The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Pete Miskimmin is one of New Zealand’s leading sports administrators – and he’s set to show us off to the world. The former Black Sticks Captain and Sports NZ CEO has taken on a new role as Sports Diplomacy Manager and tasked with using sport to achieve Government objectives in political, economic, and social sectors. He told Mike Hosking that it allows them to build key relationships and attract people in a relaxed, informal environment without all the suits and officials around. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National’s Mark Mitchell and Labour’s Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to dig into some of the biggest stories of the week on Politics Wednesday. Parliament is taking another break – off three weeks for the school holidays, back for two weeks, and off for another. What’s prompted this one? The country is facing a power crisis, what are their thoughts on the matter, and what can be done to solve it? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The seafood industry isn't making the most of free trade deals. FTAs with the UK, European Union, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership eliminated tariffs on some seafood. However, at the recent Seafood Conference, it was revealed a large part of the industry is still paying. Seafood New Zealand Chief Executive Lisa Futschek told Mike Hosking they're working to figure out what's causing this problem. She says it appears to be at the importer end where the paperwork is not being filled in correctly. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 14th of August, it's OCR day so what will Adrian Orr and the Reserve Bank do? Steven Joyce imparts his knowledge, plus we look at our latest tourism numbers. If Mike told you 93% of garages in NZ are carpeted, would you believe him? We've got plenty of bizarre numbers to break down! Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk our energy issues and whether politicians are being too lazy by continuing to be on break. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Māori Development Minister says iwi will welcome clarity about the responsibilities of major Māori agencies. The Government is shifting some functions of Te Arawhiti —the Office for Māori-Crown Relations— to the Ministry for Māori Development. Te Arawhiti will now focus solely on negotiating Treaty of Waitangi settlements and Takutai Moana applications and the Ministry for Māori Development will focus on economic and social development, and other such matters. Minister Tama Potaka told Mike Hosking there’s been a lot of concern around the context of how Treaty related and Māori issues have been engaged with, but both he and Iwi and Māori leaders throughout the country want their confusion sorted. He said that they don’t want ambiguity in this space, and neither does he. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's believed New Zealand's current energy dilemmas highlight the double-edged sword of renewable power. Low lake levels, acute gas shortages, and periods of low wind have contributed to a looming energy supply crisis and skyrocketing prices. Our biggest gas user, global methanol manufacturer Methanex, will shut down its Kiwi operations until October and redirect its gas to Contact Energy and Genesis Energy. Major Electricity Users' Group Chair John Harbord says it's a fix, but just a temporary one. He told Mike Hosking new gas is urgently needed no matter if it's imported or explored. Harbord says being reliant on renewable energy also means an increased reliance on gas and coal. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr is facing a tough decision on whether to cut the Official Cash Rate today. Financial markets are pricing in a cut, but economists remain divided on whether that should happen. Former Finance Minister Steven Joyce says Orr doesn't want to act too quickly and risk having to backtrack if non-tradable inflation continues to remain high. But, he told Mike Hosking, neither does he want to act too slowly and see the economy stagnate or decline. Joyce says many businesses are struggling and the energy shortage is going to significantly reduce production in the months ahead. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief New Zealand needs to put its money where its mouth is to attract international tourists. Overseas visitor arrivals reached 3.2 million in the year to June but is still 17% down on pre-pandemic peaks. Tourism Holdings Chief Executive, Grant Webster told Mike Hosking we simply have to be more competitive, as other countries spend big. He says Australia's three major states combined have a $800 million spend – more than 50% on New Zealand on a per capita basis. Webster says Aotearoa needs to invest in order to bring people back, and we need to drop the expectation it 'will just happen' without work. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk's live interview with Donald Trump's caught people's attention, but not for the reason he'd hoped. The conversation had a bumpy start after a 40-minute delay due to technical difficulties on X. It's being labelled a high-profile embarrassment for the billionaire, whose platform's faced multiple outages since he took over. Last year, former candidate Ron DeSantis faced a similar server meltdown launching his campaign. US correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking once it got going, it was hardly an interview, with Musk having already endorsed Trump. He says the audio quality was so bad that some listeners reported hearing Trump slurring and talking with a lisp. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A man has been arrested after a stabbing in London's Leicester Square that's left an 11-year-old girl needing hospital treatment, and a 34-year-old woman with minor injuries. Police aren't treating the incident as terror-related. UK police forces remain on high alert after days of riots earlier this month, which were triggered by online posts wrongly identifying a suspected killer of three girls in northern England as an Islamist migrant. UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking that immediately after the attack, the right came online saying that it’s happened again and that they’re up to no good. He said that there’s no evidence whatsoever that the attacker was Muslim, however there is a fair bit of evidence that the person who stopped the attack and took the knife off of him was. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, what to make of the so-called power crisis? About this time yesterday Mike Fuge from Contact Energy gave an eloquent defence of the power industry. He said it works fine, we are in a period of transition, the investment is being made and it will all work out well in the end. Tell that to the mills who have so far closed, or stopped, and the workers who are waiting to hear whether they have jobs. Tell that to the businesses paying double what they did last year for power. Tell that to the farming sector, the likes of Fonterra, who say this now affects our export competitiveness. They claim they have been arguing for industry reform for ages now. ANZCO, who are into meat, are paying twice what they were last year, and you know who that gets passed onto. In the meantime, the Government is looking at liquefied natural gas. Contact claimed yesterday on this show an announcement was coming on gas. Let's hope it's good. And at some point we may or may not hear from the Commerce Commission or the Electricity Authority. Although, if you have followed the various scraps of late over things like petrol, or building supplies, or supermarkets, or banks, when the likes of authorities get involved it appears to be more headline noise than any actual change. The big picture is the key here. If we can't make enough power now, even with the arrival of the new stuff like the geothermal power and the wind and the solar, where do EV's, data centres and AI fit in? Whether at a crisis point or not, power is too expensive in this country and not just too expensive, but clearly unreliable. Three main things drive the industry currently - rain, gas, and wind. There isn't enough rain currently. We stopped looking for gas and current reserves are running out. The wind isn't blowing. That's three good options on paper but in reality, it doesn’t work. So the industry says don’t panic but the users say it’s a crisis and our exports are being hit. It seems to me this is a job for the Government. Jawboning, to this point, hasn’t and isn't working. Leaving it to the market isn't working. If you don’t have power, you are third world. We look, currently, pretty third world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boybands were all the rage in the 90’s and 2000’s, and it seems they’re making a comeback. The Backstreet Boys have toured in recent years, Blue recently visited New Zealand, and even NSYNC have been considering a comeback, prompted by ‘Bye Bye Bye’ making its way back into the charts thanks to the Deadpool and Wolverine movie. But that’s not the end of it, with Boyzlife, a supergroup comprised of former Westlife member Brian McFadden and former Boyzone member Keith Duffy making their move. They’re touring New Zealand early next year, playing all the fan favourite hits from both groups, plus a few new ones. The duo joined Mike Hosking for a chat about the original groups and the success they’ve found in Boyzlife. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some upsides —and downsides— in the Government's new sanction system for beneficiaries. The Government's increasing how often beneficiaries need to re-apply, and introducing new essential payment cards for those who fail to meet their obligations. Former Welfare Expert Advisory Group member Phil O'Reilly says the new sanctions avoid causing harm to beneficiaries' children. But, he told Mike Hosking, the Government should also think about helping people build work-ready skills – something the previous Government did well. He says getting people a drivers licence and Site Safe certificate so they can get a job in construction for instance, is an important part of moving people off welfare. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 13th of August, we've got new welfare rules designed to get people off Jobseeker. So, will it work? The Prime Minister is in studio to explain why Parliament is having yet another break, and how the electricity sector, welfare, and retail crime will be sorted. Brian McFadden of Westlife and Keith Duffy of Boyzone join the show to talk their new duo Boyzlife, and coming to tour in New Zealand. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Paris Olympics is going down as a success among Parisians. Newstalk ZB Correspondent Catherine Field is on the ground in the French capital, where she says hosting the Games was seen as a throw of the dice for the City of Love. She told Mike Hosking that with most of the stadiums outdoors, security was always going to be an issue, but it proved to be a success. New Zealand's team is now on the way home with our best ever medal haul. In all, we won 20: ten Gold, seven Silver, and three Bronze. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Road maintenance is becoming both more expensive, and more urgent. A Government briefing document —released to our newsroom under the Official Information Act— shows road repair costs have gone up 50% in six years. Drainage renewal costs have gone up 350%. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen told Mike Hosking costs have been rising at the same time roads have been degrading. He says weather in the past couple of years has wrecked the roading system even more. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new chair of the Canterbury A&P Association Board is determined to get the show back on the road. Former Speaker of Parliament Sir David Carter has taken the reins in the lead-up to November's scaled-back event. Carter says he wants to see the event continue for generations to come. He told Mike Hosking personality issues made the relationship between previous board members and the general committee dysfunctional, which caused it to fall apart. Carter says that's not good enough, and Christchurch can't have a Show Week without its iconic show. He said that the biggest job will be getting financial supporters on-side. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says all options are on the table for tackling the energy crisis. Wholesale electricity prices have surged in recent weeks as hydro lake storage nears record lows. Christopher Luxon says he's pulled the industry together for discussions about rationing and transferring gas where it needs to go. He told Mike Hosking they're looking at a series of short term measures to ensure supply can meet demand. Luxon says the bigger question is what medium to long-term measures need to be taken to ensure energy security. On another note, the Prime Minister says congestion charging could boost productivity and clear up the roads. Transport Minister Simeon Brown has confirmed the Government's introducing legislation this year to allow for so-called "time of use charging". It'll allow councils to propose charges for using certain roads at certain peak hours. Luxon told Hosking congestion results in slower deliveries and other economic issues. He says if it's done right, congestion charges can result in an 8-12% reduction in congestion. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Infrastructure Commission says at the end of the day, congestion charging is all about efficiency. Legislation is coming to clear the way for councils to propose making motorists pay for using busy routes at rush hour. The aim is to encourage public transport, car-pooling, and off-peak travel. Infrastructure Commission General Manager Geoff Cooper told Mike Hosking it allows councils to make the most of the transport network they already have. He says the focus is now on efficiency across the network, which is a positive step for future investment. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Saville and Guy Heveldt joined Mike Hosking to discuss their highlights of the Paris Olympics — including Hamish Kerr, Lydia Ko, Dame Lisa Carrington and Ellesse Andrews all getting the gold — and the All Blacks’ 38-30 loss to Argentina in Wellington. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian political leaders have leapt to the defence of Rachael Gunn as the Olympic team closes ranks behind the under fire breakdancer. The 36-year-old, known as Raygun, failed to score a point when breaking made its debut as an Olympic sport in Paris on Friday. Vision of the Macquarie University lecturer’s performance sent social media into a spin and raised questions about the sport’s validity. Back home, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commended Gunn when asked about criticism of her routine. “Raygun had a crack, good on her, and a big shout out to her,” he told reporters in Adelaide on Sunday. “That is in the Australian tradition of people having a go. She’s had a go representing our country, and that’s a good thing. “Whether they’ve won gold medals or just done their best, that’s all we asked for. It’s the participating that is really important.” Breakdancing has been dropped from the programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with no guarantee it will return at Brisbane in 2032 or beyond. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said she had enjoyed watching the sport and suggested Raygun was a champion already as someone chosen to represent their nation on the world stage. “To quote Taylor (Swift), let the haters hate and let’s just get on celebrate our Olympians’ success,” she said in Melbourne. Chef de mission Anna Meares was similarly supportive of Gunn, condemning comments from “trolls and keyboard warriors”. “I love her character and I feel very disappointed for her that she has come under the attack that she has,” she said. Gunn lost all three of her round-robin battles by a combined score of 54-0 and admitted post-event that she couldn’t compete athletically with the tricks and spins of her younger opponents. “What I wanted to do was come out here and do something new and different and creative - that’s my strength, my creativity,” she said. Gunn has published a doctoral thesis entitled Deterritorialising Gender in Sydney’s Breakdancing Scene: A B-girl’s Experience of B-boying. The thesis questioned why so few female participants were part of the male-dominated scene but spoke of the sport as a “space that embraces difference”.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The best Olympics ever. Sadly it wasn’t in our timezone, which doesn’t help the communal buzz of a nation gathered together. But we won more golds and, in my book, that is really what the Olympics is about. They have tried to make it about new, weird sports and participation, but for the purest it is about being the best. That’s why you sacrifice and give up your life for singular moments that make it all worthwhile. I have decided that gold is disproportionate to silver and bronze. It's not a step up - it's several steps. I have also decided, as shown through the tears of Lydia Ko, that although there are sports you could argue don’t really belong at the Olympics, even for the most elite of athletes used to winning regularly elsewhere on a global stage, representing your country clearly still counts for a lot. Then you get to the weird business of human nature. As remarkable as Lisa Carrington is, the trouble with being a recidivist winner is you are expected to simply carry on. That’s why being number one at anything is relentless and largely thankless, because it's expected. Which is why the Hamish Kerr gold is the one you remember, because it wasn’t expected. Was he a prospect? Yes. Was he going to win it all? I didn’t hear anyone say that. But what about gold in the canoe slalom? It's an odd, invented sport with no small measure of luck. So does an invented sport gold beat a classic high jump gold? Not in my book. But here is the real gold on the gold - we don’t historically win a lot of them. It was seven last time and that was an outlier. We won eight in Los Angeles a long time ago. But apart from those two, most games produce one or two or three at most. Ten golds is a couple of weeks to remember and reminds us that for a country of five million, there are an outsized group of people who strive, work and are determined to live a dream and be the very best of the best. And for all their stories, we can be grateful for the joy they bring.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 12th of August, the Government has dropped emergency housing numbers by a third. So where have they gone and can they keep it up? New Zealand's golden girl, Dame Lisa Carrington, talks to Mike about her three gold medals and whether retirement is on the horizon. Guy Heveldt and Andrew Saville wrap all the highlights from Paris Olympics 2024. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kamala Harris is surging ahead of Donald Trump in the latest major poll. The Vice President's taken a four percent lead over the former President in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan in a New York Times Siena poll. It's the clearest indication of the candidates' standing in the three battleground states since Joe Biden dropped out. But US correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking says we're still very early into the race, and the two are still very much neck-and-neck. “However, the Times says the last three weeks have been the worst for Trump in his entire 2024 campaign as he struggles with trying to find out how to take on Harris.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A call for stricter regulation of building reports to address major discrepancies that could be affecting buyer decisions. The industry’s finding the quality of the $1000 reports vary, with some overstating minor issues and spooking potential buyers. One real estate agent has told OneRoof he's seen 11 inspection reports for a single property — each with a different opinion. Institute of Building Surveyors' President Darryl August told Mike Hosking the New Zealand standard for pre-purchase inspections should be looked at too. “That’s almost 20 years old, and in my opinion, probably needs an update. It excludes things like rental property tenancy inspections.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retail crime is on the rise once more — with latest Police data showing it's up 17 percent in the first five months of this year. In central Palmerston North, five people have been arrested for stealing thousands of goods from Farmers and Rebel Sport on Friday afternoon. And in Christchurch's New Brighton, a community pantry and Countdown supermarket were targeted on Saturday. Sunny Kaushal — the chair of the Government's newly established Crime Advisory Group — told Mike Hosking he hopes to start work on addressing the issue before the end of the month. “But I promise the day we start working, within two weeks time, I will have the first proposal on table.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our most successful Olympics of all time is coming to a close in Paris. Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are all performing in the closing ceremony. Flagbearer Dame Lisa Carrington told Mike Hosking it's an honour to be leading our Kiwi athletes alongside fellow flagbearer Finn Butcher. “I’d say I’m a bit of a different athlete now than I was then, and I think it’s really special to be able to do it. We’ve had such a great Olympics.” New Zealand is bringing home 20 medals — ten Gold, seven Silver, and three Bronze — putting us 11th in the Gold Medal Table. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A suggestion from the Government that some emergency housing tenants don't need to be there. Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka claims there's been a 32 percent drop in households living in motels since December — roughly a thousand children. Labour's accusing the Government of making it harder for people to access support. But Potaka told Mike Hosking there are responsibilities that come with using taxpayer funds for housing. “There are less people going in because we’ve made it clear and transparent around the criteria that you have to satisfy in order to get into emergency housing.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tāmaki Makaurau is bouncing back after a chaotic few years, but still playing catch-up to other global cities. The second annual State of the City report released today shows housing affordability and transport infrastructure are lagging behind. It calls for significant investment and planning to kickstart projects with the speed, scale and coordination required. Business of Cities Managing Director Tim Moonen told Mike Hosking Auckland re-entered the global economy later than nearly every city of its size. “The return to tourism, the return of investment, the return of business, jobs, people who are mobile moving around has been a bit slower. We expect that gap to bridge but it’s still there two years on.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the country's largest electricity generators and retailers is adamant the market is working as it should be. The Electricity Authority and Commerce Commission are continuing to look into accusations of price gouging by so-called "gentailers" - companies that both generate electricity and provide it to consumers. It comes after four mills announced they were either downsizing or planning on shutting entirely, blaming soaring prices. Contact Energy chief executive Mike Fuge told Mike Hosking government interventions will slow the market down. “Government interventions have never had happy endings. And the same is what happened here when they announced the oil and gas ban. It hasn’t had a good ending.” 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. Smith & Caughey's: 7/10 A bright spot in a tough old economic week. Smaller is better than nothing at all. Jobs: 6/10 In this weird old world being not as bad as you thought isn't really good news. Power: 1/10 This is the scandal of the week, or month, or year, and the last Government. Power drives economies and we don’t have enough and what we have is the most expensive in the world. If you can't make enough power you're little more than Third World. Tim Walz: 6/10 Because he's refreshing and, yet, a mistake. He's affable, funny and likeable, but of the left. You don’t get middle America on your side by being left of Kamala. Shaun Johnson: 8/10 Great guy, great player, great story and great legacy. The Olympics: 6/10 I feel the same as last week. I'm not feeling it. It could be the time zone. But I'll tell you this for nothing - I bet the Australians are up at all hours and loving it. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The boys in black are back, but they'll be playing with their captain this weekend. Scott Barrett talks to Mike Hosking about his injuries and Saturday's game. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Electricity Authority and Commerce Commission have both been asked to investigate whether power companies are price gouging. Officials are also looking to import more liquefied natural gas to address the situation. Energy minister Simeon Brown joins Mike Hosking to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After voting unanimously to keep their Maori Wards, Palmerston North City Council is seeking advice. Act's local government spokesperson Cameron Luxton is accusing elected members of playing with fire. Constitutional law expert Graeme Edgler joins Mike Hosking to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Council-controlled organisations will soon be able to borrow more for less through the local government funding agency. They will be able to borrow five times their operating revenue, meaning major work can get underway without major rates hikes. Water New Zealand Chief Executive Gillian Blythe joins Mike Hosking to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Mike Hosking that Trump is honing in on criticisms of Harris' lack of sit-down interviews since she took over from Joe Biden. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Conservative think tank suggests charter schools could close gaps in student achievement. Researcher Maryanne Spurdle says charter schools could provide positive learning gains for disadvantaged students. She says while the model doesn't directly target these students - it allows educators to have autonomy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday the 9th of August, we have the Government's plan for water, plus Simeon Brown tells us how we'll fix the electricity woes. All Black captain Scott Barrett pops in to talk how his surgery recovery is going and whether we'll thrash Argentina this weekend. What's Mike's latest question to win money for charity? Kate and Tim play the latest round on Wrapping the Week. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK Prime Minister is vowing swift action as authorities brace for fresh unrest. There's been escalating violence in far-right riots since the fatal stabbing of three girls in a Merseyside dance class in Southport last week. More than 500 people have been arrested so far, and thousands of counter protesters have also mobilised across the country. A rioter who punched a police officer in the face in Southport has been jailed for three years - the longest prison sentence so far over the far-right disorder. UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking that Sir Keir Starmer promises 540 jail spaces have been cleared for rioters. He says it should be enough spaces to deal with this, as the biggest riot saw around 40 people arrested. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although the eyes of the world are currently focused on the Olympic Games, that hasn’t ended the conflicts occurring all over the globe. Today marks day 895 of the Ukraine War, and Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week unveiling the first of the F-16s, which are already in use. Over in the Middle East, Israel and the United States are on high alert for retaliation from Iran after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Both Ukraine and Gaza are still under fire, and Hezbollah are ramping up their drone attacks on Israel. Mick Ryan is a retired Australian Major General, now an academic and strategist, and has written a book covering the lessons of the Russia-Ukraine war and the strategies adopted within: The War for Ukraine: Strategy and Adaptation Under Fire. He joined Mike Hosking to give his insight on the global conflicts and where they’re likely to go from here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 8th of August, unemployment came in lower than expected, so where does that leave the Reserve Bank and interest rate cuts? Is Mark Mitchell playing games by refusing a meeting with police for Ginny Andersen? We get the explanation from the Police Minister himself. One of the best military strategists Mick Ryan talks where we go to from here for Ukraine and the Middle East. 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.

Calls for a national food strategy to be implemented in light of research showing it's virtually impossible for families on a benefit to afford healthy food. Data shows two-children families receiving financial assistance would be $200 dollars short if they bought low-cost nutritional kai. AUT Nutrition Professor Elaine Rush told Mike Hosking that feeding Kiwis well needs to be prioritised over sending it overseas. She says we need to also think carefully about the food we import in large quantities, as most fail to promote healthy eating. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government could be importing liquefied natural gas to relieve businesses struggling with high power prices. An Auckland paper recycling pulp mill with 75 staff is proposing to close. Ohakune's Winstone pulp and timber mills are also at the brink of closure, putting 300 jobs on the line. Both blame sky rocketing increases in power prices over the years. Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking she understands the Government may have to go to drastic measures like importing gas to give relief for businesses. She says she's hearing there's a lot of pain and pressure being felt by businesses because of these high prices. Willis is also tempering expectations for public servant pay increases. The Government's written to public sector agencies ahead of collective negotiations saying they must keep spending reined in, and any increases should be based on performance. It follows thousands of jobs being cut in the sector to meet Government budget cuts. Willis told Hosking agencies need to be realistic about the challenges in the economy. She says in the past public sector pay increases have risen ahead of those in the private sector, and that's not right. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Minister has clarified why he declined the Opposition spokesperson's request to visit an Auckland police station to meet with an inspector. Ginny Andersen says she followed well established practice when asking to visit Albany station, but Mark Mitchell's office said no. Mitchell told Mike Hosking it's different to when he labelled then-Minister Poto Williams “petulant and vindictive” for refusing his request to meet with the police commissioner. He says if Andersen had requested to meet the Commissioner, it would have been approved within 30 seconds. Instead, he says she requested to attend an operational police station alongside another MP, without specifying who she was meeting with. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economists' uncertainty regarding the Reserve Bank's upcoming Official Cash Rate moves speaks to how inconsistent its messaging has been. Stats NZ data has the unemployment rate at 4.6% in the June quarter, up from 4.4% in March. It's one factor the Reserve Bank considers when weighing up whether to cut the Official Cash Rate. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen told Mike Hosking a couple of banks are picking an August cut, others November, and some think next year. He says it's not that they're looking at the economic data and drawing different conclusions, they're looking at the data and wondering what on earth the Reserve Bank will do. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is being urged to step in to save New Zealand paper and pulp mills. Winstone's pulp and timber mills near Ohakune are looking to close due to high power costs, with 300 jobs on the line. Following this, an Auckland paper recycling pulp mill has put forward a proposal to close - blaming rising energy costs as one of several issues. First Union Spokesperson Justin Wallace told Mike Hosking the Government can't allow this work to be outsourced. He says if the work goes overseas, places like Auckland's plant will have 75 families that will lose a breadwinner. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An upside to Covid is most of us got into the Reserve Bank “thing”. We thought about it more than we ever had, and had a better understanding of what they are about and how profoundly they affect all our lives. The Fed is not cutting until maybe September, but then the jobs report came out on Friday, people panicked and there are calls for emergency cuts. It won't happen and, in a way, that’s why we have Fed's and not people who freak out running the place. Yesterday the Australian Reserve Bank made their call. Last week there was a real suggestion, based on jobs numbers, that not only was there not going to be a cut, there could be a hike. That led to headline writers suggesting it would be the end of Albanese and that it was the decision of a generation. In the end they held. Next week we have our own central bank doing the same thing. There is a bit of thought that they could cut. I doubt they will because jobs are not our problem. We certainly don’t have too many of them, but inflation has not come down to a state they will be comfortable with. Our non-tradables is at 5.4% and that is not cutting territory. Most retail banks say there will be one or two cuts by the end of the year. They are most probably right, which means that the Reserve Bank is wrong as they are currently telling us they are not cutting until well into next year. Big clue though - the game has changed. Although we all march to our own beat, we are nevertheless intertwined. If the Fed in America cuts, we will too. We cannot be an outlier. We are so flotsam and jetsam-esque that we go where the world does. Of course what has routed the U.S market in particular is the tech obsession. A bloke in a leather jacket made some neat AI chips and everybody drank the Kool-Aid on what AI was going to do to the world. It's another bubble. Not AI itself necessarily, but the hype around the next cool thing made by the next cool company. A lot of activity on markets is not routed in basics, fundamentals or common sense, but noise and speculative greed. Thank the Good Lord that is not what central banks dabble in. Make no mistake - this is all a mess. Economically, New Zealand is not going remotely well. But increasingly the white heat of expectation shines on central banks, from Wall Street to Chifley Square yesterday, to the terrace next week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rugby Union is set to kick up the speed with the introduction of a couple of new laws. A 30 second time limit will be introduced for scrums and lineouts to be set, these new changes being trialled in this weekend’s clash between the All Blacks and Argentina. NZR Referees boss Chris Pollock told Mike Hosking they tested the changed in Super Rugby this year and he thinks they got a pretty good result in speeding up the game. He said that everyone wants the ball in play and the more action we can see, the better the game. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 7th of August, we look towards the unemployment numbers out today and how it will affect us, plus the big meeting today for Kaipara re: their Māori wards. What is happening with Air NZ when we are looking at a second half loss while airlines around the world are making record profits? It gets heated between Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen on Politics Wednesday as the discussion turns to what is and isn't appropriate to say when criticising MPs. 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.

Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking for Politics Wednesday, and things got a bit heated as the conversation turned to the recent clash in the House. Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking that it’s sad that Gerry Brownlee had to make that kind of intervention. He said they’re all adults and they should know how to treat each other with respect. It’s a difficult situation, Ginny Andersen told Hosking, as she still needs to be held accountable for the decisions being made by the government she stands behind. But, she said, she has some questions regarding David Seymour’s decision to send his already distressed party member to the press gallery and put her in a situation that was going to cause her further distress. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.