The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Labour says homeowner protections will need to go hand-in-hand with Government's proposed building consents scheme.  The reforms will allow tradespeople to consent their own work for basic housing, foregoing inspections.   Criteria is also being considered for businesses with a track record of delivering bigger projects to access streamlined consenting.   Labour's Housing Spokesperson Kieran McAnulty told Mike Hosking customer protections like indemnity insurance are key.  He says homeowners need confidence and if the legislation is wishy-washy, it won't work.  National’s Mark Mitchell agrees, saying that there is a balance to be found, but we have to look at sensible ways of making it easier and cheaper to build houses.   He says they have world-class tradespeople who can be trusted to self-certify.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 30th of October, we get the pros and cons of the Government's self-certified building consents scheme from different industry professionals.  The lab-grown diamond business is booming in this country. So, can you tell the difference? And will they flood the market?  Kieran McAnulty and Mark Mitchell cover off Ginny's social media faux pas, the building consents, and whether the Speaker is ruining Question Time on Politics Wednesday.  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not everyone in the industry is on board with the Government’s proposed building consents scheme.  Businesses with a track record of delivering bigger projects, will be able to access streamlined consenting.  Qualified tradespeople will be able to forego inspections for low risk builds through the opt in 'self-certification scheme'.  Institute of Building Surveyors President David Clifton told Mike Hosking consents are there for a reason, as not all builders are perfect and there's still a high failure rate with consents.  Clifton told Hosking we need to get our foundation right before moving forward on this.  He says if we get our education, building and consenting processes right, then this can happen.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government’s proposed building consents scheme is being hailed as a ‘common sense’ approach by one construction company.   Qualified tradespeople will also be able to forego inspections for low risk builds through the opt in 'self-certification scheme'.  Businesses with a track record of delivering bigger projects will be able to access streamlined consenting.  GJ Gardner General Manager Olly Sundstrum told Mike Hosking with this scheme, they could deliver homes 50% more quickly.  He says they could easily return to this because product, material, and labour supply are not an issue.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lab-grown diamonds are dulling the sparkle of the real thing.  The jewellery trend is taking over the traditional diamond market, mainly due to their cheaper price.  Auckland's Holland & Co Fine Jewellery owner Greg Holland told Mike Hosking people can't tell the difference between lab grown and real with the naked eye.  He says someone would need strong magnifying equipment to see the growth lines on manmade ones.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Review Office says there's a chronic absence crisis.   This Term 2, one in ten students were chronically absent.   Chronic absence has doubled in secondary schools since 2015, and almost tripling in primary schools.   By age 20, chronically absent students can cost the state three times more than a student who went to school.   ERO Ruth Shinoda told Mike Hosking the education they're missing out on damages their life chances.   She says less than half get NCEA level two, and by age 25 almost half are receiving a benefit rather than working.   Shinoda told Hosking the contributing factors are long-standing.   She says half of schools don't refer to attendance services because they're often not effective as they're overwhelmed, with some having 500 students to one worker.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Small businesses want the Government to rethink regulations it describes as a burden.  A new report from Business NZ claims small Kiwi businesses are bogged down by compliance hurdles and complicated regulations, which it says cost time and money.  Business NZ CEO Katherine Rich told Mike Hosking politicians need to ease the burden, and not politicise it.  She says too often the debate around small business involves politicians promising to cut red tape, but she says they need to be more specific about what will actually change.  Rich says they've provided a practical shopping list of possible regulation changes that would help businesses almost immediately.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh off the back of new Labour Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer accepting free suits and glasses (is it just me or is accepting free glasses even weirder than accepting free suits?), the Deputy Leader of the British Labour Party accepted a free apartment in New York.  I can understand that a little bit more readily. You're in New York, a donor says, "I've got a place, stay there", you needed a place to stay anyway, so it kind of makes sense.  Whereas most people who need reading glasses buy them for themselves.  Clothing is tricky, to the extent a spouse gets added to the mix and you are expected to look a certain way. It is expected you can't turn up looking the same every time, so you need more clothes than normal people. But where is the line between an allowance and simply taking the mickey?  MPs aren't paid all that much here, or in Britain, or Australia, which is where their Prime Minister now finds himself in his own hole after the revelations he organised a bunch of free upgrades on Qantas by allegedly going directly to then-CEO Alan Joyce.  This was for personal travel for himself and his family. As Prime Minister you travel first class, if not on the Airforce jet, but your son travels like anyone else. Or they do unless Dad has been on the phone to the CEO.  How these people think this is normal I have no idea. How they think they will get away with it is beyond me.  Public life these days is transparent. You can't do anything without a snitch, or a leak, or a WhatsApp going astray.  Is it a Labour thing? A left-wing thing?  How does Starmer and Albanese explain freebies you and I would never get?  How do they defend freebies from an already exulted position?  Back here Luxon got a bagging for doing nothing wrong, apart from being successful enough to own a few houses. What would we have done if he had been upgrading himself, or accepting free suits and Amanda turns up in new eyewear paid for by party supporters?  Public service once meant serving the public, not using your position to upgrade yourself, whether for aviation or sartorially. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Saville and Guy Heveldt joined Mike Hosking to discuss some of the biggest sporting news from the weekend.  They discussed the Black Caps history-making win in India, the Silver Ferns claiming a win over Australia and taking the Constellation Cup, the latest from Formula 1 and Liam Lawson's eyebrow-raising behaviour, and Auckland FC's second A-League win in a row.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday 29th of October, we do a deep dive into the health spending figures with Minister Shane Reti.  The Prime Minister talks meeting the King at CHOGM, the plans for Kiwibank, and whether we should let Singapore invest in our infrastructure.  After a long weekend of sport Andrew Saville and Guy Heveldt talk F1, the Black Caps, Silver Ferns, Auckland FC, and much, much more.  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 growing market for electronic recycling companies as the Generative Artificial Intelligence industry booms.  Nature Computational Science has published a study finding the rise of the technology, means hardware and chip technology is quickly becoming outdated.  It finds that it could create potentially five million tonnes of e-waste between 2020 and 2030.  Echo Technology CEO Patrick Moynahan told Mike Hosking there's money to be made, as recycling companies are trying to adapt to keep up with demand.  He says they're dealing with juggernauts like Nvidia, the most valuable company in the world.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Health Minister believes Health NZ is funded enough, it's just not spending it well.  Treasury warned that health spending's been increasing rapidly due to demographics, with costs increasing faster than inflation due to an ageing population.  The total health system's estimated to cost $30 billion this year.  Documents show Treasury suggested further cost cutting at Health NZ could require changes to services.  Shane Reti told Mike Hosking there are clearly some vacancies to fill on the front-line, and some back-office positions that may not be needed.  Health now accounts for 7% of GDP, which Treasury predicts is likely to reach 10% by 2061.  Reti says they want to be wise users of taxpayers' money.  He says New Zealand generally sits in the middle of the OECD around its spending compared to GDP.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Treasury's advised the Government of three options to boost Kiwibank's capital to better compete with the Australian-owned banks.   They include borrowing money for Crown investment, third party investment, or an Initial Public Offering on the share market.   It comes in response to the Commerce Commission market study on personal banking.  Massey University Business School associate professor Claire Matthews told Mike Hosking if Kiwibank is bigger, it can operate at a similar level to the other big banks.   But, she says, whether it actually makes a real difference in how the sector operates won't be known unless it happens.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore has its eye on New Zealand as the place to invest.  This is the message that has been relayed by Minister Shane Jones, who's just returned from a visit to the wealthy city state.  He says Singapore is keen to invest in infrastructure, including the government’s planned road building programme and water infrastructure.  Queen City Law managing director Marcus Beveridge told Mike Hosking Singaporeans are already big players in commercial property here.  He says getting them to invest into infrastructure is a good idea, but he's not confident it can be pulled off.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plans are being put in place across Europe for the possibility of Donald Trump winning the US election.  Europe Correspondent Catherine Field says the European Union has already set up a special taskforce prepared for next week's election.  She told Mike Hosking the officials have concern over the former president's potential policies, including pulling out of supporting Ukraine.  Field says they also fear across the board trade tariffs of up to 20% on all European goods going into the US.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister believes a major Commonwealth diplomatic summit does have a future, with certain priorities. Christopher Luxon joined his Commonwealth counterparts for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, held this year in Samoa. King Charles and Queen Camilla also attended. Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking it was a good opportunity to meet leaders from the Caribbean and Africa who he doesn't see as often and build some relationships with them. He says it has to be focused back on development and democracy, building the capacity of public services in developing states, and getting rid of corruption. When it comes to Kiwibank, the Prime Minister says it needs to be fired up as the maverick in the banking sector.  Treasury's advised ministers of three options to boost Kiwibank's capital to better compete with the Australian-owned banks. They include borrowing money for Crown investment, third party investment, or an Initial Public Offering on the share market. It comes after the Commerce Commission market study on personal banking. Luxon told Hosking he hasn't seen the advice, so doesn't yet have a view on the best option. He says one of the options is the stock exchange, and they could also seek Super Funds or other funds to invest.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian media executive, Kim Williams has been made chair of the ABC Radio. He aims to raise the importance of news radio in Australia. William said that there's far too much fluff on the website and that they need to tidy it up and tighten it up, he has got rid of the National Morning Pres, Breakfast Presenter Patricia Karvelas and has advised the team to be more serious. They have now returned to being the number read website in Australia. Murray Olds, Australian Correspondent tells Mike Hosking that news in New Zealand isn't as big as he believes people have started to “care less” about the news. He says that there aren't many radio newsrooms around as there's no money getting put into it, saying that Williams is going to be a “breath of fresh air for this place.” LISTEN ABOVESee 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.    Andrew Bayly: 2/10  Inexplicable behaviour. We still don’t really know the details of it, but it's also been hopelessly explained, thus dragging it out.    Darleen Tana: 1/10  A person who should have never found her way to a House of Representatives.    The America's Cup: 7/10  Why wouldn’t you believe Ainslie when he says we're the greatest team ever?    Liam Lawson: 9/10  Not just a debut in one of the world's most significant and influential sports, but a debut that had everyone mesmerised. Next stop, Mexico.    Katsu chicken: 8/10  Victory of the week in many respects. A problem addressed, solved, money saved, and the critics essentially silenced.    The Commonwealth Games: 3/10  It's got staggering "on its last legs" vibes. It's ten events in a last-minute city. In a world where sport is booming, this isn't.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are looking for cogent arguments, then there was no shortage of them from the banks this week in front of the Parliamentary committee looking into banking.  They are doing this because the Government has decided banks need some kind of reform and there is not enough competition.  What they plan to do about it we don’t know, but it’s the same argument around telcos, and petrol, and supermarkets, and airlines.  Of particular concern to the Government is the way the farmers are treated.  There is dispute within the banking community, like KiwiBank, Heartland Bank, SBS, and TSB, all say it's not fair, the regulation is troublesome, and the playing field is not flat.  The bigger players say things are fine. Of course they would say that. But between them, and if you want to add the non-bank lenders, there seems to be no shortage of options.  The defence is that farm bank lending is tough work and it's tough work because lending money to farmers carries risk. Returns from rural lending isn't as high as city lending.  The complaint about farmers having higher rates is because a lot of farms operate on flexible rates, not fixed.  All the banks talked of their market share. No one bank dominates and a number of banks have grown their books.  None of this is to defend the banks at the expense of the farmer, it's just to say that there doesn't appear to be one side overtly more right than the other.  The ANZ boss this week more broadly defended her bank's profits. She was on a hiding to nothing. She too was cogent, made sense, and put up a good explanation as to how banks work and what sort of return they need.  It will make no difference, which is the big problem we, or in this case the Government, has with big business.  They say there must be a lack of competition, profits are too high (without of course anyone defining what exactly is an acceptable profit) and so we will need rules, threats, and the Commerce Commission.  But I will tell you this for nothing - none of it will change.  My very broad conclusion for all these industries is we have an imperfect market, based partially, but in no small part, on the fact we are a tiny isolated country with five million people.  We think we should get better than we do and by being hoodwinked into thinking that, someone must be a robber baron.  They aren't, but it makes us feel better. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand is experiencing a vinyl revival, a new generation getting hooked on the old-school technology.  It’s not just the cities experiencing the boom, Napier’s ‘Just For The Record’ filled with customers.  Gordon Stevenson, the store’s owner, told Mike Hosking that there’s very few artists that aren’t on vinyl these days.   He said that vinyl sounds considerably better than digital mediums, as the conversion from analogue to digital back to analogue degrades the music, and you can lose up to 40% of the music. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’ll be carnage in Canterbury this Labour Day weekend.   The Kiwis are facing the Kangaroos for the first time since November in a sell-out league double-header.  Their last match saw them claim a historic win in Hamilton, claiming 30 points and leaving the Aussies with zero.  Coach Stacey Jones told Mike Hosking he’s confident they can put together a good performance.  He said they’ve got a really good group of people, along with coaching staff, trainers, and a strong leadership group lead by the team’s captain.  “I feel comfortable with what we’ve got.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday has come so Tim Wilson and Kate Hawkesby joined Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that was.   It’s been a scandal filled week, with Darleen Tana being ousted from Parliament, Andrew Bayly’s offensive comments, and the new Crown Observer for Wellington City Council, so they decided to play a game of Rank the Scandal.   They also stand on one leg as they discuss balance, and debate working from home versus teacher-only days.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 25th of October, Finance Minister Nicola Willis talks contract expectations for social services.  International rugby league is back in Christchurch with a huge game between the Kiwis and Australia. Stacey Jones talks the young Kiwi team's chances.  Kate and Tim stand on one leg while discussing balance, working from home vs teacher only days, and what the scandal of the week was while Wrapping 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.

Donald Trump has edged ahead of Kamala Harris in the latest polls, with less than two weeks until the US election.  A Wall Street Journal poll shows the Republican two points ahead of the Democrat – a direct swap from when they last did the poll in August.  A CNBC poll also shows Trump ahead of Harris by two points.  US correspondent Mitch McCann told Mike Hosking potential reasons behind this shift are Trump's negative ads and Harris having a couple of shaky media appearances.  He says Barack Obama's former campaign manager David Axelrod described one of her answers in a CNN town hall as a word salad.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s been a shift in when New Zealand will hit peak petrol imports.  After initially predicting it will peak around next year, Channel Infrastructure says the early 2030s is now the more likely date.  It comes as the company announced plans for an energy precinct at Marsden Point.  Chief executive Rob Buchanan told Mike Hosking some of the reasons of this shift are reductions in vehicle kilometres travelled and the purchasing of new vehicles.  He says they've also seen a dramatic reduction in EV registrations, now they compete with internal combustion engines.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“It must be better than this” is the message from children's advocate Dame Lesley Max following the Chief Ombudsman's crack down on Oranga Tamariki.   Peter Boshier has taken aim at the organisation over its handling of complaints against a man, accused of abusing his partner's young children, despite nine separate reports.  Great Potentials Foundation Co-Founder, Max says it should not have gone unnoticed.   She says it's striking there were nine reports of concern when in so many cases there are no reports of concern.  OT says it's taken the Chief Ombudsman's recommendations on board.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zespri is optimistic for 2025 after what it says has been an encouraging year for growers.  Its last charter vessel for the season has left for Japan, expecting to arrive early next month with just over 4,500 tonnes of fruit.  The company says Europe has been performing really well, while China has seen a 40% increase in volume.  CEO Jason Te Brake told Mike Hosking they're expecting to have more fruit to sell in 2025.  He says markets are finishing really strongly, which usually flows into a good start of next year.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s going to be a major overhaul in the way the Government contracts social services.  The Government's announcing what it calls outcomes contracts in a bid to deliver results, but also scrap initiatives that are not working.  It's also working on a Social Investment Fund, soon to be spearheaded by social investment secretary and former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster.  Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking there are often multiple contracts coming from different agencies.  She says they're spending hours filling in forms and doing what she calls “administrative bureaucracy”.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have to ask some simple questions around our attitude to nuclear and whether we are capable of becoming slightly more mature about it.  This country got semi-famous for its anti-nuke stance. We are still anti-nuke, but we got famous a lifetime ago and the world has changed.  Amazon and Google and Oracle are building their own nuclear reactors and, if not building, they are buying nuclear deals with places like Three Mile Island, which also a lifetime ago made headlines around the world.  They need nuclear to run data centres. Data centres need astonishing amounts of power.  New Zealand wants to host data centres.  Can New Zealand be a data centre hub, given the power system we now run? No.  Ironically, just yesterday Genesis announced they will be buying more coal for next winter to cover the gap. The ongoing gap.  That’s not for data centres. That's to turn the lights on, on a cold morning.  This country, as we found out this winter, can't handle cold far less data centres, and nothing is changing between now and next winter.  Factor in EV's if you want and we return to the ongoing but unanswered question - just what is it we are going to run the country on?  Hydro is good, but not reliable.  And neither is any of the other options we may or may not ever get around to producing at scale, like wind or solar or batteries.  Nuclear is not only reliable, it's good for the environment.  So we want to run data centres, but we don’t have enough power, we are still burning more coal, and the thing we hate is a viable option and being picked up and run with around the rest of the world.  Are we to be left behind? Or are we to grow up and move forward?  I would have thought it answers itself.  But let's see. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An iconic Kiwi actor is back in the country.  Craig Parker mostly lives in the United States these days, but has been back in New Zealand for a while, filming a mystery project before he guests at Auckland’s Armageddon Expo.   The last time he was back on this side of the world was a couple of Christmases ago, but he told Mike Hosking that he likes to try visit every couple of years, escaping the milder LA January.   Guesting at conventions like Armageddon is an industry of its own, and Parker says that while it’s easy to be cynical, he loves the con scene.  “They’re a place where, for all different reasons, people who love a show or a genre of shows come together.”   “When you make a show, it’s about the making of the show,” he told Hosking.  “And sometimes you forget that other people out in the world watch it.”  “But these events, you get to meet people who really love the stuff you've done, and it's not an ego thing where you're going, I'm amazing, these people want to meet me, they want to meet you because you are part of some world they love.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 24th of October, there’s yet more inequality and poor performance in our schools, according to a new report. Education Minister Erica Stanford talks the ever-growing job before her.  We hear all the time about how good it is across the ditch, but a new report in the construction industry takes a closer look.  Kiwi actor Craig Parker very rarely gets back to New Zealand, so while he’s here for a mystery film project and Armageddon, we had to get him in the studio for the first time.    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.

Some ambulance workers feel the Government's funding boost is too little, too late.  The Government's increasing ambulance service funding by 6%.  Hato Hone St John says the extra money has helped it settle pay disputes with unions, ending weeks of industrial action.  First Union National Ambulance Coordinator Faye McCann told Mike Hosking that it hasn’t really fixed any of the problems they’re concerned about, but it has alleviated some of the financial burden people are facing.   She says it’s definitely a Band-Aid fix.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The construction sector says the grass isn't always greener in Australia.   New research suggests the long-held belief of Australia offering better financial opportunities in the industry than New Zealand may no longer be true.   The Construction and Infrastructure Workforce Development Council says, in some cases, salary and housing prices paint New Zealand as the better option.   Chief Executive Phil Aldridge told Mike Hosking that there’s a lot more to consider than just salaries.   He said that the income-housing gap shrinks as people get older and want to settle down, so it’s actually more attractive to buy a house and raise a family in New Zealand.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Queenstown's film and TV industry finally has a home.  An old department store has been transformed into Remarkable Studios NZ – already ticking off having its first major drama project filmed there.  It's located just five minutes from Queenstown airport and close to several hotels.  Screentime NZ chief executive Philly de Lacey told Mike Hosking they'd been looking for a place for some time when they saw the lease became available.  She says it was too good to let go, and after some negotiations and working out how it will run, they're open for business.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rising concerns from the farming sector as more land is sold off for forestry.   Beef + Lamb's new research reveals more than 51,000 hectares have been sold since the end of 2022.   It estimates almost one million stock units are lost for every 100,000 hectares planted.  Chair Kate Acland told Mike Hosking the issue isn’t forestry as such, but rather the ETS settings..  She says there absolutely is a place for trees and forestry within farming, they just need some sensible limits.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister hopes curriculum changes gives policymakers more information to work with.  An auditor-general report has found the Ministry of Education lacks information prior to someone entering the NCEA system.  The report suggests it's difficult to identify and tackle equity issues in the education system without more information.  Education Minister Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking students will be assessed to measure progress through structured literacy and maths.  She says they're about to bring in twice-yearly consistent testing.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The polls are concerningly tight as the US Election draws nearer.   With Donald Trump and Kamala Harris neck and neck, the focus is on the battleground states.  Harris’ Campaign concerned about a potential crack in the ‘Blue Wall’, made up of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that if Harris loses one of those states, she wouldn’t have the 270 electoral votes needed to take the White House without getting at least one of the other battlegrounds.  He said the call is out for every voter, including long-term Republican voters who may be closeted supporters of Harris.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are leaving Australia, bound for Samoa after a short but sweet trip down under.  The pair had 27 engagements across Sydney, drawing substantial crowds filled with people of all ages.  However, the trip wasn’t without drama, with Independant Senator Lidia Thorpe interrupting the reception to heckle the King.   Australian Correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking that Thorpe has done the Republican movement the biggest favour in the world, as her outburst would flip people back after the King’s visit.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who doesn’t love katsu chicken?  And with the katsu chicken, and the wraps, and the lasagne, David Seymour has saved us $130m.  All the moaners, whingers, whiners, and hand wringers can say sorry because it wasn’t the end of the world.  Several crimes have been committed in the school lunch drama, which of course should never have been a drama because the previous Government, in yet another example of their wasteful, haphazard way of doing things, should never have got into the school lunch programme business.  Because when they did, they worked out they couldn’t afford it and therefore only gave it to a few and many of the few didn’t actually want the lunches.  But they had to take them because the kid who did want the lunch couldn’t be made to feel bad, so the other 300 had to eat sandwiches with them.  That was crime number one.  Crime number two was they only funded it until the election, thus making it a fiscal cliff. David Seymour should have killed the thing completely but got talked down to what we have, which is $3 dollars a meal.  Crime number 3 is to all the hand wringers who opined over and over and over about how they wouldn’t be any good, no one can make food for $3, kids would go hungry, it’s a scandal etc, etc.  Fast forward and the menu is out, complete with photos of food, and wouldn’t you know it, for $3 you can do a pretty decent job.  You feed kids, you save money, we have a lesson in expenditure and wastage and a Government promise has been delivered.  The lunches were $8.68 a pop under Labour vs $3 now. That's quite the difference, isn't it?  What cost almost half a billion dollars now costs $320m.  And maybe the stories of the teachers helping themselves, or the families getting delivered the extras, or the farmers feeding it all to the pigs will vanish along with the doubters who have made it a past time, if not a living, refusing to believe a lot of what was done under Labour could be done cheaper and better.  If only they paid attention to detail and were driven more by practicality and less by ideology and thought bubbles. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Signs of economic recovery look to be turning the dial on retailers' mood.   Retail NZ's quarterly survey finds 65% of retailers feel confident or very confident their business will survive the next 12 months.  It finds 57% think they will meet or exceed their targets for the final quarter, even after 70% failed to meet their last sales targets.   Chief executive Carolyn Young says retailers are expecting more consumer confidence from recent OCR cuts and falling inflation.   She says while sales numbers are down, there's optimism for the future.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mike Hosking was joined by Labour’s Keiran McAnulty and National’s Mark Mitchell for a chat about some of the biggest political stories of the week so far.  They discussed the hot water Andrew Bayly has found himself in after making a Ministerial visit, Wellington’s woes and the appointment of a Crown Observer to the council, and McAnulty explained why he got a yellow card for the Parliamentary rugby team.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fallout from the axing of sports from the Commonwealth Games has begun.  10 disciplines will be included in the scaled-down Glasgow event, with hockey, triathlon, sevens, and T20 cricket among the sports missing out.   Track cycling, swimming, athletics, and netball have made the cut.  NZ Olympic Committee CEO Nicki Nicol told Mike Hosking that the cut sports have already begun considering possible alternatives to the competition.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 23rd of October, Wellington has finally been appointed a Crown Observer, and David Seymour seems to have cracked it with the cheaper school lunches.  Mike is astounded that people are going in to buy one colour of every clothing item they like, and by how little we are spending on food, on average, per week.  Mark Mitchell and Kieran McAnulty cover off Andrew Bayly, Wellington's woes, and why Kieran got a yellow card for the Parliamentary rugby team on Politics Wednesday.   Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rotorua locals are calling for all of the city's emergency motels to be shut down right away.   The Government's applied to keep seven motels operating after their resource consents expire in December.   Independent commissioner David Hill will look at 176 submissions and decide whether to renew them.   Of the 37 submitters, 36 are against.   Rotorua District Residents and Ratepayers chair Reynold Macpherson told Mike Hosking that they don’t have any faith in the commission process.  He said that it’s set up by the council, and always seems to come out with their preferred situation.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

School lunches look to open up a number of opportunities for businesses.  The Government says it's saving $130 million a year by reducing the cost per meal from $8 to $3.  The Compass Group has been contracted as the lead supplier.  Associate Education Minister David Seymour told Mike Hosking other businesses will be able to get involved.  He says that for example, the programme will need 18 tonnes of chicken a fortnight, so there will be opportunities in that.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Wellington Mayor thinks Tory Whanau's made the right call to accept a Crown observer at her council.  The city's Long Term Plan's being re-written after the city u-turned on its decision to sell its shares in Wellington Airport.  There's also been a raft of issues around the council table.  Local Government Minister Simeon Brown cited councillors walking out of meetings and refusing to participate in votes as rationale for intervention.  Ex-Wellington Mayor Dame Kerry Prendergast told Mike Hosking there'll be some relief from Wellingtonians this morning.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research has revealed pipfruit export growth is outstripping national export growth.  The industry contributed just under $2 billion to New Zealand's economy last year.  Export value increased from $347 million in 2012 to more than $892 million in 2023.  Apple and Pears chairperson Lesley Wilson told Mike Hosking the regional impacts are huge.  She says they're the third-highest contributor to Hawke's Bay's GDP, second in Tasman, and Gisborne is also third largest growing region.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are more people than ever with private medical insurance.  In a so-called “cost of living crisis”, over 15,000 more people joined Southern Cross last year – and that’s just one company. They now have almost a million customers.  Having delt with my company recently over a series of issues, I can inform you I pay over $4000 a year and I have never made a claim in my life.  So far, they are winning.  But I know a person who had an operation the other day that had a value attached of $40 thousand. It wasn’t a major operation, the surgeon did seven of them that day.   Seven operations at $40 thousand, that’s a lot of business for one surgeon in one day, in one clinic. Which would explain why Southern Cross was paying out $6 million a day last year.   Think about it – $6 million for every business day last year  My obvious question is what's wrong with us? Half of members made a claim last year – there were over 3 million actual claims. How is that possible?  As a result of all these claims Southern Cross ran a deficit. They also had to deal with increased cost of claims.   That’s 50%. That 50% by the way, compares to 33% in 2019. So, in the past handful of years there has been an explosion in medical claims. Why?  Knees up 17%, colonoscopy up 17%, hips up 11% - is that age? Are we all just literally falling apart?  The simple reality is this can't continue. Well it can, but at a price, and is it any surprise the price is going up?  Part of the reason the insurance numbers getting up I have no doubt is because the public system is under pressure.  So a public system not working well on anything outside emergency, and the private system under pressure from ever growing numbers of claims, is it possible we are not well as a country?   How come so many people are actively engaged with the health system? Are we worse than Australia, for example, and if so, why?  How long can a private model go for whereby the prices go up and up, along with the claims? We seemingly getting sicker and sicker – why?   Is this not the cold hard truth that when they say health is a bottomless pit, it’s true? Because these numbers show it is. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephen Fry is a man of many talents.   He’s an award-winning comedian, actor, presenter, director, and has claimed the title of ‘bestselling author’ multiple times.   His latest work is the final instalment of his Greek Myths series, ‘Odyssey’ retelling the tale of Odysseus from Homer’s epic poem.   Along with this, Fry is bringing his live show to New Zealand stages, offering an unforgettable evening filled with entertaining stories about his journey through life and show business.  He’s been in the business for nearly five decades and told Mike Hosking that he still sometimes finds it difficult to believe.  “I still think of myself as a little boy watching Parkinson interview comedy stars, and film stars, and so on, and just dreaming of the amazing idea of being famous."  “It’s extraordinary,” Fry said.  “You'd think after all these years, it would have lost its lustre, but actually it hasn't.”  Questions are welcome at Fry’s live show, the second half of the show being entirely filled with questions from the audience.   “People are free to ask questions as serious as they like, but also as frivolous as they like.”  “I’m not someone who finds it difficult to talk.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 22nd of October, the Government are making more changes to the Three Strikes law, so can the legal fraternity get on board?  The Ihumātao debacle is back on the table as documents show that Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka considered disolving the committee.   UK comedian, actor, writer, and orator Stephen Fry joins Mike to talk his new book and his upcoming shows in New Zealand later this year.  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.