The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Half-year profit has more than doubled for New Zealand seafood company Sanford.  It's the best result in a decade for the company, which took home $34 million in profit in the six months to March this year.  It's seen improved salmon sales, especially in the US and China.  Managing Director David Mair told Mike Hosking he's been there for just over a year and has been working to increase productivity.  He says he's reviewing every process within the business and says it's important that if a company tries to add value, it doesn't exceed the added cost.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US is sharing its low expectations of current Ukraine peace talks in Turkey, with both sides backing out of sending their leaders.  Russia's sending low-level official Vladimir Medinsky, Ukraine's decided to send its defence minister instead.  Donald Trump was preparing to go, only if Russian President Vladimir Putin was there.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking Trump is now suggesting he expected this all along, saying he wasn’t planning on going in the first place.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The week has come to an end once more, and Mike Hosking was joined by Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson to Wrap the Week that was.  They discussed the new cheese produced by Fonterra, Mike's seemingly endless golf stories, and since today is Pink Shirt Day, they debate whether or not Mike is a bully. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 16th of May, yet another pre-Budget announcement – $275 million for the new Social Investment Agency headed up by Andrew Coster.  Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters laments the declining standards of Parliament and politicians.  Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson talk a new product from Fonterra, Mike's endless golf stories, and whether Mike's a bully or not as they Wrap the Week.   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.

The America’s Cup is headed to Italy for the first time.   After a successful campaign in Barcelona in 2024, Emirates Team New Zealand will again defend the Auld Mug in European waters, with Naples to host the next edition, which will also include the return of the Youth and Women’s America’s Cups.  Exact dates for the regatta are still to be determined, however, the next edition will be held in 2027 during the New Zealand autumn and winter – the northern hemisphere spring and summer.  AUT Sailing Professor Mark Orams told Mike Hosking Naples will be a wonderful location for the next Cup – it's a great city and sailing venue.   He says the announcement of the venue gives teams that certainty, allowing them to look at if they can make it work.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters says behaviour in Parliament has become degrading.  It comes after a recommendation three Te Pati Māori MPs be suspended for their haka in the house, and Minister Brooke van Velden said the c-word.  Yesterday he launched a broadside on X against the actions taken in Parliament, saying the House of Representatives has become a House of Chaos.  The Deputy Prime Minister told Mike Hosking standards have slipped, and it's the Speaker's job to rein it in.  He says the rot started under former Speaker Trevor Mallard, when he loosened dress standards.  “As Steven Maharey, the former MP and Minister from Palmerston North said, once you let down dress and other standards, everything else will be let down as well and to be debased – and that’s exactly what’s happened.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Social Investment Fund CEO says their new approach will help address New Zealand's social issues.  It's receiving $190 million in this year's budget, aiming to invest in social services early to prevent future harm and save costs.  The first three initiatives to benefit will be Autism New Zealand, Emerge Aotearoa —which works with young offenders— and an iwi wraparound service provider.   CEO Andrew Coster told Mike Hosking the fund has a long-term and wider focus.  He says its portfolio neutral and will focus on creating change in families where it needs to occur, instead of dealing with the day-to-day symptoms of problems.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First, a small update on what I said yesterday on pay equity.  My gut says it won't damage the Government.  Don’t get me wrong – if I was the opposition I would be prosecuting this as hard as I could, the way they are, because they have a genuine issue and ongoing issue, at least until the Budget, that they quite rightly believe is there for the taking in terms of points, headlines, and moral high ground.  I don’t think that ultimately is true. But I fully get they think it is.  The tide turned yesterday though in Question Time. Not because Brooke van Velden dropped the c-word.  Watching it live, it was quite the moment. Question Time has become dour, there is limited talent on display, and the Speaker is cantankerous and ruins the fun.  But yesterday was alive with frisson. Brooke van Veldon's mic drop moment was pointing out that Jan Tinetti, the questioner, a former Woman's minister, a woman who railed against misogyny, was using misogyny by quoting a misogynistic article, authored by a woman to make her point.  That led to applause and rightly so.  It further exposed the Labour Party, and in fact most of the opposition benches, as frauds who are arguing the pay equity issue using bogus material and fake facts.  The more this is debated the more hope you have that a wider grouping of us will tune in and get into the detail, because it is in the detail the truth lies. The equity laws, or rules, were a shambles and being milked by unions.  But the tide turned because there seems genuine anger within the Government over what Andrea Vance was allowed to do.  When I say allowed, I assume she is edited and therefore cleared.  The odd thing for me is I struggle to get upset at being attacked.  Being a public figure, you are open for this sort of stuff, and I have received more than most. It's water off a duck's back, especially from an angsty journalist.  But van Veldon, Collins and, as Vance calls them, the "hype squad" seem genuinely outraged and it is that outrage that turned, or at least will turn, the dial.  If they argue on fact, and the other side argue on emotion using lies, bogus material, and foul language, they will eventually lose.  Hence the dent so many thought was coming for the Government will never arrive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A major milestone for one of our most iconic tourist attractions.  The Skyline Luge has surpassed 100 million rides across its eight tracks around the world – including the ones in Queenstown and Rotorua.  The company is also looking to continue their expansion around the world, with a brand new gondola and luge set to open in Swansea, Wales.   Director of Skyline Enterprises, Grant Hensman told Mike Hosking one of the successes of the luge is the repeat business.  He says they have people who have been coming back for the full 40 years they’ve been operating in Rotorua – started as kids and are now bringing their own kids.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ukraine and Russia are set for the first direct talks since the war began.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is personally attending the talks in the coming hours in Turkey.  The Kremlin's sending a delegation, and has confirmed it will not include Russian President Vladimir Putin, instead being led by Vladimir Medinsky.  Former Australian Major General Mick Ryan told Mike Hosking Ukraine is likely to remain pretty pragmatic in negotiating a ceasefire.  He says a war termination agreement may see them accept that Russia is temporarily occupying Ukrainian territory, but they’ve been clear they won’t accept that they’re parts of Russia.   Ryan says while they want peace, they’ve made it clear they won’t accept peace at any price.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.