The Mike Hosking Breakfast

To give you an insight into just how hard Christian Hawkesby's job is today, have a look at what the shadow board says. 

The NZIER has a monetary policy shadow board. It’s a bunch of economists and their view as to what should be happening. 

Some say drop by 25 basis points, one says 50, and some say don’t do anything. 

How do you deal with that? 

These are experts. They know what they are doing. Or do they?&nbs...

A new horticultural initiative is set to transform New Zealand into a commercial catnip producer. 

Kiwi startup, Muttley's Estate, is believed to be the world’s first manufacturer of catnip-based 'pet wine', that can be stored for up to 12 months. 

The garden herb's estimated to positively impact mood in about two-thirds of cats while helping to soothe anxiety in dogs. 

Muttley's Estate Director John Roberts told Mik...

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to discuss the biggest topics of the week so far. 

They discussed the shoplifting directive issued to Police – will officers still be attending retail crime incidents if the value of the theft is less than $500?  

And why is Labour against the use of private hospitals to lower the public surgery backlog? 

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On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 28th of May, what will Christian Hawkesby and the Reserve Bank do today? We look ahead to this afternoon's announcement and, perhaps more importantly, the forecasts for the rest of the year. 

Do we need to do something about this 'Run It Straight' game now that someone has died? Or is that leaning too much into being a nanny state? 

Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitc...

The Trade Minister says New Zealand's hustling on the world stage, looking for every opportunity.  

KPMG's latest Agribusiness Agenda suggests New Zealand can't rely on our usual global customers and needs to look for new markets.  

Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says this is a priority, with free trade negotiations in full force with India  

He told Mike Hosking we also have to keep growing the value of ...

There's changes happening in the construction sector. 

Construction Minister Chris Penk is launching the country's first fully independent residential building consent authority - with approval subject to certain conditions being met.

The privately-owned company, supported by the government, promises to issue building consents within 10 working days for eligible residential projects. 

Penk told Mike Hosking it's another o...

Access to the Port of Auckland is going to get more expensive for truck drivers. 

Peak access charges for trucks entering the Fergusson Container Terminal will increase from $130 to $180 in January.  

It will be followed by a further increase to $230, six months later.   

Port of Auckland CEO Roger Gray told Mike Hosking they've given transport operators plenty of notice. 

He says one of them happens in sev...

BNZ's the latest bank to drop its home loan rates, anticipating a change to the Official Cash Rate this afternoon.  

The Reserve Bank's expected to cut the OCR 25 basis point to 3.25%. 

Already BNZ's cut its fixed rates to as low as 4.89%, and its standard variable rate to 6.44%.  

BNZ chief economist Mike Jones told Mike Hosking today's decision should indicate the Reserve Bank's general direction, but it probably w...

There's a belief official 'Run it Straight' events are trying to mitigate head injuries, but has risk written all over it. 

Ryan Satterthwaite —a 19-year-old— has died after suffering a serious injury during a private version of the aggressive tackling game in Palmerston North on Sunday. 

A championship league final has been blocked from Auckland's Trusts Arena. 

Former Kiwis captain Richie Barnett told Mike Hosking ...

A day of celebrations has turned violent in the UK after a car collided with pedestrians at Liverpool Football Club's victory parade. 

Authorities say a 53-year-old white British man has been arrested and the area has been evacuated. 

47 people were injured – 27 were taken to hospital, two with serious injuries, and 20 treated on scene. 

UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking it doesn’t appear to be connected ...

The pressure is on the new Reserve Bank fill-in Governor tomorrow. 

Although given it’s a committee, in theory he is more of a messenger. 

It's reported that we have increased calls for a 50 basis point cut. 

Why? Because things aren't flash. 

If you read business results in the current reporting season, a lot of commentary tells us the recovery is underway. Things are looking better. 

We can certainly see ...

A common deficiency could be holding you back. 

Iron is the most common nutritional deficiency, both globally and in New Zealand, and it plays a role in everything from energy to brain function and development, thyroid function, and anxiety prevention. 

Dr Libby Weaver is biochemist, nutritionist, and author, and her latest book ‘Fix Iron First’ delves into the role of iron in the body, and how a deficiency could be impac...

Despite the challenging economic conditions, Turners Automotive is standing strong. 

The company announced a record year to March, returning a profit of $38.6 million – a 17% increase. 

The result capped off what the company said was a decade of sustainable growth. 

CEO Todd Hunter told Mike Hosking the secret to sustainable growth is to provide a great environment for their people. 

He says they then provide a ...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 27th of May, are police deliberately not investigating retail crimes if the value is under $500? 

We have a big recycling problem in this country, but we also have some good old Kiwi ingenuity when it comes to old and bruised kiwifruit. 

Health whiz Dr Libby Weaver is back in studio to talk iron, and whether Mike is as healthy as he thinks he is. 

Get the Mi...

A year’s worth of plastic waste, once collected for recycling, may now end up in the landfill. 

The market for coloured plastics dried up with the closure of Chinese recycling plants, and as a result, the Far North District Council is set to send 190 tonnes of plastic to the landfill. 

Sue Coutts, Director of External Affairs for Zero Waste Network NZ, told Mike Hosking it’s no surprise the coloured bottles won’t be recyc...

Kiwi ingenuity has found a new use for the 50,000 tonnes of kiwifruit that is rejected each year. 

KiwiLeather Innovations is taking the byproduct and turning it into a plant-based leather alternative.  

Founder Shelley Houston told Mike Hosking it takes about 500 grams to make a square meter of the alternative leather.  

She says they’re targeting the automotive sector, as brands like Tesla are already using things ...

Nelson's Mayor says upgrading the city's hospital will be a turning point for its health services. 

Completion of a 128-bed inpatient building has been brought forward two years to 2029. 

Nick Smith told Mike Hosking the city’s health services have been under real pressure, with the old buildings dating back to 1955 and 1970. 

He says it's encouraging not only to have the $500 million upgrade, but also the 32 bed tem...

The Government's being accused of rushing a greyhound racing ban, affecting hundreds of jobs. 

Racing Minister Winston Peters gave the industry 20 months to wind down from November. 

Greyhound Racing NZ is applying for a judicial review, saying the Government failed to inform, prepare, and consult on the ban. 

CEO Edward Rennell says many only found out shortly before the announcement. 

He told Mike Hosking they...

Retailers are seeking clarity on a Police directive on shoplifting. 

RNZ reports police staff have been told to not investigate allegations of theft below $500.  

Police may not take further action if the reports don't have enough evidence, such as CCTV. 

Chair of the Ministry of Justice's Retail Crime Advisory Group Sunny Kaushal told Mike Hosking retailers are concerned. 

He says similar policies have already ...