The Mike Hosking Breakfast

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.

There is a possibility for a shake-up to the Warrant of Fitness system. The government's opened consultation on a new proposal - with the first WOF for new light vehicles lasting 4 years.  Cars between 4 and 10 years old would only need a check every 2 years, while those over 10 would remain on annual inspection.  CEO of MTA Lee Marshall told Mike Hosking that there has been mixed feedback so far.  'As for the recommendations made; mixed views. But, we'll ultimately rely on what members tell us.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fonterra Shareholders Council says farmers are taking a long-term view when deciding whether to sell off brands like Anchor and Mainland. Voting closes today, on a proposal to sell Fonterra's consumer arm to French company Lactalis for 4.2 billion dollars. Fonterra's targeting a capital return of about 400-thousand dollars to the average farmer. But Council Chair John Stevenson told Mike Hosking that farmers are thinking well beyond short-term benefits. He says farmers are also thinking about their long-term livelihoods, as they'll be continuing to supply milk well after any capital return. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is clamping down on arriving travellers at the border. It's making several biosecurity law changes including doubling the fine for people who don't declare fresh fruit and meat, to 800 dollars. There'll be new penalties and fines up to half a million dollars for breaches of controlled area notices. Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard told Mike Hosking that they want to deter behaviour that puts New Zealand at risk. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday the 29th of October, Education Minister Erica Stanford discusses the new curriculum and the ACC CEO finally seems to have found 8,000 people who can immediately come off full taxpayer support. Sir Peter Beck celebrates 20 years of Rocketlab and we get an exclusive radio chat with our space genius. Ginny Andersen comes into the studio with gifts and Mark Mitchell joins from Christchurch for Politics Wednesday. 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.

The Silver Ferns face Australia tonight in game four of the Constellation Cup.  The series currently sits at 2-1 to Australia, but a win from the Ferns tonight could force an extra game to decide the series.  Silver Ferns Head Coach Yvette McCausland-Durie told Mike Hosking that, 'it's gonna be hard work, but really confident, based on the way they played the other night, they've got the potential there.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.