The Mike Hosking Breakfast

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. The New Zealand economy: 6/10 Real signs of life this week. Apples and pears crash through a billion dollars, red meat had big gains outside China, Westpac are forecasting more growth later this year, and real estate is showing signs of turning around. And JB Hi-Fi's profit is through the roof. The golden visa: 7/10 It's not a panacea but it's a good, solid, tangible start that has been begging to be triggered. Donald Trump: 8/10 Yes, there is carnage and mayhem and fury and noise but, on balance, it's spectacular watching. And talk about getting stuff done. Fluoride: 2/10 Stupidest debate of the week. Councils are already snowed under with work, cost, and incompetence. They can't take on a ministry, without a leg to stand on legally, and waste everyone's time huffing and puffing. McDonald's in Wanaka: 2/10 Second stupidest debate of the week. We either want jobs and growth and tax paid, or we don’t. The Super Bowl: 8/10 A record audience after a record season. That is how you run a sport. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who knew helping charities was so hard? Or to put it another way, who knew charities were doing so well? We have had a clean up and clean out. We are shifting and shuffling and de-cluttering. This happens a bit at our house – I married a person who loves stuff, until they don’t. It hasn’t applied to me yet, but it applies to a lot of other stuff. Tables and chairs and clothes are in the current pile. So rather than dump them we ring people. We ring hospice - they are full. We ring SPCA - they are full. We ring Salvation Army - they are full. We ring Red Cross - no reply. No answer phone, no nothing. We ring Habitat for Humanity - no reply. No answer phone, no nothing. How can I give you stuff if you can't answer the phone? We ring City Mission - they are full. You literally cannot give stuff away. If all these people are full, they seemingly can't give it away either. If they can't give it away, could that mean that demand is down? Does no one want a table or a set of dining chairs? Is the country not really in the dire state they keep telling us it is? We did have the problem a while back where some charities started to get picky on things like clothes because people would dump tat and, essentially, rubbish. But in our pile, clothing wise, there is a Kenzo sweatshirt. Who doesn’t want a Kenzo sweatshirt? We did think we could save it for the kids. Someone, some time, is going to need a flat full of stuff. Half our old stuff is in fact scattered around various flats. But storage is money and who the hell knows when, or if, your kids are going to need a set of glasses or a side table. So we thought the most use right here, right now are the army of those in genuine need. But it seems there is no army because everyone is full. So to the dump it is. Is that a waste? Or is it good news that the so-called "need" is nothing like they make it out to be? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump says talks to end Ukraine's war will start immediately, although the US is indicating it won't regain all its territory. A prisoner exchange is also likely. The US President's spoken with Russia's Vladimir Putin, calling the phone call "lengthy and productive". Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says it's "unrealistic" to think Ukraine will get all its territory back. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that while Ukraine's President is not directly saying they’re being sidelined by Trump in the negotiations, he’s saying it’s “not pleasant” the US President called Putin first. Zelenskyy is also saying that Ukraine will not accept any peace effort without the Ukrainians’ direct involvement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking once more to Wrap the Week that was. They shared their plans for Valentine's Day, discussed the outrageous bids on items in the Barry Humphries auction, and the kids getting pies for lunch as the school lunch providers scramble to get on top of logistics. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 14th of February, former Australian PM Scott Morrison is in the country to promote economic growth, so we get some tips from a man whose country outstripped our own economic production. School lunches have been in the media a lot this week, so we talk to the provider to see what's going wrong and if it can be fixed. Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson share their Valentine's Day plans while Wrapping the Week. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is being urged to make healthy national food supply a priority. Growers can currently only farm vegetables with consent from regional authorities and want changes as part of resource management reform. Horticulture NZ says without urgent change to this, the country risks losing a significant portion of its homegrown food supply by 2030. Vegetables NZ Chair John Murphy told Mike Hosking that growers in key areas such as Horowhenua face the real prospect of overzealous local authority officials pulling up the driveway and telling them not to grow there anymore. He says the burden of regulation is massive here. “You heard the Prime Minister talk about barnacles on the boat slowing us down earlier in the week ... this isn’t a barnacle on the boat slowing us down, this is a hole in the boat.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Those who provide school lunches are taking a cheat-day today to get on top of food production, following widespread criticism of late deliveries. An admission from the Government's new school lunch provider that giving pies and Pita Pit to students wasn't part of the plan. Compass Group, which was awarded the contract for the new cheaper school lunch programme, has faced criticism for the issues with the roll out. It will today depart from the agreed menu in an effort to get on top of production. Compass Group Managing Director Paul Harvey told Mike Hosking there are things they haven't got right, but they're determined to improve. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is sharing his advice on how to deal with an imminent tariff announcement from Donald Trump. The US President has teased another round of sweeping reciprocal tariffs following the announcement of steel and aluminium tariffs earlier this week. Morrison told Mike Hosking governments just need to make their case, as Mexico, Canada, and Australia did. He says the current Australian government secured the same exemptions he did last time, and Trump will hear a good argument. Morrison celebrated New Years with the President at his Mar-a-Lago property. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's confident it can bring an end to New Zealand's grocery duopoly. It's laying out plans to challenge the incumbents, Foodstuffs and Woolworths, and remove regulations discouraging competition. It wants to pave the way for a new player to enter the supermarket sector. Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking there has been competition in the past. She says the country let the supermarkets merge together and turn into two mega entities. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like most things in life, there is nuance and subtlety that is lost along the way. David Seymour is of a personality that undoubtedly gets up the noses of some. He might even bother the Prime Minister periodically. But his Land Rover Escapade is not a sackable offence. Neither is his letter written, not as a minister, for Polkinghorne a sackable offence. Even if you want to combine them and throw in the Treaty Principals Bill because he's agitated people with it, he is still not in sackable territory, nor indeed anywhere close. Here is the simple truth about MMP: why do we still report it like FPP and they're all in the same party? Could the Prime Minister sack David Seymour from Cabinet? I guess, but then what would happen? The end of the Government. Is he going to do that? No, he is not. When companies take over other companies there is often a clean out of talent. When a new CEO arrives the same thing often applies. The business of running a country in an MMP environment is unique. You don’t merge or take over, you coalesce. You are individual entities who agree on a series of ideas and a level of cooperation. It won't go perfectly. It might not even go swimmingly, because at no stage did you ever merge into one. You always remained, in this case, as three. When Chris Hipkins calls yet again for a sacking —and surely we are bored witless with that tactic— he tells us that not since the 80's and Lange and Prebble have we seen in-fighting like this. He is of course wrong. He forgets Peters and Shipley, and Peters and Bolger, and Anderton and Clark, and Kopu and Shipley, and the NZ First Tight Five. He forgets a vast swathe of our local and recent history and, not just that, he forgets Prebble and Lange were in the same party. Seymour and Luxon are not. In many respects we are lucky with this current line up. In a small country coalition choice is limited. In Spain and Germany where they have recently stretched the bounds of credibility in forming deals, they have collapsed. This deal won't collapse. The majority of the time there is cordiality, respect, and productivity. But reportage doesn’t appear to feature those aspects. The great frustration I have with the Hipkins approach and the coverage of this frippery is that this is a time of tremendous importance on serious matters. This country is a mess, and it is in desperate need of addressing. The side show game increasingly looks from another age and also childish. If Seymour, Peters, or Luxon is on the phone to the Governor General to dissolve arrangements then come back to me. But stunts and a bit of personality back and forward is a day at the office, not a lead story and certainly not a crisis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

LIV Golf seems to be growing with every event. Upon it’s arrival, the tour was rather controversial due to its financial backing from Saudi Arabia, but its popularity is continuing to grow. Professional golfer Ben Campbell joined the league in 2024 as a reserve player, but is making his official debut this year as a member of Bubba Watson’s squad. Campbell told Mike Hosking that it’s definitely getting bigger and bigger compared to previous years. “Even from last year,” he said. “The crowds have got bigger just the, the whole following had got a lot bigger.” “And LIV just producing such a good product – they're getting better and better and better at every event, which is exciting.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A soft landing for the red meat industry after a tough 2024. Meat Industry Association data reveals there was an overall 3% decline in last year's red meat exports, which reached around $10 billion. Total sheepmeat exports fell 3% in both volume and value. Chief Executive Sirma Karapeeva says it ended on a positive note with December's exports rising by 17%, reaching more than one billion dollars. She told Mike Hosking they’re focused on putting one foot in front of the other for 2025 and making sure they continue what they do best: producing and exporting fabulous products to the world. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A reminder landlords aren't privy to the personal information of their tenants. Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster says many renters feel the need during the busy rental season to disclose more about themselves to secure a flat. He says it can be tempting for landlords to collect this information when considering applications. Webster says there's also been issues in the past of landlords black-listing tenants and sharing their information when they've had issues. But he told Mike Hosking there are processes to protect landlord's property through bond arrangements in rental agreements and the Tenancy Tribunal. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 13th of February, there’s potential reforms for both the fisheries and media sector – will either make an impact? Can you still buy KFC and rent a house? The Privacy Commissioner has new rules for what landlords can and can't look through bank accounts for. Kiwi golfer Ben Campbell has got a full-time gig with LIV Golf, and he joined to explain how it’s currently running and whether the stigma still exists. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sealord says the current Fisheries Act regulations are no longer fit for purpose. Consultation's open on changes to the Act to allow catch limits to be more readily altered and let camera-fitted boats dump unwanted catch at sea. If agreed on, the public would no longer be able to access fishing boat surveillance camera footage through official information requests. Chief Executive Doug Paulin told Mike Hosking there's no longer so much need for such strict oversight. He says they now have digital reporting, vessel locators going to MPI daily, and cameras on many of the fishing boats. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wānaka's business community doesn't appear to have been fazed by the now unlikely prospect of McDonalds setting up shop in town. The fast-food giant has had its resource application to open in the town declined after 90% of submissions opposed the idea. Wānaka Business Chamber Chair Jo Learmonth told Mike Hosking there was a variety of opinions in their community survey. But she says most indicated they don't see it impacting their business, or the business economy. McDonalds has two weeks to appeal the decision. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wellington Chamber of Commerce says the council needs to financially compensate businesses affected by the Golden Mile works. Construction on the Kent and Cambridge intersection with Courtenay Place will begin in April, as part of the project to revitalise the city's tired night-life stretch. Mayor Tory Whanau previously floated a business support package, but officials yesterday said that was no longer an option. Business Central CEO Simon Arcus told Mike Hosking that while the works need to be done, support for operators is a must. He says it's not good enough to put businesses and livelihoods in peril and not offer any protection. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A mapped-out shake-up of television and screen production legislation is garnering overwhelming support. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage has laid out five proposals to combat declining viewership and ad revenue in light of the global shift to streaming. Merging the Film Commission with NZ on Air and requiring offshore platforms to invest in more local content are among the suggestions. South Pacific Pictures Managing Director Andrew Szusterman told Mike Hosking the recommendations are on the money. He says there's been consultation with the industry and the proposals being put forward are pretty good. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are contradictory statements from Donald Trump, who says there will be no exceptions to the steel and aluminium tariffs, but seems open to treating Australia differently. The US President's signed off on 25% tariffs for all steel and aluminium imports, but yesterday Australia's Prime Minister spoke to Trump, who assured him he'd consider exempting Australia. Trump says Anthony Albanese is a very fine man, and luckily for Australia, it buys a lot of US planes. He says Australia is one of the only countries which has a surplus with the US, which he'll give great consideration to. Australia Correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking the ball is firmly in the US’ court. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a sport that is hardly sizzling in a sports world that is sizzling, the pain for New Zealand Rugby has clearly just got a whole lot worse. INEOS had a six year deal worth apparently $48 million. That’s $8 million a year. They have walked three years early and as a result are being sued by NZR. I don’t blame them. Sir Jim Ratcliffe is an interesting bloke. He is involved in English football through Manchester United and with Mercedes F1. He was involved in the America's Cup with Ben Ainslie, but has subsequently fallen out. I quite liked his cars. He wanted to keep making the old Land Rover Defender when they upgraded it a couple of years ago. He offered to buy the designs, Land Rover said no, so he invented his own a thing called the Grenadier, which although is no Land Rover, is not a bad looking thing to run up a paddock. I suppose you could ask whether Ratcliffe is even aware of any of this. But my guess is yes, given his prominence at the football and at the sailing. Has NZR, in INEOS' eyes, done something wrong? Have they not delivered on some KPIs? Is there a counter case here? In what court is this to be heard? How much time will it take and what will it cost? Is it a World Trade Organisation type-thing, whereby it's often not really worth the hassle because nothing tangible comes of it? Is it simply one of those contracts where as much as you might want to put down on paper, people and actions count for more and if you don’t want to do business then basically that’s the end of that? The union are the biggest losers and i feel sorry for them. No one at INEOS, I suspect, gives a monkeys. INEOS are global, from F1 to EPL. The All Blacks, although big in rugby, aren't huge globally and the hole left is more pressing for a sport than a petrol chemical company. Ratcliffe looks shabby if the union case is correct and he has simply bailed. But I doubt he is losing sleep. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.