The Mike Hosking Breakfast

It’s fair to say Bruce Hornsby is a bit of a legend in the music game.  Even a casual fan will know ‘The Way It Is’, the intro often considered the greatest piano intro of all time, and finding even more fame thanks to Tupac using it in ‘Changes’.  He began his career in the 80’s, and since then, some of the biggest and best have cited his influence, including the likes of Willie Nelson and Crosby, Stills and Nash.  Hornsby is showing no signs of slowing – releasing four albums so far in this decade alone.  Although he’s found great success in his career, Hornsby told Mike Hosking he was a pretty bad “popstar”.  “I was gonna do what I was gonna do whether it was successful or not,” he said.  “Always been a musician first, and I was a bit of a creatively restless soul.”   His music has become more experimental over the years, much to the chagrin, he says, of his long time fans.  “I’m just interested in evolving and pushing,” Hornsby told Hosking.  “So when, when I lose, hopefully when I lose a certain old time fan, that he just hates it, hopefully I garner some newer and most likely younger fans.”   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 8th of April, the Government has announced a major defence spend – the highest since WWII. Defence Minister Judith Collins and former Minister Ron Mark share their thoughts.    A New Zealand restaurant has is in the top three – worldwide.   Famed singer and pianist Bruce Hornsby has been on Mike's interview bucket list for decades, and he's finally on the 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.

Central Otago has once again caught the attention of world-renowned food critics.  In Food & Wine’s Global Tastemaker Awards, Queenstown’s Amisfield has been named the third best restaurant in the world.   It was recognised in the Top 15 International Restaurants category, with the judges saying it was a “beacon for wine enthusiasts worldwide who seek an unparalleled dining experience”.   Executive Chef Vaughan Mabee told Mike Hosking they’re always striving to improve and give their guests an amazing experience.  He says they try to show them the beauty and bounty of New Zealand and its differences through our food and wine. Mabee was also voted in the world's top 45 chefs – the sole Kiwi in the top hundred.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The World of Wearable Arts is already preparing for this year's show.  Executive Creative Director Brian Burke has announced he's returning for another year to lead the show in six months.  The fashion competition features designers from more than 40 countries each year.  Burke told Mike Hosking it's his pleasure to be involved with the fashion design extravaganza.  He says he loves the ability to always deliver something new and fresh, but still maintain the same DNA.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's promising to spend big in areas of defence, including improving its fleet in the air, and on the land, and sea.  The long-awaited Defence Capability Plan was released yesterday afternoon, with $12 billion worth of public spending across four years – $9 billion of which is deemed new spending.  It includes plans to bring defence spending up to two percent of GDP, with procurement for maritime helicopters, vehicles, and a replacement plane fleet.  The Defence Minister is confident in the work done by Finance Minister Nicola Willis, reassuring they’re not spending money New Zealand does not have.   Judith Collins is also standing by changes making it easier to enter the armed forces.  Since last year most Defence Force roles now only require three years of high school to Year 11, instead of passing Level One credits.  More technical roles now only require a Level Two certificate.  Collins told Mike Hosking being smart academically is helpful but isn't the first port of call.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Defence Minister Ron Mark's toasting the coalition Government following a commitment to more defence spending.  It's pouring $12 billion over four years into defence – $9 billion of which is new spending.   It includes enhancing our strike capabilities, replacing the Boeing 757 fleet, and upgrading our javelin anti-tank missiles.  Mark told Mike Hosking it will be good for New Zealand's strategic partners.  He says it will provide security comfort for South Pacific Defence Ministers, Five Eyes, and NATO.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Justice Minister says he's hunting for a solution to make sure victims of crime get their reparations.   Figures released under the Official Information Act show almost half of all court-ordered reparation payments are overdue – $105 million owed to victims.   Paul Goldsmith says there's scope for taking it out of people's benefits.   He told Mike Hosking while they don't want to send people to prison, there needs to be an incentive to pay.   Goldsmith says he's looking for an annoying and painful punishment that will make criminals pay up.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US is facing a trade war with China and a potential trade war with Europe.  Donald Trump's threatening to raise tariffs on Chinese goods to more than 100% in response to the retaliatory tariffs announced by China over the weekend.  The EU is still mulling over its response.  Paris Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking in the past few hours, the EU's revealed it offered the US a "zero-for-zero" tariff deal in February and never heard back.  She says the EU is still leaving that on the table but are now looking at some sort of retaliation.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An increase in crackdowns has paid dividends for Inland Revenue.   It collected $600 million in extra taxes from 3,600 audits between July and December last year – 50% more audits than the same time period in 2023.   Half of the money came from fewer than 10 audits.   Deloitte Tax Partner Robyn Walker told Mike Hosking it shows the investment at the last budget was worth it, New Zealand getting $11 for every dollar invested.   She says because of a previous slowdown in audits there's probably a lot of fruit to pick.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Treaty Principals Bill is on its way to the gallows as the select committee came back Friday and suggested it wasn’t getting its support. It was voted past first reading but it wont get past round two. What I learned out of it was several things. 1) This country is not up for much of a debate around complex or big ideas. We are myopic in our approach. We hate and we love and middle ground is irrelevant. There was a venom and aggressiveness to a lot of submissions. 2) From those who submitted that actually knew what they were talking about, as opposed to merely having an opinion, it very quickly became clear there is massive disagreement over interpretation. These were scholars and lawyers and historians, in other words, "experts". They couldn’t agree. That to me was the big clue. If the “learned” can't agree, surely that means we need something, legally speaking, to define what we are dealing with. There is a major case in Christchurch at the moment between Ngai Tahu and the Crown over water rights. It is in the court because there is nothing definitive in law as to what the Treaty does, and doesn’t, do. We seem to accept that Parliament is the ultimate court, yet on the Treaty we appear happy to litigate for decade after decade, have a tribunal that is wildly tainted and nothing like a proper court, and each and every time we dabble in this area you and I are picking up the tab. The other outworking of course is the ongoing grief and angst. This is a very divided nation. This is not a harmonious nation with an agreed legal stance around the Treaty. But putting it out to a vote the way Act wanted was a mistake It's too important for that. Pik N Mix democracy never works. The other thing I learned politically is it should never have seen the light of day if it wasn’t going all the way. This goes to the Chris Luxon negotiation skills. It should have been either dead before it started, or it got the full treatment. What we got was a half-baked, deeply divided mess that ended up achieving nothing. Even those who argue it started the debate are wrong. Because if it's floated for another day we won't carry on where we left off. We will have to start all over again.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.