The Mike Hosking Breakfast

There's a big weekend ahead on the motorsport front at Hampton Downs. It's the second edition of the 'Nextgen' NZ championship - designed to reinvent the national racing calendar. The series features race categories that have previously showcased the likes of Lando Norris, Yuki Tsunoda, Matt Payne and Liam Lawson. Founder of National Racing Group Promotions Tony Quinn says that this championship is something he is fully engrossed in.  'I don't get to see the impact of the change, because I see the change happening week to week.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data has been released on 'farm sales' across the country. The real estate institute highlighted confidence in the primary sector - with buyers focusing on 'infrastructure and productivity.' Waikato topped dairy sales for the year ending in September - up 18% to a total of 59% - followed by Southland, up 110% with 40 sales.  REINZ Director and Rural Spokesperson Shane O'Brien told Mike Hosking that although dairy is front-and-centre of kiwi farming, other sectors are benefiting as well. 'we're seeing some good activity and rebound in the market and the horticultural sector.'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The final charter for the Kiwifruit season has set sail.  This is Zespri's 60th vessel for the year to 50 different markets.  This season's crop has broken records, with 215 million trays weighing in at 770,000 tonnes. There's also been a significant growth in US and European markets.  Chief Executive of New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Colin Bond says that, 'those growers are going to receive more value per trade than they ever have before.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's an assurance that Trump won't follow through with his nuclear weapon testing comments. The US President posted on social media saying he has no choice but to restart testing, because of other countries' testing programs. It follows him denouncing Russia for testing a nuclear-powered missile, which the Kremlin denies. Centre for European Policy Analysis Security Analyst Edward Lucas says if Trump followed through, it would be hugely destabilising.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The boss of Fonterra is relieved to see so many farmers back the Lactalis sale. Almost 90-percent of votes backed the 4.2 billion dollar deal, that will see the French dairy giant take over iconic Kiwi brands like Anchor and Mainland. Miles Hurrell says some farmers were unsure about the plan when it was first announced. The chief executive told Mike Hosking that they've been working hard to change minds. Hurrell says there was a few questions out there from farmer-shareholders, which isn't surprising given they have a lot invested in the company. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday the 30th of October, it's voting day for Fonterra as to whether they will sell the company's consumer arm. Are we all on board for some cars moving from yearly WOF's to biennial WOF's? Voice actor Nolan North on the boom of the gaming industry and his many and varied roles. 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.

I think the biggest test for those who fell over backwards when Bill Gates said what he did, is not that he said it. It's whether the people he talks about can possibly begin to accept that they might be wrong, that they might be on the wrong side of the whole equation and that as a result of the Gates' revelation, they may need to readjust some of the obsessive behaviour they have shown these past years as climate change has become the maniacal calling card for too many. Not that climate change, as Bill points out, isn't an issue, because it is, and some good work has been done. But where Gates is so right and deserves so much respect is that he has worked out that there has been an astonishing amount of waste in the area. Lord-knows-what amount of time, energy and money has been spent on too many things going nowhere. Climate change, he concludes, will not wipe us out. There are more pressing areas. His new passion is hunger. USAID has been smashed to pieces and people are dying as a result. In other words he is prioritising. He is pragmatic. He is to be thanked. Of course for many of us this isn't news. Gates is but one of a growing group, whether driven by the right reasons or not, who have come to the conclusion that the climate obsession has gone too far and is now damaging, rather than fixing. The difference here and the importance of this is that Gates is one of them. He's one of the disciples, one of the believers, until of course he isn't. He is the best sort of sceptic - a well-reasoned, highly studied, impartial observer brought to the conclusion by the work. He is not a bandwagoner and he is not an obsessive. He is an observer. He's used his wealth from his success to investigate the planet's big issues and he has decided climate change can go down the pecking order. God bless him for that. The important bit though is can those immersed get what he is saying? Can they dare to believe it may all need a bit of reining in? Or in their eyes is Gates merely a deluded traitor? And if they can't, but we do, how much further is the obsessive's reputation damaged as more and more of the world side with Gates and not the nutters? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a strong push for the Ministry of Social Development to do more to help employers hire Kiwis ahead of internationals. Immigration Minster Erica Stanford says employers will be stripped of the chance to recruit migrants,  if they're not trying to hire unemployed New Zealanders first.  Association for Migration and Investment Board Director Tobias Tohill told Mike Hosking that this is a problematic approach.  He says mistakes are easily made, so it seems unfair on employers.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hopes that Christchurch will become the city that never stops, as momentum continues. Provisional Stats NZ figures for the year to June show Canterbury's population has risen most, up 1.1 percent - more than anywhere else in New Zealand.  Christchurch NZ Chief Executive Ali Adams told Mike Hosking that things are going well for the city on all fronts.  She says although managing growth comes with problems, there are more opportunities  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian company 'Yinson Renewables' is set to invest in a new pipeline of projects totalling one gigawatt of wind energy - almost doubling New Zealand's current capacity.  The $3billion investment would generate enough electricity to power 750,000 homes - exceeding Huntly's current output.  Head of Foreign Director Investment for Invest New Zealand Simon Ansley told Mike Hosking that the company has already been operating under the radar in New Zealand, and is now ready to make a major impact.  'They've been supporting them through navigating New Zealand, regulatory environment, OAO, etc.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.