The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Jason Pine and Andrew Saville join Mike Hosking this morning to discuss the weekend's sports. On the table today: How are the Warriors shaping up for the playoffs, and do they have a chance at success?  The Springboks have arrived in Auckland ahead of next week's game against the All Blacks. And new technology graces the world of surfing, thanks to surf legend Kelly Slater. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent decision by the US Court of Appeal has ruled Trump’s tariffs illegal.   The court has said it will leave the tariffs in effect for the next few weeks, giving time for Trump to appeal the decision. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that although the President has been given the chance to appeal, his team are likely shaken by this ruling.   ‘The back and forth shows the concern behind the scenes in Trump world.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon doesn't think the Reserve Bank's reputation has suffered any long-term damage. Neil Quigley resigned as chair of the central bank on Friday night, after Nicola Willis raised concerns over its handling of Adrian Orr's resignation earlier this year. Willis has revealed to Newstalk ZB, she would have asked Quigley to resign, if he hadn't resigned of his own accord. The Prime Minister says Quigley has made the right decision. He doesn't think the current situation is a mess, but it would have been a shambles if it had carried out much longer. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Board games have rolled past go, and seen a massive resurgence in popularity in the past decade. The global market has an estimated value of more than 31-billion dollars, and is expected to grow a further five billion by 2029. New Zealand's largest board game convention, WellyCon has just been held. Convention organiser Ceedee Doyle told Mike Hosking some of the world's top games are made here locally. She says a game from the Kapiti Coast won game of the year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A game-changer for smaller airlines that don't want to up prices, amid soaring aviation costs. The Government's offering up to 30-million dollars in loans from the Regional Infrastructure Fund.  It's also approved funding for a digital development that will allow regional transport bookings,  to be integrated with the platforms of major carriers. Associate Transport Minister James Meager told Mike Hosking most regional airlines couldn't opt to charge more,  as a solution to tough times. He says if they push prices too high, people will make the decision to travel regionally by road.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Commissioner's putting a focus on the basics down as a key contributor to a fall in violent crime. The New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey reveals most violent crimes have been dropping in the past two years, while sexual assault cases increased. There's been a 113 percent increase in Police beat patrols over the last year. Richard Chambers says he's been clear he wants his staff to do the basics well. He says it means getting officers out into the community, but beat patrols are only one aspect and his team is doing an incredible job. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emergency housing may not be being used the way it's intended, with application rejections on the up. Data obtained by our newsroom shows applications have dropped significantly to the end of June, but the number being declined, is rising. Rules introduced last year allow officials to decline grants if they believe a person has caused or contributed to their immediate need for housing.  Social housing commentator Bernie Smith told Mike Hosking that people have become too reliant on the Government to back them up.  He says it was never set up to do that - it was to support the most vulnerable, like those kicked out of home.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is with real enthusiasm that I see the Public Service Commissioner potentially doing what the main Government should have done two years ago.  What the Government did two years ago was say they were going to rectify the absurd size of the public service.  It had blown out to gargantuan proportions under the Labour Government, who knew no bounds in terms of fiscal largesse based on debt.  What the new Government actually did with the public service, sadly, was tinker.  It peaked at a bit over 65,000 and it sits at over 63,000. In fact in the ensuing period, it's gone up again.  So rough math will tell you they got rid of about 2,000 jobs. As a raw number it's a lot of jobs. A percentage it's tiny.  As an effective exercise in efficiency and savings, it's a joke.  The shame of it was the new Government of the day had licence. Yes, it was controversial. Yes, the unions bleated and moaned. Yes, the media went to town on a Tory slash-and-burn exercise.  But the trick was always simple – if you're going to dish out the bad news go hard, DOGE it, blow it up, do it once and do it properly.  The fall out, headlines, and anger will be exactly the same whether you trim a couple of thousand for no effect or 6,500 and make a difference.  So they blew it. They took the heat but got few, if any, results. In an odd way it’s symbolic of the weaker parts of this Government; the ideas, rhetoric, and execution are never quite aligning.  But now the Commissioner Brian Roache looks to be having another crack by merging departments. The Ministries of Women, Pacific peoples, disabled peoples, and Māori Development could all be in for an upending.  I'd go further. The never-ending series of commissioners and their offices that have no actual power and really only write reports would not be missed.  But ministries for ministries sake is what holds this country back. They all fill a space to meet their budget and so-called mandate.  If this is on, and I pray it is, wait for the bleating. Every one of them will tell you the critical nature of their existence but I defy anyone of you to list me the profound and productive change they have made to all our lives.  Given you can't they then fall into the category as largesse, waste and tokenism.  Do it once and do it right. That's how change should happen. 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.    New Zealand: 7/10  We're the 3rd safest country in the world and about to outgrow Australia. How's that for openers?    Horticulture NZ: 7/10  Their plan is to double export returns within 10 years. That’s the sort of attitude that turns tides. More please.    Sean O'Loughlin: 8/10  My hero of the week. He took Auckland Transport to court and won. Brains - 1. Arrogance - nil.    Nicola vs Tory: 6/10  Who doesn’t love a bitch slap? And who doesn’t think Nicola has an excellent point?    Principals: 4/10  Or at least the ones who wrote to the Education Minister asking for her to stop her reforms. In that letter is so much that’s wrong with education – people overseeing failure and yet not wanting change.    Putin: 3/10  You forgot that, didn’t you? Where is the meeting? Where is the place? Where is the date? Did Trump get stiffed?    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I got a sense about something this week and it's not because it's about to be spring, although that will undoubtedly help.  I got a sense this week that the tide on the New Zealand story is turning.  The ongoing stats, like the size of the infrastructure pipeline, more money this year, more money and projects for years to come, the new visas, and the visas that are working better than we thought, money, jobs, and culture are on their way.  But the gold medal goes to the dawning realisation that we are about to outgrow and outperform Australia. Not just next year, but for a number of years.  The stats have been there – the Reserve Bank Governor in Australia reduced her GDP forecast and that number is below ours, which is about 2.5%, maybe more.  But put it together, as Westpac did, call it a report, lay it out for all to see and pennies drop.  Why it's so important is a lot of our plight is as much mental as it is physical.  Australia has a myriad of real issues, from housing, to debt, to transport, to race.  We do too, but they have never sunk like us.  Part of what is and has held us back this year is too many have decided we are stuffed, so they left.  But left for what? What is the psychology of moving countries? Pay? It can be, but not always and I'll tell you this for nothing, the pay gap does not bridge the house gap.  But do those leaving realise that, or they don’t care, or don’t even know?  Obviously what bogged it down this year was the "Survive to '25" thing. It started well in January but never took off. So were we sold a lemon? A false dawn?  What this report does, and it's not alone because there is plenty of material out there if you hunt for it, is quantify our reality. Between the law changes, the visas, the farmers, the currency, and all the fixes and reforms, it adds up to an irrefutable picture of change that is about to pay dividends.  The pieces seem to be fitting together. But the prize is they paint a better picture than our nearest neighbour, our greatest friends, our biggest opponent.  We are not just beating anyone. We are beating Australia.  When that comes to pass, watch the mood then. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.