The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Voter turnout could be an issue for a proposal to introduce binding referendums on major council spending projects. 

The Local Government Business Forum has released a report in favour of holding referendums for significant projects exceeding $500 per ratepayer. 

It says it should only apply to non-essentials, preserving councils' ability to invest in key utilities like water and transport.   

Forum Secretary Ni...

There's cautious optimism in the construction sector and hopes the economy will improve.  

The Master Builders State of the Sector Report cites remaining demand issues like consumer confidence.  

The report finds 66% of people describe their recent build as a positive and a similar number of people report no significant delays. 

CEO Ankit Sharma told Mike Hosking regions are leading the way while urban centres like A...

The Christ Church Cathedral rebuild could be the last milestone for the Garden City to thrive.  

Work will begin next year to complete the nave, entrance way, tower, and restore the rose window by 2030. 

This halves the funding to about $40 million, with the Anglican Church pledging another $20 million. 

Reinstatement Director Mark Stewart told Mike Hosking they've been working on this for years and have a robust pla...

The Education Minister says a lot of schools were already trying to teach some of the new curriculum subjects. 

A new list of study topics has been unveiled as part of a refresh of the national curriculum from 2028. 

It places greater emphasis on the STEM subjects and adds Civics, Politics and Philosophy, and Media and Journalism. 

Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking a lot of schools were trying their best to teach some...

As the teachers maybe, maybe not accept their pay offers and maybe, maybe not go on strike yet again, I can't help but worry about the new recruits. 

We were busy celebrating just last week, enrolments to become teachers have gone up markedly – big, big increases. 

This seems, on the surface anyway, to in part be a solution to a long-term problem, i.e. our permanent shortage in a profession that has lost its lustre. 

New Zealand’s finance leaders are more confident for the year ahead. 

A new report from the Hunter Campbell Group shows an uptick in confidence from CFOs, with 38% expecting modest to strong growth over the next 12 months – up from 31% last year. 

But on the flip side, confidence in the Government’s ‘responsiveness’ remains low across the board. 

Hunter Campbell Managing Partner Lee Marshall told Mike Hosking they’re...

It’s time for the business end of the NRL season. 

The Warriors have finished 6th, securing a home final against the Penrith Panthers, but losing a couple more players to injury. 

Coach Andrew Webster says after their loss to the Manly Sea Eagles over the weekend, the real season starts now.  

Webster told Mike Hosking that he wants them to be judged on where they are now and what’s about to happen. 

He says the...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 11th of September, the Government are looking at the idea of guilty until proven innocent when it comes to shoplifting. 

MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University and Mike provides the latest details throughout the morning. 

Warriors coach Andrew Webster details how the Warriors are going to win this weekend in their do-or-di...

Jetstar says it's done its homework on the New Zealand market before unveiling its latest —and biggest— expansion in the trans-Tasman market. 

The airline's adding close to 500 thousand seats a year across five of its most popular domestic and trans-Tasman routes. 

The Australian based carrier has operated in New Zealand for 20 years. 

Jetstar Chief Executive Stephanie Tully told Mike Hosking it's always looking to o...

A young inventor has taken home the top honours at the James Dyson Awards for a pair of glasses made to tackle epilepsy.  

University of Canterbury engineering student Mark Campbell has developed ‘Lensare’, which uses smart LCD lenses that detect harmful light patterns and instantly darken, providing protection for people with epilepsy and photophobia. 

Campbell told Mike Hosking it’s still in the early stages of developm...

A telling response as speculation swirls around the standing down of Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua ahead of next week's international series against South Africa. 

Netball New Zealand claim they've made the decision due to "issues" within the high-performance environment which remain unresolved. 

When asked by Mike Hosking if the players were boycotting Taurua because she’s pushing too hard, Board Chair Matt Whin...

The Government wants to deal with shoplifting offences in a quicker way instead of going through the entire court system.  

The Justice Minister's newly released Cabinet paper proposes the burden of proof should fall on the suspect to prove their innocence.  

This clashes with the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, as protected in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.  

But Paul Goldsmith told Mike Hosk...

An expectation New Zealand needs to do more to keep people here longer. 

Latest Stats NZ data shows close to 48 thousand New Zealand citizens left in the year to July. 

There were 14 thousand migrant arrivals and nearly 10 thousand departures during the same period. 

Immigration lawyer Marcus Beveridge told Mike Hosking half of the citizens leaving for Australia weren't born here. 

He says the government could l...

I have been wondering when the penny would drop and yesterday might have been it. 

There were two stories on Chris Hipkins' problems with the Māori Party.  

For all the energy the media wants to put into Chris Luxon and his future, the very obvious other side of the coin, if they ever wanted to explore it, lies in the very real issue for Labour in even coming close to putting together the numbers for a government. 

T...

Ministers from both sides of the divide are praising the Police for their handling of the Tom Phillips situation. 

The four-year manhunt for Phillips ended early on Monday, when he was shot and killed by Police after he shot at an officer in rural Waikato. 

The children were safely recovered and are in the care of Oranga Tamariki. 

Former Police Minister Ginny Andersen says authorities have been doing their best, dur...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 10th of September, the Children's Commissioner speaks on what happens now with Tom Phillips' kids and calls to give them privacy. 

We have a record number of 15-year-olds leaving school early, but the vast majority are moving straight into different education. 

Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen speak on the police operation that finally caught Phillips on Politi...

Airports could save money and drive down airfares by bringing domestic and international terminals together. 

A study has found integrated airport terminals save on double-ups and encourage passengers to spend more money. 

It shows this extra revenue could help airports cut costs for airlines, which could mean cheaper fares for travellers. 

NZ Airports Association CEO Billie Moore told Mike Hosking integration is the...

New Zealand red meat prices are at record levels and are expected to remain strong throughout the year.  

Earnings for core red meat exports are expected to rise by $1.4 billion to $10.5 billion for the 2024–2025 season.  

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Board Chair Kate Acland says there's incredible global demand for red meat.  

She told Mike Hosking that while they're seeing lower export volumes in the current year, the v...

A panel of experts has a solution to tackling organised crime but won't yet say what it is. 

The Ministerial Advisory Group on Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime has put out a new list of recommendations ahead of its final report later this month. 

Among the suggestions are greater accountability across government departments and a new minister whose entire job is working on the problem.  

Group chair Steve S...