The Mike Hosking Breakfast

When you hear the name ‘James May’, it’s likely you think of cars, Top Gear, and The Grand Tour, but much like his co-stars, May has plenty of other projects. 

He owns his own pub and gin line, and has done countless shows visiting other countries, rebuilding toys and machines, and exploring life’s questions. 

May’s now onto his next journey – a live theatre performance that brings the stories of explorers to the stage.&n...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 26th of June, Nicola Willis is still unhappy with the supermarkets, sending them another letter – when is it time for action? 

Moana Pasifika is in serious financial strife, but it was revealed that Whanau Ora, using taxpayer money, gave them $8 million in funding. How does a company, whose job it is to improve wellbeing in poorer communities, spend millions on a rug...

The Government's instructed Auckland Council to allow apartments at least 15 storeys high near key City Rail Link train stations.  

Density requirements around the Mt Albert and Baldwin Ave stations require at least 10 storey apartments, and requirements around the Maungawhau, Kingsland, and Morningside rail terminals have been increased from six storeys to 15. 

Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop say it will ensure Auckland ta...

The Infrastructure Minister agrees we're getting bad value for money and need trans-government systems to improve.

The Infrastructure Commission's released a 30-year draft plan revealing its first look at how New Zealand needs to invest in our future. 

Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking half of all capital-intensive government agencies don't have asset registers, so don't know what they own or how to maintain it.  

He says wh...

A law expert says it's important for the Māori Development Minister to look at contracts - to figure out where Whānau Ora's money is coming from. 

Tama Potaka is seeking a review of a recent Whānau Ora ad campaign encouraging Māori to sign up to the Māori electoral roll. 

He says it would be inappropriate for public funding to be used for electioneering. 

Law expert Graeme Edgeler told Mike Hosking the law isn't comp...

The Government's issued a fresh warning to the major supermarket chains. 

Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis has written a letter to Woolworths, and Foodstuffs' North Island and South Island arms, outlining her expectations. 

She says she's hearing of supermarkets charging more than the advertised price, and having specials and multi-buy deals that don't actually offer savings. 

Willis told Mike Hosking that's no...

Is Shane Jones showing the Minister for Treaty Negotiations Paul Goldsmith how to run his own portfolio? 

In response to Jones and his Member's bill on the never ending Ngāpuhi drama, Goldsmith says the process can't go on forever. 

Which is the same as saying nothing, because clearly it is, and Goldsmith clearly has no plan. 

The Jones bill is clever because my sense of it is there is so much infighting in the north...

Concern over an increasing number of children bringing weapons to school. 

Figures released under the Official Information Act show 526 students were stood down, suspended, or excluded for using or having a weapon at school last year. 

It's an 80% rise on 2018. 

Secondary Principals' Association President Louise Anaru told Mike Hosking that in a vast majority of cases, children have no intent to use the weapon - but ...

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into some of the biggest stories of the week so far. 

The cost of living crisis is still weighing heavily on Kiwis’ wallets despite all of the Government’s efforts – can Mark Mitchell explain why we’re not feeling the recovery? 

And Ginny Andersen had quite a few points to make on the topic as well. 

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On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 25th of June, a ceasefire between Iran and Israel is on, then off, then on again, as another NATO summit kicks off in the Hague. 

As we go into another round of pay negotiations, this time with teachers, Judith Collins outlines exactly who gets paid what. 

Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk butter and the cost-of-living crisis, whether we should cut regional...

New Zealand scientists have developed a new technology to reduce food waste and import dependence. 

The waste system takes perishable food before it hits landfill and turns it into shelf-stable powders, concentrates, and extracts for food. 

Director of Powered by Plants Dr. Andrew Prest says the concept came from frustration with the current production model. 

He told Mike Hosking it's a good opportunity to address t...

Assessment processes will still be rigorous for prescribing ADHD medication. 

From February, GPs and nurse practitioners will be able to prescribe treatments from the outset without a specialist recommendation.  

Wait times for specialist appointments vary but can be over a year.  

Royal College of GPs medical director Dr. Luke Bradford told Mike Hosking it's a good move to help people access diagnoses more quickly a...

Primary school teachers may have less ground to stand on at the bargaining table.  

They began negotiations yesterday for the first time since losing their pay equity claim in the May Budget. 

The Public Service Minister says there is a public mantra that teachers deserve to be paid more.  

But Judith Collins told Mike Hosking it ignores the facts.  

She says primary school teachers can earn $115 thousand includ...

A fragile ceasefire's holding for Iran and Israel after the US President got involved. 

Both sides claim the other has breached the truce. 

Donald Trump scolded both for early violations but directed particularly stinging criticism at Israel over the scale of its strikes. 

University of New Haven Associate Professor of National Security Dr Matt Schmidt told Mike Hosking he's unsure if US strikes fully destroyed Iran'...

A new Rabobank report reveals within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will begin its largest-ever inter-generational transfer of wealth. 

More than half of farm and orchard owners will reach the age of 65 in the next decade, but only a third have a formal succession plan. 

It's estimated $150 billion worth of farming assets will change hands. 

Rabobank CEO Todd Charteris told Mike Hosking the challenge is f...

So having looked at every council in the country and the pending rate rises we are all going to have to pay, a couple of inescapable conclusions are to be drawn. 

1) We need central Government to cap rates. 

2) We need fewer councils. 

If you were to roughly use inflation as a guide, Waitomo and Whanganui are your only councils to get under the wire at 2.93 % and 2.2% – so congratulations to them. 

I'm sure ever...

New Zealand’s largest bank is lending less cash to businesses than it was half a decade ago. 

Figures from the Reserve Bank show a softening across all bank business lending since the pandemic, with ANZ the only one going backwards. 

The overall growth rate across all banks has slowed to just 1.5%, down from 6% in 2013.  

ANZ CEO Antonia Watson told Mike Hosking much of the drop is caused by a decrease in lending to ...

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 24th of June, our golden visa has done better in the last few months than it had under two and a half years of Labour. People want to come here, and they are bringing millions of dollars with them. 

Local Government NZ respond after Christopher Luxon and Shane Jones proposed getting rid of regional councils. 

All Blacks coach Scott Robertson tells Mike what he's ...

Scott Robertson has called up five new faces for his first All Blacks class of 2025, with his 35-man squad for next month’s series against France named. 

All Blacks regulars Dalton Papali'i, Ethan Blackadder and David Havili have been left out of the squad instead. 

The trio’s exclusion comes with the inclusion of Ollie Norris, Brodie McAlister, Fabian Holland, Timoci Tavatavanawai, and Du'Plessis Kirifi. 

Coach Scot...