The Mike Hosking Breakfast

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 Hawkesby talk the big sports topics over the weekend - and whether Mike is a grunter on the court. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big win for NZ Inc. and a lesson for everyone who doesn’t understand tariffs. Donald Trump has cut tariffs on beef and the beneficiaries are largely New Zealand, Australia and Brazil. Brazil has had a 50% tariff so they will be thrilled. We are at 15% and it's 10% for Australia. We may not benefit as much but given we are “balling”, as they say anyway, anything that gives us a chance to sell more has got to be welcome. The latest figures show that we have had a fall off in volumes of beef to the U.S. What's helping us is the value. Volume is one thing, value is another. If the value offsets the volume you are still winning. Of course if the world only understood the true value of a tariff-free environment we would all be better off. But that debate seems, for now, to be losing ground globally as more and more economies retrench. Anyway, the reason Trump moved is because he is in trouble. He is in trouble on a lot of things and unless the tide turns this time next year in the midterms it's all going to come home to roost, and the Republicans will lose their ascendency, and if that happens, they will turn on the president and the latter part of the president's term will be what they call a "lame duck". In some respects it's been a surprise that his line of abstract economics has lasted so long. There is nothing particularly complex about tariffs, and to be fair to Trump, if China charges you 30% on something then a reciprocal tariff is not out of order. But the “slap them all” approach he used on a place like New Zealand and Australia, not to mention Switzerland that only just got sorted over the weekend, was bizarre, if not completely nuts. All that crap about importers and countries paying tariffs was never real and as Americans lined up at the butchers to pay more for New Zealand beef they got angry, and they got angry to the point trump has had to acquiesce So the tariffs fall and places like NZ Inc. cash in. It's good to be on the right side of the argument. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Pine and Andrew Saville join Mike Hosking this morning to discuss the weekend's sports. On the table today: The All Blacks lost to England at Twickenham - is it time to question Scott Robertson's leadership?  And Kate Hawkesby joins the show to recount some of Mike and Andrew's history playing tennis together.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks lost to England 33-19 - a defeat that ends their hopes of an unbeaten Grand Slam tour.  The game at Twickenham saw the All Blacks start the match strong, but England's strong momentum in the second half, and a last minute try to rub salt in the wound, secured victory.  The crushing defeat has raised questions around Scott Robertson's coaching of the team.  Former All Black sir John Kirwan told Mike Hosking that, 'it's a lonely place being head coach and they'll have to ask him some hard questions.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon is standing firm on his opposition to a capital gains tax. A New Zealand Herald-Kantar Poll shows New Zealanders are evenly split on Labour's proposal for a tax on gains on commercial and investment properties. Opposition is strongest in Auckland, while support for the CGT is stronger in every other region. The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking Labour's proposal is ultimately a bad idea, that will harm businesses and leave everyone's KiwiSaver worse off. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is planning to increase fines for breaching the Fair Trading Act - from 600-thousand dollars to five-million. It is announcing a swathe of changes to crack down on businesses and individuals breaking consumer laws.  The cases could also be moved from the criminal court to the Civil Court to make prosecution easier.  Consumer NZ Chief Executive Jon Duffy told Mike Hosking that it is one of the most consequential changes to the act in a generation.  He says it will be a deterrent for many companies - but $5million is a drop-in-the-bucket for large multi-nationals.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trade Minister's cautiously welcoming a rollback of US tariffs on food imports including New Zealand beef, offal and kiwifruit. US President Donald Trump's signed an executive order reducing the tariffs. The affected New Zealand products represent around 25 per cent of our exports to the United States, worth more than two billion dollars annually. Trade Minister Todd McClay told Mike Hosking that it's still a very uncertain time for Kiwi exporters. He says he's concerned about the changing nature in the White House and even though it's been reduced, the tariffs could be brought back. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are growing concerns around a possible duopoly forming in our primary health sector.  General practice owners are calling out what they see as bloated bureaucracy, and are moving to form a breakaway nationwide Primary Health Organisation (PHO).  GenPro chair Dr. Angus Chambers told Mike Hosking that doctors, 'see that we're heading towards the supermarket-like situation.' He said that some PHOs are good, but they are usually more local, community-driven groups.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a slightly odd message from Labour over the Māori Party as they try and work out how to deal with them.  The truth is they will need them to form a government if they get their own numbers to a point of victory.  There is no way the Greens and Labour alone will come close to crossing the line first.  Small reiteration, in case you missed it a month or so back; none of this matters because the current Government will be re-elected on what I'm calling November 7th, 2026. Election day.  But for argument's sake, the Hipkins comments that they are going to campaign vigorously in Māori seats, with no concern of wiping the Māori Party out, rings awfully hollow, given I watched them campaign vigorously the other day in the Auckland Māori seat and two things happened.  1) No one turned up.  2) Those that did, voted for the Māori Party.  It was the most shockingly inept display of modern campaigning, or lack of it, seen in many a long year.  My guess is what is happening to the Māori Party will not affect the vote for the Māori Party.  Waititi and Co. are clearly liked in their seats, and there is no reason to believe they won't get back.  Further, most of the Labour candidates will be on the list anyway, so why not get two for one?  Which brings us back to this week's so-called announcement: it's a sham.  Talk tough, get a headline, and hope it flies.  The big, big issue for Labour, apart from the fact they are still poisoned by their last stab at power, is the fact their so-called partners are nuts and most of us know it.  Vote for Labour all you want if you can stomach the incompetence. But having done that, stand by for the circus that comes with the Greens and the Māori Party. It's calamitous, with a capital 'C'.  At some point Hipkins will have to face the fact we need some detail. Who's in, who's out, what are the bottom lines? That's where the real rubber hits the road for a voter.  This week's hot air exercise is seen for what it is. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.    NZ Inc: 7/10  A pretty good week. This Wednesday Auckland hotels will be at 100% and yesterday the visitor arrivals showed yet another upward movement. Slowly but surely, there is more and more that is positive to embrace.    Winston: 6/10  "We" and asset sales. You see how he operates one year out? The stirring has begun.    The politics of firearms: 4/10  What you thought was coming and what actually arrived had a price and Nicole McKee had to swallow at least a small-ish rat.    Kim: 7/10  As in Kardashian and SKIMS. One of the biggest capital raises for apparel this year and a market cap now of $5 billion. Laugh all you want at that family, but it's an industry.    The BBC: 1/10  Game, set and match on the argument over balance and impartiality.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once again we find ourselves in the midst of an excellent economic week.  It's excellent, if you wish to see it that way.  100% of hotels will be full this coming Wednesday in Auckland. Broadly speaking, you can't get a room.  Auckland hasn’t been full in years.  Along with the broad-based cruise season and the warmer summer travel period, we have a large conference and a major concert.  This can only get better when the convention centre is open and Eden Park can actually open its gates under proper first-world rules.  So, a record for hotel rooms.  A record also for first home buyers – never have there been more young people getting into their first home. This is the real celebration.  Despite many people's best efforts to steer money elsewhere, nothing beats real estate. It’s a multi-generational obsession in this country and nothing will ever shift it.  The owner of a home. A place to call home. The ability to adjust and mould it to your life and aspirations is not to be underestimated and people will bleed for the pleasure.  Money is cheap-ish. Money is readily available and people are buying. Good on them.  What drives all this is a few simple economic truths – if you get the basics right you can't lose.  This country must be a destination. It must be open, and it must be welcoming, hence the importance of sorting our downtown's out with the homeless and trouble.  The fundamentals must also be right. If you get inflation under control, you earn your way instead of forever borrowing and you set the economic table for the country to be able to spend and take risk and believe that they have a chance and a future.  There is still plenty to do. Jobs needs to come right, but the ads are up.  The media could play their part and drop the misery obsession. News can be neutral and positive, as well as negative.  And the funk brigade could try, just try, to accept that actually there is a decent shaft of light at the end of that tunnel.  Business confidence in the SME sector also had a good week.  Oh, and the All Blacks won and will win again this weekend, if that stuff moves your needle.  In simple terms, this country is going places.  I'm bullish on 2026. This week has been a good building block. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi ingenuity at its finest coming out of the University of Canterbury.  A group of engineering students believe they’ve set a New Zealand human-powered land speed record.   Their three-wheeler, named Mako, hit 82.6km/h – entirely by pedal power.   The record is expected to be confirmed by the International Human Powered Vehicle Association within a month.   Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Digby Symons told Mike Hosking it was done as part of a final year project in the department.  He says some projects have students working on problems that come from companies, but some, like this one, have the students addressing a challenge they set themselves.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday has come once again, which means its time for Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson to join Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that Was. Today's chat had a bit of a health theme, as they discussed hayfever, pickleball, and Kate's knowledge of creatine.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 14th of November, the controversial Regulatory Standards Bill has passed its third reading in Parliament, David Seymour joining to discuss.   Beauden Barrett joins out of London as the All Blacks look to get past the England hurdle on their way to a Grand Slam.  Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson talk pickleball and creatine as they Wrap 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 All Blacks are adamant they have the juice left as they prepare for England and the cauldron that is Twickenham on Sunday morning.  The last two weeks they've been forced to dig deep late to come away with wins over Ireland and Scotland.  All Blacks First Five Beauden Barrett told Mike Hosking England is a powerhouse, one they’ve always had a tough encounter with.  When England toured last year, he says, each match was a close tussle, and they expect the same at Twickenham.  “It’s a hell of a fortress.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our tourism levels are continuing to rise, reaching 88% of pre-Covid numbers.  Australian visitors continue to dominate the market, with 1.48 million arrivals in the September quarter – up 12% on last year.  The US was the next biggest at 381,000 —up 21,000— while visitors from China remained flat at 246,000.  In New Zealand, Queenstown and Christchurch remain the tourist hotspots.  Tourism Minister Louise Upston told Mike Hosking the numbers show the work they’re putting in are delivering some results, but there’s still work to do to attract even more international visitors.   She says they just have to make sure New Zealand is top of mind for countries that normally choose us – Australia, the US, and Canada all being a big focus.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Secretary of Education believes it’s not all doom and gloom in our education system.  Ellen MacGregor-Reid has been given the green light for the next four and a half years.  She’ll continue to drive the new curriculum alongside Education Minister Erica Stanford.  MacGregor-Reid told Mike Hosking New Zealand does have some strengths in education, however they know they can do better.  She says she’s ambitious for the kids, for the education system, and thinks we can get to the top.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Government is business as usual after the longest shutdown in US history – but only till January. US President Donald Trump's signed a bill to end the shutdown and fund the government, while providing back-pay to federal workers. It's caused a divide among Democrats, as it doesn't ensure access to Affordable Care subsidies. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking the shutdown costs are estimated to be around NZ$24.6 billion per week, or as much as 1.5% of the GDP. He says the National Economic Council is estimating that 60,000 non-federal workers lost their jobs during the period. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister's being urged to take urgent and decisive action on our banking sector.  Ministers have accepted most of the recommendations of a select committee inquiry into the industry, including directing the Reserve Bank to focus on more competition.  But banking expert Andrew Body says Nicola Willis needs to go further.  He told Mike Hosking the Minister should be seeking law changes and a harmonisation of Australian and New Zealand banking rules.  Body says the Minister should be ringing Treasury Secretary Ian Rennie, asking for a proposal for legislative change by 8am Monday.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Regulation Minister says a small number of groups have hijacked the public submission process. ACT's Regulatory Standards Bill has passed its third reading at Parliament. The policy, which provides principles for lawmaking, received 156-thousand public submissions – 98% of those opposed. David Seymour told Mike Hosking there have been more select committee submissions in the past two years than in the history of Parliament. He says organisations like Greenpeace spread mistruths and automate submissions for people. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.