The Mike Hosking Breakfast

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast with Heather du Plessis-Allan Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 16th of December, how is Australia responding to the Bondi Beach terror attack, and what questions are being asked of the national intelligence network?   Former Finance Minister Steven Joyce previews the HYEFU numbers and explains why it may not be the worst thing if the surplus is pushed out another year.  Kiwi comedian Tom Sainsbury talks the new season of his podcast ‘Small Town Scandal’ and the first season being turned into a TV show.  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.

Splore's announced it'll come to an end next year after hopes of a Government lifeline fell through.  Next year's instalment of the annual boutique music and arts festival at Auckland's Tapapakanga Regional Park will be the last due to low ticket sales in recent years.  Long-time owner John Minty says they weren't considered for the Government's $70 million Major Events Fund.  He told Heather du Plessis-Allan that while ending the festival is potentially premature, the writing is on the wall.  Minty says he could hang on for another year and hope things will get better, but from a financial point of view, he can’t take that risk again.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sydney's terror attack is raising questions about intelligence shortcomings and where security systems could be beefed up.   A 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son allegedly shot dozens of people celebrating the Jewish holiday Hanukkah at Bondi on Sunday evening.  The younger man had been investigated by the country's security agency before and wasn't considered a threat.  A senior lecturer of terrorism and radicalisation told Heather du Plessis-Allan that intelligence services are probably watching dozens of people, forcing them to make decisions as to who is likely to be the most relevant threat at that time.  Australian National University’s Dr Michael Zekulin says the alleged shooter didn’t meet the criteria in this case, which is something that’s been seen time and time again, in other countries as well.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a view that New Zealand's still a while away from being a 'rockstar' economy.  Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update documents are coming out early this afternoon, carrying key economic metrics. Treasury's also releasing a Budget Policy Statement outlining priorities for upcoming spending. Former Finance Minister Steven Joyce told Heather du Plessis-Allan it was a pretty average year for the economy, and next year looks to be better.  Joyce says getting core spending below 30% of GDP is the goal, but it won’t happen overnight.  He says Bill English spent eight years after the Canterbury quakes and the global financial crisis wrestling to get back into surplus.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Students are still battling to find consistent work leading into the summer break.  Fifty thousand people applied for work through Student Job Search in November – the highest number this year.  Chief Executive of Student Job Search Louise Saviker told Heather du Plessis-Allan while there are more jobs being listed, these are largely one-off or casual roles.  She says this means students need even more jobs.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bondi Beach massacre has propelled the Australian Government to overhaul its already-tough gun laws.   Sixteen people died and dozens were injured when two shooters opened fire on a Jewish gathering on Sunday night in what's been labelled a terror attack.   Now 26 victims remain in hospital, with six fighting for life.   A 24-year-old suspect is also in hospital under police watch while his 50-year-old father, who's also believed responsible, died at the scene.   The older man had been a licensed firearms holder for about a decade and owned six registered firearms.  9News Australia correspondent Charles Croucher told Heather du Plessis-Allan the federal government now wants to cut down the number of guns a person can own and conduct more regular checks on those with licences.   He says it also wants to restrict gun ownership to Australian citizens only.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data shows the service sector has now dipped in activity for six months in a row.  The most recent PSI recorded performance at its lowest since May, at 46.9.   For growth, it needs to sit at 50 or above.  ABC Business Sales CEO Chris Small told Heather du Plessis-Allan the results were a surprise.  He says the data had suggested the low point would be during Winter.  The sector is blaming the weak economic environment for the downturn, Small saying that in comparison, the retail sector saw a boost around Black Friday.  He says this shows things are turning around and services are just the lagging factor.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 15th of December with Heather du Plessis-Allan, we go to Australia to discuss the latest with the antisemitic Bondi terror attack. The Prime Minister drops in for the final time this year and tells us of his contact with Australia PM Anthony Albanese over the Bondi attack and whether this debate between Willis and Richardson is harmful to the Government. Jason Pine and Andrew Saville talk the Black Caps, the cost of the FIFA World Cup and their biggest moments of the year. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you weren’t already feeling confident about 2026, I've got two reasons you should. At least two major retail banks see signs of an economic recovery and we have a new Reserve Bank Governor. No pressure on Anna Breman, but she hasn’t arrived a day too soon given that the old lot were still managing to stuff things up until literally the last chance they had, with Christian Hawkesby saying the wrong thing and sending wholesale market rates, and therefore fixed term interest rates, up by 30 basis points. To be fair to him, he was only the fill in. And if we’re honest with ourselves it's more hope than certainty that the Swedish import will be any better than Hawkesby or Adrian Orr. But then again you could argue it really would be hard to be worse given the last four years. But we’re here for the good news.   The good news is that Anna Breman arriving as the new broom coincides with ASB, and now Kiwibank, all saying it’s on. They’re seeing signs of a recovery for 2026. Kiwibank’s call arguably matters more than the others because they’ve been the gloomiest. They were calling for more rate cuts than the Reserve Bank was prepared for. They were warning it was more grim out there than the Wellington bankers realised. They were right. So here’s hoping they are right again when they say sales are already up, and when sales go up, everything else follows. House prices are up 2-3% next year. The economy is growing 2.4% and then it’s 3% the next year. I don't know about you but that combo - a new person in charge of the central bank and growing consensus that the recovery is now on - is probably the best Christmas present i could wish for. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwibank says it's on with a 2.4% GDP increase for 2026. But the bank has joined the chorus blaming the Reserve Bank for messing up the communications leading to increased fixed-term rates at the major retail banks. Independent Economist Cameron Bagrie told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the economy is slowly stabilising, and because of that interest rates don't need to be as low.  "When you turn the corner, interest rates don't need to be as low." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.