The Mike Hosking Breakfast

There have been several major announcements made of late, most notably the reintroduction of charter schools and the creation of the National Gang Unit. 

National's Mark Mitchell and Labour's Ginny Andersen joined Andrew Dickens on Politics Wednesday to dig into the announcements. 

Mark Mitchell said that the Labour Government left them with a real mess.

He told Andrew Dickens that they're like an arsonist returning to the scene...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 15th of May, Andrew Dickens filled in for Mike Hosking. Police Commissioner Andrew Coster spoke on the new gang taskforce and what they want the unit to achieve. 

Charter schools are back and they're a contentious issue, can they be done well? Alwyn Poole has set up a couple and explained how it needs to be done. 

Ginny Andersen and Mark...

Netball fans will have easy access to games as Netball New Zealand confirms a partnership with TVNZ. 

The 12-month contract secures free-to-air coverage of next year’s ANZ Premiership Saturday matches. 

The sport will also be broadcast on Sky next year, as the existing broadcasting partnership is extended by a year. 

Netball NZ CEO Jennie Wyllie told Andrew Dickens that ideally they’d...

It's heating up within the New York Court room as Donald Trump's lawyers grill his former fixer. 

Michael Cohen was an attorney for the ex-president from 2006 to 2018 and the prosecution's last witness in the hush money trial. 

He's told the prosecutors he allegedly paid adult star Stormy Daniels on behalf of Trump, to ensure the story would not come out before the 2016 election. 

US ...

A founder of two charter schools says the model could work. 

The Coalition's putting aside more than $150 million in the Budget for 15 new charter schools and converting 35 state schools. 

Head of Innovative Education Consultants, Alwyn Poole, told Andrew Dickens they saw improvement in the past and students would spend four years in their middle schools. 

He says 88% of Māori and Pas...

Police officers are set to spend less time on mental health-related callouts as a new gang crackdown gets under way. 

The Police Minister, and Commissioner, have suggested mental health callouts are 'draining' resources. 

The pair announced a new specialist gang unit would be set up, confirming some officers would be re-prioritised and some more would be hired. 

Police Commissioner An...

A recruitment agency's worried at the type of New Zealander packing their bags and moving overseas. 

Stats NZ says New Zealand saw a net migration loss of more than 52,000 citizens in the year ending March.  

People aged 18 to 30 accounted for 39% of the departures.  

Robert Walters Commercial Director Stuart Nash told Andrew Dickens that his concerns aren't about young people packing...

King Charles has handed down one of his titles after more than thirty years. 

He handed down the title of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to William, saying that he was “tinged with sadness” after so many years of holding the title. 

His younger son, who served in the Air Corps twice in Afghanistan, spending three and a half years of his life in service, was passed over. 

UK Co...

Is the union getting the win over TVNZ in their desire to lay some people off really a win? 

When TVNZ sacked me many years ago, a lot of people advised me to fight them. They said I had a good case and would win. 

My argument was, why on earth would I fight someone who doesn’t want to employ me? So, we negotiated a cheque and I wandered on my way. 

Fast forward 25-odd years and the s...

There’s been a shift in what goes in the shopping basket and what stays on the shelf. 

Data from Stats NZ shows food prices increased 0.8% in the 12 months to April. 

The slight increase is driven by grocery items, particularly chocolate, olive oil, and potato chips. 

Foodstuffs Chief Executive Chris Quin told Mike Hosking that inflation has maxed out quite a few people's budgets.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 14th of May, we looked at what's going to happen next in the Waitangi Tribunal stoush with Karen Chhour, after the Court of Appeal gave a win to the Tribunal. 

The Prime Minister was in to talk gas production, foreign affairs, and new roads. Plus, he described his pain at having to do the whole interview in a Highlanders jersey after losing a bet!

Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has written a book.

It's being described as a political memoir, a self-help book, and a story of faith. 

The book is called ‘Plans For Your Good: A Prime Minister's Testimony of God's Faithfulness’. 

Morrison told Mike Hosking that it was a great privilege to do what he was able to do as Prime Minister, calling ...

Karen Chhour is acknowledging the Court of Appeal overturning the decision which blocked her from the Waitangi Tribunal summons. 

The decision rejected a High Court ruling, which had found the Children's Minister did not have to front with her reasoning for removing Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act.  

Chhour told Mike Hosking that she listened to issues in the community, campaigned on it, a...

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been forced to wear a Highlanders jersey this morning after the team beat the Crusaders on the weekend. 

Luxon —a die-hard Crusaders fan— had a bet with Newstalk ZB producer Sam Carran over the outcome of Saturday’s game. 

He was a good sport at the NZME offices this morning, laughing as he donned the jersey - but he told...

Road carriers are pleased the spotlight's being shone on regional roads.  

Transport Minister Simeon Brown's announced plans for a new Roads of Regional Significance programme alongside the already established Roads of National Significance. 

He says it will single out projects of priority to fund first. 

It'll replace the former government's NZ Upgrade Programme. 

Natio...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 13th of May, we have a report saying our teachers aren't coming out of teacher training well enough prepared to teach our kids and nothing has changed in seven years. Education Minister Erica Stanford talks about another issue she has to solve. 

Did you see the Aurora Australis? There were strange goings-on because of the electrical storm, including ...

It is budget week in Australia, but the UN’s assembly’s vote to approve resolution granting Palestine new rights is dominating debate in federal parliament.  

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong called the vote a move toward a two-state solution that would lead to greater security for Israel and Palestine. Opposition spokesman accused the government of undermining decades of bipartisanship....

As cold weather continues to grip the country amid uncertainty about power supplies, consumers are being urged to make sure they are getting the best deal on their electricity. 

Consumer Advocacy Council Chair Deborah Hart tells Mike Hosking that electricity bills can be terribly complicated and confusing, making it hard to compare prices.  

Hart believes power companies should be required to have ...