The Mike Hosking Breakfast

An appointment sure to pique the interest of many New Zealand football followers.   Olympic gold medal-winning coach Bev Priestman's penned a two-year deal to take charge of the Phoenix women's side.  Priestman —who led the Canadian women's team to Olympic glory in 2021— has just finished serving a one-year ban from the game for her role in the Canadian team’s misuse of drones at last year’s Olympics.  She told Mike Hosking that it’s a long suspension and not something she’s proud of, but in that time she’s had a chance to learn, reflect, and grow.  Priestman says she can’t wait to get on the grass and do what she loves every day again.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Agriculture is leading the way as the country's top performing industry.   Xero’s latest Insights report shows consistent under-performance in New Zealand’s small business sector in the past year, with sales falling by 0.1% in the June quarter.  Country manager Bridget Snelling told Mike Hosking sectors that are more sensitive to consumer spending and interest rates are being hit hardest.   She says construction is down 6.4%, retail is holding flat, and hospitality is down 2.1%, so it's tough conditions for small businesses.   However, sales in the month of June rose 4.4%, the strongest monthly increase since April 2024.  Snelling says we're in an unstable global economic situation, and people are not feeling confident to spend as they may have done in a more prosperous economic time.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief it's going to be a long journey to get Kiwibank into the ring with the big leagues.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced the bank's parent company is being allowed to raise $500 million from investors to help it compete with the four major banks.  Simplicity founder Sam Stubbs says Kiwibank will need more capital over time.  He told Mike Hosking if the country has five banks making profits, at least one will re-invest in KiwiSaver.  Stubbs says it'll bring pricing pressures into the market, which there's very little of right now.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concern over a never-ending pile of costs for airlines as our air traffic control prices soar.  Provider of the service, Airways, is putting its fees up 17.7% over the next three years.  It says its pricing is based on the number of flights scheduled in and out of each airport.  Airline Representatives Executive Director Cath O'Brien told Mike Hosking some countries' governments invest in these services, but here, airlines pay for everything.  She says they pay for air traffic control the civil aviation authority, and also airport buildings.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Resources Minister says New Zealand's missed a trick with geothermal energy.  Shane Jones' draft strategy lays out a goal of doubling its production by 2040.  He says we should have begun investment seven years ago, when we banned oil and gas exploration.  Jones told Mike Hosking we have some great expertise on geothermal energy that we should be harnessing.  He says Indonesia and other areas are investing in this, and our New Zealanders are more highly regarded there, than here.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister for Courts says updating procedures for running Judge Alone Trials is a good step in the mammoth task of speeding up the courts.  Newstalk ZB can reveal it'll be implemented countrywide tomorrow.   It introduces registrar-led prosecution and defence teleconferences three weeks before trial and allows courts to start earlier to review and prioritise scheduled cases.  Minister Nicole McKee told Mike Hosking pilots they've run have seen good results.  She says it's based on the need of the trial and the readiness of the person being prosecuted, especially for those sitting on remand for a long time.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Contradicting statements out of the US and Israel over the hunger crisis in Gaza.   The region's health authority says 14 people have died in the past 24 hours due to starvation, which Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denies.   He says Israel's enabled humanitarian aid throughout the duration of the war, otherwise there would be no Gazans.   But US President Donald Trump says he's seen it, and is promising to set up food centres.   US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the question now is how long does a starving kid continue to starve while new systems are being set up?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the more memorable days of my life was spent at Michael Hill's house at Lake Hayes in Central Otago.  He showed me his art. There was a lot of it and it was eclectic.  He had his own nine-hole golf course, and it was all par 3s. This was in the days before The Hills, which in many respects was what Michael was all about – vision.  He took his par 3s and then turned it into one of the best golf courses in the country. Watching the New Zealand Open each year is worth it just for the views of his course.  When I was there, the charity event he ran started at Millbrook just across the way. Millbrook was new then and you wondered whether it was one of those investments that would grow to be the success it has or turn out like Formosa or Gulf Harbour.  I had won the pro-am that day. He presented me with a ticket to Australia, a few thousand dollars, and various bits and pieces from his jewellery business, that I ironically couldn't accept, given I wasn’t a pro, and amateurs were banned from winning stuff.  But I had beaten Sean Fitzpatrick, Andrew Mehrtens, Peter O'Malley, and Greg Turner, so what did I need prizes for?  Michael never forgot the day and reminded me each time I talked to him that I should give golf a go again and to come and play at his place anytime I liked.  I first interviewed him in the 80's. He was newish then. The story of the Whangarei shop, the fire, setting up his own business, it became New Zealand business folklore.  I did one of those motivational events with him, where I hosted. He and other success stories told paying guests how they did it, what the tips were, and how to never give up.  He was big into classical music and was a philanthropist in that area.  His company became a household name, expanding into Australia, Canada, and the US.  The advertising was genius.  He revelled in the personality thing. He was a health nut, doing a lot of juicing, probably before his time in that sense.  Like most success stories, he had a magnetism about him. He was very likeable, had good stories and was funny with it.  He was in many respects the quintessential New Zealand success story – hard working, self-made, and deprecating.  He was a memorable, inspiring Kiwi. He will be missed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sir Michael Hill's being remembered for his love of the arts.  He died yesterday aged 86, after a cancer battle.  Hill's chain of self-named jewellery stores began in Whangārei, before becoming a global brand.   Former Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult says he's well-known for his Queenstown golf course 'the Hills', and the international violin competition he founded.  He was also a cartoonist, publishing a weekly cartoon in the local newspaper, 'The Mountain Scene'.  Boult told Mike Hosking Hill was one of those people who was never satisfied until they’d actually achieved something.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a wide range of announcements and figures coming out over the last week, Labour’s Ginny Andersen and National’s Mark Mitchell joined Mike Hosking for Politics Wednesday.  They discussed Brooke van Velden’s consultations on children collecting eggs, clamping the cars of court fine dodgers, and scrapping surcharges.  Plus, they delved into the changes around voting – is axing same-day voting the right choice?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.