The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Ukraine and the US are signalling they're nearing a proposal to end the war as Russia maintains its uncompromising position. 

Ukrainian and US officials have negotiated details of a proposed 28-point peace plan in Switzerland. 

A US official's told reporters Ukraine has agreed to a peace deal, but there were still some minor details to be sorted out. 

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking it appears sever...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday the 26th of November, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop explains why they want to scrap regional councils.  

Estonia has the highest education results in Europe, and now their Education Minister is in New Zealand to check out how our reforms are panning out.  

Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen cover off Michael Wood, regional councils, Greg O'Connor and Craig Ren...

Thousands of cases of amputation and vision loss could be prevented thanks to diabetes monitoring technology. 

Continuous Glucose Monitors, or CGMs, have been funded for Type 1 diabetes since last October. 

New data from CGM producer Dexcom finds lifetime use of the devices could prevent up to 70 thousand diabetes-related complications and save the country $50 thousand a day. 

Diabetes New Zealand Chief Executive Hea...

European nations are eyeing New Zealand’s education overhaul as a model for their own reforms. 

Education Minister Erica Stanford's implemented new curriculums, scrapped NCEA, increased learning support funding and put a sharper focus on teaching the basics this year. 

Estonia’s Education Minister Kristina Kallas is here meeting Stanford, and says her country and others are considering similar changes after drops in achie...

The Reserve Bank's set to slash the Official Cash rate today but the big question is whether today's cut will be the last. 

The final OCR decision of the year is set down for 2pm. 

Most economists expect the cash rate to be cut 25 basis points – from 2.5% to 2.25%. 

Kiwibank Chief Economist Jarrod Kerr told Mike Hosking the main message seems to be that we’re getting pretty close to the bottom. 

He says interest...

Red tape continues to tie up New Zealand's agriculture and horticultural sectors. 

Animal and Plant Health NZ's annual survey finds nearly half its members feel regulatory performance has worsened, despite recommendations put forward by the Ministry for Regulation earlier this year. 

Chief executive Liz Shackleton told Mike Hosking despite reassurance from regulators, the day-to-day process is not getting easier. 

Sh...

RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says regional councils add layers of confusion, as he looks to scrap them. 

Consultation's open on the proposal which would see the councils abolished and replaced with boards made up of local Mayors. 

Boards would be required to put plans in place around re-organising services and infrastructure, which will be checked over and ticked off for financial sustainability. 

Chris Bishop to...

Regular listeners will be aware of my ongoing angst over banks and whether or not they are legit players in our marketplace. 

The Reserve Bank this week, in one final stab this year, will most likely cut the cash rate, again, which will leave it at 2.25%. 

The Co-operative Bank last week claimed they are the only ones who have fully passed on the cash rate cuts so far. 

In fact, as of the current cash rate at 2.5%, t...

Counter-proposals to the US-peace plan for Russia's invasion of Ukraine are emerging as European, US, and Ukrainian officials hash out discussions in Switzerland. 

Russia's backing the 28-point plan that'd include Ukraine ceding territory and ditching efforts to join NATO. 

European leaders have criticised the plan, which is widely considered favourable to Russia. 

France Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hoski...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 25th of November, the Government is introducing mandatory building warranties, and we have news on the job numbers from Seek.  

Covid Inquiry Chair Grant Illingworth KC attempts to explain why there’s been multiple high-profile resignations from the Commission, and whether the inquiry is still on track.  

And we reveal that up-and-coming Kiwi motorsport driver To...

One young Kiwi racer is living his dream.  

18-year-old Tom Bewley competed for the first time in the Porsche GT3 Sprint Challenge Series in Australia, finishing third with four season wins and a couple of lap records. 

As a result, he’s won the Porsche scholarship to take the next step and will compete in the Carrera Cup next year. 

“It was an up and down year, definitely,” Bewley told Mike Hosking. 

“My goal g...

Kiwis are now spending a reported $1.8 billion a year on their pets. 

Insurance, food, grooming, and daycare make up the bulk of the spending, with luxuries and niche businesses playing a part as well.  

Dog Zen founder and animal behaviourist Mark Vette told Mike Hosking over time the relationship between pets and their owners has become more like that of a surrogate parent-child relationship, which drives people to spen...

The head of Phase Two of New Zealand's Covid Inquiry says turnover is 'perfectly natural' as it loses two of its high-ranking officials. 

Executive Director Andrew Sweet is stepping down just months before the second phase is due to end in February. 

His predecessor, Helen Potiki, similarly lasted five months before walking away. 

Inquiry Chair Grant Illingworth KC told Mike Hosking nobody has been dissatisfied with ...

Fears the Government's new construction requirements will unintentionally create a monopoly.

The Government's announced mandatory warranties for new homes three storeys or less, and all renos worth at least $100,000. 

Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says it's intended to protect homeowners from cowboys.  

Combined Building Supplies Chief Executive Carl Taylor told Mike Hosking there's been difficulty in the ...

The job market remains in a tough spot despite modest improvements.  

The latest Seek NZ Employment Report finds job ad volumes have risen 1% for the fourth consecutive month and 7% year-on-year. 

The growth is seen across most regions and industries. 

Country manager Rob Clark says we're heading in the right direction. 

He told Mike Hosking that hospitality and tourism is important over the summer, but they’ve ...

There’s confidence the Social Investment Fund is assisting organisations that will effectively help at-risk youth. 

It's allocating $50 million into programmes for children with parents in prison, those who’ve grown up in care, and under-13s suspended from school. 

Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking they're taking a different approach to previous governments, which spent billions of dollars with no...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 24th of November, National have their first 2026 election policy of increased Kiwi contributions. Is it a bottom line? And what do their coalition partners think of it?

Prime Minister Chris Luxon says whether the coup rumours are real and what to do to boost our dollar.

Jason Pine and Andrew Saville talk the All Blacks final game of the season, Liam and the F1 and Mike'...

The overarching view of the British Covid inquiry is that lockdown did not need to happen.

Their inquiry is different to our two For a start, the key players turned up. Boris Johnson and co got grilled.

Ardern and Hipkins and co never did because they refused.

It still seems to me an astonishing act of arrogance that the same people who made such profound decisions on our lives refused to participate in a public way at the official...