The Mike Hosking Breakfast

We've received another one of these “the Government went against official advice“ stories. This one was around bowel testing. The Government has recently announced that testing has dropped in age from 60 to 58-years-old. The money to pay for that extra testing has come from the separate Māori and Pacific testing, which cuts in at 50-years-old. The official advice is that more lives could be saved if you tested more Māori and Pacific Islanders. The new health minister said in response that what we need to do to save more lives is test more people. He is of course unquestionably right, because the word "people" is critical. We are all people and, given we all contribute to the system that tests us, exempting some from access i.e a non-Māori , is not right. Yet again, this is part of the race-based system we have in this country, which hopefully is slowly but surely being dismantled. Adding to this official advice part of the story is my increasing concern based on the Brian Roache report into the public service and the Deloitte report into Health NZ. It's possible this so-called "official advice" is either pointless or politically motivated. If you start with a system that anyone at anytime can get a test, and then work backwards because that is not effective or affordable, at some point you come to a hap-ish, affordable medium. Age will be a factor because there's no point in bowel testing a 29-year-old. So what is the magic number? They have decided 60years-old, until they decided 58-years-old. Breast screening mammogram have gone through the same debate. But at no point should race be a factor. Yet, it has been. Having just completed my first state participant bowel screen I would be deeply offended if I was bumped, delayed or stopped simply because I am not Maori or Pasifika. I am a taxpayer and a New Zealander. My right is no more or less important or relevant than anyone else's and yet there are those that would argue otherwise. By prioritising race, you are saying one life is worth more than another. You can't do that That's what makes the official advice wrong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced New Zealand will enter into a free trade agreement with India.  The announcement came overnight as the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has travelled to India this week.  What does the agreement involve?  Trade Minister Todd McLay talks to Mike Hosking about the development.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chaotic weather didn't get in the way of a great race in motorsport at the Melbourne F1 over the weekend.  McLaren's Lando Norris was the star of the show coming in first, but Kiwi Liam Lawson had a disappointing run.  Motorsport expert Bob McMurray talks to Mike Hosking about the event. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's agriculture industry has the potential to become a $3 billion earner.  Land-based Kingfish farm in Northland is contributing to the prospect, as the only facility of its type in the country. The farm has already received international interest and is projected to be bigger than salmon in less than 10 years.  NIWA Aquaculture Chief Scientist Andrew Forsyth talks to Mike Hosking.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the past 12 months, there has been a rise of 22,000 people claiming the job seeker benefit.  Economists are predicting the numbers are set to continue rising.  Associate Social Development Minister Penny Simmons says she is not surprised by the statistics.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States democratic party has reached record low numbers in favourability polls.  Many within the party have said their leaders should publicly stand against President Donald Trump.  The party is polling at just 29%.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold talks to Mike Hosking about the reason for this, and the fatal tornadoes that ripped through six states.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States consumer sentiment is the lowest it's been since 2022.  Like investors, consumers have growing concerns about the uncertainty of tariffs.  Devon Funds Management Greg Smith talks to Mike Hosking about the stats, an update in New Zealand's food prices, and A2 Milk's big rise.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.     New Zealand: 7/10  Between the investment conference, the India trip about to unfold, and the huge boost in visa interest from wealthy foreigners, that’s not a bad week's work for a small country trying to get its mojo back.    Tariffs: 2/10  The idiocy driving the ideology has been on full display. Random numbers, multiple threats, increased costs - all it has done this week is tank markets, decrease value, freak people out, provide uncertainty, and generally reinforce the idea that the U.S President is random as, if not dangerous.    Whanganui: 7/10  That council with the payment for meetings and dumping the food scraps is rolling. It's not often a council does two good things in a week.    Liam Lawson: 8/10  It's early days and the pressure is real, but F1 is as big as sport gets anywhere and he is at the pointy end of it.    Fonterra: 9/10  Yet another payment upgrade. Those guys can't stop giving away money. We like that too.    Malcolm Turnbull: 7/10  Sort of my hero of the week. If you give into bullies, you get more bullying. In politics, and life, it's sage advice.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I suppose technically it is only halfway through, with today still to go, but the Investment Summit looked good to me on day one.  There seems no doubt that a lot of people with a lot of money turned up and some of them spoke of their desire to bid for projects.  The Prime Minister, who needs some runs, I think has some and he hasn’t even left for India.  His pitch that we are a shelter from the storm was smart. He looked like he had done this before. Perhaps we are seeing a little bit of what all the other delegates on the international sojourns see - that this is what he does well.  He networks, he presses flesh, he pumps ideas, and he has a plan.  Nothing specific as in “sign on the dotted line” or "write a cheque here and now” will come out of this.  But already you can see, given the thing is oversubscribed, that the Prime Minister is right - the world is awash with cash, and they are keen to invest.  $6 trillion is a stunning amount of money and if only a small chunk of it comes our way, and if only a tiny slice builds some roads or future proofs some infrastructure, this will have all been worth it.  Eventually the proof will be in the pudding. Someone needs a signing ceremony and maybe a spade or two to be stuck in some ground.  But I got the sense, as a frustrated punter, that it is these sorts of days and events that make us look like we might be on some sort of path back.  We looked a bit professional and interested and that we might just have some decent adults about the place looking to put our stake in the global game and bring the world, so long locked out of this place, back into the room.  If Luxon leaves this and can come back with something tangible post India, then it may well be we feel things are starting to roll.  As I have said many times, it is hard to overstate the economic carnage they were handed and it's still far from over.  The immigration numbers just yesterday reminded us of this. No, they are not leaving in the numbers they once did, but they are still leaving, and the arrivals are slowing as well.  Fewer people means less economic activity. But you fix all that with reputation - a reputation of a rock star, of a success story or of a go-getter.  Yesterday, and hopefully today, it looks like they are part of that bigger success story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A potential government shutdown in the US as the deadline to fund federal agencies looms.  Congress lawmakers have until the end of the day on Friday US time to fund its Government, or agencies will have to halt all non-essential functions.  But the Bill will require the support of some democrats.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that's not guaranteed.  He says while Democrats have supported Republicans in the past to avoid a shutdown, this time may be different given it's come in the midst of the Elon Musk sackings of government workers.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.