The Mike Hosking Breakfast

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. 

C-listers: 7/10 

Burn of the week. I love people who call it like it is. 

Granny flats: 7/10 

A common sense policy and we need more of it. 

GDP: 8/10 

Come on! We beat Australia!...

Think hard before you jump. 

That was a quote from the Reserve Bank economist Paul Conway in a speech this week, as he tried to explain monetary policy, inflation and our general mess of an economy. 

The comment was, in part, an answer to a question about whether the approach the bank had taken to the economy was the reason why so many New Zealanders were leaving. 

"Think hard before ...

Threats of war are firing between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah, sparking fears of a wider Middle East conflict.  

Israel's military says operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon have been approved.  

Meanwhile, Hezbollah says it would invade northern Israel should a war break out.  

Otago University Professor of Peace Studies Richard Jackson told Mike Hosking that it's unli...

Wellington is gearing up for a weekend of indulgence with a huge chocolate festival in town. 

Chockstock is coming to the Harbourside Function Centre with chocolate tasting sessions starting this evening and wrapping up Sunday afternoon. 

More than 25 chocolate makers will feature in the exhibition. 

Co-Founder Luke Owen-Smith told Mike Hosking that the craft chocolate industry's grow...

Kingsland is set to be buzzing as the Super Rugby Final kicks off in a sold out Eden Park. 

The Blues are playing the Chiefs tomorrow from 7pm, taking the home field advantage. 

Blues Coach Vern Cotter told Mike Hosking that the recovery of Patrick Tuipulotu was a good boost for the team. 

He said that he’s instrumental in putting everything in place, and gives the boys around him con...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 21st of June, Finance Minister Nicola Willis reacts to the surprise GDP increase and the Blues and Chiefs coaches talk their prep ahead of the final. 

The Transpower CEO tries, and fails, to explain what happened in Northland and when the power will be resto...

It all comes down to Saturday, as the Chiefs face the Blues in the Super Rugby Final. 

They’re playing before a sold-out Eden Park, kick-off at 7:05pm. 

Chiefs Coach Clayton McMillan told Mike Hosking that while they lost their way a bit in the middle of the season, it was a reflection of them acknowledging some shifts they needed to make in their game, and then they got it going right at the end o...

Nearly 100,000 people spent the day without electricity in Northland after a transmission tower linking the region to the rest of the country collapsed.   

Power was restored to most of the region yesterday evening, but consumers were asked to conserve electricity and warned their hot water cylinders would remain off while the amount of energy getting into the area was limited.   

The tower was und...

Sign-off for a huge Government funding boost for Pharmac - which would allow for greater access to potential life-changing drugs for cancer patients - could come as soon as Monday.  

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed she would announce a policy “very shortly”, but wouldn't confirm the exact timing.  

Willis was speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking this morning, following reporting by T...

Stonehenge being vandalised has been labelled as shameful. 

A pair of UK Just Stop Oil protestors have sprayed the ancient monument with orange paint a day before summer solstice celebrations start. 

They've been arrested on suspicion of damaging the prehistoric structure. 

UK correspondent Enda Brady told Mike Hosking that the activists said they've made a point to the next Prime Min...

New Zealand Cricket Players Association boss Heath Mills is adamant athletes will keep having to choose between club and country until the global calendar is aligned. 

Kane Williamson has joined a growing list in turning down a central contract to pursue the overseas T20 dollar but will still be available to a large extent for the Black Caps across all formats. 

Mills says each national board and T...

Yesterday saw the beginning of New Zealand’s largest business events trade show. 

‘Meetings’ connects overseas investors to domestic industries, highlighting what we have on offer in New Zealand. 

Over 1000 business events professionals are gathering in Rotorua’s Energy Events Centre over the next few days. 

Business Events Industry Aotearoa CEO Lisa Hopkins told Mike Hosking that New...

On the fringes of the Prime Minister's Japan trip are two stories. 

The first is the plane that needs replacing and the second is C-listers. 

I very much doubt whether anyone who matters in Japan really shifted their thinking about New Zealand over such frippery. 

The plane is the more serious story, and needs addressing, and if any good comes out of a bad situation it might just be t...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 20th of June, what are we expecting from the GDP number for Q1? And just how much trouble are the Government in after yet another failed ETS auction? 

Is professional cricket in NZ facing a turning point when you have captain Kane Williamson turning down a...

Kiwi heavyweight champion Joseph Parker is branching out. 

He’s moving into the promotion business, partnering up with Duco Boxing and Dazn for a multi-fight partnership, headlined by David Nyika. 

It’s Parker’s first time as a promoter, working alongside his longtime friend and manager David Higgins.  

He told Mike Hosking that Nyika has achieved a lot as an amateur, has a great work...

The Government's keeping possible changes to the electric vehicle scheme on the downlow.  

Some in the sector are frustrated only a handful of groups have been consulted but Simeon Brown says this isn't the case.  

The Transport Minister had attempted and failed to urgently repeal the Clean Car Standard on Budget night.  

Now the legislation's before the House. 

Brown to...

The Climate Minister promises he's focused on a 'credible' carbon credit market after yesterday's auction came up empty. 

Not one unit was bought out of 3.5 million available. 

Questions have been raised about the price of the credits and the gap between demand and supply. 

Minister Simon Watts told Mike Hosking that the Government's working on its emissions reduction plan alongside t...

Banks are split over what today's GDP figures will show.  

Stats NZ will release the data for the first quarter of the year this morning.  

Westpac, BNZ, and Westpac are picking a small contraction, while ANZ and ASB are picking a small expansion.  

Westpac Senior Economist Michael Gordon told Mike Hosking that everyone's in a similar range, slightly above or slightly below zero.