The Mike Hosking Breakfast

New Zealand's top cycle trails are pumping more than $1.2 billion a year into local economies. 

New data shows visitor spend attributed to the country's 23 Great Rides jumped 35% compared to 2021. 

Nights spent in nearby accommodations are up 25% at around 4.5 million. 

Ngā Haerenga NZ Cycle Trails CEO Janet Purdey told Mike Hosking they’re marketing into Australia and the United States, and they plan to bring a lot ...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 20th of November, Minister for Rail Winston Peters discusses the new ferry deal and whether the timeline will be stuck to.  

The phone ban in schools is working, according to a new ERO report, but we need teachers to be enforcing it more. 

Kiwi singer Paige has gone from strength to strength since she last joined the show in 2021, so she came back on for a song ...

Doctors in Health New Zealand's emergency departments could soon be saving precious time with the roll out of a helpful AI tool. 

AI technology Heidi creates a written transcript of doctors' consultations and makes a medical note. 

Country-wide trials show clinicians could see an extra patient per shift, while bringing down average documentation time from around 17 minutes to just over four per patient. 

Heidi New Ze...

Schools need more support from parents to get the most out a student phone ban. 

A "phones away for the day" policy's been in place since Term Two last year. 

An Education Review Office report shows two thirds of teachers saw a rise in student achievement, but only half of students are following the rules. 

Head of ERO Education Evaluation Centre Ruth Shinoda told Mike Hosking the number one reason students contraven...

There’s encouraging evidence that the "cool" component of vaping among young people is shifting.  

The 2024/25 New Zealand Health Survey shows smoking prevalence is at 6.8% – a slight decline on last year, with 12% of adult Kiwis vaping daily. 

Associate Health Minister Casey Costello told Mike Hosking the Government's cracked down on enforcement for vaping that wasn't in place before. 

She says the last two years ha...

Minister for Rail Winston Peters believes the binned iRex ferry plan would have meant major infrastructure issues that are no longer a worry. 

He's announced the two new Interislander ferries are expected to come in on time and under budget, for less than $2 billion. 

Peters told Mike Hosking Tasmania is struggling with two new ferries and no infrastructure and he doesn't want to see the same problems here. 

He said ...

A registered GP has concerns about the issue of puberty blockers being handled by politicians.

No child or young person experiencing gender dysphoria or incongruence will be able to start taking gonadotropin-releasing hormones from December 19. 

Health Minister Simeon Brown says Cabinet has agreed to new settings until the outcomes of a major clinical trial in the UK – expected in 2031.   

Dr John Cameron told Mike H...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 19th of November, BusinessNZ is calling for cross-party vision and a solid plan to strengthen New Zealand by 2050 in order to avoid a dire economic future.  

It’s been revealed that the Ministry of Social Development has handed out $38 million in business start up grants for seemingly very little return. Welfare expert Phil O’Reilly discusses the situation.  

M...

A big turnaround for fisheries company Sanford with the reveal of their latest profits.  

They’ve reported an after-tax profit of $63.7 million – a 224% increase for the year to September.  

Cash flow was also up 85%, helping cut debt by nearly half to $93.4 million. 

Sanford Managing Director David Mair told Mike Hosking that by focusing on customers, they’re turning the business around.  

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See...

New game-changing headgear has been developed to protect junior rugby players. 

After more than a decade of study into the causes and consequences of head collisions by rugby players, Canterbury University researchers have developed new soft shell protective headgear for juniors. 

It could be on sale early next year.   

Professor Nick Draper told Mike Hosking that all the money they generate from sales will be r...

Bold, bipartisan centred planning is key to ensuring New Zealand doesn't succumb to the effects of a dwindling population and economic growth.  

A new BusinessNZ report's calling for a cross-party vision and long-term goals to strengthen the country by 2050.  

It notes a labour shortage of at least a quarter of a million is expected before then, and there's also a one in four chance the population doesn't grow. 

Advo...

A welfare expert says one of the Government's grants is a good idea in principle.  

The Taxpayers’ Union has revealed the business start up grant has dished out $38 million with little to show for it.  

Documents retrieved through the Official Information Act show hundreds of the recipients struggled and returned to a benefit within two years.  

Former Welfare Expert Advisory Group member Phil O'Reilly told Mike Hosk...

There are concerns overseas opioid abuse trends are taking hold here.  

The Drug Detection Agency's data for the three months to September finds opioids showed up in 18% of positive tests. 

It warns opioid detections are stabilising at this high level, while some regions like Gisborne recorded a sharp increase of 41%. 

CEO Glenn Dobson told Mike Hosking the test results are a good oversight of what’s happening in our...

A weak construction industry's done nothing to help low completion rates among apprenticeships. 

Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds says more than half of apprentices in training are dropping out. 

She's seeking extra funding so new industry bodies can investigate the number of dropouts. 

Building and Construction ITO Director Greg Durkin told Mike Hosking there's been a significant drop in building work si...

This is how we end up in trouble. Things are said that aren't challenged. 

Here's the headline: "NZ will be dumping ground for high emission cars". 

That was a claim from an EV lobby group. I wonder why they would say that? 

Chris Hipkins said, or was allowed to say, that we had one of the highest uptakes of EVs in the world and the Government stopped it. 

Now, let's deal with fact and context. The Government in...

The UK Government's confirmed plans for a major overhaul of the country's immigration system to stem the flow of illegal immigration. 

Asylum seekers will need to wait at least 20 years for permanent residency and won't be guaranteed financial support. 

Failed asylum seekers and their families may face deportation to countries like Syria. 

The UK Government claims the country's immigration rules haven't kept up with ...

Well, welcome back Opportunity. I think I have that right. 

Opportunity is the former "The Opportunities Party". Now it's just "The Opportunity Party". 

It has a new leader and a new tax policy. They have been looking for a leader for ages and they even advertised. 

None of this is a good sign. 

Their biggest problem is the market is full – there is no room for another political party. 

There was no room 10...

International relations and geopolitics have become increasingly complex in the last few decades, many countries in the Pacific pulled between China and the United States – the two superpowers at odds with each other. 

But former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull believes the relationships with the two are equally important. 

“The relationship with the US is obviously the bedrock of our security relationship,” he...