The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Capping off another short week, Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that was.  They discussed the number of people taking leave for the period, the best brand of Easter eggs, and the fact that chatbots have queues.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A groundbreaking new partnership for New Zealand Cricket, in an effort to keep the country's top players from joining other global T20 franchises.  New Zealand Cricket have joined forces with the financial backers of a new franchise in North America's Major League Cricket - a competition that has a value of at least $200 million.  The move could help keep leading players and coaches in the Black Caps set-up, instead of becoming global T20 freelancers.  CEO Scott Weenink told Mike Hosking they're taking a two-pronged approach.  He says this presents an opportunity to diversify their revenue streams into the most lucrative global sporting market, while also creating opportunities for their high performance staff and players.    The new team —which is yet to be formally named or have their location confirmed— will debut in the 2027 season.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government says it's reinstating confidence in the Emissions Trading Scheme.  It comes as the Climate Commission's calls for carbon credits to stay the same price, to maintain stability.  Climate Change Minister Simon Watts told Mike Hosking while some carbon credit auctions haven't taken off, things are improving on other years.  He says the previous Government was getting too involved and causing volatility, but he's turning things around.  He says the Commission's told the Government its changes are working well, and it can keep its hand off the tiller.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 24th of April, David Seymour defends his controversial slash-and-burn changes to the Early Childhood Education sector.   We also explore whether Donald Trump is preparing to retract his tariffs on China with insights from Doug Holtz-Eakin, a former economic adviser to Senator John McCain.   Tim Wilson and Kate Hawkesby wrap the short week with a fun discussion on the 'best' Easter eggs currently on the market.  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.

Telco companies and digital platforms need to step up to protect people from scams.  That's the message from the New Zealand Banking Association as they roll out a new suite of their own protective measures.  Chief Executive Roger Beaumont told Mike Hosking scammers prey on the vulnerable and cost New Zealanders billions every year.  He says while it's not the Bank's problem, they're putting in safeguards to reduce the risk of it happening.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The heath sector's welcoming more money in the pockets of new graduates.  The Government's expanded the existing scheme giving graduates bond payments to stay in the country.  Payments are up to $50 thousand over a period of three to five years.  Nurses' Society National Director David Willis told Mike Hosking it's needed.  Willis says it's designed to get workforce into hard-to-reach areas.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rising hopes of easing tensions in the trade war between the US and China.  Donald Trump's signalling a potential U-turn, saying the 145% tariffs on Chinese goods are "very high" and will "come down substantially".  But the two countries are yet to hold any formal trade talks.  Economist Doug Holtz-Eakin —a former adviser to John McCain— told Mike Hosking if Trump keeps waiting for Xi Jinping's call, he'll be waiting a long time.  He says China has no reason to come to the table, and intermediaries will need to get involved to get both sides talking.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Regulation Minister David Seymour's accusing unions of 'fearmongering' about the review into early childhood education.  Cabinet's agreed to adopt 15 recommendations from a Ministry of Regulation review that found a number of settings were outdated.  Seymour says the unions made their mind up before the Government released its decision.  He told Mike Hosking there are just too many regulators, with multiple Ministries and local councils trying to enforce rules without any clarity.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thousands of people are descending on Rome ahead of Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday.  It's already a busy time for the city, with Easter and other local public holidays falling this week.  Newstalk ZB's Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking she's spoken to people who have waited in line for four hours to catch a glimpse of the Pope.  She says the Vatican is considering keeping the doors open past midnight tonight because of the demand.  Security checks will also be stepped up ahead of the funeral, with the Vatican working out the arrangements tonight.  McKenna says they will include firefighters who specialise in terrorism and chemical warfare.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I wish I had the Minister's positivity around teaching.  As you will have heard, we are short of teachers. We aren’t training as many teachers as we used to, so increasingly, we’ll need to bring more of them into the country.  The Minister suggested—optimistically, I think—that it's about more than just pay. It's about resources and support, which I’m sure is true. But the question remain, does it solve anything?  Does anything solve anything?  Is teaching simply a profession —like so many others— that is no longer what it once was? And if that's the case, why would anyone choose to be a teacher today?  Kids can be difficult. And if they’re not, schools are riddled with social issues that no teacher should have to deal with – yet they do.  Teachers are more like social workers than educators now. Even with all the holidays, the numbers don’t lie: people aren’t enrolling in teaching like they used to.  The trouble is, while teacher numbers are dropping, the number of kids isn’t. In fact, student numbers are expected to peak next year. So the gap widens.  Bringing in teachers presents a twofold issue.   You have to find teachers in a world where everyone is looking for them. They have to want to teach here. Is New Zealand really a magnet?  I could try to reassure you by talking about the teachers I had – but we’re going back 50 years. They were, virtually all of them, ordinary. Even with age and some maturity, as I look back at the ones I remember, not a single one was exceptional or brilliant or even really, really good. They were average. In an average school. That turned out a lot of average kids.  Is it possible the great teachers are, and have always been, the exception? The ones with the calling, the drive? The rest have merely been okay.  Which, of course, doesn’t solve the problem.  We have a lot to do with it. Society is a mess these days: held back, held down by anxieties, concerns, divisions, anger, frustration. A sense of loss, bewilderment, and upheaval that occupies pretty much everywhere, globally.  And so we send our offspring —if we send them at all— to be shaped by a miracle worker. One we pay average money to. In what might be a leaky building. With minimal resources.  We are setting it all up for failure. It’s complex. But if the Minister is right, and she can turn it around, she deserves a medal. If not beatification. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.