The Mike Hosking Breakfast

As Darleen Tana continues her "woe is me, I have been wronged” roadshow, we might look to a bit of history for advice, or instruction. We have been here before. I believe it began with Alamein Kopu many years back, another woman with very similar grievances to Tana. For Alamein it wasn't fair, woe is me and I'm hard done by. She was part of the alliance in the early days of MMP when these new list members rolled into Parliament on nothing more than a party's whim and set about causing trouble. Isn't it remarkable to think that three decades later we still haven't learnt how to run the system properly? It's become embarrassingly obvious that the Greens aren't up to much when it comes to candidate selection. Tana, who got voted for by basically no one and scraped in at 12th on the list, now has the power to just hang about the place and cause who knows how much trouble. All paid for by us. In the meantime, the party who could do something aren't, for reasons only they can try to explain. They can't contact her, they won't release the report we paid for, and they won't tell us how much it cost. They are twisting themselves into indigestion over the waka-jumping law that would solve their problems, except for the fact they’ve banged on so loudly about it being unfair. Here is the most important part of this - Chloe Swarbrick has aspirations. She openly states she can take the party and overtake Labour as a majority player on the left. But how can she even begin to do that when she can't even run the place with the size it is? How do you appeal to 28, 29, or 30% of New Zealanders when at 12 or 13% you look a shambles? They're a dysfunctional, indecisive, dithering shambles. If all they aspire to be is a minor noise maker, yapping away on the sidelines of an MMP system that allows increasingly fringe operators a seat or two, then this would be just another amateurish mess. But when you see yourself in the mainstream you've got to act like you belong there. Small clue - this isn't it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 17th of July, how will Pharmac respond to David Seymour's letter of intent? Chairwoman Paula Bennett joined to for a discussion. Our Olympic team for Paris is officially finalised, and we know all the names of the 195 athletes representing us. Chef de Mission Nigel Avery talks up our prospects. Mark Mitchell and Duncan Webb cover off Darleen Tana, Shane Jones' oil meeting, and the sop that is the retail crime advisory group 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.

Today on Politics Wednesday National’s Mark Mitchell and Labour’s Duncan Webb joined Mike Hosking to dig into some of the biggest political topics of the week thus far. Darleen Tana is still undecided as to whether she’ll resign from Parliament. She has resigned from the Green Party, which is urging her to quit Parliament after a report on her knowledge of alleged migrant exploitation at her husband's business. Tana told 1News that if she hasn’t decided whether she’ll resign from Parliament by Sunday, she'll likely be sitting come Tuesday. Labour’s Duncan Webb told Mike Hosking that she should pack her bags. He said she came in on the Green’s ticket, and since the Greens don’t want her, she shouldn’t be an MP anymore. “Leave with dignity, find something else to do.” National’s Mark Mitchell agreed, telling Mike Hosking that Webb summed it up very well. He said that Green co-leader Chloe Swarbrick has handled the situation quite well considering their party’s vehement opposition to the waka jumping bill and the difficult situation they’re in. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's push back from builders over the Government's enquiries into rolling back insulation standards. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk is looking at changing the H1 Energy Efficiency Building Code introduced last year, which aims to reduce energy for heating homes by 40%. Certified Builders Chief Executive Malcolm Fleming told Mike Hosking the industry has adapted the code. He says manufacturers have also invested heavily in new plants and machinery, and so removing H1 undoes much of that business investment. Fleming adds the requirements costs are small for significant long-term gain. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pharmac's new Chair is acknowledging those at the drug-buying agency have been publicly defensive in recent times. Former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett's chairing the agency as it works to the Associate Health Minister's newly outlined expectations. Among them is a directive to include patient groups in decision-making processes and enhance public trust. Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking, Bennett said the executive was aligned with her and Seymour’s views. “There are different views and people have been under one letter of expectation and regime from a very different minister, so there is still a lot of discussion to go on. “They are having to say no more than they can say yes. They do care about New Zealanders and want to deliver more medicines, but they haven’t had the budget to do that,” she said. “As a consequence, there has been a lot of frustration and anger; as a consequence, they have perhaps closed themselves in instead of going more outward.” Seymour’s letter indicated a view Pharmac was struggling to maintain public trust and build positive relationships with stakeholders. His letter asked Bennett to ensure stakeholders understood “how Pharmac operates, that its legitimacy, credibility and trust is enhanced, and that all feedback and ideas are dealt with respectfully and valued”. He added Pharmac should report to him regularly about how it was improving organisational culture and stakeholder settlement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump's 39-year-old VP pick is expected to appeal to younger right-wing voters, especially in swing states. The Republican National Convention is continuing in Wisconsin. Ohio Senator JD Vance has been announced as Trump's running mate, with Trump also making an appearance at the convention. US correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that despite not liking Trump in 2016, Vance has since embraced the MAGA campaign in every way. He says policy wise, Vance believes Latin American immigration is killing jobs for people in Ohio and letting Democratic voters pour in. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Climate Change Minister is defending his emissions reduction plan after revealing it's no longer on track to meet its third emissions budget. This is despite being on track under the policies of the last government. Projections published at the end of 2023 based on policies from the last Government, showed the country hitting its first three emissions budgets. Under new projections published today, which incorporate decisions the new Government has made to bin a host of Labour-era policies like decarbonising heavy industry and subsidies for EVs, the government will sail 17 Mt CO2-e above that third budget, which runs from 2031–35. The government is on track to meet its current budget, emissions budget 1, and the second emissions budget. An emissions reduction plan is a document the Government releases under the Zero Carbon Act. It is meant to set out policies that will help the Government to meet its emissions budgets on the way to hit the Government’s ultimate goal of net zero emissions for long-lived gasses in 2050. The Government has one more emissions budget to deploy to hit its third budget. The Government released its draft plan today for consultation. A final plan will be published before the end of the year. The new reduction plan includes investing in electric car chargers, waste minimisation, and planting thousands of hectares of pine and native trees. Climate Change Minister Simon Watts told Mike Hosking this plan has a short-term focus. He says the initiatives will support the struggling economy while also still hitting the first two targets. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tories are in for a restructure after their defeat in the UK election. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has resigned as leader of the Conservative Party, saying in his speech that he has “heard your anger”. UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking that nobodies looking forward to the Conservative Leadership election, as it will “usually be a b**** fest” and remind everyone of the people who used to run them. He said that Kemi Badenoch is currently out in front, with a strong showing from Tom Tugendhat, and Suella Braverman. Liddle told him that if there was a vote tomorrow, the right would win, but historically the person at the front of a Tory Leadership contest never actually wins. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Governmental disappointment of the week for me was the announcement of a panel that will look into retail crime. It will take two years. It isn't necessary to gather people to take two years to come up with ideas on what to do with retail crime. Retail crime isn't cancer. It is a form of societal cancer, but it's not a complex issue the answer to which is only to be found in a lab requiring deep and detailed investigation. What this announcement is, dare I say it, is the Labour Government reheated. When you have a problem you are not confident of being able to fix, you create a group to look into it. You give them a generous time frame and you head it, as they have, with one of your biggest critics. In this case it's Sunny Kaushal. By doing this you take the heat out of the pressure you are under. All questions going forward about retail crime can be answered by saying "yes we share your concern, as do the panel we have set up to look into it, the results of which cannot be far away". This Government has made it clear that crime has consequences. It's about police presence and charges and courts and sentences. Sunny Kaushal has been vocal over his ideas, which involves dairy owners being able to make arrests and security guards having more power. In other words, we already have the answers and, in some aspects, announcements have already been made in terms of sentencing and police on the beat. Making it worse is when the panel come up with the ideas they already have and have expressed it will require law change. Law change that the Government will then announce will take time. In that is the problem for Governments - this one doesn’t have time. They have inherited a societal mess and time is of the essence. Some of it can't be fixed quickly, but decisions can be made and actions taken. Setting up a Labour-style committee to do the bleeding obvious isn't it. If this is their approach to one of our most urgent issues, they will pay the price electorally when results don’t come and patience runs out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liam Lawson isn’t the only Kiwi excelling in the world of motorsports as two Kiwis sit in first and second heading into the final races of Formula-E. Nick Cassidy sits atop the standings, with Mitch Evans just behind him. It’s Cassidy’s title to lose, and he’ll be looking to bounce back from a difficult last round in Portland, where he wasn’t able to secure points. He told Mike Hosking that Portland made his life probably a bit more difficult than it needs to be going into London, but sometimes that’s part of the game. “The job ahead is still the same job, and I think we can get it done.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington City Council has been found to be in the wrong in a battle involving a cycleway and parking space. A group of businesses on Thorndon Quay opposed findings of a judicial review over the move to slash car parks near shops. The court's ruled the council was not compliant with its legal obligations in deciding to cut back the number of carparks. Thorndon retailer Paul Robinson told Mike Hosking he's hoping for an independent review of the decision-making process. He says a petition calling for an economic assessment was declined. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 16th of July, we go to Milwaukee as all eyes are on the Republican National Convention, what Trump will say, and who his VP will be. David Seymour does his first PM interview slot as Acting Prime Minister. Kiwi Formula-E driver Nick Cassidy heads into the final weekend of the competition on top of the leaderboard, making time to speak to Mike first. 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.

A political commentator thinks the Greens are in a difficult space with regard to the Darleen Tana report. The embattled MP, who resigned from the party, is denying allegations of knowledge or involvement in migrant exploitation at her husband's business. A report into Tana has concluded but has not been made public. She broke her silence last night, speaking to TVNZ about her disagreement with the findings of the report. Former MP and commentator Peter Dunne told Mike Hosking that invoking the waka jumping legislation could mean even more weeks til the matter's resolved. He says its likely she's throwing down the gauntlet to the Greens. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Association feels a recent pay deal doesn't recognise the force's work enough. An independent arbitrator stepped in after negotiations with the Police Association failed, siding with the Government's offer. Association President Chris Cahill told Mike Hosking while it's not the worst deal ever, it doesn't get officers back even with inflation over the past years. He says neither does it address the big increases in demand and risk, and the complexity of the role. Cahill says other groups who are able to strike have had this recognised, but police never have. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour is outlining a new direction for Pharmac. The Acting Prime Minister and Associate Health Minister told Mike Hosking he'll be outlining new expectations for the Government's drug-funding agency this afternoon. He's eager to see Pharmac take a more holistic view on how it can save taxpayers' money, with fewer hospital admissions, more people working, and fewer people on benefits. He says the Treaty of Waitangi shouldn't affect something as technical and tangible as which drugs to buy. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump has named Senator JD Vance of Ohio as his Vice Presidential running mate. Simon Marks of independent broadcaster FSN is at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where he told Mike Hosking there had been several tell-tale signs JD Vance was going to be Trump's pick for VP. He says Vance received Secret Service protection on Sunday, and today he was reportedly provided with a motorcade to make his way to the convention centre. Vance was widely believed to be Trump's pick, Marks saying that he was a critic of Trump in the 2016 election cycle, but has since embraced Trump's Make America Great Again movement. Trump is also being formally confirmed as the Republican presidential candidate at the convention, just two days after surviving a deadly assassination attempt. Meanwhile, he's also had a new legal victory with a US judge dismissing one of his criminal cases over allegedly mishandling of classified documents. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A significant global trade opportunity has arisen as New Zealand accepts its invitation to meet political powerhouses the G7. The Group of Seven forum consists of top trading nations including Japan, the UK, and the United States. New Zealand's been invited by Italy as we're a major trading partner to the European country. Trade Minister Todd McClay told Mike Hosking supply chain issues will be a major talking point. He says companies exporting to Europe are finding it harder due to shipping and geopolitical challenges. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 15th of July, all the reaction from the U.S on the Trump assassination attempt Richard Arnold, a former marine and security expert and former BBC U.S correspondent Nick Bryant. Plenty of questions still to be answered about that - how was the shooter able to get so close? Did he miss or did Trump turn his head at the right time? Will this bring unity or divide the country even more? Guy and Sav cover the AB's vs England and whether or not we care that they play Fiji next in San Diego. 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.

Obviously you can't make this stuff up. Buried deep in the crisis that is Joe Biden and his inability to look anything close to a presidential candidate, we are then distracted by the other bloke getting shot. Was something as ugly as this always bound to happen? Is America that broken? Trump obviously is not the first, but its been a long time since Ronald Reagan. A couple of odd things - why were his shoes off? Why do your shoes come off when you hit the ground? This is not to diminish or take away from the seriousness of the event, but it seems odd. As regards his reaction, working for him is the fact he was able to get up, raise his fist and yell out numerous times the word “fight”. When age is an issue in a campaign and you have the energy to take a graze, get up and raise your fist and turn it into a photo opportunity, that's going to play exceedingly well for you. He looks like a fighter. He is also, I assume, exceedingly lucky to be alive, given whatever hit him didn’t hit him properly. Which then leads to the question - how do you change your campaign going forward, security wise? Obviously the convention this week will be well locked down. But November is a long way away and a lot of rallies need to be held. As much security as Trump had yesterday, it wasn’t enough to stop someone crazy having a crack. On security, although it didn’t stop it, you had to see the swarm to believe it. They were nowhere to be seen, until they came from everywhere. Good luck trying to get into something presidential going forward. None of this course plays well for America. The current president is in severe and obvious decline and seemingly refusing to go anywhere as his party implodes with panic. In the meantime, the guy against him is a shooting victim. What does that say about the country and its place in the world? The U.S presidential campaign of 2024 - if you think you can guess what happens next, you're dreaming.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Secretary of the CFMEU's Victorian branch, John Setka, abruptly resigned from the role on Friday. Investigations revealed Setka had threatened and intimidated union members - and employed key underworld figures on major construction projects. Australian correspondent Steve Price explains what this means for the future of the union. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Saville and Guy Heveldt joined Mike Hosking to discuss the All Blacks' narrow victory over England at Eden Park - and whether or not they're excited about the team's upcoming clash against Fiji. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Upmarket Wellington homewares store Cranfields will continue to trade - but might move out of the capital. The shop's closure was announced months ago, with owner Nicola Cranfield blaming uncertainty around the Golden Mile transport project, to effectively ban cars from a number of central city streets. The store is now looking for new premises. Nicola Cranfield says she's had a conversation with Hastings Council. "I was curious to know whether they were about to wrap up all those streets and remove parking and bring in a lot of cones. Fortunately, they laughed and said - why would we do that to our retailers? That was heartening." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions are being raised over what Trump's campaign will look like after the recent Pennsylvania rally shooting. Trump was grazed by a bullet in an assassination attempt at a rally yesterday, which left one attendee killed and two others injured. Former BBC US correspondent Nick Bryant believes the event allows Trump to revel in a sense of martyrdom and victimhood. "Also, it makes him seem more presidential. Because figures like Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and obviously Joe Biden have had to come out and say - this was a terrible event." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Housing Minister is confident the harsher consequences for unruly Kāinga Ora tenants are working. Chris Bishop ordered the public housing agency to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework in March this year, and strengthen management of disruptive tenants. Since then, 14 tenancies have been terminated - with another 25 applications awaiting decisions. Chris Bishop says putting up with disruptive behaviour is cruel for the 23,000 people on the waitlist for social housing. "Well you just go - at some level, there has to be consequences. And of course, once there are consequences, people start to change their behaviour. We're starting to see that, which is a good thing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Schools are struggling to find enough specialist teachers for students with English as a second language. Stats NZ data shows a net figure of almost 22,000 5-to-17 year olds arrived in the year to May this year. The Education Ministry expects to add a further 371 classrooms by the end of the year, to meet roll growth. Secondary Principals Association President Vaughan Couillault says those figures can mean a few hundred more teachers are needed. "There's not enough teachers - full stop. You can end the sentence there, particularly in the secondary space. But at the moment, there's particular pressure on the ESOL area." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions are being raised over the security lapses at Donald Trump's infamous Pennsylvania rally. Republican lawmakers have confirmed they plan to investigate how the shooter managed to get up on the roof of a nearby building and fire multiple shots into the crowd before being killed. Senior Fellow at Defence Priorities in Washington DC Gil Barndollar says there are plenty of questions about the execution of security. "It does seem strange, if not inexcusable, that there was a shooter on the rooftop of a building just 400 feet away from the stage - that seems crazy, on the face of it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former president Donald Trump is gearing up for his next set of appearances after yesterday's shooting. Trump was shot in the ear and moved off stage after a shooter opened fire at a rally in Pennsylvania - and one attendee was killed. US correspondent Richard Arnold says president Joe Biden reached out to Trump after yesterday's incident. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Euro 2024 football final has kicked off in Berlin. Three-time champions and favourites Spain face England, who are seeking a first major tournament win since the 1966 World Cup. Sports commentator Martin Tyler explains what to expect from the match. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What poison are you picking? Sales of spirits are set to overtake wine globally, having already overtaken in New Zealand. Kiwis are drinking less and spending their money a little differently, and last year was the first time more spirits were bought than wine. Robert Brewer, CEO of Spirits NZ, told Andrew Dickens that the New Zealand wine industry also had a bit of a slow patch, and those things combined resulted in more spirits being sold. He said that distillers are getting better and better at their jobs, and the growing number of them means that proportionally, more spirits wind up sold. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There will be no excuses for timed-out kicks at goal at Eden Park on Saturday. As the All Blacks host England for the second test in the series there will be a 60-second shot clock displayed on the big screen and the television broadcast, that will signal how much time a kicker has to take their shot at goal. It comes after All Blacks first-five Damian McKenzie was deemed by referee to have taken longer than the time limit when lining up a penalty kick in the first test in Dunedin. With just three minutes remaining in the match, the All Blacks won a penalty and captain Scott Barrett pointed towards the posts signalling they would like a shot at three points. Three points that would have given the All Blacks a four-point buffer with barely enough time for England to kick-off. The clock begins when the captain points towards the posts for a shot at goal and this rule is not unknown to players as it was the same rule used in Super Rugby Pacific this year. “The kick must be taken within 60 seconds (playing time) from the time the team indicated their intention to do so, even if the ball rolls over and has to be placed again. Sanction: Kick is disallowed and a scrum is awarded,” the law states. Where confusion arose for McKenzie was that his only means of knowing how much time he had left was communication from the referee. The referee blew his whistle and signalled that McKenzie had taken longer than the allocated 60 seconds and England were given possession back. The All Blacks’ player maker’s blushes were saved as the All Blacks held on to record a 16-15 victory but the incident sparked debate as to whether communication from the referee was enough clarity. Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner told Andrew Dickens the clock is linked to the referee, so it’s an operational matter for NZR and the TMO. He said that testing has been done to accommodate any and all of the three screens in the grounds. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Mike Hosking off for the Week, Andrew Dickens was joined by Tim Wilson and Kerre Woodham to Wrap the Week that was. They discussed this weekend's All Blacks test against England - who are they picking to win? Tim's coastal retreat, and Christopher Luxon's excitement at the NATO summit. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been 30 years since the All Blacks last lost at Eden Park. Could England be the ones to bring an end to the streak after their narrow loss in Dunedin? Former All Blacks Coach John Hart told Andrew Dickens that last week was a great test in terms of the proximity of the scores and this will be England’s last game of the season, so they’ll be really fired up. He says the difference is that England showed what they’ve got last week, but the All Blacks have space to improve and adjust accordingly. Hart thinks they’ll improve sufficiently to make sure we maintain the unbeaten record at Eden Park. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon says Ukraine cannot lose the war against Russia. NATO leaders have called China a decisive enabler of Russia's war on Ukraine. Luxon's chaired the Indo-Pacific Four meeting, NATO-aligned countries New Zealand, Australia, Japan and South Korea. Luxon also called out China's role in supporting the rebuilding of Russia's industrial base. He says they don't want to see any country supporting the Russia war machine and it's a conversation he raised with Chinese Premier Li when he was in New Zealand. But China has pushed back against NATO's stance. A spokesperson says Beijing put forward a 12-point paper more than a year ago that set out general principles for ending the war. It received a lukewarm reception at the time in both Russia and Ukraine. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief South Island dairy processor Synlait has been handed a lifeline, but not a life saver. Shareholders voted 99.6% in favour of taking out a $130 million loan, meaning it can meet its debt payment to banks, due on Monday. It comes after the company plunged into a $96.2 million first half loss. Synlait supplier Cameron Henderson told Andrew Dickens that Covid-19 and China's lowering birth rate contributed. He says the impact on infant formula —as the company's highest valued export— was likely one of several straws breaking the camel's back. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Industry experts suggest looming gas shortages have been a long time coming. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is warning natural gas production in New Zealand is expected to drop below demand. It says we may see shortages over the next three years. Enerlytica Head of Research John Kidd told Andrew Dickens while upcoming law changes to encourage gas production may help, shortages come as no surprise. He says shortfalls have been a threat for years and the trend of low production is now catching up with us. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 12th of July, we've got a new advisory group being set up to deal with retail crime that will come up with solutions... in two years. For rugby fans it doesn't get much better than the All Blacks v England at Eden Park. Former All Black coach John Hart joined to preview the match. Kerre Woodham and Tim Wilson Wrapped the Week for this school holiday's Friday. 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.

Retail criminals will be paying the price of their actions. The new Ministerial Advisory Group - set up by the Government for the victims of retail crime - will be funded out of the proceeds of crime fund. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith told Andrew Dickens he wants the group to come with specific proposals quickly, to make changes to law to better deal with the problem. He says there's no doubt the group will offer "confronting solutions" - but the government is committed and open to all ideas. Leaked report suggests Kiwirail shouldn't run Interislander ferries TVNZ reports the independent advisory group, set up earlier this year, reported back to Ministers last month with a range of options. The group's preference was for a separate entity to run the ferries. That could be new state owned enterprise so that there would still be government oversight. Goldsmith, speaking as State Owned Enterprises Minister, told Andrew Dickens he wouldn't be drawn into specifics. He says the government is open to all options - but won't be rushing a decision. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Italy has committed to giving more help to Ukraine. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that they will be giving them another SAT Air Defence System to shoot down Russian missiles. This follows on from NATO beginning to send the long-promised F-16 jets to Ukraine. Italy Correspondent Jo McKenna told Andrew Dickens that while Meloni has been critical of the European Union from time to time, her support for NATO and Ukraine has been very solid. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand has again flown high in rankings of the best place to work. The national carrier has scored first again in the Randstad annual Employer survey. DOC, the New Zealand Customs Service, and consulting firms PWC and WSP rounded out the top five. Randstad Country Director Richard Kennedy says they've worked extremely hard in terms of making it a great place to work, providing things like a strong work-life balance, an attractive salary and benefits, good training, and also equity. He says that equity has come to the forefront in this year’s research, with 50% of people saying they wouldn’t work for an organisation unless their values aligned, and they had equity at the forefront of their proposition. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a predictable move, the OCR remained unchanged. Yesterday the Reserve Bank announced it would continue to be held at 5.5% and are hinting headline inflation could return to its 3% target in a matter of months. Former Reserve Bank Economist Michael Reddell told Andrew Dickens that the statement was a shift in the right direction. He said that it was very different in tone from the one they made six weeks ago, in which they had mentioned possible rate hikes later this year and not beginning to cut until August of next year. It’s all over the place, he said, but shifting in the right direction. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pianist, composer, educator, Herbie Hancock is a legend. He’s credited with redefining the world of jazz and a primary architect of the post-top sound, as well as the leader of the electronic jazz-rock genre. At age 84, he still has a passion for performing, bringing his musical talents back to New Zealand for the first time since 2019. The tour will begin at Auckland’s Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, moving on to Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre before shifting off across the ditch. When asked why he’s still on the road despite being over eighty, Hancock told Andrew Dickens that it’s because he’s “crazy”. “It’s fun. It’s hard work, but it’s so rewarding,” he said. “I get a chance to meet people from New Zealand, you know, and people from all over the world, get a chance to perform for them, express myself musically, and include them in the performance.” Tour Dates: Auckland – October 8th, Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre Wellington – October 9th, Michael Fowler Centre LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 11th of July, was Winston right about the autopilot issues with the Aratere ferry? Is that why it ran aground? We seek to clear up the confusion. You better believe we have all the updates from the Euros with the semifinal between England and the Netherlands! Legendary jazz musician Herbie Hancock is coming back to NZ, but stopped in for an interview first about how he keeps going at 84-years-old! 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 Government has unveiled a five-point strategy to deal with climate change. It focuses on infrastructure and community preparedness, clean energy, tech and nature-based solutions. Some climate advocacy groups are calling it a kick in the guts, meaningless and contradictory. Minister Simon Watts told Andrew Dickens that the strategy is more vague because it’s focusing on the big dots they want to focus on as a country, and the detailed plan will be coming in the next two weeks. He said they'll be measuring their success via two targets, one being the end of next year, the other being the end of 2030. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters says KiwiRail need to tell the truth about the grounding of the Aratere ferry. New Zealand First took to social media on earlier this week to raise questions about whether the grounding was caused by an auto-pilot mishap after a crew member went to get a coffee. Now, leaked documents confirm crews pressed a wrong button, sending the ship into auto-pilot and off course. Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters told Andrew Dickens the public shouldn't have to wait for an investigation to know what happened. He's questioning why it was on autopilot in the first place, and says taxpayers deserve answers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Competition in construction is forcing builders to scrape by with low margins. Corelogic's Construction Cost Index shows building costs have dropped 1.1% in the three months to June, the first decrease in 12 years. It looks at the price of labour, material, plant hire, and subcontract services. Construction Industry Council Executive Director Tommy Honey told Andrew Dickens it's pushing subcontractors to tighten their belts. He says it's good news for those wanting to build but foreboding for the construction sector. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A business owner says after a tough period, money to re-open the Coromandel Peninsula's Cathedral Cove track is great news. The Government's allocated $5 million to plan, build, reopen, and maintain the walking track. The beach has been inaccessible by land since February 2023 after Cyclone Gabrielle. Destination Hauraki Coromandel General Manager Hadley Dryden told Andrew Dickens it's their biggest attraction. He says it has a lot of pulling power for the region and the country, so it's important it's back for summer. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As world leaders descend on Washington DC for NATO talks, domestic politics remains front of mind in the US, UK, and France. Donald Trump is hitting the campaign trail in Florida and Pennsylvania just days before he's due to unveil a running mate at next week's Republican National Convention. Joe Biden is continuing to fend off questions over his re-election bid. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Andrew Dickens the Democrats are divided, Steve Cohen saying they’re not on the same page, “not even the same book”. He said that world leaders will be making their own assessments of Biden’s strengths as he hosts the NATO conference. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report says our fuel tax system is outdated and unfair. A new report from the NZ Initiative proposes replacing the fuel excise duty with a new Smart Road User Charges system. Under the system all vehicles would be charged based on actual road usage, time of day, and vehicle type. Lead author Matthew Birchall says it would reduce congestion and ensure a fairer distribution of costs. He says it's a revenue-neutral system where you wouldn't pay more, but just change the source. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A sharp decline in new forest plantings is a lost opportunity. Data from the Ministry for Primary Industries shows that this year 24% less is getting planted than last year. Some within the industry are warning that this could result in a shortage of biofuel in coming years. Bio Energy Association Executive Officer Brian Cox told Andrew Dickens that they don’t plant specifically for biofuel, but instead trees grow so well, and they grow so much that they’re able to use residues for fuel. He said that if we’re not planting now, in 20-30 years we won’t have the biomass that we need to make fully sustainable biofuel. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 10th of July, what will the Reserve Bank do with the Official Cash Rate, and who will lowering the clean car importer standard help? SailGP is coming to Auckland but is Auckland ready for SailGP? And where will we be able to watch it? Mark Mitchell and Carmel Sepuloni cover everything from Darleen Tana to Matt Doocey and his inability to read reports he's in charge of 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.