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 Northland transmission tower: 1/10 If you made it up, they wouldn’t believe you. The ferry: 3/10 A bit more believable given the track record leading up, but it's still no less depressing. The Warriors: 1/10 Almost as bad as taking too many nuts and bolts out. Pharmac: 7/10 Because on balance, a naive promise that was broken got rectified in a pretty impressive way and a lot of people get the help they need because of it. Julian Assange: 6/10 On balance it's probably fair. He's a crook, he's served jail time and he endangered a lot of people. The debate over that, or whether he is a hero, will never settle, but the case has. Jetstar: 6/10 Good week. I'm not sure about Cairns. But more domestic choice is good. The fast track poll: 6/10 Proof that a bit of common sense is actually what a chunk of New Zealanders want. Maybe the media can reflect more of that instead of seeking out the moaners all day long LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A little something from the perspective file. Although things are dire and dour and straight up and down bad, in some areas they are not as bad as headlines would lead you to believe. The best line of high drama I have read this week was around jobs. "It's like the Hunger Games", it said. Is it? Really? A lot of press has been given to those who have lost jobs of late. The reason for this is because we haven't gone through a job loss scenario for a while in this country. But if you've been around a while it isn't like the hunger games, or anywhere close to it. The unemployment rate is currently 4.3%. It might be a little bit higher given some of our data is slow, but at worst it's thought it may get to 5% or a little bit over. In a historic context, 5% is a little more than normal. What we are living through is moderately normal. The same can be said about interest rates when it's in the 6's, maybe early 7's. Yes, it's a lot higher than what they have been, but in context it's not remotely unusual at all. In these examples is the value of institutional knowledge. Much of the coverage of job losses and the ensuing Hunger Games has been based around the public service, which brings in another interesting aspect of jobs and choices I read the plight of a person recently laid off who was off to Australia because the work they did no longer desisted here. They were going to Melbourne where the Government puts more funding into the social work they do. Which is great, if that’s your calling. But choosing a job that's no niche that it no longer exists surely was a risky choice in the first place. That's like the person whose story I also read who got laid off from the Auckland light rail project. Surely when they applied they knew that wasn’t long for this world? Having lost a couple of jobs myself there is no question it sucks, especially if it comes as no fault of your own. The job ads may be down and the applications may be up, but at no point is what we are going through any more arduous, difficult or unusual than we have been through many a time before, and indeed will go through again. What I suspect has changed is resilience. There isn't as much of it about these days and that’s why "normal" seems like the Hunger Games. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that was. They talked fitness regimes, tomorrow’s US Presidential debate, and Mike waxed poetic about fried bread. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More than three billion dollars' worth of household food gets thrown in the bin every year. The Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor, Dame Juliet Gerrard, has issued the government 27 recommendations, including a reduction target. Executive Director of NZ Food Waste Champions Kaitlin Dawson told Mike Hosking that we need to focus on other ways to lower the figures. She says there's waste in retail, farming, and manufacturing but overall, it's a system issue. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sir John Kirwan has been given the ‘all clear’ for a $100 million surf park project in Auckland. The artificial surfing pool will make between 600 and a thousand waves per hour, with more than 30 different settings for all skill sets. If further approvals go ahead, construction can begin on the 43-hectare area in Dairy Flat later this year. The All Black legend told Mike Hosking that there'll be a data centre and hotel, so it'll appeal to more than just the surfers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 27th of June, we explored the dropping dairy profits and the reforms the Government is introducing for sentencing. Mike discovered fried bread this morning and couldn't be more interested in it. Huge anticipation for the U.S debate between Trump and Biden so we got the expert analysis. 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.
Joe Biden and Donald Trump are gearing up for a rematch in the first 2024 US election debate. It's the third faceoff between the President and former President after two heated encounters in 2020. Marco Rubio's former chief of staff Matt Terrill says Biden will have to bring some energy while Trump will have to focus on the policies. He told Mike Hosking that it's going to come down to inflation and immigration. Terrill says those two issues are top of mind for the undecided voters, who both candidates will be trying to win over. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Government's edging towards becoming more prescriptive with its sentencing reforms. It's introducing changes to lengthen sentences for some crimes including creating a new aggravating factor and limiting sentencing discounts. Law Society Criminal Law Committee Convenor Chris Macklin says it's early days, but it looks like there's still some room for discretion. He told Mike Hosking that he expects Judges will do their best to apply whatever comes out of the legislation as fairly as possible. Macklin says it's just a small step towards becoming more prescriptive, signalling to the courts the expectation of Parliament rather than an outcome. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Heavy rain warnings have lifted for Hawke's Bay as the clean up on the North Island's east coast begins. Roads were closed and people evacuated after heavy rain lashed the Hawke's Bay and Gisborne regions yesterday. Wairoa District Council says 400 properties have been impacted, more than 100 significantly. Wairoa Business Association Chair Sue Wilson told Mike Hosking that most main street businesses weren't impacted this time, but many others are. She says agriculture businesses are affected, with two major Angus Bull sales that were meant to be held this week. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's a tough time for dairy farmers with expenses up and profits down. An industry survey has shown a suite of challenges for dairy producers including a drop in the payout for milk solids and a reduction in herd size. It's caused operating profits to be down 27%. Mark Neal, Head of Data Science at Dairy NZ, told Mike Hosking that it's emblematic of wider economic challenges. He says farmers, like the rest of New Zealanders, are battling inflation and are being forced to watch costs. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
AI has gotten two start-ups in hot water. Their use of AI for music creation has resulted in them being sued by three of the world’s largest record labels: Sony, Universal Music Group, and Warner Records. They say that the AI firms are making money from copied songs, and want $150,000 in compensation for each song that has allegedly been copied. The New Zealand Chair of the Intellectual Property Society, Kate Duckworth, told Mike Hosking that this is likely to be the first of many cases. She said that the defence is likely going to be that it was fair use —a strong defence in the United States— or that the songs were transformative works, as was claimed in a case about Andy Warhol. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
New Zealand Rugby is on shaky ground. It made a loss of almost $9 million in 2023, the second loss making year in a row after 2022’s loss of $47 million. NZR CEO Mark Robinson said that further work is needed to achieve a sustainable financial model, but he was positive about the organisation’s future. He told Mike Hosking that the way things developed over the last 20-25 years means they’ve got a really high fixed cost base, and they’re working really hard with shareholders to try and alter that. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We have our first agree to disagree clause of this new coalition. First point to make - what a mature look it is. New Zealand First has invoked the clause, which is probably not the surprise. The surprise is that in previous coalitions this would be described as a crack. "Coalition cracks forming" was the headline from Newshub. Yet in 2024 if it is as it seems, it’s a clause, that's life and we move on. That is to the credit of Christopher Luxon, who stitched this thing together with the view of it holding long term. So far, so good. As regards who is right, it is to do with the ACT-led decision that the Covid inquiry will now be in two parts. Part one is the bit that’s on now, headed by Tony Blakely. They will finish their work and report in November. Then we get part two with a new chair, new commissioners and wider terms of reference. Now, if Brooke van Velden argues it's worth keeping the current inquiry because they are underway and stopping it would be wasteful, then I have an element of sympathy. Although it was a jack up from Labour, it will elicit some things that are of value. As much sympathy as I have for the wastage argument, I have more sympathy for New Zealand First, who on this question, are more right than ACT is. Blakely should never have been appointed and the terms of reference are a joke. It was classic Labour - stack the deck and pretend it’s a proper game. The stuff we desperately want investigated isn't part of the inquiry; vaccine procurement and efficacy and all the wider economic and social issues that we are still wading through. Personally, I'd like to see people called and compelled to turn up, but that is wishful thinking. The other bit is the second part won't report back until 2026, which is election year. Covid started in 2019 and the report is due seven years later? That’s not pace or progress. Act will have their reasons, but on this Winston Peters has read the mood better and I think ultimately is on the right side of it. But the fact he can invoke a clause and not spit the dummy is massive progress in the collegiality of a multi-party arrangement running the country. And the success of that is not to be underestimated. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A security intelligence analyst says the US has got what it needed from Julian Assange. The Wikileaks founder has struck a deal with the US and will soon plead guilty to an espionage charge before being sentenced to time already served. Paul Buchanan told Mike Hosking that Assange has spent the last 14 years in some sort of confinement. He says the US has won its pound of flesh out of him, adding that he's a broken guy and this sounds like a fair way to end the entire thing. Buchanan doubts Assange will get the pardon he is seeking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
There's claims continued Houthi strikes in the Red Sea are to blame for high shipping costs in this country. Another vessel sank last week after being struck, killing three people in the shipping channel and putting strain on the global supply chain. It's caused shipping costs in New Zealand to rise by three times last year's levels. Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Federation former president Chris Edwards told Mike Hosking that geopolitics play a huge role in international shipping. He says that now, shipping vessels need to travel further to avoid the Red Sea which increases costs. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 26th of June, Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden joined to discuss the next stage of the Covid Inquiry. The CRL CEO Sean Sweeney is resigning and the job he's done has been described by the CRL as "successful leadership". Mike has other thoughts... Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell covered boot camps, the Covid inquiry, and whether there are cracks in the coalition after Winston Peters involved the Agree to Disagree clause. 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 invoking of the Agree to Disagree clause doesn’t indicate a cracking coalition, the Police Minister says. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has invoked the first Coalition Agree to Disagree over the second phase of the Covid-19 inquiry. Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking that the coalition agreement has that clause so that the things parties don't agree on can be dealt with in an adult way. He said that it’s a strong coalition and thinks that all the ministers are enjoying working inside it. Disagreements are normal in any part of life, Mitchell said, but the reality is that every party recognises the perilous state the country is in, and they have to be united and have a strong government that is focused on delivering. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Internal Affairs Minister says the second phase to the Covid Inquiry will expand the terms of reference. It's due to start in November and will continue until February 2026. Minister Brooke van Velden says phase one centres mostly on the health response and the Government's communication. But she told Mike Hosking that phase two will focus on factors like vaccines and lockdowns as well as any disruptions to health, education and business. She says it will be a bit broader in range and will answer more of the questions that are top of mind for people. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Supporters and sceptics of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange are speaking out at news of his release. The 52-year-old is a few hours away from pleading guilty to a US espionage charge and will be sentenced to time already served. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that there's been condemnation but also celebration from those closest to him. Assange's wife and lawyer, Stella, says it's been a whirlwind of emotions, and she is elated. However, Richard Arnold says, some media commentators are still suspicious over allegations of Assange's ties to Russia. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
66% of New Zealand's mayors have signed a letter against the Government's Māori ward changes but one mayor says it's a good thing. A Parliament select committee's recommended the Māori Wards Bill go ahead. It will force councils which established Māori wards since 2021 to hold a referendum in next year's local election on whether they should stay. Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen didn't sign onto the letter and told Mike Hosking that the Government's proposal makes sense. He says if councils want to make changes to local democracy by adding the wards, they should have to go to the people. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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