The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Here's a simple question, or two, around MMP.  Why is it a couple of billionaires who have supposedly destroyed the system? Which, by the way, they haven't. But that's the question being asked.  Why is it a couple of billionaires and not the Māori Party?  And did either of them destroy the system, or simply utilise the system so they could maximise their advantage? Sort of like the whole idea behind elections, where you say and do stuff that will get you the support you need.  National's electorate success is actually an outstanding result, given how well 42 people clearly did in their local areas. The Māori Party is the same – a good result.  Most importantly, none of this breaks any laws or rules. The upset seems to be based around intent.  What is the intent of MMP? The intent is to elect a government.  Like all systems, if you want, and we have, you can debate the ups and downs, the good and bads and the simplicities and complexities of any given system. None of them are perfect.  But the real trick is when you get a result you don't like, don't whine.  Personally, the weak point of MMP for me has always been the coattail. An electorate win carries more weight than a party vote. One seat and 2% is another seat for free. It's stupid, but it's worked for various people over various elections.  This time National did well electorally and gets an overhang, but so did the Māori Party. Why bang on about billionaires? Why is the billionaire play any more or less egregious, or clever, than the Māori play?  The gnashing of teeth is all coming from the left and the left are sore losers.  The Greens are still banging on about voter suppression, when the real story is the one million people who were enrolled and could have voted for them, but didn't.  Where is the outrage over laziness and complacency? And, by the way, do we have a single story about anyone who turned up on Saturday to vote but couldn't because they were unaware they had 10 months to enrol? It's made-up aggro.  The moment you have electorates dividing up the countryside, and two votes, and an element of proportionality with various machinations, you have a potpourri of potential outcomes.  And that is all that has happened here. It's not a scandal. It doesn't need to be a bitch-athon. It is an election under the system we voted twice for.  End of. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump says the FBI is investigating the affair between the boss of Nvidia and an alleged Chinese spy.  The New York Times revealed intelligence officials believe Jensen Huang was in a relationship with a businesswoman spying for Beijing.  The AI chip-maker says it's investigating but has no reason to believe company secrets were compromised, and China's rejected claims Huang was targeted.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking several House committees are planning hearings on the issue.  He says there are a number of questions that need to be answered, including what the US Government knew, and when they found out.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour’s Ginny Andersen and National’s Mark Mitchell both see a bright future ahead for Chris Bishop, who is leaving Parliament after his 12-year career ended in a “soul-destroying” defeat to Andersen in Hutt South.  Speaking to Mike Hosking on Politics Wednesday, Mitchell congratulated Andersen on her win against Bishop, the incumbent MP, calling it a “hard-fought fight … that came down to the wire”.  Andersen said Bishop made a good effort over a “really tough” campaign, with both out door-knocking daily, knowing how “incredibly close” it would be.  “He’s hard working enough and smart enough that he could apply himself to just about anything and do okay,” Andersen said.  “I think there’s a lot of opportunities out there, whether they’re in New Zealand or further afield … I mean, essentially, when you’re a cabinet minister, you’re a project manager – you’ve got to manage a whole lot of different things to coordinate, so those sorts of skills are really transferable.”  Mitchell noted that while MPs choose to do public service through government, there are “lots of different areas in our country where you can make a contribution”.  “Look at the likes of Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, and Gerry - I mean, there’s lots of things that they can go and do that would contribute to our country and I’m sure they’re going to do that.”  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh debate over the Reserve Bank's recent surprise decision to keep the Official Cash Rate on hold until December.  The central bank's chief economist Paul Conway has addressed the decision at a conference in Sydney.  He voted against holding the cash rate and has acknowledged it created volatility, but says OCR decisions are made based on economics, not based on market pricing.  Independent economic commentator Tony Alexander told Mike Hosking the central bank is once again taking too long to act.  He says the Reserve Bank has allowed inflation to average 4% over the past six-and-a-half years, when it should be averaging 2%.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 11th of November, National responds after one of their own takes a swipe on her way out, saying they've gone too far right.  Dai Henwood's manager and friend Richard Carrington pays tribute to Dai after his tragic death at 48.  And on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen have their first repartee since the election.  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.