The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Alan Davies is a well-known funnyman.  He’s best known for starring in Jonathan Creek and for his permanent spot on QI, as well as his nearly 40 years of stand-up comedy.  Davies has had a busy career, and in amongst it all he’s written two memoirs, Just Ignore Him, released in 2020, and White Male Stand-Up, released just this month.  In both the memoir and his latest stand-up performances, Davies covers his extensive career, the highs, the lows, and the struggles he’s had with the abuse he experienced as a child.   He joined Mike Hosking for a chat, delving into his struggles, comedy, and White Male Stand-Up.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 16th of September, the state of our economy took another hit with the 18th straight month of contractions in our services sector. Q2 GDP numbers on Thursday will be fascinating.  Yet again we are looking at Eden Park and whether more concerts could be held there. Can we just get on and do something about it?  Alan Davies of Jonathan's Creek and QI fame is on for a chat about his new book titled "White Male Stand-Up".  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 Gisborne forestry industry wants to manage expectations when it comes to cleaning up slash.   One company is appealing the district council's order, which would force it to prevent all woody debris from leaving a forestry block.   Samnic Forest Management says it would likely go bankrupt if the order were to go ahead.   Forest Owners Association Chief Executive Elizabeth Heeg told Mike Hosking there must be a compromise.   She says the judiciary must understand what is and isn't feasible for the industry.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wētā Workshop has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a Saudi Arabian princess.  The agreement is part of five new commercial partnerships signed by Kiwi and Saudi businesses, valued at $100 million.  Creative organisation Rukun was founded by HRH Princess Noura bint Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and will work with Wētā to help grow Saudi Arabia's creative economy.  Wētā Workshop co-CEO and COO David Wilks told Mike Hosking they’ve increasingly diversified over the years, and Saudi Arabia is the next step in the process.  He says the opportunities are significant – the country is changing at a great rate and is looking for the kinds of talents Wētā has.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our largest sector is continuing to do it tough.  Latest data from BNZ and Business NZ shows our services sector —which makes up almost three quarters of the economy— has contracted for the 18th consecutive month.  Our manufacturing sector is also back in contraction after a period of growth.  Business NZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich told Mike Hosking we're still seeing a tale of two economies.  She says the primary sector is doing quite well, but the services sector is continuing to face challenges.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new Government paper suggests gas demand could outpace supply before the turn of the decade.   The briefing from Resources Minister Shane Jones delivers a strong warning for the coming years.   It says, unless the country finds new gas or alternative power generation, there won't be enough gas from 2029.   Jones told Mike Hosking there will be some available, but it will be snapped up by industrial companies.   He says the crisis will be caused by businesses which continue to be reliant on gas.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Claims the current Eden Park rules are comical.   The Government's looking at settings including the number of concerts held at the Auckland stadium and their duration.   RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says there will be a four to six week investigation period.   He told Mike Hosking he won't be making a pre-emptive decision on what needs to change.   Bishop says even though he's publicly stated that the rules are stupid, he will follow the proper process.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's an expectation farmer confidence will stay high as long as commodity prices stay up.  The latest Rabobank survey's found farmers' faith in the broader agricultural economy is at its second highest level in the last decade, up to 46%.  51% expect it to improve in the year ahead.  DairyNZ Board Member Jacqueline Rowarth told Mike Hosking the sector's cautiously positive, as trade may change at any time.  But she says New Zealand is the best producer of essential amino acids at the lowest environmental impact, so our meat and milk is wanted.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 15th of September, we've got a $70m package to secure major events here. Is it enough? And what does it get us? The Prime Minister is in to talk the Pacific Islands Forum, why a protest can block SH1 and when we are getting an Indian trade deal. Jason Pine and Andrew Saville talk the disappointing week of sport for Warriors and All Blacks fans - and the good news if you're a Canterbury rugby or Black Ferns fan! 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.

Noeline Taurua isn't the first coach to be badly treated. But she might be the most successful and well regarded. Sport is a funny thing, especially nowadays where it seems to want to walk a line between being successful and being modern, or dare I suggest the word "woke"? Last week when reports of players feeling unsafe emerged I didn’t even know what they meant by that. "Unsafe" is something that might happen in the dark, in an alley. It’s a physical danger thing, as opposed to an emotional state on a court. On a court you can be exhausted, or exhilarated, or furious, or elated. I just can't work out how you are "unsafe". Which in part is the problem. It's an invention or a new derivation of the word. Your “environment” has been interfered with. Even if you accept its new usage it’s the sort of thing you might find on a university campus among the angsty. On a sports field or court it has no place. Even less so if that court is at the elite level. Cycling had a horrible time, but that was abuse. Is netball talking about abuse? Does Taurua abuse people? That doesn’t seem to be the suggestion. Next problem is the lack of clarity, if not honesty. All reports seem to indicate "unsafe" is code for the coach being old fashioned, demanding high standards and not putting up with slackness. We used to like that approach. That approach was the norm. The only purpose of elite sport is victory. It exists for no other reason than to let a chosen few express themselves in a way where they win and others can piggyback by way of TV licensing and ticket sales. Unless Noeline Taurua has had a personality transformation and they are all wandering around at Netball NZ going "what happened to Noels, man she's changed", which I suspect hasn’t happened, then what we are left with is the inescapable conclusion that Taurua is the victim of soft management in a world where every crybaby is “heard” and the ultimate victim, in an irony of irony's, is one of the sport's greatest exponents. She is benched while the woke in the boardroom wreck the national women's sport.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.