The Mike Hosking Breakfast

We have in this country a lot of people paid for by us that basically do a lot of talking and gesturing and do it with no real power or influence.

A lot of them are commissions. One of them is the Human Rights Commission.

I'm sure these are well-meaning groups of people who espouse on their particular area of expertise.

I guess in a grand scheme type of way they are there to inform and guide us through whatever area it is they spec...

The Silver Ferns have won gold at the Commonwealth Games. 

They beat Jamaica in the final, and won their first gold medal 2010. 

Dame Noeline Taurua told Mike Hosking that she's overjoyed with the result, especially after her turbulent year that saw her reinstated just three weeks before the games started. 

'For us to be in the contention for a gold medal, but to actually get it over the line and, and be successful i...

Chris Luxon's standing by his comments telling struggling business owners to take more responsibility for themselves.

The National Party leader told a Rotorua business function on Friday to not rely on the government and "be adult, be adult, be adult", responding to a question about the city's struggling economy. 

He says the previous Labour government had treated business with a "parent-child mentality" - and that he didn't w...

Donald Trump has called off strikes against Iran, provided a deal is reached rapidly. 

In a Truth Social post, the US President says he's been asked by Iran and other Middle Eastern countries to hold off, while the parameters of agreement are set. 

He says that would include the reopening of the critical Strait of Hormuz, and an end to Iran's nuclear threat.

John Hopkins Foreign Policy Institute Fellow Jeffery Pryce says ...

A sociologist believes New Zealand First's latest policy won't tackle falling birth rates. 

The party's announced a Kiwi Kids Fund, which would give citizen families $5000 a year for the first three years of a child's life. 

The grant would be limited to a family's first three children and would be tax free and not means tested. 

Massey University's Paul Spoonley says fertility rates are low, but this won't fix that.

The US was the victim of cybersecurity breaches over the weekend. 

It's believed that Iranian hackers accessed computer systems monitoring water infrastructure in several US states, disabling alarms and decreasing water pressure in an attempt to contaminate the pipes with groundwater. 

Although no culprit has officially been identified, President Trump took aim at Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, suggesting that Walz was behi...

Hopes a $20million boost for local student teachers will make a real difference.

Education Minister Erica Stanford's redirecting the funding from an under-used relocation grant for overseas early childhood teachers, to a programme paying student teachers to learn on the job.

Rural School Leadership Association President Andrew King told Mike Hosking that international teachers are great, but this will improve access to training for...

Jeremiah Azu has entered what appears to be a growing debate at the Commonwealth Games. 

He is a sprinter and is talking about respecting the flag, respecting the Commonwealth Games, and just generally making an effort and turning up. 

Hamish Kerr has been allowed an easy run this week with his maybe/maybe not decision-making process. 

It's important to point out that he can do whatever he likes. It's just the lack o...

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. 

Our Covid response: 5/10 

In totality it looks like a thing you do to score some points against the other guys, with no real sense there is any accountability and no real assurance it won't be the same next time. 

Parental leave: 5/10 

Political misstep of the week. Took a decent idea, then ...

We can end the week by adding another example of angst and anger to the fast-track pile. 

We have talked about Delmore and their 1200 houses north of Auckland, as well as Pegasus and their 1000 homes north of Christchurch. 

The fast-track application was lodged this week, and now we have Ridgeburn in Arrowtown; 1200 more houses and this week, a hall full of ropeable locals. 

Now, the question for fast-track becomes i...

It’s Friday, which means it’s time for Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson to join Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that Was. 

On today’s agenda was the newly inked deal for the Northern Expressway, the results of the latest Ipsos political poll, and the supermarket promotions going on at the moment. 

Plus, an update on Mike and Kate’s fountain. 

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The Warriors are on the Gold Coast this weekend, looking to bounce back against the Titans.  

They just scraped past the Dragons earlier in the month before being thoroughly defeated by the Bulldogs – losing 18-6. 

They’re currently sitting third on the ladder, but another loss could see them drop out of the top four.  

Sky Sport Rugby League Analyst Willie Poching told Mike Hosking the Warriors aren't si...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 30th of July, Mike couldn’t be more excited for the signing of our biggest-ever PPP deal for the new Northland Expressway.  

Has Winston Peters crossed the line with his latest comments? Or is this just Winston in election year? Former Speaker Sir Lockwood Smith shares his thoughts on the situation. 

And Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike to Wrap the...

The Regulation Minister's hopeful solar power will be well on its way to being more accessible – pre-election.  

A report from his ministry outlines recommendations to ease New Zealand installs.  

He says it'll slash costs and approval times for smaller installations and legalise plug-in systems – which are already legal in Australia. 

David Seymour told Mike Hosking it’s a pretty affordable way for...

South Island business leaders want to be recognised as the engine room of New Zealand's economy. 

The eight chambers of commerce have launched a joint manifesto, representing around seven thousand businesses. 

It calls for policies to lift productivity, with a goal of increasing South Island GDP per capita to at least $130 thousand by 2035. 

Business Canterbury CEO Leeann Watson told Mike Hosking it shows there's gre...

An Opposition MP's wary of National's social media ban, claiming some information's missing. 

Labour's Reuben Davidson says he's read the Bill multiple times but hasn't seen a regulatory impact statement or the Privacy Commissioner's advice. 

He wants a copy to discuss with his caucus, but Education Minister Erica Stanford says legally that's not possible.  

Davidson told Mike Hosking limited access is slowing down t...

The Transport Minister wants to get Northland booming as the Government moves ahead with the first stage of the Northland Expressway. 

It's signed a $3.6 billion deal with the Northway consortium to design, build, and operate the road, stretching from Warkworth to Te Hana. 

The 26-kilometre, four-lane highway will include 15 bridges and twin tunnels a kilometre long. 

Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking it'll be an expens...

A former minister for international trade believes comments made in the House by Winston Peters were untidy, saying international relationships need mutual respect. 

The Chinese Embassy has lodged representations with MFAT over Peters' derogatory comments to Chinese-born Green MP Laurence Xu-Nan. 

Former Speaker of the House and National party minister Sir Lockwood Smith told Mike Hosking Peters holds the foreign affairs ...

If you have time, there's a podcast from The Economist that features Elon Musk in it and he argues that AI will lead to so much productivity that you won't need money because things won't cost anything. 

It was so odd that; 

1) It didn’t make sense. 

2) I'm not sure even he understood what he was saying or, even if he did, if he believed it. 

But the thrust was, when things are produced in abundance if the...