The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Although Auckland gets the headlines, it is not alone when it comes to the destruction and degrading of downtown areas. 

The bus facility in Dunedin has been dealing with a death, but as my daughter who lives there told me, it's been a mess for years and you avoid it. 

Quick question: what's the point of a public transport facility if it is famously bad, so you don’t get near it? 

New...

Joe Biden has taken a strong stance on immigration, restricting migrant numbers at the Mexican Border. 

The US President has signed an executive order barring asylum seeker requests. 

He says the action will be paused when migrant numbers reach a 'manageable' level. 

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the decision has political motives for Biden, with Trump holding...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 5th of June, we took a look at our mental health services in a big five-year report, and the Aussies seemingly stealing our NZDF personnel. 

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster wants a change to our alcohol rules. Plus, Mike was curious what bike he drives. 

New research is underlining the public appetite for news by local journalists. 

Commissioned by the News Publishers' Association, it surveyed just more than 1500 New Zealand adults. 

Association Director of Public Affairs Andrew Holden says 93% of respondents access the news at least once a day across a range of different sources, and over 80% trust news provided by local outlets. 

Ho...

Police Minister Mark Mitchell is sympathising with a man who heckled him during a tense public meeting in central Auckland last night. 

The man claimed he'd recently broken his arm trying to stop a shoplifter. 

Mitchell told Mike Hosking that he completely understands where the man is coming from with his frustrations. 

He says although trends are heading in the right direction and Po...

The Police Commissioner says a fifth of the jobs they go to involve alcohol.

Internal documents obtained by RNZ say alcohol causes 20 times more social harm than meth.

Andrew Coster told Mike Hosking that 'lolly-water' is often the culprit when they are called to harmful events.

He says a crackdown on the availability and price of booze would make a difference.  

Andrew ...

The recent recruitment change by Australia's Defence Force may be reflective of a bigger issue. 

From July New Zealanders who've lived in Australia for a year will be able to join the military. 

They'll also let residents from the UK, US, and Canada join up from January. 

Massey University security expert John Battersby told Mike Hosking that it can be a struggle for defence forces to...

Workforce issues are resulting in fewer people accessing specialist mental health services.  

A Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission report shows more people are receiving community-based care.  

But access to specialist services dropped from 3.8% of people in 2018 and 19 to 3.4% in 2022 and 23. 

Board chair Hayden Wano told Mike Hosking that workforce impacts are across the whole s...

Local grocery store owners are supporting Foodstuffs' merger. 

The country's biggest supermarket operator is a step closer to merging its North and South Island divisions after 99% of owners voted in support. 

The future co-op's designated CEO, Chris Quin, told Mike Hosking that they're not surprised at the result. 

He says they've done a lot of work to ensure the families who own the...

Nigel Farage has made a U-turn regarding the UK’s general election. 

The former Ukip and Brexit party leader initially had no plans to stand during the election but has decided to now stand as an MP in Clacton as well as lead the Reform party for the next five years. 

This could’ve dealt a potentially damaging blow to the faltering campaign for the Conservative party. 

UK Corresponden...

This year marks 80 years since the World War II D-Day landings, commemorations taking place in France this week. 

At least 25 Heads of Government or State are expected to attend, including US President Joe Biden and King Charles.  

The ceremonies began this morning with parachutists jumping from World War II-era planes into the skies above Normandy. 

Europe Correspondent Catherine Fie...

The word according to reportage was ‘ire’. 

The Prime Minister of New Zealand called the Prime Minister of Australia to express his ire at the Direction 99 changes that involves crooks and reprobates being booted out of Australia and sent back to New Zealand because they're not Australians. 

The key here, ire or not, is that they are New Zealanders and not Australians, and the reason they are not A...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 4th of June, hooligans in Levin are the latest case of boy racer issues for rural New Zealand, and why are we spending so much on lockdown plans for schools? 

The Prime Minister was in to defend the Government not putting the money in, yet, for new cancer d...

Schools are paying third party contractors to develop emergency lockdown strategies.  

They're responsible for creating emergency management plans for their schools which includes such protocols.  

The principal of Auckland's Glendowie School Paul Crowhurst told Mike Hosking that they spent about $5000 on a full emergency management plan and on-site training. 

He says school staff are...

Last week’s Budget announcement had National break one of their campaign promises. 

Christopher Luxon says he understands people's frustration with the lack of funding for cancer drugs in last week's Budget. 

National campaigned on spending about $280 million on 13 treatments in last year's election but was unable to include it in the Budget. 

The Government says it's now working on a...

There’s a push for greater voter participation in local elections. 

Local Government New Zealand has established a new electoral reform group with hopes of increasing voter turnout. 

The group will also look at implementing four-year terms, consider the ways people can vote, and who should administer local elections. 

Nelson mayor and reform group chair Nick Smith told Mike Hosking th...

Levin's Mayor is blaming outsiders for a violent boy racer meet over the weekend. 

Two hundred vehicles reportedly took part in the Saturday night gathering. 

Police say six vehicles were impounded and two officers were injured by boy-racers throwing bottles and rocks. 

Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden told Mike Hosking that Police were outnumbered. 

He says locals are out...

There are more problems for struggling dairy processor Synlait. 

The Canterbury-based organisation told yesterday's Australian securities exchange that more than half of its 280 suppliers want to leave. 

It comes after the company posted a $96 million half year loss in April. 

Ashburton-based supplier Willy Leferink told Mike Hosking that it's a company problem, not an industry one.