will be tough given the current cost of living.   Levies could increase between $200 and $300 a year.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christmas came early for Tiwai Aluminium Smelter.  They get to do business. In fact, they get to do business in a country where you would have thought doing business is to be encouraged.  They have been prevented from doing all the business they can because they have a deal with their power company, Meridian, whereby they have to contain themselves if things are a bit tight in the old power department.  It is indeed a weird, old world where we revel in ideas like AI and crypto and data centres, and yet we don’t have the slightest idea where the power to make it all work is coming from.  Big tech is under pressure globally. It is claimed they have data centres running and using things like water in areas of the planet where water is scarce.  New Zealand wants to be a data centre hub, and yet we can't allow an aluminium plant to run to its capacity because it didn’t rain enough.  The good news is it has rained a bit lately so the southern lakes look solid, which means, they think, we might not be as pinched as we have been in other winters.  The idea that you aspire to run a power grid that is reliant on things you have no control over is a very modern version of insanity.  We need it to rain, we need it to blow, and we need the sun to shine. We have no control over any of these things so we convince ourselves we aren't idiots by thinking we will build options.  So if the sun isn't out, the wind will be. Or if it doesn’t blow, at least it will rain.  But when it doesn’t do any of those things, which it hasn’t, we need Tiwai and your average punter to take it easy on the cold mornings.  And that's with, right here, right now, hardly any AI, crypto not really being a thing here, and data centres at a minimum. Imagine how stuck we would be if we had actually got any of these things up and running?  Gas would help. But Labour stopped all that and our re-opening of the market is only just beginning. We really do look very 1987.  In the meantime, the coal comes in from Indonesia, defeating the entire purpose of the climate exercise of renewables.  Cart before horse, anyone?  They say it will all work out, eventually. We will have so much renewable capacity, and we will have all bases covered, apparently. Do you believe that?  Do you believe a country that makes its biggest power user limit its capacity every time winter comes around, really is a country that deals successfully in big picture thinking? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Politicians aren’t worrying too much about the latest poll results.  There were starkly different results in the latest RNZ-Reid Research poll and 1News-Verian poll – with the first showing the left bloc in the lead and the second showing the right bloc well ahead.  Labour’s Ginny Andersen told Mike Hosking the polls bounce around, so they don’t take them to heart that much.  She says in general, Labour is gradually trending upwards but they know they have more work to do, which is what they’ve been taking from the polls.  National’s Mark Mitchell told Hosking he doesn’t take much notice of them, as what matters is what happens next year heading into the election.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Foodstuffs North Island's facial recognition trial might have the tick of approval overall, but there's still work to do.   The Privacy Commission's ruled the trial was compliant with the Privacy Act and was successful in reducing harmful behaviour.    But Commissioner Michael Webster told Mike Hosking they're recommending Foodstuffs keep systems updated and review impacts of skin tone on identification accuracy.   Webster says there are still concerns over technical bias issues due to the software coming from overseas.   It's also made recommendations for other interested businesses.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Renewing existing infrastructure rather than investing in new shiny projects is the best way to go, according to a new report co-produced by the Helen Clark Foundation and WSP New Zealand.   The foundation claims 99% of the infrastructure New Zealand needs, has already been built.   Foundation Deputy Director Kali Mercier says renewals and repairs are much cheaper.  She told Mike Hosking one of their recommendations is keeping scorecards so the management and condition of major infrastructure can be tracked.  Mercier says that currently, just one of six central government agencies keeps a full asset register, and just two have comprehensive asset management plans in place.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Rugby Players Association boss Rob Nichol admits their members have been approached to join a new global breakaway club competition.  R360 —backed by former England international Mike Tindall— is set to launch in 2026.  The league plans to mirror the likes of sevens and F1, moving from port to port with events at major cities and stadia around the globe.  Nichol told Mike Hosking they've been across the proposal since last year.  He says that from a player perspective, it’s about waiting and seeing as competitions like this have to get through some pretty strong headwinds to succeed.   Nichol says one of R360's proposed calendar blocks from April to June is likely to face strong opposition from the sport's global governors.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerns bad investment choices in electricity generation will keep our supply unreliable.  Tiwai Point aluminium smelter is ramping up production reversing previous restrictions, to ease winter supply concerns.  Meridian Energy says the hydro storage is looking much healthier this winter.   Major Electricity Users' Group Chair John Harbord told Mike Hosking restrictions will likely be back in force next winter, without investment in firmer electricity supply like geothermal and hydro plants.  He says solar panels only generate electricity 25% of the time and wind turbines only create energy 40% of the time.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fewer people are behind on debt payments.  Centrix's May Indicator Report shows consumer arrears fell in April – it was the fourth month in a row where overall arrears were lower than 2024.  However, the number of consumers who are more than 90 days past due has risen to its highest since July last year.  Managing Director Keith McLaughlin told Mike Hosking they’re starting to see household budgets become balanced.   He says to an extent, it could be due to the dropping interest rates starting to flow through into budgets.   However, it could be a while before we see an easing in the high rate of company liquidations.   Company liquidations are up 30% year-on-year, with 175 recorded in April.  McLaughlin says they should stabilise in the next couple of months, before trending downward.  He says there's an increase in consumer confidence, meaning people are going out and spending more, which will create stimulation for businesses.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tourists are being told New Zealand is open for business.  A Government survey's found international visitor spending increased by 10% and contributed more than $12 billion to the economy in the year ending March.  But this is only 86% of pre-Covid visitor numbers and spending.   Tourism Minister Louise Upston told Mike Hosking it shows there's work to be done, especially targeting key markets like China.   She says we want our visitors to return and come back in the numbers they were.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK is set to spend more on defence.  Prime Minister Keir Starmer's unveiled plans to lift the defence spend, signalling it could reach 3% of GDP at the next Parliament.  He vowed to make Britain "a battle-ready, armour-clad nation”, and Defence Secretary John Healey says they’re in a “new era of threat”, which demands a higher spend.   UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking that although many understand the need for increased defence, it’s not understood where the money is going to come from.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If the headline is right, and I hope it isn't, the Government are seeking advice on what to do about Run it Straight.  If the Government is seeking this advice, they have been sucked in.  Unless of course they are saying they are seeking advice so everyone shuts up for a bit, because the whole thing has got hopelessly out of control.  We need to break the ongoing grip too many New Zealanders have with Government, or the ongoing spell that too many are under, that Governments run our lives and it is only Government that can do stuff.  Ardie Savea, God bless him, got it spot on last week. He spoke for all of us in trying to balance a sensible observation about an activity, while balancing the reason for the angst for the tragedy that led to the heightened upset around it.  What happened was a tragedy. But accepting that, we seem unable to separate out tragedy from Government, or accident from rules, or mishap from common sense.  We fail to recognise the most obvious lack of connection – Run it Straight the competition, the organised sport, was not involved in a death.  The death happened at a 21st party. As the Prime Minister pointed out, no law is stopping a 21st.  We want desperately to stop stupidity. We would like to find a way to prevent young men, mainly, doing dumb stuff young men do.  But as Ardie quite rightly put it, the athletic side of the activity is part of contact sport. We have all in our own way, whether it be bullrush, or league, or union, or MMA, all done something like it.  Savea and his brother did what many, many, many, young men do in backyards: try to run each other over. Why is his brother called 'Bus', do you reckon?  The heat I took on this last week when I said similar things was interesting. There seem a group who feel if they spray, or get aggro with a person like me, that makes them feel better.  Maybe psychologically they can absolve themselves for feeling helpless.  Tragedy generally leaves us helpless.  But looking to a government is pointless and a government looking for advice is even more pointless. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Saville and Jason Pine joined Mike Hosking to reflect on the sport that took place over the long King’s Birthday weekend.  They covered the Warriors’ latest victory, how Super Rugby Pacific is shaping up ahead of the playoffs, and the latest in Formula 1 and IndyCar among others.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hope there can be a turnaround in unruly Kāinga Ora tenants.  A Government crackdown has resulted in 63 tenancy terminations in the past 10 months - up from 11 in the year before.  Formal warnings have gone up 600%.  Litigation Lawyer Adina Thorn told Mike Hosking the figures are encouraging.  She says it looks like under this government, there’s been a big step up and a moderate to good response to the behaviour that has been going on in some KO homes across New Zealand.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Little has come from another round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. The two countries have agreed to exchange prisoners of war, including the sick and wounded, and those under 25. Ukraine has also launched large scale drone attacks on Russian air bases, damaging a third of its cruise missile carriers. Geopolitical analyst Geoffrey Miller told Mike Hosking this likely won't go down well with US President Donald Trump. He says he may see it as trying to scupper peace talks, as Trump's very much been championing the idea of talking and working out a diplomatic solution. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon says the Government's making its expectations clear when it comes to behaviour in social housing.  Kāinga Ora is formally warning seven times as many tenants as it was last financial year.  It's evicted 63 tenants in 10 months for disruptive behaviour.  The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking the enforcement action is sending a clear message about what is and isn't acceptable.  He says it's a privilege to be in a state house funded by the taxpayer, and unruly behaviour isn't okay.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first Kiwi has made it to space. Christchurch entrepreneur Mark Rocket has made history as the first New Zealander in space abroad a Blue Origin mission in West Texas.  With a New Zealand flag in hand, Rocket and five others reached 105km, experiencing zero gravity during the 11-minute sub-orbital flight run by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' space tourism company.   Mark Rocket told Mike Hosking it was an incredible and emotional experience that he would certainly repeat.   He says some highlights were doing flips mid-air and seeing the true darkness of space.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.