The Mike Hosking Breakfast

European leaders are meeting to work out how they can talk Donald Trump down from attempting to force the sale of Greenland.  The US President's announced increasing tariffs starting next month, against six European countries, the UK and Norway, unless he gets a purchase deal.  Observer Foreign Editor Andrew Rettman told Mike Hosking that Trump is known for flip-flopping on decisions, so leaders are working out if there's wiggle room.  He says there's still hope this is just Trump's crazy way of negotiating.  But Rettman says others are concerned a trade war could just be American soft power - with greater force to come.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Finance Minister says many people aren't feeling economic relief despite positive markers.  The Prime Minister is giving his State of the Nation speech at the International Convention Centre in Auckland this afternoon.  Newstalk ZB understands Chris Luxon will try to draw attention away from turbulent affairs overseas - and back to the Government's successes at home.  But Steven Joyce told Mike Hosking that it's important for Luxon to level with the public.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A shock for some New Zealanders moving across the ditch - as they face hidden taxes and fewer benefits they didn't expect. Record numbers are moving to Australia for work opportunities and higher wages - but growing numbers are struggling with housing and financial stresses. New Zealand Immigration Partners Chief Executive David Cooper told Mike Hosking that he estimates 20 to 25 percent of people move over without doing their homework - and are unpleasantly surprised.  He says there are people who think Australia is the lucky country, there are jobs everywhere and things will work out - but it simply doesn't.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"We've answered every question": Hipkins defends decision not to front Covid Inquiry  Labour leader Chris Hipkins says he's already answered the Covid Inquiry Commissioner's questions, negating any need for him to appear publicly.  Hipkins and former Ministers Dame Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson, and Ayesha Verrall declined open hearings, leading the second part of the inquiry to be called off.  Hipkins says lawyers raised several issues around them appearing, including setting a precedent and possible abuse. He told Mike Hosking he doesn't see the point in repeating the process.   Hipkins says the Commissioners themselves have said former ministers have answered every single question put to them and they are seeking no further information.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hasn’t working from home become funny?  Seek have produced a thing called Money Matters, and they look at work-life balance.  Actually, hasn’t that become a thing as well – work-life balance. I can't place it exactly, but it seems like a Covid thing. The world changed and so did we.  Working hard is now so last year, or so last decade. We all long for work-life balance with a good sprinkling of mental health days.  But working from home is a scam because according to Money Matters if you got a pay rise you would go back to the office quick as you like.  So is it about work-life balance or is it about money?  Everything is about money. We just like to pretend it isn't. You feel more virtuous if you pretend it isn't about money.  But Money Matters spills the truth. Working from home is easier, we save on the commute, you claim you are more productive, blah blah blah. "Hey, how about 20% more?" Then you're out of there.  We would work more hours for more money, we would take on an increased workload for more money, and we would commute further for more money.  There isn't much we wouldn't do for more money.  The work from home thing, by the way, is funny because before Covid there was virtually no such thing. The idea that you could invent a thing and then having invented it, because we were all locked down anyway, turn it into a permanent thing that could only be broken by a pay rise is the ultimate in farce. It's an insight into how quickly a habit can form if it suits you.  Anyway, the only other thing that can make us blow up our precious work-life balance is more time off.  But it still doesn’t beat money.  It's why lotto is popular I guess – money solves everything.  Do we value work-life balance? My word we do.  But do we value it more than money? Don’t make me laugh. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking once again to Wrap the Week that was.  On today’s agenda was the gender pay gap, the Tom Phillips situation, and Kate finally got her chance to call out Mike’s behaviour from the week.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dame Noeline Taurua gives her first interview since the saga began Dame Noeline Taurua has broken her silence, following her suspension and reinstatement as Silver Ferns coach. The 57-year-old and her coaching team were stood down in September after player concerns emerged from a Sydney training camp. Interim coach Yvette McCausland-Durie is leading the team on next week’s Northern Tour. Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking in her first interview since the saga, Taurua says the suspension was horrific, and she feels partly vindicated, but not fully back in the job. She says her happy place is on court, training with the players, so there's still a bit to go until she's really back. LISTEN ABOVE FOR PART 1 AND BELOW FOR PART 2 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Friday once more, but Mike Hosking’s panel for Wrapping the Week looks a little different.  Tim Wilson is off on holiday, so a special guest was brought in to replace him – Sir John Key.   It took a while for Kate to guess the "rando" calling in, but once she did they got stuck in discussing clothing, wine, and whether or not Sir John can join Kate’s pickleball league.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The A-Team is back to Wrap the Week, with Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joining Mike Hosking to discuss the week that was.  They discussed Mike’s coffee woes, how being 60 differs to being 40, and a wayward delivery of cherries.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Finding the balance”: Ed Sheeran talks fame and staying grounded, 2026 tour   One of the world’s bestselling artists, Ed Sheeran is one of the most influential artists of his generation.  He’s sold almost 200 million albums and is one of only a handful of artists on Spotify Billions Club with more than ten tracks with over one billion streams.  Sheeran last toured New Zealand’s stages back in 2023, and he’s returning three years later, with 2026’s ‘Loop Tour’.  Despite his global musical success, Ed Sheeran has a reputation for being down to earth and humble, shrugging off the trappings of stardom in favour of a much more grounded presence.   He alternates between projects – huge stadium tours and local gigs, painting and podcasts, parenting and performing.   While the most enjoyable period of his career was the first two years after the release of Plus in which the world opened up to him, Sheeran explains that nowadays he prioritises balance.  “It's about finding the balance and not going nuts,” he told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking.  “Not being like, I am just a popstar and that is all that I am, I think it’s really nice to be a dad, and also be a popstar, and have a balance of the two.”   Stardom and fame can take its toll, some people becoming jaded and disconnected from the world around them, however, Sheeran believes that only happens if you live in a bubble.  “I think you get jaded when things start getting very self-centred, and you think like, oh this is happening to me, and this is this, and this is that, and it’s very me, me, me, me, me.”  Sheeran tries to keep himself grounded, surrounding himself with regular people, getting out into the world, and taking public transport at his wife’s strong encouragement.   “I do remember playing shows where no one wants to come to them and releasing music that fell on deaf ears,” he told Hosking.  “So I feel super grateful to be, you know, people are still interested in my music, people are still coming to the shows.”  “I don’t think you can get jaded with that.”  ‘Loop Tour’ is Sheeran’s sixth major concert tour, and although he still performs in the occasional pub, stadium tours are on a completely different level.   Although there’s definitely a pressure to match and even outperform his previous tours, Sheeran has faith in his music and what it means to his audience.  “I know I can create special moments.”  “I think that when you’re doing these shows, it’s an understanding that it’s not about me, it’s about the community and about the couples that are coming to the gig, the families that are coming to the gig, and what the songs mean to them.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.