The Mike Hosking Breakfast

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 a changing world.  UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking there’s a lot of devil in the details.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 years ago and there's even less room now.  Now, I don't, but you could argue that as the MMP environment evolves and matures some nuance is sought by a frustrated electorate. A boutique operator if you will.  The major parties have faded and the days of National and Labour cracking 40% are gone.  The days of a two-party Government might well be gone as well. So as it all fragments, surely there must be room for a small operator wedging its way in between, say, National and Labour as a sort of mid-way, subtle alternative.  The trouble is, and I argued this years ago when Gareth Morgan was running the joint, 5% is actually a lot of votes and very few, if any, crack it.  Look at ACT's journey – for years they needed a deal in Epsom to work the system and the coattail.  There is a reason United vanished.  What they should have done is run Morgan in an electorate. Name recognition would have helped, and he may have got the seat, got 2%, and had a party of 2-3 MPs. Being in and staying in is easier than getting there in the first place.  Here is their other issue: nuance is not what we do. That’s why radicals are gaining support all over the world, from Pauline Hanson in Australia to the minor players who make up Government's in the likes of Holland and Germany.  You need to be more left, or right, than centre.  Could we also argue that New Zealand First is centrist, given they are the only party that can legitimately claim the ability to deal with either National or Labour?  So good on them for keeping the Opportunity dream alive.  They're still here after a decade. They're either visionaries whose time is yet to come, or dreamers who can't read the room. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 told Mike Hosking.  “Whereas the relationship with China is, you know, much more focused on economics and trade, but the two, these two superpowers are absolutely critical partners.”   China has been working to grow its influence in the Pacific, the area presenting several strategic opportunities for the nation – but is it a cause for concern?  “The reality is that China is a superpower,” Turnbull told Hosking.   “It is, you know, an economic peer equal or close to an equal of the United States, and they’re seeking to exert influence around the world and in our region.”   He says they want to maintain strong relationships with their Pacific Island neighbours, and one way they did that while he was Prime Minister was through the funding of the Coral Cable, which links Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.  “We thought that was a better outcome from a security point of view,”  “But also, it was a better outcome for them because they weren’t in debt.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 calamitous former party and the state of our country's relationship. 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.

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.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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's been a 75% reduction in mental health patients in their cells.   He says there have also been 900 fewer calls-for-service in the past month, compared to the same time last year.  Johnson says the previous system was not a good use of resources, as sitting in EDs with patients wasn’t advancing community safety.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 says adding 10% rubber into the road makes it quieter, last 20% longer, and takes a valuable resource out of landfill.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 unstable the planet is, the more unstable business is.   But she says New Zealand is in a good position as a small nation who are the best producers of low impact, high quality animal protein.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 racking up penalties and don't have the supply to get credits. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 rules in this increasingly online platform based world.  She says we're going to see more people with flexible work and multiple agreements, so businesses and contractors need more certainty.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.