The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The black market for tobacco products in Australia has soared, according to new reports. New data indicates criminal gangs are behind the sale of one-third of cigarettes in the country. Australian correspondent Steve Price says this is down to increased taxes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Princess Catherine appears to be happy to be returning to the public eye. The Princess of Wales has been pictured smiling in a carriage, alongside her three children, for the traditional Trooping the Colour parade. It's her first public appearance since revealing her cancer battle. Daily Mirror royal correspondent Russell Myers says the Princess released a statement before the event. "She was enjoying getting back to some sort of normality - that's very important for cancer patients. She said that she's going to try and get to some engagements in the summer." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Supreme Court has overturned a ban on a rapid fire gun accessory used in the United States' deadliest mass shooting. The Court ruled six to three to lift the federal ban on bump stock devices that allow semiautomatic rifles to fire hundreds of bullets a minute. It was initially introduced by the Trump administration in 2018 - after 60 people were shot at a Las Vegas music festival. US Correspondent Richard Arnold says critics have labelled this reversal 'dangerous'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 17th of June, just what are we going to do about the embarassment of our defence force planes after they broke down, yet again? Defence Minister Judith Collins tries to find the answers. Do our kids need to learn cursive handwriting? A new report suggests we do it for the first three years of their schooling. Guy and Sav cover off the Super Rugby playoffs, the Warriors loss, the golf and the Euros on the Commentary Box. 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.

Defence Minister Judith Collins says the Government is considering options with the Defence Force planes. The Prime Minister and his 52-person delegation en route to Japan were stranded in Papua New Guinea after the Defence Force plane blew two fuses. Chris Luxon's flown commercially to Japan - while Air New Zealand had to divert a flight to pick up the rest of the group in Brisbane. Collins says the Defence Capability plan will go to Cabinet in the next two months, looking at the point of the planes and who they're for. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A structured literacy advocate says testing needs to be an important part of teaching. A report by the Ministerial Advisory Group reviewing English and maths learning has recommended annual checkpoint tests for students. It also recommends children be encouraged to write by hand as much as possible for their first three years at school and handwriting lessons in years four to six. Lifting Literacy Aotearoa chair Alice Wilson says the assessments being talked about are not meant to be stressful. "We need assessments that are providing the right kind of information into the teaching process - and that's what's being talked about." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food inflation has eased to the lowest level since September 2018, according to new data. A report by Stats NZ says food prices fell 0.2 percent in May on the month before, to be 0.2 percent higher than a year ago - the lowest annual increase in over five years. Devon Funds Management Head of Retail Greg Smith says this comes as petrol prices are also dropping, but consumers shouldn't get too excited yet. "They're still more than they were a year ago, petrol and diesel's 50 percent more expensive than pre-Covid." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon aims to spend the next few days in Japan, boosting international business opportunities. Japan is the world's fourth largest economy, and New Zealand's fourth largest export destination. Otago University international relations professor Robert Patman says Japan is potentially a very important economic partner for us. "We are seeing steadily improving trade with them as part of our arrangement - but obviously, we'd like to give it a boost. I think it's a really smart move on the part of the Government." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's spending plans are set to be examined during Parliament's first-ever Scrutiny Week. Normal sitting hours have been suspended to allow select committees to call in ministers and their ministries' bosses for questioning about the Budget. It's hoped to improve on recent Parliaments' lacklustre scrutiny of governments. Leader of the House Chris Bishop says it's a chance for ministers to front up and explain what they're going to do with the money. "To be honest we've always done that, it's just that this year, we're doing it in a one-week period - and most of the committees will be meeting for longer." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Health New Zealand chair is sounding the alarm about hospital hardware in need of an upgrade. New reports confirm thousands of apps, a thousand servers, and a thousand devices around Health New Zealand hospitals are said to be fragile - in a released briefing to the Health Minister. The briefing states technology can improve care. Former Health Chair Rob Campbell says people just hope the issue goes away. "It's too big a mess to put up with, it's not an unfamiliar mess compared to other public health systems around the world." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World leaders are directing US$50 billion worth of interest from frozen Russian assets towards Ukraine. The funding was announced at today's G7 summit in Italy as a signal to Russia it cannot win the war by depleting Ukraine's resources. US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also announced a bilateral security agreement. Zelenskyy's outlined the details of the agreement, noting it includes a long-requested shipments of F16 fighter jets. He says it clearly states the US supports Ukraine's efforts to win the war. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

$211 billion. That's a lot of money. It is what it will cost Australia in lost productivity and revenue as a result of their Government panicking over reaction to the mass arrival of people via immigration. Such was the panic, they started capping numbers. In capping numbers, they appeared to have made a mess of it. If you follow Australian politics they make a mess of a lot of stuff, but that’s another story and one to watch later this year if they go to the polls and the Albanese Government turns out to be a one-term. But by capping numbers they have turned immigration into a political game, not a business one. You need immigration for skills and labour. By not meeting labour demand you curtail your growth. It is an open question as to whether we are doing the same. The flood gates were opened, way too late, and then because it was way too late the panic ensued and we let in all sorts of people, some of whom we wanted, or needed, but many of whom we didn’t. It's the same reaction here - upset. There is a group it seems in all societies who are edgy about people arriving in their country. Politicians read that and react. The Hays NZ recruitment survey out this week suggested skills gaps were still an issue here. In fact, 25% of employers said it was worse now than it has been, which is hard to fathom. But it is nevertheless a reality and hands on deck is a very direct link to growth and I doubt anyone disputes we need growth right now. Another question for us that Australia doesn’t appear to grapple with is around demand. Do people actually still want to come here? The truly talented and skilled have a world of choice. Are we still on their list? Anyway, in Australia the price of playing politics is $211 billion. So on one hand the Prime Minister keeps the punter happy who doesn’t like immigration, but on the other hand business is screaming for staff as they watch the bills mount for things they can't do. This is where leadership comes in. Real leadership is about making the right decision, not always the popular decision. Real leadership is about hanging tough when the screamers and moaners are at their loudest At $211 billion ol' Albanese doesn’t look like he's the goods. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. The Warriors: 8/10 Three on the bounce and looking better by the week. Melbourne at home this week. Come on! This is our year! Farmers and the ETS: 8/10 Good, old fashion common sense. Oil and gas: 7/10 Some more good, old fashioned common sense. Yes, we want to help the climate, but there's no point if the lights don’t work. Banks: 6/10 This is fertile ground and maybe the pollies go where the Commerce Commission won't, or hasn’t. As it stands in the PR battle, I'm not sure the banks are currently on the right side of this. Fieldays: 8/10 A reminder of what makes this country tick. Tourism: 4/10 Someone high up needs to wake up to this. 73% of where we were five years ago is a straight up and down failure and we need to ask why. 120kmh: 7/10 The Government wants to hear from us on increasing the speed limit. I say yyyyeeeeaaaah baby! LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hurricanes are sitting at the top of the table ahead of their Super Rugby semifinal against the Chiefs. They’re facing off tomorrow at Sky Stadium, giving the Hurricanes a homefield advantage. Coach Clark Laidlaw told Mike Hosking that there’s been a real buzz around Wellington the last few weeks, and the support from the city is right up there. He said that the Chiefs are definitely good enough to roll them, and the Canes will need to be ready for them to be at their best. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 14th of June, the Government are putting out the idea of being able to go 120kmh on the open road, and do we have a solution for the gender pay gap? Darleen Tana update alert! Or lack thereof... but you asked and we delivered. Tim and Kate Wrapped the Week, and Kate finally got her chance to call out Mike's crap from 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.

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking once again to Wrap the Week that was. On today’s agenda was the gender pay gap, the Tom Phillips situation, and Kate finally got her chance to call out Mike’s behaviour from the week. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changes to KiwiSaver could be on the way, but one provider says more needs to be done. Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson says New Zealanders' balances are too low. She wants the minimum contrition to rise by one percent, alongside employers' contributions. But Simplicity Founder Sam Stubbs told Mike Hosking that the Government should be doing more to encourage retirement savings. He says as long as it's not compulsory, those who need it the most won't use it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Kiwi motorsport champion turned advocate says changes to speed limits are logical. The Coalition government's reversing speed limit reductions brought in under the previous Government, including 24-7 limits around schools. Its draft report's also asking for input on its Roads of National Significance, once built, catering for speeds up to 120km/h. Road safety campaigner Greg Murphy told Mike Hosking that a lot of Kiwis were annoyed when the speeds were lowered. He says a lot of the changes were knee-jerk reactions by ill-informed people who decided dropping the speeds would save a lot of lives, which didn't happen. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boot camps for youth offenders will look different than they did when proposed during the election campaign upon their implementation at the end of July. RNZ reports that Oranga Tamariki's boot camps will only involve three months of detention, rather than up to 12 months. The remaining nine months will involve time in the community. Billy Graham Youth Foundation Chief Executive David Graham told Mike Hosking that the success of the boot camps comes down to one key thing. He says it's essential the transition from the residential environment to the community works. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a new approach to tackle New Zealand's stubborn gender pay gap. Acting Minister for Women Louise Upston's announced a new tool businesses can voluntarily use to calculate the divide. It replaces plans from the previous Government to make reporting mandatory. The national pay gap is 8.6% and has typically sat around 9-10% for the past decade. Business leader Dame Theresa Gattung told Mike Hosking that unconscious bias plays a significant role in why it exists. She says a good chunk of the pay gap is unexplained, and doesn't just relate to women taking time out of the workforce to have children, for example. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A big day for New Zealand business is on the cards as the Chinese Premier's trip continues. Li Qiang has met with the Prime Minister, confirming that China will expand its unilateral visa-free travel policy to New Zealanders Today, Chinese business representatives will be signing trade deals with local companies. Trade Minister Todd McClay told Mike Hosking that there's huge potential for this country as China's economy grows from strength-to-strength. He says the services agreements and co-operation deals around berries and baby formula that are under negotiation are worth billions of dollars. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was always coming because it's part of the coalition deal. But the Willis letter to a couple of select committees sets up, of all the inquires and market studies we have had, probably the most interesting investigation yet. Banks and whether we are getting a decent deal, is there enough competition? The rural community is screaming at the moment over their behaviour, there seems a very fair weather/social licence issue there. The Reserve Bank and commercial banks are at each other. Observers of the retail operators look on with interest at the margins charged here vs the margins charged in Australia, remembering of course that they are the same banks. So, a lot to look into. Like all the other market studies though, whether petrol, or supermarkets, or building supplies, looking into stuff is one thing, working out what to do if anything is another. What if it's found the Reserve Bank really is a problem? They are independent of the government, so what does the government do? Kiwibank was supposed to be a disruptor. It isn't, do you do anything about that? If a farmer is not helped in a way they might have wanted, and the committee finds banks are withdrawing from the rural sector, what actually do you do about that? On the flip side: banks are successful and we like and want that. The stability of banks is critical to an economy and in that we have been fortunate. How much has government policy through Covid messed with banks, and lending, and the economy? We get into DTIs, the LDRs, the treatment of investors, the flow on effect to housing and rentals and first home buyers, and access to money. This in some way or other touches about every single one of us. As always with big businesses people will go in with a preconceived notion: banks are thieves, or bullies, or rip off merchants, the Reserve Bank is overbearing. But, given we seem —rightly or wrongly— to be obsessed with inquires, here goes another one. The trick is not to have it end up like the others, where next to nothing happens. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Consumer Advocacy Council is calling on the Electric Authority to step up to ensure power companies are being transparent. NZIER research reveals the rules intended to shine a light on whether the big electricity companies are inflating prices, aren't working. Gentailers —companies that both generate and sell electricity— are required to disclose the price they use internally to sell power to their retail arms. Consumer Advocacy Council Chair Deborah Hart told Mike Hosking that gathering this information isn't enough. She says to make proper sense of the data, the Electric Authority needs to make a pricing benchmark. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beer brewers say they're disappointed in the government for bumping alcohol taxes. The alcohol excise tax is set to increase by 4.1% from July. It follows a number of increases over recent years. Brewers' Association Executive Director Dylan Firth told Mike Hosking that things are pretty tough out there. He says the last government made a number of increases to the tax, but more hikes are unsustainable. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 13th of June, Finance Minister Nicola Willis tells us why an inquiry into rural banking is so valuable and necessary. We bring you the highlights from the Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer leaders' "debate". Andy Summers of The Police fame is coming to New Zealand, so we had to talk to have the exclusive chat with the guitarist from one of the greatest trios of all 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.

A Christchurch company has stepped in to save this year's Canterbury A&P show. Event Hire's reached an agreement with the A&P association to operate a slimmed down version of the annual November event. The partnership follows the A&P board calling it off due to its financial situation. To be called the Christchurch Show, it will remain at the show grounds. Event Hire owner Phil Anderson told Mike Hosking that discussions had been underway since the show was canned. He says interest was sparked after they were asked by suppliers and vendors whether they could offer support. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says change needs to happen in our banking sector. The Government's requested an inquiry into banking competition, particularly in rural banking. Nicola Willis says we owe this inquiry to our rural communities, who are vital for the recovery of our economy. She told Mike Hosking that she's open to anything, including bringing banks into line and changing legislation to guide the Reserve Bank to do things differently. Willis says this issue is at the heart of whether businesses can innovate and expand and if New Zealanders can get affordable lending and services. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recruitment specialist says we've likely lost a number of our already small pool of skilled workers. More than 130,000 people moved out of the country in the year to April, the highest on record according to Stats NZ figures. A record 81,200 New Zealand citizens made up the majority of the leavers. Talent ID Director Kellie Hamlett told Mike Hosking that these departures won't be helping our skills issue. She says it comes down to the fact there's more demand for skills than we have skill to fill. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With over 75 million records sold, six Grammy’s, and inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Police are one of the most iconic bands in the world. Although they’re no longer making music as a group, each member is still immersed in their creative pursuits, and guitarist Andy Summers is following his all the way to New Zealand. In an exclusive first announcement, Summers will be bringing Kiwi audiences ‘The Cracked Lens + A Missing String’, an intimate, multimedia performance full of musical performances, stories, and his celebrated photography. He told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking that tickets for the shows are hard to come by and he’s getting a standing ovation every night. “So, I think it’s going well.” Summers began his foray into photography while touring with the Police in 1979. He said he had plenty of time on his hands and photographers were abundant. “I finally sort of crossed over and got a good camera and said, ‘well, I’m gonna do this,’” he told Hosking. “It turned into, you know, a passion that I stayed with ever since.” When it comes to his photography, Summers favours abstraction, focusing on composition, values, balance, and colour as opposed to interesting faces or scenes. “I think of it in formal properties,” he explained. “Not like, ohhh, that’s an exciting moment, you know, that man’s doing something to that man, whatever.” This different way of thinking carries through to his music as well, Summers citing a quote from critic Walter Pater: ‘all art constantly aspires to the condition of music’. “I find the information that I had from music is sort of... you can take it across to photography. And again, you know, like in music you would be thinking of line shape, one thing contrasting against another, a structure.” “All these things can be applied to photography.” Summers blends his creative pursuits further, creating scores that go alongside his photographs. His newest EP ‘Vertiginous Canyons’, releasing later this month, is a companion for his 2023 photography book ‘A Series of Glances’. He revealed to Hosking that the score is entirely improvised, as he played around until he got sounds that inspired him and built each track off that. “I made those tracks in one afternoon, which I think is very healthy,” Summers laughed. There’s often an idea that quality directly correlates with the time something takes, but Summers doesn’t believe that matters, saying that some of the greatest things are done in minutes. “I was trying to tell somebody this morning,” he said to Hosking. “You know, you sit there and slog away trying to write something, and then you give up, and the last minute you give up, it suddenly arrives in your head.” While some of it can be attributed to years of training and familiarity with his craft, there is another sort of mysterious element to it: a spark of inspiration. Summers has been playing guitar since he was young, transitioning through styles and genres throughout his life. He grew up playing jazz and classical, learning from people like Kenny Burrell and Jimmy Rainey, and began his professional career in a rhythm and blues band before joining the Police. After their disbandment in 1984, Summers began his solo career influenced by all sorts of music, taking inspiration from the likes of Thelonious Monk and Miles David. “All this was something that I wish to take elements from and kind of build my own style.” "What’s more creatively fulfilling, post-Police or the Police?” Hosking asked, which Summers said was a “bit of a cruel question”. “I can’t really answer that,” he said. The two are different things Summers told him, with the Police being “the magic band”, something that doesn’t come along often, and his solo work being incredibly enjoyable as well. “I’ve made 15 solo albums and I really dug into it,” Summers said. He’s renewed his studio equipment, confirming his plans to create more music in the coming future. “I think we went through a weird time with Covid and everything seemed to have stopped, and now it feels like life is coming back again.” “I’m on the road and I renewed the studio, so yeah, looking forward to it. Feeling good about it.” Tour Dates: 19th September, Opera House, Wellington. 20th September, James Hay Theatre, Christchurch. 3rd October, Town Hall, Auckland. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government is considering a move to scrap regulation on food exporters. They’ve opened consultation on a proposal to allow exporters to manage the process for meeting food standards for the country the food's being sent to, rather than having to meet New Zealand's requirements. Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard told Mike Hosking that the dairy industry has long been calling for the change. He says New Zealand red tape has seen exporters missing out on market opportunities and this is a quick fix. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s Opposition leader has set the election up to be a climate war. Peter Dutton has confirmed that should they be elected, they will not set a 2030 emissions reductions target. He claimed they were committed to net zero by 2050 but didn’t reveal any interim targets. Australian Correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking that Albanese has started to try rip apart Dutton’s climate change credentials, basically saying that he’s going to ruin the world and it’s all dreadful. He said that Dutton’s response was that Albanese can please all the people in Paris he likes, he’s going to take care of the people at home. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Data suggests many Kiwis are struggling with their savings. Kiwibank’s annual State of Savings index has found that 1 in 3 Kiwis would struggle with paying an unexpected $500 bill. 39% are saving $100 or less a month as the cost of living sucks up their spare cash. CEO Steve Jurkovich told Mike Hosking that historically the reasons people would call up with financial problems are because they lost their job, got divorced, or got an illness. He said that people are now six times more likely to say the reason is the cost of living. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another one of those sensible moves this week, with an amendment coming to the Climate Change Response Act. It's to make sure agriculture doesn't enter the Emissions Trading Scheme. On a side note, the report the previous Government commissioned to look at how we handle agriculture around climate change was called He Waka Eke Noa. Tell me what that means. Anyone. Tell me the translation of He Waka Eke Noa to English. And in that was part of the ongoing angst over the Maorification of New Zealand and how simply peppering a few touchy-feely phrases changed nothing when it came to language. So, He Waka Eke Noa is in the bin. We will need to find a new way to work out where agriculture fits into climate change. But here is the key point that the current Government, frequented by farmers like Andrew Hoggard, get that the previous Government didn’t, is that when it comes to farming, we globally are as good as it gets. If we made farming needlessly hard here, we wouldn’t produce as much, which was always a stupid idea given we sell what we make and that’s called foreign income. And when we don’t sell it, we eat it. If we made it too hard to farm we would still need to eat, and it would simply be grown by someone else who isn't as good as we are. What's the point in that? Then we get to the science of it all. Punishing people for a problem that science is already, and will increasingly help, if not address, is pointless. The obsession around the Paris Agreement and cutting omissions at the expense of all else has already played out disastrously in oil and gas and our ability to turn the lights on. The last thing we needed was a drop in agriculture. The Australian Opposition has already talked this week of bailing on the Paris deal because it's unobtainable. We signed up to things we couldn’t do, and Labour didn’t appear to care who they wrecked while chasing the illusion. Reality and common sense is back and not a moment too soon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Competition is starting to improve in the fuel market. The Commerce Commission has called out retailers for being quick to put prices up, but slow to bring them back down. They believe it’s costing motorists $15 million a year. Bryan Chapple, Commerce Commission Commissioner, told Mike Hosking that there's no evidence its collusion, but rather companies just aren’t incentivised to lower their prices. He said that companies such as Gull and Waitomo coming into an area and building stations forced majors to lower their prices to match. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do working parents need more sick leave? The conversation has arisen again, Frog Recruitment polling more than 1,700 office workers, 969 of which were working parents, to find out. The poll revealed that 625 are coming to work sick after running out of leave, and 46% of parents use their own sick leave to stay at home with an ill child. Frog Recruitment Managing Director Shannon Barlow told Mike Hosking that businesses don’t necessarily need to allocate more than ten days of sick leave, but rather to work with their employees to find something that works for everyone. She said that it’s an issue when you’ve got to not only be able to take care of yourself and your family, and the people around you at work. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a fine start for the first day of Fieldays 2024 at Hamilton's Mystery Creek. The agricultural event is the biggest in Australasia and more than 100,000 people are expected over the four days. MetService is predicting fine weather for the event for the next two days, with possible showers on Friday and Saturday. Fieldays CEO Peter Nation told Mike Hosking that this is one of the biggest international contingents he’s seen. He said that the exhibitors have really fronted up again this year, as they’re only 1% empty. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 12th of June, we talked to the farmers about the Government’s choice to take agriculture out of the Emissions Trading Scheme. Bring on Fieldays 2024! Such a good event, so we needed to get down there for a talk about how it's going to go over the next three days. Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell looked at the missing man and his kids, the investigation into the Te Kuiti baby death, and the housing supplement funds for 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.

Family members of the missing Marokopa man and his children are hoping Police's increased efforts make a difference. For two weeks Police are offering an $80 thousand reward for information and will consider giving immunity to people assisting him. The now eight, nine, and ten year olds, along with Tom Phillips, have been missing since 2021 and are believed to be in western Waikato. Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking that they’ve increased the reward because they want to generate more support and information from the community. He said that they want to get the kids back, as the situation can't be good at all. Labour’s Ginny Andersen agreed, saying that while the offer of potential immunity is concerning, the main concern is for the children. She said that in her opinion its warranted, given there’s three kids out there and they want to ensure they’re alright. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another legal first in the United States as Hunter Biden's found guilty of three criminal gun offences. It's the first time the child of a sitting President's been found guilty of a crime, and comes only weeks after Donald Trump made history as the first former President with a criminal conviction. The younger Biden could face up to 25 years in prison. US correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that Joe Biden issued a statement immediately after the verdict. He says Biden stands by his son and accepts the outcome, writing he's proud of the man his son is, and he respects the judicial process. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government says sending troops to South Korea is good for their training. New Zealand is sending 41 Defence Force personnel as part of the United Nations Command. Defence Minister Judith Collins says they are mostly younger, less experienced members. She told Mike Hosking that it's a good chance for those with a couple of years' service to work with other nations. Collins says we're one of several other countries involved, so it's good for them to understand how we work with other nations. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dairy NZ's welcoming the Government's decision to keep agriculture out of the Emissions Trading Scheme. A law change will stop farming being charged through the scheme, which offsets credits against emitting. It's also disestablished He Waka Eke Noa and plans to replace it with a new group tasked with tackling methane emissions from farming. Dairy NZ chief executive Campbell Parker told Mike Hosking that they're looking forward to having more precise emission targets. He says when farmers get clarity, they will invest in the things needed to improve their farms. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rishi Sunak is struggling to recover after his blunder during the D-Day commemorations. The Prime Minister left the commemorations early, deciding to return home to continue his election campaign instead of joining other world leaders to pay their respects. He’s apologised for the decision, saying that “on reflection, that was a mistake and I apologise.” UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking that for a period of time over Saturday morning into Sunday afternoon, it looked like he might be standing down. He said that it was a terrible misjudgement, and it’s very difficult to see how he can recover from the blunder. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sole trader confidence in the government's slipped after the announcement of the fortnightly $20 tax credit. Accountancy service Hnry's most recent report reveals 44% think they'll be worse off with the government's promises. They've come up with six policies they would support instead, such as lower tax rates for high demand professions. CEO James Fuller says sole traders aren't looking for handouts. He says sole traders just want to be heard and recognised as there's 400,000 of them and they don't seem to have the ear of the Government like big business does. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 11th of June, we looked at the Chinese Premier’s upcoming visit to our shores and discussed this and more with the Prime Minister. Mike looked at the MPs who are taking the accommodation supplement in Wellington, and whether this passes the pub test or not. Infamous comedian Chelsea Handler talked cancel culture, her new residency in Vegas, and skiing naked. 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.

Once again we ask the question: who is paying for the Waitangi Tribunal? How much of it is what you would loosely call value for money? There is a new urgent hearing this week. It is to do with the new Government's promise to have non-Māori Government departments use English for their name. Think the NZTA and the Ministry of Education. The argument brought forward by a Tauranga iwi is this does harm to te reo. A small irony so far, is it doesn't seem to many that the instruction had been sent out at all. The waters were somewhat muddied when it was suggested that Oranga Tamariki might keep their name as well as Kainga Ora, given they were the names most of us knew the department by. How they came up with that I don’t know. I assume they meant that given those two departments in particular had spent a lot of time in the news, the commonality of the reference might have stuck. Which, if you think about it, was sort of the idea in the first place. Having the vast majority of us exposed to another language, especially an official language, may help the language live, breathe and expand. But what also happened is Māori terms, names, and phrases got tossed about with mad abandon and muddied the waters of comprehension. The media have, broadly speaking in a fit of wokeism, embarrassed themselves and in part further damaged their already damaged reputations by embracing the activity with an alacrity that has been humiliating. Tokenism is not language, but tokenism is what you get in news bulletins; a peppering of Māori with the English that leads to nothing more than a trendy nod to a fad. But it's a national crisis, apparently, so much taxpayer money must once again be dispersed to lawyers and full-time agitators to, once again, front the tribunal, who will write their usual report, which will be treated in the usual way. What's the Māori word for bin? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Auckland community patrol is seeking more funding amidst ongoing crime and demand. Epsom Community Patrol is putting out the plea, along with asking more locals to volunteer for patrols seven days a week. Patrol Leader Rod Gabb says central Epsom is particularly rife with crime, which can't be reduced without a collective effort. He told Mike Hosking that a report from the Onehunga station said that crime in Epsom was down 10% month on month, and while he wouldn’t say it’s totally due to community patrols, he would say they’re a factor. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

School attendance is consistently falling short of Ministry of Education benchmarks. Attendance hasn't surpassed 85% since May 15th, meanwhile Friday attendance hasn't exceeded 83% all year. Only 15% of students last year reached the benchmark of being in class more than 90% of the time. Canterbury's Darfield High School Principal Andy England told Mike Hosking that trade academies operating on a Friday have nearly 100% attendance. He says the trades academies are clear you have to be there to pass the course, so that's an example of where black and white rules can really help. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The far right has more seats in European Parliament, but the centre remains in control. French President Emmanuel Macron has dissolved parliament and called a snap election after a defeat to Marine Le Pen's National Rally in the EU elections. Far right gains were also seen in Italy and Germany. France correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking that all eyes are on France, a major player in Europe. She says it's central to the European Union and it's in turmoil politically. Catherine Field says whatever happens in France directly affects the EU. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another of America’s most prolific comedians, Chelsea Handler has had quite the extensive career. She not only hosted her own late-night comedy show on E!, she’s also had a couple of Netflix shows, performed countless standup shows, hosted her own podcast, and written a number of books. She’s bringing her comedy tour ‘Little Big B****’ to New Zealand shores for a couple of days this coming July, the show already on the road. “It’s going pretty well,” Handler told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking. “So, I’m coming to New Zealand.” The act will eventually be filmed and turned into a Netflix special, but Handler says she doesn’t have to fulfil that obligation until the end of the year. “I was like, oh, let me take this on the road because it’s, I’ve got this whole year and, you know, I love to visit these places and come back and see people, and meet people up close and personal.” “It’s a different, you know, different level of travel fun.” Comedians often try to tailor their acts to their locations to at least a small degree, localising certain jokes and leaving out others that just wouldn’t land, but for the most part Handler say’s her act goes down the same. “If you’re coming to see me, you probably know me, so you know what to expect, you know?” “It’s not like I’m introducing myself to people all the time.” Although it is definitely motivated by her love of travel, Handler admits that her international tours are in part motivated by her desire to get out of the United States, telling Hosking that “America’s pretty rough”. “These days it’s a pretty hard pill to swallow,” she told him. “So, I choose to smoke a lot of cannabis and travel as much as I can out of the country.” Her upcoming travel plans included a month in Spain, a visit to Australia, and one to New Zealand. “Anything to get out of this country.” Comedy serves a variety of purposes, some using it for commentary, others for escapism and levity. Handler falls into the latter category. "I wanna like, pass high vibes around,” Handler told Hosking. “I want people to come to my show, leave having forgotten whatever that was annoying them that day in their life.” Many comedians chafe against the idea that there could be boundaries to their art, holding the opinion that as long as it’s a joke, it’s free game. Handler doesn’t agree. “I’m not against having people set parameters about what you’re about to say, what you’re allowed to say, or what’s going to be frowned upon,” she said. “If you want to say I can’t make fun of, you know, different cultures because that’s insensitive, okay, that’s fair!” Art is often about breaking boundaries but when it comes to entertainment, there’s also value in working within a framework. Handler told Hosking that working within boundaries is a good challenge for any comedian or artist, as it challenges them to focus on something beyond the lowest common denominator. “Perhaps focus that energy back on yourself and make a joke about yourself first,” she said. “Like with everything, start within. It’s the same in comedy.” Over the years Handler has created a wide variety of content, allowing her to really nail down the type of art she likes to create and the means with which she creates it. “I don’t like to be, having to be in the same place every day,” she told Hosking. “I like to be around the world and like, you know, I do my podcast from Majorca, I can do my podcast in London, I could do my podcast wherever.” "I kind of feel like I found the best thing to live my life to the fullest.” Chelsea Handler’s ‘Little Big B**** Tour’ is coming to Wellington’s St James Theatre on July 5th, and Auckland Town Hall on July 6th. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand China Council says the trade relationship between the two countries still has huge potential. Chinese Premier Li Qiang will arrive to meet the Prime Minister in Wellington this week. Two-way trade between the countries was worth nearly $38 billion last year. Executive Director Alistair Crozier told Mike Hosking that trading opportunities will continue to grow. He says despite some Covid related speed wobbles, it's predicted China's middle class will double from 400 million to 800 million in 15 years. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.