The Mike Hosking Breakfast

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.    Tory Whanau: 9/10  She scored it herself and why wouldn’t you, shouldn't you, when you are as brilliant as her? God, she deserves a holiday.    Donald Trump: 7/10  For the sheer madness, calamity and unbelievable amount of bullshit he has spouted in 100 days. You will never see the likes again, unless of course he runs for a third and fourth term.    Auckland FC: 8/10  You can't argue with that execution of success. Have a dream, get a team and win the competition. That's brilliant!    Canada: 7/10  Election of the year so far and will almost certainly beat tomorrow's in Australia, unless Dutton does a Morrison. And I'm not running odds on that.    Toyota: 7/10  The All Blacks deal is a nice fit. How good will Tamaiti Williams look in a Yaris?    James Meager: 3/10  For saying random stuff like he's looking into helping Air New Zealand into the regions and getting fares down. He's also looking to get butter under $4 a block.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three prizes for three good calls this week by the Government.  1) Financial literacy coming to a school near you in 2027, and not a day too soon. In many respects it’s the more valuable end of the education spectrum. It's education you can actually use.  2) Nicola Willis and her cutting of the operating allowance from $2.4b to $1.3b. The $2.4b number already had headlines for being skinny, or unrealistic. $1.3b is rabbit out of a hat material.  I assume she is telling the truth when she says she has found billions in savings, because you can't run a country on thin air.  3) David Seymour, with more reality check reminders that we have too much Government. In his speech he alerted us to just how much - 82 portfolios, 41 departments and 28 ministers.  If ever you wanted an example of bloat, there it is.  The portfolio joke is about appeasing people. There isn't an issue or pressure group you can't appease by inventing a label.  The real issue is ministers. The good news currently, as Audrey Young in the Herald pointed out this week in her famous marking of ministers annual outing, is most of them are getting good scores and most of them are decent operators.  But it is not always the case and too often, with the last Government being your classic example, portfolios are used and/or invented to reward loyalty and/or give people pay rises. Whether you can do the job is secondary.  Good governments are run by a handful of talent. In David Lange's day it was the Prime Minister, Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble and David Caygill.  With Helen Clark it was the Prime Minister, Michael Cullen, Phil Goff and Annette King.  With John Key it was Key, Bill English and Steven Joyce.  This time its Christopher Luxon, Chris Bishop, Nicola Willis and Simeon Brown - multiple portfolios at the heavyweight end of the index.  Unlike the real world, you will note Cabinet and Government never downsize. The public service can be downsized, but the Government never is.  Sadly for Seymour, unlike the other two ideas this week, his isn't real.  Financial literacy will materially improve our kids’ future.  Willis and her austerity will materially improve our economy.  If Seymour somehow trims a single minister or ministry, it won't be an idea - it will be a miracle.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 2nd of May, Health Minister Simeon Brown is forcing doctors back to the negotiating table via the ERA.  Just what is happening with the Indian Panthers basketball team? The team was suspended and the CEO is on to tell us their plans to fix it.  Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson discuss Mushroomgate, Suzanne Vega, and a new whisky infused manuka honey as they Wrap the Week.  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.

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back today to Wrap the Week that was.  They discussed the latest to come out of Mushroomgate, Suzanne Vega, and a new whiskey-infused manuka honey the show’s producers received.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One day out from the Australian Election and Labor seems to have it in the bag.  If the polling stacks up, Anthony Albanese will remain Prime Minister and Peter Dutton will once again be relegated to opposition.   There’s been criticism across the ditch that the coalition’s campaign has been full of U-turns and back tracks – undermining their credibility.  Australian Political Commentator Bruce Hawker told Mike Hosking Dutton presented a risky persona, with many of his policies and comments quite Trumpish in their attitude.  He says people likely started to think they’d prefer having the devil they know.   The state of Dutton’s policies were also a concern, Hawker says, with many feeling underdone.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An unshakable insistence from Indian Panthers boss Parveen Batish that their indefinite ban from the National Basketball League won't be permanent.  The first year team were handed an immediate ban mid-season following serious allegations of payment issues and player unrest.  The Panthers can return to the NBL if they meet various conditions set by the league's commission.  When asked if has been asked if their catalogue of off court issues have been sorted, Batish told Mike Hosking they’re 100% sorted.  He says when they come back they’re going to be much stronger, as the positivity around what they can do and deliver is enormous.  Newstalk ZB understands the other 11 NBL teams were unanimous in revoking the Panthers league license.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Declining stats for Auckland's Eden Park, as the number of major events coming to this country reduce.  Revenue fell from $44.3 million in 2023 to $29.7 million in 2024 and major event attendance fell from 881 thousand to 540 thousand.  Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner told Mike Hosking one of the factors to blame is the lack of seed funding.  He says there’s been limited funds available from Auckland Unlimited and the central government, and they’ve missed out on a number of events over the last 12 months.  Sautner says Eden Park went through a 125 year journey to get concerts, and now we’re in a situation where artists are bypassing New Zealand.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour's calling for fat to be cut from multiple areas of government.  The Act Party leader wants a limit on the number of ministers – with no ministers outside of Cabinet, and no associate ministers other than in Finance.  He wants 30 total government agencies, down from 41.  Executive Director of business think tank New Zealand Initiative, Oliver Hartwich told Mike Hosking the current model doesn't make sense.  He says there's a Minister of Housing but also a Minister of Building and Construction, as if they have nothing to do with each other.  Hartwich also says the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is a prime example of a bloated cabinet.  He says there are 16 ministers in charge of MBIE, and Ireland has 15 in its entire cabinet.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Drug Foundation says the country barely invests anything into helping and supporting people with meth-addiction.   Discharges from public hospitals suggest meth-use has increased four-fold over the past decade.  Wastewater testing last year showed a doubling in meth use.   Drug Foundation Chief Executive Sarah Helm told Mike Hosking a lot more could be done, especially with knowledge from new research.   She says about half of people using illicit substances have ADHD, which could help prevent drug-use if treated.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Health Minister is standing by the current pay offer to senior doctors.  Thousands of planned procedures have been delayed following yesterday's strike action, while Health New Zealand is applying to the Employment Relations Authority for urgent facilitation.  Union members have told Newstalk ZB their pay rates aren't keeping up with the private sector or with Australia.  But Simeon Brown told Mike Hosking the pay offer is "credible" given Health New Zealand only has so much money to go around.  He says the health budget has to cover hospital services, GPs, aged care, and a range of other things, and there's pressure across the board.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.