The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Listen to the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 16 October. 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.

One of the great myths of the modern economy is the idea that young people can't afford a house. Now, the facts are that for every house sold, about a quarter of them, sometimes a little bit more, about 27% are in fact first-timers. That figure has been remarkably solid over any number of years in any type of market. Can it be expensive? Yes. Do some people miss out? Yes. Are some areas better or worse than others? Yes. But in a world where the negative sells, if you can convince people that the young are victims, it can become very political very fast. Of course, no government can manipulate the market, and for all the governments that are promised a solution, it more often than not ends and tears. And for every lever you pull, there is a counter reaction elsewhere, which is why it is often best to leave the market to its own devices. Australia though is dabbling in housing as we speak. The latest scheme involves getting first buyers or first time buyers into their own place with a 5% deposit. Any first timer, any salary. Personally, I've always liked the idea of getting, young people into housing, easier entry, the better often the real impediment, and it's true here, of course, is not the mortgage, but the down payment. I mean, 20% of a million bucks, which is basically the equation in a lot of New Zealand is $200,000. That's a mountain for most and an insurmountable one. Even $100,000 is hard work, but what about 50? $50,000 5%, that's not hard. Small town New Zealand, you go to a cheaper place. $600,000 house, $30,000. That's doable. That's your average Kiwi saver. Why aren't we doing that? Do you lose on housing? Really? Is it a good long-term investment? Yes. In Australia, they kept the price to a first home type level. So for example, at the moment in Sydney, it's 1.5 million less in Melbourne, but what it will do is get more people into houses. Do people want that? Yes, they do. The Reserve Bank worries about a price surge, but this is being done ironically in the middle of a price surge. Australian housing is often running. The debate about affordability is raging hot, and yet the government is all for it. And note, it's a labour government. So what about us? Does our housing market need a boost? Yes, it does. The first timers need a leg up, see? What's stopping us? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new owners of the Cardrona Hotel jumped on the investment to keep it in Kiwi hands. Central Otago's 162-year-old heritage-listed hotel and restaurant has sold, after being on the market since July. Wanaka local, Warren Barclay, will run the business - and says the new owners are high net worth Kiwis and good sorts who see potential. He says business is solid and we don't want to do anything that changes that.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) has issued a provisional decision claiming jurisdiction over a complaint about an online radio show.  They said that the complaint fits their formal definition and requirements, meaning that they have to act.   Chief Executive of the Broadcasting Standards Authority Stacey Wood told Mike Hosking that the BSA had long been debating expanding the boundaries of their jurisdiction.   ‘Transmission of a programme by means of telecommunication includes the internet.’  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Prime Minister's backing the view that large-scale government housing ownership like Kainga Ora is problematic. A report by The New Zealand Initiative finds the Government's ownership of 77,000 state houses, has maintenance costs nearly twice that of a private landlord. It finds it also doesn't respond quickly enough to issues like rent arrears, and troublesome tenants. Sir Bill English told Mike Hosking his independent review panel into the agency found similar issues. He says the point of social housing is to improve the lives of the tenants, so it means focusing on the people,  and who owns the houses,  is less important. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health Minister Simeon Brown's bracing for tension at a meeting with 200 senior doctors, ahead of strike action.  Their walkout - after rejecting a $160million pay offer - will see 6,300 elective procedures cancelled, and almost 13,000 specialists assessments delayed.  Brown's slamming what he says is unethical, and a case of politics over patients.  He told Mike Hosking that the unions haven't been acting in good faith.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's thought that the aviation sector is over capitalising - as New Zealand's domestic airfares have shot up more quickly than any other country.   A global airport group says domestic airfares are up 63% in six years, and are well ahead of the second-highest, up 53%. Air New Zealand's Chief customer and digital officer Jeremy O'Brien told Mike Hosking that accelerated inflation is effecting the industry.  He says we're a reasonably small country with long distances to fly. O'Brien says in many cases the industry is over-capitalising, which then impacts the sustainability of the market. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most stories need a hero, and Gail Parata might fit the role in this netball mess.  Or is it now a scandal?  Gail Parata has resigned as a national netball selector and in doing so has gone out guns blazing and, because of that, has given the rest of us a decent insight into what a shambles the Dame Noeline Taurua story really is.  This thing is now weeks old since she got stood down.  The story and the incidents go back, apparently, to a camp in summer.  Taurua's treatment, writes Parata on social media, sends a chilling message to every coach in the country.  The coaching profession's voice has been sidelined. Even the most successful, world class coaches are now dispensable.  The very essence of coaching, relationships, trust and lived experience no longer seems to hold weight with those making decisions.  She's on a roll at this point, God bless her. Who, she asks, would step into a role now knowing that one complaint, one misinterpretation or one moment taken out of context could end your career?  The value of this, quite apart from the fact it’s the first time as far as I know we have heard from a so called third party, is that the so-called "third party" seems to infer what we all suspect.  This thing got blown out of all proportion. This thing, whatever it is, seems to involve some sort of upset, moaning, whining, fragile, ego-related overreaction to an event at the camp.  In other words, some players got huffy over Noeline's approach.  So the big question for Netball NZ is just how many casualties do you want? You have star players publicly calling you out and wanting their coach back, you’ve got lawyers in six minute blocks, and now a selector who clearly feels someone has to break the silence and flush a few truths out.  The damage is to Noeline, to the sport, to the selection panel and to coaches generally because the questions raised by Parata are all excellent and, like all the other questions in this stinking mess, require some answers.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few hiccups in the journey towards peace in the Middle East.   Hamas has released the 20 living Israeli hostages and almost 2000 Palestinians have been returned by Israel.  Leaders including Donald Trump have signed the US-brokered peace deal at a summit in Egypt.  However, US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking, despite Trump claiming the war is over, he had no input on how to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian standoff over rebuilding Gaza.  He says the peace proposal lacks detail in key areas and its implementation remains tenuous.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 15th of October, there’s a new yearly report on the hospitality sector, who have earned record high revenue. So are times better than what’s being reported?  Former Silver Ferns selector Gail Parata explains why she resigned from her role and her disappointment with Netball NZ for the way they’ve handled the Dame Noeline Taurua saga.   Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen discuss Te Pati Maori’s budget issues and parliamentary standards on Politics Wednesday.   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.

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into the biggest political stories of the week so far.   Slipping parliamentary standards are back at the forefront, with Speaker Gerry Brownlee planning to crack down on behaviour after yet another incident.   And Te Pati Māori is seemingly melting down from the inside, with allegations regarding a former party vice-president and budget blowouts.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hopes a new online school will help students struggling in a traditional classroom.  Aotearoa Infinite Academy will open in January as the country's first fully online charter school.   Founding Principal Saira Boyle says the timing is right for such learning.  She told Mike Hosking they have access to high quality teachers across the country, and they’re going to make sure processes and systems are in place so that students are excited to approach and engage in learning.   Boyle says that since the announcement was made yesterday, a substantial number of people have inquired.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Revenue in the hospitality sector's reached a new record high, but many operators are seeing profit margins reach a new record low.  Restaurant Association data shows sales have risen 1.4% in the past year.  Tourism regions like Nelson and Queenstown-Lakes are seeing strong growth but central Auckland and Wellington are still doing it tough.  Association Chief Executive Marisa Bidois told Mike Hosking tourism is continuing to drive much of the growth.  She says CBDs are struggling, as foot traffic hasn't got back to pre-Covid levels yet.  Bidois says any rise in revenue is being eroded by rising costs.  She says food costs are up 4.6%, wages continue to climb, and insurance and rent have gone up as well.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Promising signs of improvement across the primary education sector.   The Education Review Office has found teachers are seeing more engaged students, and three-quarters of parents report progress since the start of the year.  It follows new data showing more new entrants exceeding phonics expectations.  President of Auckland Primary Principals' Association Lucy Naylor told Mike Hosking they're also noticing changes in the engagement and attention of children.   She says although the curriculum is still new, these are good signs.  Naylor told Hosking the new English and maths curriculum is like a springboard for the next round of subject improvements.   She says the slower roll out in other areas has been useful for teachers, so they can focus on core subjects first and feel prepared for more changes to come.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Silver Ferns selector Gail Parata has rebuked a lack of due process by Netball New Zealand in standing down coach Dame Noeline Taurua and assistant Debbie Fuller.  The pair have been sidelined after allegations of an unsafe high performance environment, which remain unresolved.  The issues are understood to date back to a Silver Ferns camp in January.  Parata resigned as selector last month in a show of support for Taurua, and she told Mike Hosking no formal complaint was lodged.  She says there’s about 31 people in the Silver Ferns environment, including management and other athletes, and they only spoke to five Silver Ferns and two Junior Silver Ferns.  “Why did they not speak to everyone? That’s really, really disappointing.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Speaker of the House is confident attempts to tighten parliamentary standards will be successful. Current speaker Gerry Brownlee's cracking down on behaviour following what he sees as multiple disruptive incidents. The latest saw Te Pati Māori MP Oriini Kaipara's maiden speech go well over time. David Carter told Mike Hosking Brownlee will definitely get the majority support from Parliament to do this. Carter says Brownlee just needs to show the will to enforce stricter standards. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank's continuing to change its approach to preventing risky lending.  It's further easing loan-to-value-ratio restrictions, allowing banks to lend more money to low-deposit borrowers.  It follows the roll-out of debt-to-income restrictions last year, restricting how much banks can lend to people who already have a lot of debt relative to their income.  Squirrel Mortgages Chief Executive David Cunningham told Mike Hosking LVRs had been imperfect on their own.  He says when property prices went up, it allowed banks to lend more, pushing up property prices further, with borrowers' incomes not factored in.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is some angst in some media circles at the moment over funding for Māori TV news.  A couple of programmes are facing some sort of cut, or cancellation, or realignment because of changes in the way money is handed out from the Māori funding agency.  This is not new. Media in this country post-Covid has gone through a fairly major overhaul with many a casualty and a pile of significant change.  The reality for media that is funded by the state is you are beholden to the purveyor of the purse string.  Under the Labour Government, the amount of money handed out to media was ridiculous. The trouble with that sort of largesse is it can never last.  Fill your boots while you can, because as sure as night follows day, reality, or reckoning, will come.  In terms of Māori news programmes, here is the part that eludes me: how is it, as we have seen this past week, that all we ever get when funding gets adjusted is a complaint-athon?  All we hear is people bemoaning their lot and fearing change.  Here is the solution: if these programmes are of value, as they claim they are, what is stopping, and what has ever stopped them, from going to the commercial sector to get advertising or sponsorship support?  Why is the Government i.e. the taxpayer, the only source of income?  If the Māori news programmes are so valuable, then where is the Māori economy?  I have read any number of times that the Māori economy is booming. There are any number of success stories in the Māori economy. It is a growth sector, and it is, by some reports, booming.  Investment has led to expansion, reinvestment and riches - where are they? Why aren't they advertising or sponsoring these Māori products? Can they not see the synergies?  How is it the connection has not been made? Business is always looking for advertising or marketing outlets.  Why are the makers, producers and hosts of these programmes not looking to the commercial sector for an ongoing and stable level of support?  Why is the taxpayer the sole provider of their paychecks?  If you have a product worth its salt and if you are what you claim (relevant, popular and good at what you do) then there is always an answer.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A complicated road could lie ahead for Gaza despite world leaders declaring peace in the Middle East. Donald Trump's signed a ceasefire agreement at a summit in Egypt along with the heads of Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar. It follows a prisoner and hostage swap between Israel and Hamas. The EU has effectively been sidelined, France Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking, and is looking at how they can help the Palestinian Authority get back some credibility and clamp down on corruption. They’re also continuing what they have been doing, she says, which is providing financial support to Palestine and the West Bank. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK can’t seem to get enough of New Zealand wine.  Latest data shows Sauvignon Blanc shipments hit a 10 year high – with 13.2 million bottles sent over summer.  Exports are up 21% year on year, New Zealand now commanding around half of the $2.5 billion UK Sauvignon Blanc market, valued at NZ$1.37 billion.  Invivo Co-founder Tim Lightbourne told Mike Hosking there’s been a shift in the UK away from heavy reds, with Sauv becoming the go to over things like Malbec, Shiraz, and Merlot.  Plus, New Zealand wines are a premium to the category, he says, selling for about 17% more than the average bottle.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.