The Mike Hosking Breakfast

One of the more memorable days of my life was spent at Michael Hill's house at Lake Hayes in Central Otago. 

He showed me his art. There was a lot of it and it was eclectic. 

He had his own nine-hole golf course, and it was all par 3s. This was in the days before The Hills, which in many respects was what Michael was all about – vision. 

He took his par 3s and then turned it into one of the best golf courses in the c...

Sir Michael Hill's being remembered for his love of the arts. 

He died yesterday aged 86, after a cancer battle. 

Hill's chain of self-named jewellery stores began in Whangārei, before becoming a global brand.  

Former Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult says he's well-known for his Queenstown golf course 'the Hills', and the international violin competition he founded. 

He was also a cartoonist, publishing a weekly cart...

With a wide range of announcements and figures coming out over the last week, Labour’s Ginny Andersen and National’s Mark Mitchell joined Mike Hosking for Politics Wednesday. 

They discussed Brooke van Velden’s consultations on children collecting eggs, clamping the cars of court fine dodgers, and scrapping surcharges. 

Plus, they delved into the changes around voting – is axing same-day voting the right choice? 

LIS...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 30th July, nurses are on strike today and gang numbers are up – a double blow for the Government. 

Netball NZ has secured its broadcast deal – a one year deal with TVNZ. Is it the solution, or just a band aid?  

Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk gang numbers, the House performances, and Brooke van Velden and eggs on Politics Wednesday. 

Get the Mike Ho...

Short term loans, minimal or no break fees, and cash-back incentives are driving a record number of mortgage holders changing lenders in June. 

More than 3,500 holders switched nearly two and a half billion dollars of debt between loan providers last month. 

It's the highest since records began in 2017. 

Squirrel Mortgages CEO David Cunningham told Mike Hosking it’s a bit of a pass the parcel exercise for banks. ...

Netball New Zealand will dip into its own pocket to keep the ANZ Premiership afloat in 2026. 

A one-year broadcast deal with TVNZ has been confirmed, with the competition to remain in the current two-round format. 

Chief executive Jennie Wyllie has not revealed how much the deal is worth or whether players will take a pay cut. 

She told Mike Hosking there is a change in economics, but they feel it’s the new deal is a...

Nurses are fed up over chronic short-staffing, despite graduates seeking jobs.  

More than 30 thousand nurses and heath professionals will be off the job from 9am, withdrawing labour from all Health New Zealand services for the next 24 hours.  

Strikes are taking place in over 30 locations across the country, with thousands of procedures and appointments postponed. 

Nurses Organisation Chief Executive Paul Goulter to...

The Government has begun looking for possible areas for cutbacks for next year's Budget. 

Associate Finance Minister David Seymour said he hopes the Government can equal or exceed the savings achieved in its first two Budgets. 

He says the Government's trying to reduce its spending from about 35% of GDP to about 31%. 

Seymour told Mike Hosking it's an ongoing process of "looking behind the couch" for savings. 

H...

As the gang numbers grow police say they're keeping a better check on their behaviour. 

Gang numbers have climbed past 10 thousand, up from 9,270 in 2023.  

Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Basham says since the Gang Act was passed, they've launched more than nine thousand charges against gang members.  

He told Mike Hosking they have a laser focus on gangs.  

Basham says part of the increase could be attribut...

If you want to get a bit angsty about the voting changes, the one everyone seems to have missed is the one about how it's being changed because we are so hopeless. 

On the “disenfranchised” side of the equation, I have little, if any, time for it. 

An election is held every three years. Between the last one and the next one that’s a lot of days to, at some point, stick your name down for another crack. 

The fact you ...

Looks like the decision to go full steam ahead and focus on music has been the right one for Joel Shadbolt and L.A.B. 

In the time since he stepped back from teaching, the band’s won awards, released new albums, and has just released their summer schedule that will see them tour both New Zealand and Australia. 

They’ll be performing alongside Stan Walker and Corrella for three shows in Auckland, Tauranga, and the Gold Coa...

The video game sector continues to impress. 

One of the biggest players in our sector has recorded another stellar year, reporting $105 million in revenue for the year to September 2024, up from $83.4 million the previous year.  

Grinding Gear Games, out of West Auckland, is behind the multiplayer online fantasy game Path of Exile. 

Managing Director Jonathan Rogers told Mike Hosking they’re probably doing bette...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 29th of July, the Government is getting rid of surcharges when you pay by card. Consumers love it, businesses aren't a fan.   

Board members’ pay is going up by up to 80% in some instances, with ministers justifying it by saying it's about finding the best people. 

Joel Shadbolt of L.A.B fame is back on the show to talk their newly announced summer schedule ...

Another instance of violence on our sports fields. 

A brawl broke out between parents and students during the rugby match between Auckland Grammar and De La Salle College. 

The match was called off, with eight police officers needed to break up the chaos. 

Former Springbok and Kings College Rugby 7s coach Kevin Putt told Mike Hosking while all-out brawls aren’t common, they see intolerance and volatility in the crowd...

The Commerce Minister says he's disappointed in businesses who say they will pass on the cost of surcharge scrapping.  

Most in-store surcharges on card payments will be banned, with the changes set to kick in next May.  

Scott Simpson says this is a win for consumers.  

He told Mike Hosking they've also taken action on the fees banks charge businesses.  

Simpson says those rates will be lower following regulati...

There are fears that retailers will wear the cost of scrapping payment surcharges.  

The Government will ban the added fees for most in-store card payments, including paywave.  

Hospitality NZ Head of Advocacy Sam MacKinnon says ultimately customers were always allowed to avoid the surcharges by paying in a less convenient way.  

He told Mike Hosking more work needs to be done on the issue.  

McKinnon says it's ...

More money's discreetly finding its way into the pockets of public sector board members.  

A quietly released Cabinet document reveals governance board chairs could now be paid more than $160 thousand.  

Annual fees had previously been capped at about $90 thousand.  

Public Service Minister Judith Collins told Mike Hosking these people are often responsible for large sums of money and assets.  

She says if we wa...

Can I suggest Jarrod Kerr for Governor of the Reserve Bank?

Jarrod is Kiwibank's Chief Economist.

He has been completely consistent in his ongoing commentary around interest rate cuts and the Reserve Bank's need to do more.

To be fair, our own Greg Smith at Devon Funds Management has told us, and argued, a similar story.

The Kiwibank economic report that got a decent amount of coverage over the weekend is Jarrod's - proof positives...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 28th of July, the Government are going to finally allow different and various overseas building products in so our house builds become cheaper.

The Prime Minister is in his regular slot on a Monday talking road cones, foreign buyers and whether we're a launch pad for people wanting Aussie visas.

Andrew Saville and Jason Pine discuss the Warriors losing to the Titans, th...