The Mike Hosking Breakfast

An opinion new health and safety regulatory reforms is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.  The Government's change makes clear landowners won’t be responsible if people are injured on their property, while doing recreational activities.  Fault will lie with the organisations running them.  It used the prosecution of the company that grants access to White Island after it erupted as one reason for the change.  Health and Safety Lawyer Grant Nicholson told Mike Hosking that's the only example of the law getting muddy.  He says ultimately the court did its job —with the company later acquitted— and the law worked as intended.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I sort of hinted at this the other day when the monitor for the Wellington City Council put out his second report.  My question was, given there was leaking and dysfunction and the punter was at their wits end, what now for Wellington?  Do we just get more reports?  Well, lo and behold, another Wellington operation has their own monitor in the form of the Commerce Commission who have been brought in to oversee the mess at Wellington Water.  The Minister has not seen any improvement, there's been no real change and unless stuff happens, there are rate rises galore for no real gain.  So once again we can ask, what do the Commerce Commission do? Do they write reports too?  If those reports tell us the place is still a shambles, how many reports does it take for someone, somewhere, to actually fire up a bit of action?  I can also add, and this is an overarching observation, just how dysfunctional does Wellington need to get before it literally implodes on itself?  The electorate changes last week were all in Wellington. Why? Because people have left and, to be frank, who can blame them?  Then we come to Tamatha Paul, who made what most observers seemed to suggest was one of the most extraordinary comments about police anyone had ever heard.  Her good friends in Labour called them stupid. The Prime Minister called her insane.  Yet she holds an electorate. The good people of Wellington central, and by no small margin I might add, looked at her credentials and decided they liked her enough to vote for her.  So Wellington, what's the story?  What level of madness and dysfunction are you willing to tolerate before change comes? Is change ever coming? Do you actually want change?  Do you mind paying a lot more than you need to for stuff that doesn’t work? Is a crummy council, a lot of broken pipes and a mad MP OK, as long as your cycleways are fun to ride on?  Oh, did I mention the trains?  You can't beat Wellington on a good day.  When, Wellington, was your last good day and why are you putting up with it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce Commission and Auckland Airport's latest interactions are being seen as a sign regulation is working.  Auckland Airport isn't lifting its airline charges for the next two years as much as intended, after the commission's report showed their targeted returns were too high.   The report also found the airport's multi-billion dollar infrastructure investment plan is appropriate.  CEO Carrie Hurihanganui told Mike Hosking they said last year that if the commission continued to see a difference between the returns they targeted and what they received, they would change it, and they did.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joseph Parker’s next fight is still up in the air.   The Kiwi boxer was set to challenge Daniel Dubois for the IBF Heavyweight belt, before pulling out last-minute on medical advice.   Since then, Parker has called out Oleksandr Usyk, but Dubois may be first in line for that fight.  Parker told Mike Hosking that there’s a lot of different ways the timeline could play out.  He says he has no idea what’s happening next, and for now, is just focused on training, spending time with family, and finding a good balance in life.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 1st of April, Winston Peters has revealed the new ferry deal. The majority seem reasonably happy – now its time to hit the targets for cost and timing.   People will be able to call up a hotline to complain about excessive road cones. Presumably nothing can go wrong with that...  And Kiwi boxer Joseph Parker is in studio to tell us his future plans and how he ideally sees his career panning out over the next two years.    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.

There's a view that the ferry deal timeline is optimistic.   Rail Minister Winston Peters has announced two road and rail-enabled ferries and upgrades to port infrastructure will be rolled out late in 2029.   Former Chair of the Ferry Ministerial Advisory Group Mark Thompson told Mike Hosking that will be a challenge with current conditions.   He says there's an influx of orders for ship builder, which could jeopardise the timeline.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The coalition is showing unity on the Cook Strait ferry deal.   Rail Minister Winston Peters has announced two road and rail-enabled ferry and port infrastructure to be delivered by 2029.   Finance Minister Nicola Willis had a plan, but it wasn't confirmed whether those were rail-enabled or not.   Peters told Mike Hosking the fact that a new plan is on the table, isn't being critical of her.  He said that when they brought a new option to the table, Willis had enough wisdom to say they should see if it’s possible.  Peters is standing firm in his criticism of Green MP Benjamin Doyle's historical Instagram posts.  The Greens says they're screening an immense volume of abuse, including death threats towards Doyle, over Doyle's old social media posts with sexually suggestive captions.  The party is accusing Peters of "fanning the flames of hatred".  Peters told Mike Hosking that's not true.  He says thousands and thousands of people from the rainbow community are supporting what he's saying.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank appears to have caved to pressure with its decision to review its capital requirements.  The central bank introduced stricter rules in 2019, requiring banks to hold capital to buffer them against a 1-in-200-year financial crisis.   The rules have been criticised for driving up lending costs.  Former Reserve Bank economist Michael Reddell told Mike Hosking there's been a clear appetite for change.  He says the Reserve Bank has "read the tea leaves", including criticism it's faced from banks, businesses, and Finance Minister Nicola Willis herself.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bad news for France's National Rally party as leader Marine Le Pen's been barred from running for office for five years.  She's been found guilty of embezzling European Union Funds to finance the party.  Le Pen will be ineligible to run in the 2027 presidential election.  Paris Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking there's no one else in the party with the energy to run a successful campaign.  She says voters are voting for her, as all the far-right parties have a clan at the centre of them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A pledge to "bring back common-sense" to New Zealand's approach to workplace health and safety.  The Government confirms small businesses will only need to manage risks relating to death or serious injury to reduce compliance costs.   It's also planning a telephone hotline to report excess road cone use.  Minister-in-Charge, Brooke van Velden told Mike Hosking most companies are happy with the core of the Workplace Safety Act, but don't know how to comply.  She says the Government will clarify it so businesses can focus on its critical risks, rather than posters warning of a hot water tap or staircase.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian election has been called for 3 May and the polls have swung in favour of Labor.  Cost of living is going to the booths with voters and Anthony Albanese's Government is promising tax cuts.  Peter Dutton needs to win 22 seats to get a majority government.  Australian Correspondent Steve Price talks to Mike Hosking about the election and why barbecues are banned in Victoria, See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 31st of March, we talk the dud that was the supermarket announcement and how the current big players are reacting. The Prime Minister has switched his regular slot to a Monday and talks supermarkets, ferries and the servicing of our Air Force planes. Andrew Saville and Jason talk Moana Pasifika pantsing the Crusaders, the Warriors winning three on the trot and Auckland FC all but securing the premiership. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government says all options are on the table as Nicola Willis issues a six-week consultation to ensure 'all options are exhausted.' The announcement has been met with disappointment by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the six-week period is reasonable.  "Maybe other governments in the past haven't actually thought about things or been prepared to go as as deep as what we're proposing, but I think it's a good thing," he said.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ASB has seen some stabilisation in interest rates, the primary sector and rising consumer spending.  It comes as it was announced Q4 was higher than expected at 0.7%.  Q1 ends today, what will the results be?  ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley talks to Mike Hosking.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has said all options are on the table as Finance Minister Nicola Willis issues a six-week request for information.  Willis threatened to break up the current supermarket players, floating the idea of restructuring the two existing supermarket chains. Foodstuffs North Island Chief Executive Chris Quin talks to Mike Hosking about the announcement.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand Breakers officially have new owners.  The basketball team have a a majority owner in 47-year-old American Marc Mitchell.  Mitchell's investment group includes Leon and Stephen Grice, and Paul and Liz Blackwell. New owner Marc Mitchell talks to Mike Hosking.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Half of the Government's $400m savings target has come out of Heath NZ in the form of contractors and consultant spending.  The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Executive director Sarah Dalton says isn't happy about the cuts.  "This seems flagrant in terms of taking the short-term option, not looking a little bit further down the road," she said.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talk about teasing me on a Sunday morning.  At 10am we are told Nicola Willis is giving us the good word on supermarkets. She doesn’t like the industry - she's been telling us this for a year and a half. She is going to do something about the industry - she's been telling us this for a year and a half. So, Sunday was the day. Except it wasn’t. It was yet another diatribe about what needs to be done, what could be done and what might be done. There were more threats, more possibilities, more questions and more investigations. It was also a speech of hopeless contradictions. On one hand she was telling us how hard it was to enter the market at scale and how big that risk was. Then she was telling us this was a $20+ billion sector, more than tourism and dairy combined, and yet she clearly hasn’t stopped to ask herself if that big. Do you not think anyone who could, might have had a bit of a look at the prospect of entering it?  She talked of a player being able to grab 10%. That’s over $2 billion dollars worth of business. You don’t reckon someone, somewhere hasn’t looked at the prospect of $2 billion dollars worth and thought "I wonder if that isn't a bit of me"? To find out why we don’t have more competition, she announced she was launching yet another investigation. Then after six weeks she may, or may not, get Cabinet to do something legislatively. If that happens she wants to do it by the end of the year and get it passed by the end of the term i.e the end of next year. So an entire term in Government having literally not produced one more shop. As I've said all along, it may be we are too small for another major player. Maybe the niche players, along with the two giants, are what are market tolerates. But as for Nicola and her finger-wagging, if threats were results then we'd be getting somewhere. If speeches were shelves of well-priced food, the issue would be dealt to. But for a Government with an image of more talk than action, she didn’t do anything to help that reputation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump has coined Wednesday as 'Liberation Day', when he will roll out tariffs promised to free the country from foreign goods.  The President says he will impose 25% tariffs on cars and car parts made outside of the United States.  Tesla's are one of the only cars made entirely in the US.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold joins the show to discuss Liberation Day, and the death of Richard Chamberlain.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US consumer confidence is feeling the economic and tariff uncertainty, as Lululemon shares fell 15%, and inflation expectations are picking up. It comes as Kiwi consumer confidence is still challenged according to a latest read.  Greg Smith of Devon Funds Management talks to Mike Hosking.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Village Roadshow, no small player in the movie industry, this week filed for Chapter 11. They have been having some legal issues with another major studio. But they sighted along with that their other overriding  problem, the actors' strike. You remember that? It was more than actors, of course, it was the whole industry. Hollywood came to a stop for months as they argued over pay and conditions. Some of the pay and conditions were based around what was seen at the time as this frightening new development called AI that was potentially going to slash their work and income. They wanted protections. It was eventually settled but, and here is the really big question, at what cost? Hollywood has never come back and the movie industry has never been the same. Irony of ironies a lot of people lost their jobs. Not because of AI, but because they never recovered from the shuttering as a result of the strike. So given fewer movies were made, less income was generated, and the vicious cycle began. That was until someone like Village Roadshow could no longer go on, so they folded for Chapter 11. Chapter 11, if you don’t know is not the end. It can be the end, but initially it's about some protection to get some affairs in order and potentially get a rescuer. The lesson here is unionism. This is what this is. Hollywood, the film, and television industry is heavily unionised. It's one of those ideas that, once upon a time might have made a modicum of sense, but as the world and the workplace has changed and got increasingly sophisticated now presents as an old idea that does more harm than good. So they go on strike, the multi millionaire actors back them , food parcels are handed out, they pound the picket line, and they eventually cut a deal. Is that good? Not if you then go and lose your job, not if the studio then goes and files for Chapter 11. What's the point of that? What would you rather have? More money for fewer people? Or more people? Because that’s what unionism does. So, was the strike a win or a path to joblessness and business ruin? What do you reckon Village Roadshow would say?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.    Signalgate: 1/10  A good sign of how mad and dopey that lot are. A platform they shouldn't have been on, a denial that got blown out of the water, and an attack campaign that made them look pathetic.    The Warriors: 7/10  Not just two wins in a row, but two very good wins in a row - and a third on Sunday with the Tigers.    Liam Lawson: 2/10  Yes, it's sport and, yes, it's tough. But this is at the hard end of hard calls, that line between dream lived, and shattered.    Whangarei council: 1/10  They got hung up on fluoride, wasted any amount of time arguing about it, went to court with no money, and no budget, and lost and got pasted by the judge. Awesome work guys!    Lindsay McKenzie: 6/10  He's Wellington's Crown observer, who thinks the local body law should be changed so we get better qualified people to represent us. Give that man a medal.    Tamatha Paul: 2/10  Yes, the Greens are nuts. But Labour wants to run the country with them.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The most uplifting part of the week for me in terms of news was the combination of Winston Peters and his very wise words over diet and work.  The statistics department released the numbers of those who are working beyond 65-years-old. In fact, not just 65, but 70, 80 and 90-years-old.  For Peters, what made the advice so useful is you can argue he has never been more relevant and effective.  Age is one thing, but performance is another.  If you take the politics out of it, he would be the match for anyone in the current political game. There would be few, if any, that would question his work ethic, the miles he is covering and the effort he is making in putting us back on the international map.  And he is doing it at almost 80-years-old.  The trouble with age is we still focus on the number. Say whatever you want about Trump but he is a good 78-years-old while Biden was a very poor 82-years-old.  In fact, I am surprised that 65-years-old is still a thing. It only gets attention because of superannuation. There is an official attachment to the age – you get money for a so-called lifetime of work, you can retire, you are old, so you get a gold card for a ferry ride, etc.  The really upbeat aspect of all this is that it wasn’t so long ago that age in work was an issue, but for negative reasons.  Older workers were let go, they had trouble getting new jobs and roles for women of a certain age in Hollywood became a thing.  It all seems to have been reversed.  Dare I suggest it has been helped by the reputation, whether real or imagined, that the so-called new generation aren't really as interested in work.  Covid ruined a lot of us. Work-life balance became a thing. Work from home became a thing. Quiet quitting became a thing.  As more and more younger people moaned and complained and slacked off, the diligence, consistency and institutional knowledge of the older worker increased in value.  Winston Peters' knowledge and experience in Parliament is to be seen any Question Time you want to look. He runs rings around most of them.  He has purpose. And as the Asian cultures in particular will tell you, age is but a number and purpose is everything. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back on the air, joining Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that was.  They discussed the Liam Lawson situation and Bob Geldof – who Mike interviewed earlier this week.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand winemakers are continuing to make moves in the US.   Amid an uncertain market, we were the only nation in the top ten US wine suppliers to increase its volume last year.  Data suggests it’s the 16th year in a row New Zealand wine has reported growth.   Invivo Wine Founder Tim Lightbourne told Mike Hosking there’s big opportunities over in the States, with New Zealand wines being sold right around the country.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 28th of March, it’s official – Eden Park will be getting a revamp, and Auckland won't be getting a new stadium.  Kiwi’s trust in our public institutions is eroding over time – a survey revealing it’s at its lowest point since 2022.   Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson discuss Bob Geldof with Mike as they Wrap the Week.  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liam Lawson has had the keys taken off him at Red Bull and will complete the Formula 1 season with the franchise's Racing Bulls development team.  He lasted two Grands Prix before management decided to replace him with Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda for his home event next weekend at Suzuka.   The switch confirms widespread speculation.  BBC Formula 1 correspondent Andrew Benson told Mike Hosking the line CEO Christian Horner is running about “duty of care” is them trying to dress the situation up as best they can.  He says getting rid of someone after two races isn’t duty of care by any stretch of the imagination, and instead, giving him a chance to try and perform better would be.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trust is eroding over time in our public institutions.   The Acumen Edelman Trust Barometer reveals 67% of New Zealanders express a sense of grievance with business, media, government and NGOs – surpassing the global average of 61%.   Many feel overlooked by those in power and disillusioned as a result  Acumen Chief Executive Adelle Keely says it's a wake-up call for those in charge.   She says for the past few years, businesses have been the most trusted institution - but this year for the first time, no institutions are trusted at all.  Keely told Mike Hosking it's a worldwide trend.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says they've over-delivered on their promise to save money from public sector job cuts.  Latest Public Service Commission data shows the core workforce decreased 4% in the year to December 2024.  Public Service Minister Judith Collins says the Government's expecting to save $800 million by June – double the initial target.  Nicola Willis —the coalition government's initial Public Service Minister— told Mike Hosking the money saved is going into much better purposes.  She says it’s instead going into things like the Family Boost Policy, to support early childhood education costs.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The boss of Eden Park remains hopeful of convincing the Government to help fund a major expansion.  Auckland councillors have voted to back the upgrading of the stadium over the building of a new arena near the waterfront.  But Eden Park has yet to secure any public funding.  Chief Executive Nick Sautner told Mike Hosking work will now begin on making a case to government.  He says while everyone's doing it tough right now, there are opportunities for money to be re-allocated and invested in New Zealand's national stadium.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A review confirms better access to care should be a key priority.  Health New Zealand's released a Clinical Quality and Safety Review using data from the past decade.  It reveals the number of people waiting more than four months to see a specialist tripled between 2020 and 2023.   Royal College of GPs Medical Director Luke Bradford told Mike Hosking fewer people are also choosing not to access care, especially since Covid.  He's concerned there's been a drop off in immunisations and cancer screenings.  However, there is a belief the quality of care is getting better despite taking longer to access it.   Bradford says there's been a decrease in surgical complications and better experiences had by patients in the system.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The problem with Red Bull and Liam Lawson is several fold.  One, the most egregious part is, if the reports are true, that Honda offered another $10 million to get their man Yuki Tsunoda in the seat. This is not new, they have done so before but were rebuffed.  Two, next weekend would be the first track Liam had actually driven on previously. Red Bull would have known this when they hired him. To have two races on unknown tracks is pretty tough.  Three, they hung in with other drivers who struggled a lot longer than two races. So suddenly the harshness has reached a new level and probably reflects an internal level of panic given the performance of other teams.  Four, they know Liam can actually drive the car. They saw it, they tested him, and he can do it. So, they are not guessing. They took a punt on him but not a blind punt.  So, you then have to look at the damage you are doing to a young driver and his confidence.  Yes, he is still in F1 and yes, the Racing Bulls are improving on what they did last year, but he will never win mainly because Racing Bulls is a feeder team to Red Bull, so they are not allowed to win.  Red Bull also carry responsibility for building a car that doesn’t work. Even Max Verstappen, the driver of his generation, is having trouble.  So Liam goes to a mid-field team to do what? Hopefully perform well to then be lured away to someone who can offer the hope of better prospects.  As exciting as living a F1 dream is, turning up each weekend to come 13th can't be that much fun after a while.  The cutthroat part though is life. The good thing about motor racing is they have been in it since they were kids. They have been schooled in winning and losing and in victory and failure.  Liam has had Helmut Marko in his ear forever. It's a tough and unforgiving business. But that’s the keyword, business. They aren't in it because they like you, they are in it to use your talent for as long as you are useful.  The reward is if you're good you get rich, famous, collect trophies, buy a place in Monaco, and live your dream.  If you're okay, you drive for Alpine or Sauber, travel the word, and get moderately wealthy.  It ain't over, but your heart goes out to a bloke who was that close.  He seems sadly to be on the end of some poor management, ruthless ethics, and the cold reality of elite sport.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This summer was one to remember for the cherry industry.   Exports have hit a new milestone, surpassing five thousand tonnes.  The previous record was about 4,200 tonnes in the 2017/18 season.  Summerfruit New Zealand CEO Dean Smith told Mike Hosking exports were not only high, but also of high quality.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is there anybody who doesn’t know the name Bob Geldof?  Along with the Sex Pistols and the Clash, Geldof and the Boomtown Rats are attributed with changing the face of music.  A significant part is due to the Live Aid concert and Geldof’s activism – which is part of the reason he’s made his way to our shores.  Geldof has a couple of dates lined up in New Zealand, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Live Aid and the 50th anniversary of the Boomtown Rats.  The show’s called ‘An Evening with Bob Geldof: Songs and Stories from an Extraordinary Life’, and it’s a slightly different type of show than he normally performs.  Geldof told Mike Hosking that it leans more theatrical, with visuals and songs accompanying the storytelling element.   “It’s not something I’d normally do,” he continued.  “In the summer, as you said, the Rats are 50, we do all the big festivals and then we're talking off mic about, y'know, suddenly Bobby Boomtown's in the house."  "The sagacious quiet person you're listening to right now becomes something else.”  This show is set to be a bit less intense, Geldof jokingly warning people to bring a sleeping bag as the stories may go on for a while.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 27th of March, the banks are continuing to call for capital rules to be eased. But Massey University banking expert Claire Matthews is warning against it.  We get reactions to the new sentencing and drug driving testing laws coming into place.  Fonterra's CEO Miles Hurrell defends the proposal to sell of the company's consumer brands, like Anchor.  And the iconic Bob Geldof is the country for his stage show - so he joined Mike in studio for a chat.  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.

Fonterra’s elaborating on the details of their consumer brand sell-off.  The conundrum comes off the back of a monster half year result in which operating profit rose to 16%.  The planned divestment could see brands like Anchor and Mainland sold off.  CEO Miles Hurrell told Mike Hosking the key for any good business is knowing what you’re good at.   He says that over the years, the returns as an ingredients business have been stellar, but farmers aren’t getting the desired return on capital from the consumer side of things.  He says they believe they can get higher returns from investing that cash back into ingredients and food service.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liam Lawson's future at Red Bull in Formula 1 remains gridlocked by speculation.  Reports suggest Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda will swap with Lawson for the Japanese Grand Prix next weekend, joining defending world champion teammate Max Verstappen.  Lawson's opportunities have been slim on unfamiliar tracks in a new car thus far, one of which was in the wet at Melbourne.  Formula 1 Journalist Chris Medland told Mike Hosking Red Bull has likely decided to make a change before the situation becomes irreparable and damages Lawson’s confidence too much.  From his point of view, they should have had the more experienced Tsunoda in instead, as he has nothing left to prove and whereas Lawson still has more learning to do.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's confidence roadside drug testing won't pick up prescription drugs.  Legislation giving police powers to do random saliva tests has passed its third and final reading in Parliament.  Police should be ready to use tests late this year.  Transport Minister Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking there will be two tests at the roadside.  He says it will be testing for cocaine, ecstasy, and marijuana.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Law Association is calling the recent passing of sentencing law changes a great example of democracy in action. The new law caps the sentence discounts judges can apply at 40% and adds new aggravating factors. Law Association Vice President Julie-Anne Kincade told Mike Hosking issues raised —such as the wish to see the sentencing reduction proposals softened— were taken on board. She says many select committee submitters shared similar concerns, and these seem to have been reflected. But Kincade says they're concerned about how the new laws will increase the populations of our already full prisons. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A careful balancing act on how far banks should have to go to prepare for a rainy day.  Parliament's Finance Select Committee is currently seeking feedback on whether the Reserve Bank's capital requirements for banks should be changed.  The current rules are stringent and costly.  Massey University banking expert Claire Matthews told Mike Hosking we also can't go too far the other way.  She says if a bank fails, and there isn't enough money to pay people out, that will have a huge impact on the whole economy.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lindsay McKenzie is still busy at work.  You will have forgotten the name because like so much news these days, it's hot stuff until it isn't.  Lindsay is the bloke that was appointed to watch over Wellington Council because of their dysfunction.  He has just written his second report. His first report seemed sort of sympathetic. Yes, they were a mess, but they were decent people sort of thing.  His second report seems to suggest not a lot is getting better. Some councillors have continued their criticism of each other and they're suspicion of information being leaked, writes Lindsay.  He also says the community is at its wits end over infrastructure although most of that comes from the same complainers.  He has also noted since his first report there have been several incidences that have given rise to concerns about the organisations ability to function.  Now, the question I have is, given the place is still to be found wanting, what next? You might remember Minister Simeon Brown put this bloke in as the least intrusive option, as opposed to a full commissioner or set of commissioners.  So far, so bad. So, is the government going to do anything? Or is poor old Lindsay set to write reports for the rest of his life?  In the report though is a nugget of gold. He recommends a review of the Local Government Act in relation to the qualification for and capability to hold office.  Yes, yes, and yes please.  Let's actually treat these jobs as jobs as opposed to dabbles, fascinations or fiefdoms. Let's actually require people to have some skills.  The idea you can just put your name forward for a job of such responsibility is absurd beyond belief and when any idiot can have a crack, guess what you get? Wellington is what you get.  Let's get a bit professional, let's put a bit of heft behind the job, and let's get some talent in the room.  I have no doubt this is going nowhere, because why would you fix anything when you can ignore it? But if that was run with, Lindsay would deserve, if not a knighthood, certainly keys to a vastly better run city. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's admitted the gang patch ban hasn't turned out as badly as they feared.  The Deputy Police Commissioner has confirmed staff are pleasantly surprised at the ban's effectiveness, saying it's brought more control to the situation.   It comes as Gisborne police are given more powers to deal with gangs.   Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen told Mike Hosking the fact it's gone well is a good thing.  She says given fears haven't eventuated of frontline officers getting hurt, she can recognise it's gone better than everyone thought it would.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday the 26th of March, the national stadium debate is continuing to drag on - and Rugby World Cup CEO Martin Snedden is calling for some action.  The government has written to Labour and the Greens asking for cross party support for its RMA reform - Mike asks Chris Hipkins whether Labour will get on board.  And Mike loves the idea of people needing a qualification to be able to become a local councillor or Mayor.  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.

Employment confidence has bottomed out.  The Westpac-McDermott Miller index shows it's slipped to a level not seen since the post-2020 Covid lockdowns.  It's fallen in four of 11 regions —including Auckland— which dominated the national average.  EMA Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald told Mike Hosking business is still doing it hard, directly impacting the ability to hire and expand.  He says more than 60% of firms let staff go within the last year.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins says compromises will need to be made in reforming the Resource Management Act.  The Government's replacing the Act with a new planning framework, including rules around land development and environment protections.  It's seeking cross-party support.  Hipkins told Mike Hosking the country's administration can't keep putting infrastructure projects on hold.  He says that if there are projects underway, even if they’re not the administration’s first choice, they’ll keep doing them.  Labour also wants clarity around the Treaty of Waitangi's role in the reform.  Cabinet's decided on ruling out incorporating a Treaty clause in the legislation, despite the Expert Advisory Group recommending the current clause be carried over.  Hipkins told Mike Hosking they want to make sure Treaty settlements are respected.  He says saying you want to respect the Treaty but then saying you don't want to put it into law is contradictory.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A leading Australian economist says more focus needs to be put on productivity to pull Australia out of a deficit.  The federal Budget announced yesterday included tax cuts and cost of living relief for households.  HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham told Mike Hosking with big spending measures announced in the lead up to the election, deficits to the tens of billions are forecast for years to come.  He says the best way to change that is to boost Australia's slumped productivity, which is at the same level as it was in 2016.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief the bigger problem with Auckland's stadiums is not having the right sized venues.   Councillors are set to vote tomorrow on whether to back Eden Park 2-point-1 or build a new Quay Park site.  The latter project can be scaled down to 20-thousand for smaller events, from 50-thousand for big ones.  But Rugby World Cup 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden told Mike Hosking they can't keep putting smaller events like test cricket into big stadiums.  He says even if they build the new stadium and it gets five-thousand people to smaller games, they'll have the same problem.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Deputy Commissioner says staff are pleasantly surprised at the effectiveness of banning gang patches.   Rival gang tensions in Gisborne mean officers have just been given extra powers to search and impound vehicles and seize weapons, following eight incidents in a week.   Tania Kura told Mike Hosking the gang patch ban has been really good for them.  She says it's brought more control to the situation, with staff admitting it's probably gone better than they thought.   However, Kura says this doesn't mean they can rest on their laurels either.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

French actor Gérard Depardieu's gone on trial – charged with sexually assaulting two women on a film shoot four years ago.  About 20 other women have also accused the 76-year-old of improper behaviour, but this is the first case to come to court.  He's the highest-profile figure to face accusations in the French response to the Me Too movement.  Paris Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking his has been a long time coming.  She says he's such a giant in the industry, so the courts have shied away despite previous allegations.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June 2026 is not far off.  In fact, it's next year and next year is election year.  By that time, it is being reported, the interest on our national debt will be $11b.  Do you see how this works?  Not long ago the warnings were issued that it might reach $10b and at the time, it was pointed out that that is multiple times more than the Police budget.  That's just in interest. Once we pay the $10b our debt doesn’t diminish. It's exactly the same. We have gone nowhere. We've just kept the wolf from the debt door for another 12 months.  Well, the $10b has gone and we are now heading for $11b.  Why?  Because as the Finance Minister keeps warning, and she is doing this because the budget is close, the cost of borrowing is going up.  Why?  Because we are a greater risk. Risky people who want money have to pay a higher price. It's why credit card debt is more expensive than mortgage debt.  The Government sells bonds, they ask for money and in return they will give you interest. For you to give them that money you want a decent return.  The last time they put some 10 year bonds out they were paying 4.62%. That’s a big interest bill on billions of dollars.  Remember also that they are adding to that debt pile each and every year until they reach an annual surplus. Even if they reach an annual surplus, which they aren't going to now for years, all you have achieved is not adding to the pile of debt.  Even if you add not one more dollar to the debt, the debt doesn’t shrink. It demands another $11b from you to pay the interest bill.  The mistake that is often made is we look to other countries and go "look, their debt is more than ours", either in dollar terms or as a % of GDP. What isn't pointed out is how small and vulnerable and unable we are to grow our way out of that.  We owe a lot and ratings agencies, although not alarmed, are alert.  This Government were left with a shed load of debt from an economically criminal previous Government.  And that bill is about to hit $11b a year, or over $30m a day.  Every day, forever. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.