The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Is Shane Jones showing the Minister for Treaty Negotiations Paul Goldsmith how to run his own portfolio?  In response to Jones and his Member's bill on the never ending Ngāpuhi drama, Goldsmith says the process can't go on forever.  Which is the same as saying nothing, because clearly it is, and Goldsmith clearly has no plan.  The Jones bill is clever because my sense of it is there is so much infighting in the north of the country, they will, out of bloody mindedness, never strike a deal.  All the logic we heard yesterday about tribes that have cut deals and invested billions and seen the endless benefits will have missed their mark in Northland, given a lot of Ngāpuhi aren't interested in a deal. They thrive on dissent and division and permanent anger and grievance.  Jim Bolger, who I note in the past few weeks as he celebrated his 90th is still prone to the odd piece of public commentary, might like to have pondered his own role in this many, many years ago when they started to put up a few road markers around timeframes.  The idea was they would set a date to file your claim, remembering even in Bolger's day the Waitangi Tribunal had been going since the 70's, and once you filed, they would impose another deadline to get it all wrapped up.  Good idea, but it went nowhere because Bolger and Co. got sucked into the idea that this was unfair, it was rushed, and it was history. What wasn’t said out loud was this was a gravy train that could go literally forever, and people were going to make a living off it.  As Jones revealed yesterday, we've spent $20 million for Ngāpuhi alone, just for lunch and chats and airfares.  You have to remember 1975 was a goodwill gesture. The tribunal and the settlement of grievances was entered into not because anyone had to, but because it was the right thing to do. It was driven by goodwill.  I would have thought it was fairly obvious in the vast array of deals to be done and apologies to be made, like life, that some would embrace it and run with it and some would be unable to get out of their own way.  What was needed but was missing, and still is (Jones aside), was leadership. We needed boundaries set and an explanation of the rules and expectations.  And because that was missing, so is $20 million on lunch, and still no deal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concern over an increasing number of children bringing weapons to school.  Figures released under the Official Information Act show 526 students were stood down, suspended, or excluded for using or having a weapon at school last year.  It's an 80% rise on 2018.  Secondary Principals' Association President Louise Anaru told Mike Hosking that in a vast majority of cases, children have no intent to use the weapon - but regardless, the matter needs to be treated seriously.  She says it’s important to get the message out that they can cause harm, and to take a real strong stance on it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into some of the biggest stories of the week so far.  The cost of living crisis is still weighing heavily on Kiwis’ wallets despite all of the Government’s efforts – can Mark Mitchell explain why we’re not feeling the recovery?  And Ginny Andersen had quite a few points to make on the topic as well.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 25th of June, a ceasefire between Iran and Israel is on, then off, then on again, as another NATO summit kicks off in the Hague.  As we go into another round of pay negotiations, this time with teachers, Judith Collins outlines exactly who gets paid what.  Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk butter and the cost-of-living crisis, whether we should cut regional councils, and if rates should be capped 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.

New Zealand scientists have developed a new technology to reduce food waste and import dependence.  The waste system takes perishable food before it hits landfill and turns it into shelf-stable powders, concentrates, and extracts for food.  Director of Powered by Plants Dr. Andrew Prest says the concept came from frustration with the current production model.  He told Mike Hosking it's a good opportunity to address the country's environmental waste, as powders can be produced from almost any fruit or vegetable.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Assessment processes will still be rigorous for prescribing ADHD medication.  From February, GPs and nurse practitioners will be able to prescribe treatments from the outset without a specialist recommendation.   Wait times for specialist appointments vary but can be over a year.   Royal College of GPs medical director Dr. Luke Bradford told Mike Hosking it's a good move to help people access diagnoses more quickly and affordably.   He says it will be under a specialist interest type GP who will have to up-skill through training courses to prescribe.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Primary school teachers may have less ground to stand on at the bargaining table.   They began negotiations yesterday for the first time since losing their pay equity claim in the May Budget.  The Public Service Minister says there is a public mantra that teachers deserve to be paid more.   But Judith Collins told Mike Hosking it ignores the facts.   She says primary school teachers can earn $115 thousand including allowances, after eight years experience.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A fragile ceasefire's holding for Iran and Israel after the US President got involved.  Both sides claim the other has breached the truce.  Donald Trump scolded both for early violations but directed particularly stinging criticism at Israel over the scale of its strikes.  University of New Haven Associate Professor of National Security Dr Matt Schmidt told Mike Hosking he's unsure if US strikes fully destroyed Iran's nuclear capabilities.  He says it's at least set back the program several years.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new Rabobank report reveals within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will begin its largest-ever inter-generational transfer of wealth.  More than half of farm and orchard owners will reach the age of 65 in the next decade, but only a third have a formal succession plan.  It's estimated $150 billion worth of farming assets will change hands.  Rabobank CEO Todd Charteris told Mike Hosking the challenge is farms are getting better, but there are fewer farm owners, so the capital requirements are big.   He says we need to continue to explore different ownership models.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So having looked at every council in the country and the pending rate rises we are all going to have to pay, a couple of inescapable conclusions are to be drawn.  1) We need central Government to cap rates.  2) We need fewer councils.  If you were to roughly use inflation as a guide, Waitomo and Whanganui are your only councils to get under the wire at 2.93 % and 2.2% – so congratulations to them.  I'm sure every council could, and would, mount an argument as to why whatever it is they have come up with, whether it be the 12.9% in Taranaki or the 15.5% in Hamilton, is in some way, shape, or form, justifiable.  A lot of it will be historic. In other words, if previous councils had done their job and been fiscally prudent the work being undertaken today would not be the current burden it is.  But a lot of it if you were DOGE-like, or brutal, would not in fact be needed at all.  Councils have become fiefdoms. They have entered areas they have no business in, but like so much in life, once you have ventured there is no turning back.  Apart from the specific, like the 9.76% for Otorohanga or the 12.4% for Central Otago, you also have the more general impact. In other words, you are adding cost to the economy, and you are charging fixed-income folk who don’t have the money.  What you are doing is inflationary.  None of us have the ability to simply add more charges. We don’t simply get the pay rise we want, or up our hourly rate to the poor sap we are servicing. Life isn't like that.  We cut our cloth. Could we buy more? Could we do more? Could we spend more? Of course we could, but we can't. Unless you're a council.  Even if a council could say "look at what all that money got you, look at the gold plating and the shiny baubles and the tens of thousands who have flocked to our region because of our expenditure", but they can't say that because none of that has happened.  15% doesn’t buy you utopia. It merely sets you up for another 15% next year because councils know a sucker when they see one.  So, cap those rates and can those councils. It might well be the most popular thing this central Government does in three years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.