The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Shane Jones says Kiwis need to get over themselves as he looks to open mining on Department of Conservation land.  The Prime Minister yesterday defended his intention to grow the mining sector.  Resources Minister Shane Jones told Ryan Bridge if we want to boost the economy, we need to utilise conservation land.  He says the DOC estate is large and suitable for mining.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So we have an inflation number, which is better than not knowing, but it doesn’t tell us much. 2.2 percent for the year to December, no change from the quarter before it and crucially non-tradable inflation, the stuff we should have more control over domestically is sticky at 4.5 percent. Two main problems here, one for us and one for the Government. If the exchange rate keeps tanking, the stuff we buy from the rest of the world - like fuel and food - will get more expensive. And if that stuff gets more expensive, you know what that means, more inflation. Add that to your sticky domestic number and you may have a problem. If that happens, you watch the Reserve Bank get the jitters and hit pause on rate cuts. And then we all get the jitters and pull back on spending. Then we're riding this seemingly never-ending rollercoaster ride that is the cost of living crisis. The gift from Labour that keeps on giving. The other problem in these numbers is for the Government. At the election they promised rents would come down once they delivered landlord interest deductibility relief. I agree with them doing that - it was mad that Labour took it away. But they were wrong to claim it would bring rents down when rents are, by-and-large, dictated by supply and demand. How much the market is willing to pay for a 3-bedroom place in Mount Victoria is what the market is willing to pay. So now 80 percent deductibility has kicked in and guess what? Rents are up 4.2 percent in yesterday’s numbers. So not exactly what was promised. Now, to be fair, they’ll be hoping once the full landlord deduction kicks in and it’s given more time it may help. But it would only be at the margins. It is not and won’t be the main driver of slashing rents - and yesterday’s numbers proved that. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A strong relationship is being forged between Italy and the United States.  Donald Trump has called Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a “fantastic woman”, and says she’s taken Europe "by storm”.  Meloni was the only European leader present at Trump’s inauguration as President, and had also visited him at his Mar a Lago retreat in Florida a couple of weeks ago.   Italy Correspondent Jo McKenna told Ryan Bridge that she's positioning herself as the “go to” leader of Europe.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Kiwi actress is making waves on international screens.  Luciane Buchanan began her rise to fame in her teens, but it was the last few years where her career really took off.  The 31 year old was cast in Netflix and Apple TV+ shows in 2022, but her lead role in Netflix’s ‘The Night Agent’ made her a household name.  ‘The Night Agent’ was the most watched show on Netflix around the world in 2023, reaching number 1 in 87 countries.  Buchanan told Ryan Bridge that the sheer number of people watching the show kind of freaked her out, as totalled up, there’s been over 100,000 years worth of viewing for season one.  “It’s a little bit overwhelming, but it’s also exciting to be a part of something that a lot of people enjoyed, so I can’t complain.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Toyota Aqua has held onto its title for the third year in a row.  The hatchback is New Zealand’s most stolen car, making up 8% of all stolen vehicle claims in 2024.  New figures released by AMI today show the company received almost 12,000 vehicle claims last year, including those related to attempted vehicle theft.    Driven Deputy Editor David Linklater told Ryan Bridge that it’s likely down to numbers.  He says that they’re a hugely popular used import, so there’s tens of thousands of them on the road.  Linklater says they’re quite anonymous, very familiar cars that aren’t really noticed on the street.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 23rd of January, Kiwibank CEO Steve Jurkovich tells Ryan Bridge the OCR and mortgage rates will continue to drop after yesterday's inflation number.  We get expert analysis on Donald Trump's threat of tariffs and sanctions against Russia and Vladimir Putin unless a deal is done to end the war in Ukraine.  Ryan finds out why Canterbury is leading the way in new home builds.  And the second season of Netflix's The Night Agent drops today - Ryan speaks to the Kiwi star, Luciane Buchanan.  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.

Economic growth and recovery is expected to be front of mind as the Prime Minister prepares to address business leaders in Auckland today.  Christopher Luxon will share his State of the Nation speech, outlining what he sees as the country's challenges and priorities for the year ahead.  Tim Hurdle is a former National Party senior adviser and told Ryan Bridge it will be all about the economy.  He expects Luxon to outline what they've done so far and hopefully provide more certainty on their plan for the year ahead.  Political commentator Josie Pagani says the government needs to better articulate how we grow.  She says the Government doesn't want to spend more, doesn't have an industrial policy, and isn't keen on picking winners and interfering in the market, so it needs today to outline their theory of growth.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's scepticism over whether European countries would be willing to provide more security in Ukraine.  US President Donald Trump has warned of imposing high levels of sanctions, taxes and tariffs on Russia to try to force a ceasefire deal.  Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskky says any deal would need at least 200,000 peacekeepers on the border.  But Keir Giles —a Russian expert with international think tank Chatham House— told Ryan Bridge countries are worried about how much taking an interest in their own defence would cost them.  He says that's been one of the main concerns in Europe with Trump's re-election, and his promise he may not meet the US's NATO commitments when called upon.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest inflation rate is giving confidence to cut interest rates.   Stats NZ figures show the inflation rate for the year to December hasn't changed, sticking at 2.2%, well within the Reserve Bank's target band.   Kiwibank Chief Executive Steve Jurkovich told Ryan Bridge their two-year mortgage rate is expected to come down half a percent over the next few months.   He says it'll vary by term, but he thinks we will see rates around 5%.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's no surprise from the Christchurch Mayor that construction is booming in Canterbury.  The region's councils consented about 6,500 homes in the year to November – a fifth of the country's new builds.  The number of consents in Christchurch was also triple Wellington's.  Phil Mauger told Ryan Bridge there's been a billion-dollars worth of new homes built in Christchurch – half being units, townhouses, or apartments.  He says they're aiming for 20-thousand more people in the central city.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a push for the Government to focus on increasing tourist numbers to maximise economic growth.  Nicola Willis —the minister now charged with driving the growth agenda— is considering visa changes to pull more tourists through the door.  She wants to see Chinese visitor numbers back to pre-Covid levels. Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Simon Bridges wouldn't be drawn on whether increasing the international visitor levy last year was a good idea.  He told Ryan Bridge the sector has real issues, and if the Government's looking to get the economy back on track, visa issues are a start.  Bridges told Ryan Bridge incentivising airlines could be the answer.  He says there's nearly as many flights coming in from China as the US.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent UK health trend is growing in popularity for Kiwis.  Zebra striping means alternating between alcohol and a no or low-alcohol drink while socialising.  Independent consumer research found that 55% of Kiwi respondents said they've drunk low-alcohol beverages in the past year.  Alcohol Beverages Council Executive Director Virginia Nicholls told Ryan Bridge the growth of these drinks is being driven by a trend of moderation.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 22nd of January, the latest inflation data is coming out today, so how will that shape us for 2025?  Marco Rubio's former chief of staff Matt Terrill gives his take on the first 24 hours of Donald Trump as well as Rubio being sworn in as the new Secretary of State.  Ginny Andersen flies solo on Politics Wednesday, discussing the cost of living, the latest political poll, and the Treaty Principles Bill submissions.   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.

Labour has eked ahead in the polls as the cost of living crisis bites.  The latest Taxpayers' Union Curia poll has Labour overtaking National, the latter falling to 29.6%, against Labour's four percentage point jump, to 30.9%.  Ginny Andersen told Ryan Bridge that it’s an indication the economy is biting.  She says that New Zealanders aren’t really getting what they voted for, and that’s coming through in the polls.   Health is the other big ticket issue impacting the polls, Andersen says, which is why Luxon is trying to head it off by putting Simeon Brown in charge of the portfolio.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The dairy sector's upbeat heading into the new year.  Dairy prices are up 1.4% at the latest Global Dairy Trade auction, while Fonterra's still predicting farmgate milk prices to reach a record $10.50 midpoint this year.  New Zealand's milk production in 2024 was also the highest in five years.  Fonterra co-operative council chair, John Stevenson told Ryan Bridge it's looking really positive from an on-farm perspective.  He says supplementary feed supplies, silage, and crops have had a good start to summer.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new Cabinet's awaiting confirmation to drive home Donald Trump's vision for America.  Trump's four year presidential term has officially begun, and he's already signed scores of executive actions concerning immigration, diversity protections, and the environment.  The first of his Cabinet nominees, Marco Rubio has also been confirmed as Secretary of State.   Rubio's former chief of staff Matt Terrill told Ryan Bridge Rubio has his hands full with the complex foreign policy environment, but there's no one better equipped for the job.   He says Rubio's served on the Foreign Relations and Senate Intel committees, and he knows these world leaders and the issues facing the US and the world.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are teacher shortages across a range of subjects in secondary school, as there generally are at the start of each year.   More than 400 principal and teaching roles are currently being advertised in the Education Gazette.   In 2024 there were almost 1600 vacancies, a similar number to recent comparable years.   Secondary Principals' Council Chair Kate Gainsford told Ryan Bridge schools are employing a lot of teachers from overseas.   She says it's a worldwide problem, but we also need to be building up a local pool of teachers.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cautious optimism from economists ahead of the latest inflation numbers.  Stats NZ will deliver its latest inflation update on the year to December at 10.45 this morning.  Many economists expect it to be slightly down, but ANZ predicts it will remain unchanged and BNZ is forecasting a slight rise.  ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Ryan Bridge we need to still be cautious as domestic inflation remains relatively high.  He says for inflation to stay around 2% the domestic rate needs to come down.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's outrage over Donald Trump's decision to release convicted Capitol rioters from prison.   The new President has signed off a flurry of executive orders following his inauguration, many sparking national and global concern.  Trump's issued pardons and commutations to more than a thousand felons involved in the attacks to disrupt the transfer of power on January 6th, 2021.   US correspondent Richard Arnold told Ryan Bridge that includes those convicted of assaulting police officers, many of whom are feeling betrayed.   He says Trump's taken to calling those tried and convicted of crimes, 'hostages', and has often played a recording of them singing The Stars and Stripes Forever from prison.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald J. Trump has been inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States.  Behind the pomp and ceremony are lessons for politicians on the left here and around the world.  Labelling your opponent a racist, a nazi, an extremist, a homophobe, a sexist, anti-trans, a threat to democracy, a tyrant, and sexist won’t win you an election.  Biden, and then Harris, threw the kitchen sink of threats about Trump at the public and none of it stuck.  The Obama's, the Pelosi's and the Clinton's of American politics did their best to paint Trump as a dystopian dictator, hell-bent on crucifying immigrants and minorities.  And what happened? They lost. He won.  A clean sweep of the battlegrounds.  The House. The Senate. The electoral college. The popular vote.  And around half of Latino voters, the highest ever for a Republican, even higher than George W. Bush in 2004.  Record numbers of minorities voted for Trump.  His election was of course run against a backdrop of a tough economy and inflation hitting punters hard. Plus, Joe Biden was, well, literally stumbling to the finish line, struggling to walk and talk.  But the fact remains voters picked the guy who’d been labelled all these awful things because they trusted him to turn the economy around, and some also to stop the free speech moderators and pronoun police.  So, what’s the lesson here? For Hipkins it doesn’t matter how many times you call Seymour and/or Luxon a racist - it won’t get you back for the greasy benches.  Labour and its allies are gearing up for a fresh onslaught of attacks on race as the Treaty Bill goes to select committee.  But here’s the thing - most Kiwis aren’t listening. Look at the polls.  The Ipsos issues monitor from late last year showed that. Inflation, health, economy, crime, housing, poverty etc were the big issues. Race relations? 15th on 6%.  Those in the left would do better —and we’d all benefit from this— if they’d stop the name-calling and start coming up with serious, credible, alternative economic plans to get this country firing again.  Labour was supposed to be a party for the workers. They’ve let provincial New Zealand down badly with economic mismanagement and energy policies that may have suited a speech at UNGA in New York, but certainly not the good people of Ruapehu.  And that’s the lesson Trump is giving the left today. The recipe used over the past decade of window dressing, performative politics, identity politics, virtue signalling, and demonising your opponents no longer works on the people who matter most.  The voters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bic Runga is one of New Zealand’s iconic performers – dazzling audiences since the release of her first single in 1996.   She went on to reach international fame, as well as winning the most New Zealand Music Awards by an individual ever.   Runga is currently on the road as part of the Greenstone Summer Concert Tour, performing alongside Cold Chisel, Icehouse, and Everclear.  The first show of the tour was this past weekend in Queenstown, and Runga told Ryan Bridge that she’s having ‘such a good time’ on the road.  “It was really cool to meet these guys on the road,” she said of the other performers.  “They’re all legends and, y'know, they’re all lovely.”  Runga has brought her family along on this tour, and she says that it’s definitely a military operation trying to keep everyone organised.  “I’m trying to get on stage and someone’s asking me where their sock is.”  “It’s cool to have them, but there’s... it’s just an extra layer of stuff to, y'know, find and wash,” Runga told Bridge with a laugh.  Most people stream music nowadays, but despite having close to half a million monthly streams on Spotify, Runga says that it’s not the main way artists make their money.  “Streaming is a bit stacked up against you,” she said.  “It has been harder and harder for musicians to make money out of things like that, but, y'know, I guess that’s why we tour."  “You have to really love doing it, y’know, I still do it because it’s super fun and I can’t do anything else.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 21st of January, it's Inauguration Day for Trump and The Spectator’s Amber Duke joined out of Washington D.C. to give the latest.    The Prime Minister is back in the hot seat for his regular Tuesday interview and talks about how he wants to get this struggling economy of ours humming.  Kiwi singer Bic Runga is touring with the Greenstone Summer Tour, joining for a chat and giving a hint towards future music projects.  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.

Donald Trump has been sworn in as the 47th President of the United States.  In his speech he said that "America's decline is over" and the "golden age of America begins right now".  He says America will not be intimidated, will not be broke, and will not fail in becoming a free, sovereign and independent nation, with a colour-blind and merit-based society.  The returning US President is pledging to be a "peace maker and unifier" while building strongest military ever seen.  He says their power will stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity to a world that has been angry, violent and totally unpredictable.  Trump says the US will pursue its manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.  Washington Editor of the Spectator, Amber Duke told Ryan Bridge his speech was really ahistorical in how detailed and specific he was about his policy priorities on his first day of office.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's water infrastructure system is leaking at a far higher rate than global leaders.  Otago University research shows 21% of piped water is being lost.  In comparison, the Netherlands loses 5% and Germany 6%.  The leaks are also wasting around $122 million each year.  Professor of Public Health Nick Wilson told Ryan Bridge that New Zealand has a network of very aging pipes that aren’t being fixed in the same way they do in Europe.  He says that leaking and breaking pipes are actually a concern from a public health perspective, as defects can increase the risk of disease outbreaks.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Job applications remain at historic highs, far outweighing the number of jobs being advertised.  SEEK's revealed job ads dropped 2% in December and are down 22% on 2023.  While the number of applications per ad also dropped 2%, they remain 32% higher than in 2023.   Country Manager Rob Clark told Ryan Bridge that since June they’ve seen job ads decline by just 1%, but certainly at the start of 2024 they saw a pretty significant decline.  He says the feeling is that we’ve hit the bottom and are bouncing along it, but they’re not seeing a ton of green shoots at the moment.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says he wants Nicola Willis to drive economic growth across all ministries in her new role.  The Finance Minister has been given the Economic Growth portfolio, formerly known as Economic Development.  Willis will look over education, infrastructure, science and research, less regulation and stronger international connections within the role.  Christopher Luxon told Ryan Bridge she'll continue to manage the country's finances, and ensure the budget is working.   Meanwhile, incoming Health Minister Simeon Brown has been meeting with Health Commissioner Lester Levy.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Company liquidations are at a 10 year high.   Data from the Companies Office shows there were 2,500 liquidations last year – the highest since 2014.   Company receiverships are also the highest they've been since 2012, at 186.   BWA Insolvency's principal Bryan Williams told Ryan Bridge he doesn't think it's as bad as the Global Financial Crisis.  He says how the geopolitical environment will change and impact New Zealanders may alter things.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Pine and Andrew Saville joined Ryan Bridge to discuss the Sail GP in Auckland over the weekend, Auckland FC's win against Melbourne, Daniel Hillier at the Dubai Classic and Novak Djokovic's tiff with an Australian Open reporter.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New hate speech laws have been strengthened in New South Wales after the latest antisemitic attack in Sydney.  How will these laws be implemented?  Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton have made unofficial campaign launches without a date announced for the election.  Australian Correspondent Steve Price joins the show to discuss the news happening across the ditch.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early indications suggest it has been a strong weekend for Auckland businesses following three major events.  More than 25,000 people attended the inaugural Auckland League of Sail GP.  What did the event do for Auckland city?  Tataki Auckland Unlimited CEO Nick Hill joins the show to debrief on the weekend of sailing.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simeon Brown is making his priorities clear as he prepares to take over as Health Minister. The portfolio has moved from Dr Shane Reti to Brown, moving Reti out of his fourth place in the National Party rankings.  Brown indicated the targets bought in by Reti show things are beginning to stabilise but said "we really need to focus on delivery."  He joins the show to discuss what he will bring to his new role.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump has given TikTok the all-clear to continue operating in the US, despite a federal ban. The Chinese based-social media platform "went dark" yesterday and was removed from app stores, but says it's now restoring access following Trump's announcement. The incoming US President says he wants to do a deal to see it half-owned by a US company, to allay security concerns.  Reporter from the technology website The Information joins the show to discuss the could-be American owners of the app, and the details that need to be ironed out for a deal to take place.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three hostages are returning home after a 15-month-long capture, as a ceasefire is bought to the Israel-Palestine conflict. The hostage-prisoner exchange is the first phase of the ceasefire, which is expected to last six weeks. Hope for a complete withdrawal rests in the success of the first phase, International Geopolitical Analyst Geoffrey Miller said.  He joins the show to discuss whether the ceasefire will sustain.  LISTEN ABOVE.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This summer has served up the busiest summer ever for some Kiwi bed and breakfast hosts.  Modern accommodation has taken off in recent years, with the likes of Airbnb promising ease and comfort to customers. But Bed and Breakfast Association President Ann-Marie Johnson says traditional is the way to go.  "It's an opportunity to meet real Kiwi's, learn more about our way of life and customs," she said.  What have tourists said about New Zealand's b&b's this summer?  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday the 20th of December, the terrible economic news continues to get worse as our GDP dropped badly and we are officially back in recession.  Liam Lawson has finally been officially given the seat that the F1 world knew was already his at Red Bull so commentator and former McLaren race team member Bob McMurray shares his thoughts.  Trish Sherson and Tim Wilson wraps the year for the final segment of 2024.  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.

Luxon's Government has reshuffled cabinet, including the economic growth development portfolio that saw Nicola Willis take over Melissa Lee's role.  EMA head of advocacy, finance and strategy joins the show to discuss what these changes mean for the Government.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As he prepares for his inauguration, Donald Trump can't make up his mind on the ruling to ban Chinese app TikTok.  The soon-to-be President has said he will sign an executive order to stall the of the app after it was removed from Apple and Google stores.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold discusses what Trump will do when he is sworn in in less than 24 hours, and the bumpy start for the first hostages release in the Middle East ceasefire.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim Wilson and Kate Hawkesby joined Mike Hosking to wrap the biggest news stories from the week. Mike's got an update on the coffee kiosk and what on earth happened to Tim Wilson? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"110% real": New season of 'Nadia's Farm' shows the realities of Royalburn Station  It's been about five years since Nadia Lim and Carlos Bagrie took over Royalburn Station, their endeavours growing the 485-hectare farm into the agricultural powerhouse it's become.  Founded in 1887, Royalburn Station has a lengthy history filled with grains; barley, wheat, sunflower seeds, peas, and clover seeds quickly becoming the backbone of Lim and Bagrie’s business.  When they bought Royalburn in 2019 neither of them had any experience with running a farm. Bagerie may have grown up on a southland sheep farm but he’s a marketer by trade, and while growing up in dense cities influenced Lim’s cooking, it left little space for farmwork.  Needless to say, it was a learning experience for both of them.  “What I’ve learned is that you’ve got to be someone that’s okay with not being in control, because things never, ever go your way,” Lim told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking.  “That’s probably one of the biggest skills you kind of need to have if you’re gonna go into farming.”  Royalburn Station sits on the Crown Terrace between Arrowtown and Wanaka, surrounded by mountains, a view Lim describes as ‘paradise’.  485-hectares is quite a significant amount of land but all of it is in use, Royalburn Station even having its own abattoir.  “You don’t need one,” Bagrie said. “But if you want the very best meat, you kind of want one.”  The pair’s vision for their farm is to create the most beautiful farm in the world, a quality that goes deeper than aesthetics as they aim to be a leader in regenerative, diverse, and ethical food production. ‘The very best’ in every area they produce.   “We actually won the New Zealand Food Producers Award last year for our lamb,” Lim revealed.  Moving down from Auckland, they weren’t met with the kindest reception, rumours and gossip going around calling them ‘pretend farmers’.  “But I think now people get it that actually, it is a proper working farm.”  Bagrie and Lim have diversified the farm quite significantly over the years, producing not only grains and lamb, but also honey, free range eggs, and produce from their organic market garden.  They’ve found success with their model but according to Bagrie, it’s not a model that would work for everyone, their location highly influencing their success.  “I think out model works because of, I mean, to be really frank, because of our ability to be able to supply those restaurants and have those direct relationships.”  Building an agricultural powerhouse is not an easy task, but they’ve now settled into something of a rhythm.  “We’ve been doing so many new things, this year is all just going to be about not doing anything new, just solidifying what we’ve got,” Lim told Hosking with a laugh.  Diversifying to the extent they have has a certain amount of risk, as if they’re not careful they can spread their production too thin.  “You’ll see when you watch the show, there is a lot of simplification happening.”  The show in question is the second season of Nadia’s Farm, the first episode having premiered last night. While reality TV tends to be dramatized for entertainment purposes, Lim said that this show is 100% real.  “I’ve done quite a bit of TV now and this show is like, unlike any other show I’ve ever done.”  “There’s no scripting, like no makeup, no team. We just go out there and film it,” Lim revealed.  “It’s as natural, and organic, and unpanned as it gets.”  Bagrie and Lim don’t want to shy away from the reality of farm life in this show, showing both the pleasantries and the nitty gritty.  “I feel like a lot of the problems we’ve run into now with how food gets to your plate, and a lot of, a lot of it has become taboo and people don’t want to talk about it or know about it.”  “The more you hide, the worse that knowledge gap becomes.”  ‘Nadia’s Farm’ is out now on ThreeNow and Three.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paddy Gower has slammed “keyboard warriors” claiming the media is getting what it deserves for going “woke” amid mass job losses.   TV3 journalist and TV host Patrick Gower spoke to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking this morning following yesterday’s Newshub meeting where the closure of Newshub was confirmed.  Hosking asked Gower what he would say to those who say “you go woke, you go broke” and claim the media was bribed by the former Labour government.  “Get stuffed, and actually go away and, to use the term they use, do your own research,” Gower fired back.  Gower agreed the Public Interest Journalism fund had “branding issues” for media organisations because the public didn’t understand where the money was going.  “But at the end of the day, I’m not going to sit here and listen to sort of people like that say that kind of thing after I’ve slaved away my bloody life alongside my colleagues, 25 years in my case, putting damn good news out there.  “While we’ve got a trust problem, we need to address it and explain things that we’re doing properly.  “When it comes to the sort of Facebook keyboard warriors, I ain’t got no time for that, Mike.  “I’m about the 250 people who lost a job yesterday and actually the millions of other Kiwis that I know that trust me and trust my colleagues.”  Patrick Gower and colleagues on their way to learn Newshub's fate. Photo / Alex Burton  Gower told Hosking he didn’t know how many of the up to 300 people losing their jobs would remain in media.  “Who knows?  “I mean, even for myself, I’ve got no bloody idea what I’ll do next.”  Gower said he hoped a lot of his colleagues would remain in the field, but recognised it was a difficult time for the industry in New Zealand.  “It’s that simple, mate, not everybody can survive.  “But we’ve got to be optimistic, we can’t kind of give in.  “I can say for myself, I’m determined to get back out there.”  Hosking asked Gower how many of the employees likely saw the closure coming.  “It was always a possibility when we came in under the big company, particularly Warner Brothers Discovery when they’d merged ... some sort of shutdown was always possible.  “I’ve survived a couple myself in the last 14 years or we’ve been very, very close.  “So it was always on the cards.”  The state of the economy and the recession have had a huge impact on the media industry, Gower admitted.  “We often talk about the big structural problems that are behind all of this, but, hey, let’s face it, the economy has absolutely tanked, every single dollar virtually has dropped out of the advertising market.  “People are really struggling, [advertising] is the first thing that goes when a business is struggling, everybody knows that.  “That has just put insane pressure on all media companies.”  Gower said he hadn’t seen “anything” broadcasting minister Melissa Lee had done so far for the industry.  “I haven’t seen anything they’ve done, but at the same time, the media doesn’t need a bailout.  “So if anyone’s talking about some sort of cash bailout, we don’t need that.  “The media does need to be able to survive commercially. There are ways that we can do that.”  Gower said there are issues that both Governments, current and former, have not addressed that could have helped the media.  “There are massive structural problems out there that I just don’t think the Government’s got their head around.  “Paying these Kordia fees, television companies, paying fees to another government organisation for something that we don’t really need anymore is just plain nuts.  “It is crazy, that is literally jobs going out the door every time they pay those fees.”  Gower confirmed his show Paddy Gower Has Issues was not funded by NZ on Air, so wouldn’t be funded by TV3′s new model.  “There’s got to be other ways to do television programmes ... we’ve got to find commercially successful ways of doing this stuff. Stuff where things get paid for by viewers again. We’ve got to find a way back to that.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Looking beyond the finish line: Dame Lisa Carrington discusses her success, writing endeavours  Arguably New Zealand’s greatest ever Olympian, Dame Lisa Carrington is the best in the canoe sprint game.  She’s brought home a staggering total of nine medals across four Olympic Games, eight of them gold, and one bronze, dominating the water.  Despite her massive success, Carrington doesn’t believe this is the best she’s capable of, telling Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking that you have to be able to look beyond the finish line or gold medal and set yourself other goals.  “If I thought that winning a gold medal was my best, I would’ve stopped in London. I would’ve stopped after Rio, I would’ve stopped after Tokyo.”  Carrington has been competing for over a decade now, but it’s taken her up until this year’s Games to have 100% joy and satisfaction in racing.  “I think a lot of the time I’ve raced in the past, and it’s been out of just needing to win, just because that’s the expectation on me,” she told Hosking.  “But for Paris, I’ve managed to get to a place where I was like, you know what, I’m just gonna do my best.”  And doing her best panned out, with Carrington netting a total of three gold medals in the 2024 Games.  Photo / Jason Oxenham There comes a point in every successful athlete's career where the question on everyone’s mind is: what’s next?   Carrington is currently at the top of her game and has no plans on stopping here, but when it comes to the next steps, she’s unsure whether she wants to leave while on top or not.   “Being in the position I am, you know, being the fastest I’ve ever been, strongest, whatever, it is hard to think ‘Oh maybe I’ll stop now,’” Carrington said.  “Because well, what else is there?”   Every competition is different, each Olympic Games different again from the last, and when it comes to the next steps, Carrington thinks it would need to be a different challenge once more.  And when it comes to new and different challenges, Carrington has fulfilled a goal she’s had since Tokyo: writing a children's book.  Lisa Carrington Chases a Champion is aimed at 4-9 year olds, and details the journey of eight year old Lisa having a goal, the journey of achieving it, and the challenges along the way.  “There's so many little messages in there from, you know, about... a little bit about discipline or having a plan, but also that, you know, there are challenges, and you have to keep turning up.”  It’s the first of what Carrington hopes to be a series, with her leaving the ending open for another journey.  “Too many lessons to learn and relearn.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking once more to Wrap the Week that was.  They talked Mike’s ventures in wood and metalwork in school, the Repair Shop, and Tim regaled listeners with an expert piano performance.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"An insane blessing": Luke Combs on his country music stardom, chances of a NZ tour  Luke Combs is a country music megastar.  The 34-year-old is one of the biggest names in the world right now, consistently battling it out against Morgan Wallen for the number one spot.   He’s broken records, gone platinum, and earned a range of awards, including three Grammy nominations.   It all started when he dropped out of college to pursue his musical career, moving to Nashville and making it big.  Combs told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking that he got really lucky in having his career take off the way it did.  “Yes, I worked really hard at it, but there’s a ton of luck involved as well,” he said.  “I don't know how it never dawned on me until, until I picked the guitar up. Like, man, I could really, you know, maybe there's a chance that this could be what my life is, is gonna be.”  While he doesn’t take his success for granted, fame was never quite what Combs was after.  “I never put any pressure on myself to be a certain way or achieve certain things,” he told Hosking.  “Anything beyond just being able to be happy and have a good life was always more than I had ever asked for.”   “To have ended up here is an insane blessing.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I never stop": Jerry Seinfeld discusses NZ tour, comedy career  One of the most iconic names in comedy, Jerry Seinfeld is no stranger to audiences.  He’s been performing since the late 1970’s, creating and starring in the semi-fictionalised sitcom of his own life —Seinfeld— which became the most watched sitcom in American television by its third season.  Seinfeld is returning to New Zealand, bringing his comedy tour to kiwi stages, and while for most tours are sporadic the comedian revealed that he’s always on the road.  “I’m always touring,” he told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking.  “I never stop.”  He compared it to muscle memory, saying that stopping would have him lose the sharpness of his comedy.  “You can do this because if you stop and think about it too much, it doesn’t look possible. How could I walk out there onto that stage and not come back for an hour?”  Despite his status as a comic legend, Seinfeld doesn’t view himself the same way, revealing that most comedians are driven by doubt.  “It is a tricky, a little balance beam to do your dance on.”  Unlike many other comedians Seinfeld’s show doesn’t have a name, and he told Hosking that that’s for the younger people.  “I did a sitcom so I don’t have to do that,” he said.  “I hope you like it, but if you don’t, that’s fine too.”  LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking might just be David Walliams’ biggest fan — and he couldn’t believe it when the comedian surprised him in the studio this morning.  Walliams, who is in Auckland for his An Audience with David Walliams tour, sneaked into the Newstalk ZB studio on Friday before his first show, catching Hosking unawares while singing (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life from Dirty Dancing.  When he spotted Walliams, the broadcaster was gobsmacked. “No fricking way, how exciting is that! This is magnificent.”  “Hello mate, I’ve missed you. I worry about you in those tight jeans, a man of your age,” Walliams joked.  Walliams met Hosking and his wife, Kate Hawkesby, in London last year, joking with the radio host, “I remember Kate, but not you ... still married?”  He revealed the surprise had been in the works for some time “because you have a really huge crush on me, and it would be exciting for you”.  “Yes, I do,” Hosking confirmed.  When asked how the tour was going so far, Walliams said his shows in Australia had been “fantastic”.  “I’ve been so popular in Auckland that we added this show tonight,” he said.  David Walliams paid a surprise visit to the Newstalk ZB studio. Photo / Michael Craig “I’ve got my funny stories that I’ve thought about what they are and I’m telling them ... but at the same time, the audiences have been so great in Australia, and I’m sure they’ll be even better in New Zealand, they sort of give you permission to kind of push it further and further and just be spontaneous,” the comedian told Hosking.  “It’s really restored my faith in performing comedy. Like, oh yeah, when we all get together in a room, what we really want is a laugh and it’s spontaneous, I’ve been saying some pretty rude things.”  Hosking confessed spontaneity was Hawkesby’s worry because she didn’t want to be embarrassed from their front-row seats.  Walliams jokingly replied that shouldn’t be an issue for the radio host. “You look like the kind of man that’d like attention.”  “No, I don’t want to be part of it, I just want to enjoy your talent,” Hosking responded.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been forced to wear a Highlanders jersey this morning after the team beat the Crusaders on the weekend.  Luxon —a die-hard Crusaders fan— had a bet with Newstalk ZB producer Sam Carran over the outcome of Saturday’s game.  He was a good sport at the NZME offices this morning, laughing as he donned the jersey - but he told ZB’s Mike Hosking to expect a “shocking interview”.  He said Carran was “the nicest man in the country” on the outside but inside was “Machiavellian”.  Luxon said he had warned Carran he was a size XL but the producer had given him an XS jersey.  Luxon last week maintained the Crusaders would turn around their losing form against the Highlanders, but it wasn’t to be.  Waitangi Tribunal appeal  Luxon told Hosking the Government is still considering whether to appeal the Court of Appeal’s judgement, which sided with the Waitangi Tribunal over its summons of Children’s Minister Karen Chhour.  ”We only got the judgement yesterday. So it’s a pretty big judgement and we need to work our way through it, and then take advice on whether we will appeal it and what we’ll do next.  ”The key issue was that “we don’t believe section 7AA is the right thing. We think the primacy of a child is important over above their cultural needs”.  Some of the information the Waitangi Tribunal had asked for was from Cabinet discussions, which was “frustrating”, he said.  The Government was trying to act in the spirit of “probity” - “making sure that the different branches of government are respectful of each other”.  Fast Tracking  Regarding Monday’s announcement about new the regional roading programme, Luxon said the Government was “very up for bringing in private capital” for public-private partnerships.  The Fast-Track consenting process would be critical for many of the projects, and the planned National Infrastructure Agency would deal with financing and funding - working out whether private, domestic or international capital was most appropriate for each project.  New Zealand also needed to become more attractive for foreign capital, Luxon said - adding that NZ was ranked second-least attractive in the OECD in that respect, just ahead of Mexico.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon’s made the right call not going to Waitangi next year.  He's probably going to cop it from the press gallery for being a wuss but most of us have been around long enough to see the logic in this.  We know by now that Waitangi is volatile and unpredictable at the best of times. You can cop a dildo in the face for doing nothing.  So imagine how intense it will be next year with the Treaty Principles bill debate in full swing and the select committee progress already underway.  Already Willie Jackson has warned the Prime Minister about his safety if he goes up there because apparently Māori are angry.  And as Willie Jackson says, "you just never know".  It’s hardly as if Luxon is being made to feel welcome.  He’s apparently been told he’s allowed to come on the 6th but not on the 4th because he’s not welcome at the big meeting the National Iwi Chairs Forum hosts every year.  He’s had a letter from the hikoi organisers telling him he’s not welcome at Waitangi at all.  Luxon loses nothing by giving it a miss. I doubt very much he’ll win votes by going.  But he could actually lose votes by going and standing there like a piñata, taking a verbal bashing over a bill that’s actually not his.  He’s better off leaving the defending to the guy who’s actually responsible for the bill, David Seymour, who says he is going.  So Luxon I think can say he’s done enough, he's been there two years in a row already, he’s shown respect and defended his corner and he’s not being made to feel welcome.  He’s been threatened.  Right-minded people will absolutely, I think, understand why he may not want to go and why he frankly shouldn't. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s an expectation that weakness in the last economic quarter is behind the country's slump.  Stats NZ reports gross domestic product dropped 1% in the September quarter.   We're now in our deepest recession since the Covid-driven slump of 2020.   Westpac Senior Economist Michael Gordon told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the grind the country has been experiencing throughout the year is now showing up a bit more fully than in the last GDP numbers.  He says one thing that stood out was the recognition of the cutbacks in the public sector, which weren’t being fully captured in the figures from three months ago.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 20th of December, the terrible economic news continues to get worse with the significant GDP drop and New Zealand is officially back in a recession.   Liam Lawson has finally been given the Red Bull seat the F1 world knew was already his, so commentator and former McLaren race team member Bob McMurray joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to share his thoughts.  Trish Sherson and Tim Wilson joined Heather to Wrap the Year in the final segment of 2024.  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.

With Christmas just around the corner, Trish Sherson and Tim Wilson joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to Wrap the Year.   They discussed Liam Lawson, drinking, and revealed their politicians of the year.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.