The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into some of the biggest stories of the week thus far.   They discussed the Government watering down the Auckland housing intensification plan again, Labour’s concerns with the India Free Trade Agreement, and the bill going before Parliament today that could revamp holiday alcohol trading laws.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trade Minister doesn’t see anything material in Labour’s concerns over the India Free Trade Agreement.   New Zealand First's shunned the deal, leaving its coalition partners reliant on Labour to ratify it.   But Leader Chris Hipkins says his party's support can't be taken for granted, and he's concerned there's a mismatch between descriptions of the deal, and its contents.  Todd McClay told Mike Hosking they’re going to do this in good faith – a formal meeting has been set for tomorrow so they can go through the details and the advice, but it's rather straightforward.  But he says Labour needs to make a decision soon.   He says it’s important that Parliament as a whole gets to scrutinise the deal instead of having individual parties closing the door.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 1st of April, criminal defence lawyer Nigel Hampton KC discusses the quashing of David Tamihere’s double murder convictions.   Trade Minister Todd McClay has returned from Cameroon to answer Labour's new queries about the India Free Trade Agreement as Mike asks whether it's still on or not.  And on Politics Wednesday, Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk National's housing mess and the bill that should pass today allowing bars to operate normally on Easter and Anzac. Plus, wait until you hear about the April Fool's joke that got Mike.  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.

A new report highlights a need for bipartisan support for New Zealand’s tech sector.  It’s currently our fastest growing sector, outstripping meat, wine, and wood combined, and has the potential to hit $30 billion a year within a decade.   They've sent a manifesto to MPs, warning that a lack of cohesive policies may stifle the sector’s growth.   Tech NZ CEO Graeme Muller told Mike Hosking some things need to be put in place to allow a digital economy to really fly, and only a government is able to do some of it.   He says like infrastructure, technology has multi-year investments, so both or all parties need to get on board and understand how important it is.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several Trump aides have reportedly told the Wall Street Journal the US President is privately suggesting he’s willing to end the war in Iran, even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely shut down.  Petrol prices in the USA are at a four-year high with warnings they will go significantly higher, and “people are feeling it”, US correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking.  Trump has threatened to destroy Iran's water and energy infrastructure if a deal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is not done soon, while the Gulf states are urging him to press on with the US military operation, Arnold said.  Those states warn if Iran gets to control the flow of oil, there will soon be ripple effects in many other areas including spiralling food and transport costs, Arnold said.  But a ground war would be risky, and a “huge liability” for Donald Trump, whose favourability numbers have hit a historic low of 33% in the latest opinion poll.  Trump posted to Truth Social overnight telling other countries they should reopen the Strait of Hormuz themselves, saying “Go get your own oil”. That sentiment was echoed in a briefing from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said the US used the international waterway “dramatically less than most”.  “The world ought to pay attention and be prepared to stand up. President Trump's been willing to do the heavy lifting on behalf of the free world,” Hegseth said.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An urban planning specialist believes Auckland's density plan is far too important to meddle with.  The Government again revised the super-city's plan yesterday to reduce minimum housing capacity to 1.4 million.  It's the second revision within weeks from the original two million after continued push-back in some suburbs.   Mt Hobson Group's Hamish Firth told Mike Hosking the plan needs to be done by and for Aucklanders.  He says it's been wrongly directed from the start, as it was lunacy to mandate two-million houses.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Pacific security expert says the Foreign Minister's visit to the Cook Islands today follows hard work to repair relations.  Winston Peters is meeting Prime Minister Mark Brown again, the two having met in Auckland last month.  Peters paused almost $30 million in support last year after Brown signed a strategic partnership with China without consulting New Zealand.  Massey University's Anna Powles told Mike Hosking relations have been a priority for the Cooks in recent months.  She says Elizabeth Wright-Koteka was appointed head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the explicit goal of mending diplomatic ties with New Zealand.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A criminal defence lawyer believes the quashing of David Tamihere's convictions unveils major errors.  The Supreme Court's scrapped his double murder convictions for killing two Swedish tourists in the 80s.  He served two decades before being released on parole in 2010 and made multiple attempts to clear his name.  The last saw the Court of Appeal confirming a miscarriage of justice took place, but it upheld the convictions.    Nigel Hampton KC told Mike Hosking many fundamental things were wrong with the trial going back over 30 years, from a lying jailhouse witness to other shaky evidence.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From our "don’t waste a crisis" file, is it possible this Government's handling thus far of oil events might well see them rewarded with an increased level of support as the election draws closer?  The initial reaction when the war broke out and oil went up was twofold.  1) Around the economy, the rebound, the resurgence we had seen may well be, yet again, off.  2) That the poor Government worked their butts off, trimmed the Budget, changed the laws, got rid of the mess, and at last were seeing the fruits of the labour.  Then bang – Operation Epic Fury.  The next question so far unanswered here is, will the Government of the day take the political heat because the cost of living is up, even though it is none of their fault?  The partial answer comes from Australia in their polling and that answer is 'no'. The war and its associated economic outworkings fall entirely on America.  Polling in America shows the same thing. This is on Trump.  As I said last week, New Zealand v Australia in terms of messaging, organisation, reaction, and action is not even a contest. Australia is a hot mess of confusion, claim and counterclaim, and a growing bitch session between state and Canberra.  Here, it would seem close to faultless.  For those upset over the lack of free money, you might not agree with it, but you can't blame the messaging or say it hasn’t been explained.  Yesterday's LNG explanation from the Prime Minister that it either stacks up or it doesn’t is what we desperately need more of. Not ideology, not feels, not obsessions; just stats, numbers and facts. Does it work, or does it not?  The oil numbers yesterday seem reassuringly well organised. We are clearly hustling and so far, it's clearly working.  There's messaging about what it isn't, i.e. this isn't Covid, this isn't about sourdough, or animals in windows. This isn't about hugs and kindness and all the other BS.  It's about adults, and organisation, and getting stuff done as best you can in an environment that is largely beyond your control and in a country that is at the end of a very long supply chain at the bottom of the world.  Although we wouldn’t wish any of this on our worst enemy, it's so far so good from what looks like a seriously competent Government and one that might get some support simply because when it hit the fan they were up for it and not making it up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auspicious timing with one of New Zealand’s best chefs returning to our shores as excitement around Michelin Stars continues to build.   One of only two Kiwi chefs whose restaurant earned a star, Matt Lambert held one between 2013 and 2020 with his New York restaurant ‘The Musket Room’.   He’s now decided to return to New Zealand with a new culinary venture, ‘Return’, a restaurant described by Lambert as ‘The Musket Room 2.0’.   Having experience with the guide, Lambert believes the arrival of Michelin Stars in New Zealand will be amazing for the country’s tourism and dining scene.  “It basically tells the rest of the world we have restaurants as good as the rest of the world,” Lambert told Mike Hosking.  “A lot of people travel through Europe, and they’ll just use the guide verbatim to go to all the restaurants they go to ... now, if they’re coming here, it opens the door for a lot of restaurants.”  Earning a Michelin Star was a long held goal for Lambert, and it was one of the reasons he moved to New York in the first place.  “The goal was to get a star within three years,” he told Hosking.  “It was one of the most special things I’ve done in my career, because I’d had that sort of vision for a very long time, and having the opportunity to be able to achieve a goal like that, [it] was a special moment.”   Despite all the doom and gloom that seems to surround the sector, Lambert doesn’t believe things are as bad as they seem.  “I love the hospo scene – I think it’s vibrant, I think it’s great ... there’s a lot happening and it’s all pretty good.”  And while some might look at the economy and the conflict over in the Middle East and decide to hold off on opening a new establishment, Lambert has no such qualms.  “What am I gonna wait for, do you know what I mean?”  “I'm aware of all the negative things that are kind of happening, but y’know, this is a place of celebration, a place to come and feel good,” he told Hosking.  “I feel, maybe now more than ever, that’s what we need.”   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.