The Mike Hosking Breakfast

A big turnaround for fisheries company Sanford with the reveal of their latest profits.  

They’ve reported an after-tax profit of $63.7 million – a 224% increase for the year to September.  

Cash flow was also up 85%, helping cut debt by nearly half to $93.4 million. 

Sanford Managing Director David Mair told Mike Hosking that by focusing on customers, they’re turning the business around.  

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New game-changing headgear has been developed to protect junior rugby players. 

After more than a decade of study into the causes and consequences of head collisions by rugby players, Canterbury University researchers have developed new soft shell protective headgear for juniors. 

It could be on sale early next year.   

Professor Nick Draper told Mike Hosking that all the money they generate from sales will be r...

Bold, bipartisan centred planning is key to ensuring New Zealand doesn't succumb to the effects of a dwindling population and economic growth.  

A new BusinessNZ report's calling for a cross-party vision and long-term goals to strengthen the country by 2050.  

It notes a labour shortage of at least a quarter of a million is expected before then, and there's also a one in four chance the population doesn't grow. 

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A welfare expert says one of the Government's grants is a good idea in principle.  

The Taxpayers’ Union has revealed the business start up grant has dished out $38 million with little to show for it.  

Documents retrieved through the Official Information Act show hundreds of the recipients struggled and returned to a benefit within two years.  

Former Welfare Expert Advisory Group member Phil O'Reilly told Mike Hosk...

There are concerns overseas opioid abuse trends are taking hold here.  

The Drug Detection Agency's data for the three months to September finds opioids showed up in 18% of positive tests. 

It warns opioid detections are stabilising at this high level, while some regions like Gisborne recorded a sharp increase of 41%. 

CEO Glenn Dobson told Mike Hosking the test results are a good oversight of what’s happening in our...

A weak construction industry's done nothing to help low completion rates among apprenticeships. 

Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds says more than half of apprentices in training are dropping out. 

She's seeking extra funding so new industry bodies can investigate the number of dropouts. 

Building and Construction ITO Director Greg Durkin told Mike Hosking there's been a significant drop in building work si...

This is how we end up in trouble. Things are said that aren't challenged. 

Here's the headline: "NZ will be dumping ground for high emission cars". 

That was a claim from an EV lobby group. I wonder why they would say that? 

Chris Hipkins said, or was allowed to say, that we had one of the highest uptakes of EVs in the world and the Government stopped it. 

Now, let's deal with fact and context. The Government in...

The UK Government's confirmed plans for a major overhaul of the country's immigration system to stem the flow of illegal immigration. 

Asylum seekers will need to wait at least 20 years for permanent residency and won't be guaranteed financial support. 

Failed asylum seekers and their families may face deportation to countries like Syria. 

The UK Government claims the country's immigration rules haven't kept up with ...

Well, welcome back Opportunity. I think I have that right. 

Opportunity is the former "The Opportunities Party". Now it's just "The Opportunity Party". 

It has a new leader and a new tax policy. They have been looking for a leader for ages and they even advertised. 

None of this is a good sign. 

Their biggest problem is the market is full – there is no room for another political party. 

There was no room 10...

International relations and geopolitics have become increasingly complex in the last few decades, many countries in the Pacific pulled between China and the United States – the two superpowers at odds with each other. 

But former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull believes the relationships with the two are equally important. 

“The relationship with the US is obviously the bedrock of our security relationship,” he...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 18th of November, the Government is slashing emissions charges for bringing in new cars and launching a full review of the Clean Car Standard.

Uber drivers have had a major win in the Supreme Court with four drivers now ruled to be employees, not contractors.

Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was in the country, so we took the time to catch up about his cal...

A Northland holiday park's scrapping its TVs to allow nature to take centre stage. 

Russell–Orongo Bay Holiday Park is one of the first holiday parks in New Zealand to go completely TV-free. 

It's encouraging guests to unplug from screens and reconnect with the natural world. 

Park Manager Shane Maddren told Mike Hosking they have plenty of activities to keep guests occupied. 

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Police say their new approach to mental health callouts is working.  

They're now in phase three out of four of the programme, meaning there's a higher threshold for officers to attend calls from mental health workers.  

Officers will also assess the appropriateness before responding to missing persons reports for those with mental health concerns.  

Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson told Mike Hosking there'...

Canterbury is paving the way for the country's first rubber road.  

Selwyn District Council is planning a rubber road surface trial at Glentunnel on State Highway 77 in January.  

Treadlite New Zealand is the only company providing the recycled rubber granules for use in pavements in the country.  

Chief Executive Brad Pierce told Mike Hosking this isn't new technology, it's just New Zealand catching up.  

He sa...

Geopolitics could be increasingly dictating the future of agriculture.  

A Rabobank report is warning tensions between the United States and China means agricultural exports are at risk of "becoming pawns on a geopolitical chessboard." 

It suggests 2026 could mark a new era of geopolitical influenced agriculture sector. 

Lincoln University Adjunct Professor of AgriScience Jacqueline Rowarth told Mike Hosking the more...

Changes to the Clean Car Standard has been partly caused by supply problems out of Japan.

The Government is slashing charges on importers who don't meet carbon targets by almost 80% and launching a full review.

It is expected to save about $264 million in costs to consumers and will keep imported cars cheaper.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking it's been tough getting EVs into the country.

He says importers are racki...

The Workplace Relations and Safety Minister says there's currently too much grey area about what defines a contractor, following the Supreme Court's Uber ruling. 

Four drivers are now legally employees, with the highest court rejecting Uber’s bid for the court to overturn a 2024 Court of Appeal ruling. 

The Government's seeking to clarify the distinction in law. 

Brooke van Velden told Mike Hosking we need clear rule...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 17th of November, Trump has pulled back on some of his tariffs which is a $2 billion boon for NZ Inc. and makes Trade Minister Todd McClay's job slightly easier.

The Prime Minister talks the tariffs, Net Zero, polls and whether the Capital Gains Tax is something credible he'll be up against at next year's election.

Jason Pine, Andrew Saville and special guest Kate Hawke...