The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The Government's hoping to clear up backlogs of approvals for animal and plant health products as it commits to speeding up processes.  It's accepted all 16 Ministry of Regulation recommendations for cutting red tape in agriculture and horticulture.   That follows last year's review, looking into processes for new veterinary medicines and agri-chemicals.  Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard told Mike Hosking he knew of the concerns around delays before taking his current role.  He admits seeing the processes and wait-times first-hand was an eye-opener.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The trick, and we fail it virtually every time, is not to get bogged down in the minutiae.  There aren't prizes for coming up with dumb scenarios to try and catch the idea out.  Amending the law to allow greater use of locals to grab a scumbag and hold them till the coppers arise is a good, and welcome, idea.  If the Government is making tangible and positive progress anywhere, it's on the crime front.  More people are in jail, more people are being rounded up, more of us feel safe, the police feel better about doing their job, or being allowed to do their job, and the citizens arrest news is merely adding to that progress.  Coming up with scenarios about criminals bringing bigger weapons to robberies won't happen, the same way we haven't seen the gangs give the bird to the coppers over patches.  At the Prime Minister's press conference this week with Paul Goldsmith, Mark Mitchell, and Commissioner Richard Chambers, they were asked about there being more gang members, with the inference being the law is failing.  Yes, said Richard Chambers, there are more members because we are putting more groups on the register. And arrests aren't going up commensurately because gangs aren't flouting the law and retail thugs won't flout this one either.  Thugs are cowards and opportunists. They try it on because they know they can.  The moment they know a guard in a supermarket can jump on top of them they won't bother, the same way they tried to get work when the traffic light system came in for Jobseeker.  Bottom feeders are essentially lazy. If it's easy, they’ll abuse it or nick it. If you crack down the game's up and they will give up.  This sort of thing should be welcomed. This is what we wanted. Memories can't be so short that we have forgotten the madness that filled our streets just a year or so back.  The ram raids, the gangs, the blocked roads with their intimidation, the non-existent police to round them up, the endless criminals on ankle bracelets reoffending - we hated that! We got furious at that. A year and a bit later the change has happened, and the statistics have turned.  Let's not get bogged down in a petty game of "but what if".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 104th New Zealand Golf Open is underway at Millbrook.  Justin Quiban of the Philippines is the initial leader with two birdies from two holes.  Meanwhile, tournament boss Michael Glading told Mike Hosking that Danny Lee's return from the LIV circuit has been welcome.  He says he’s come with a really great attitude, and apparently can’t walk anywhere without 30 people saying hello to him.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pope Francis has shown slight improvement after 13 days in hospital.   He's been undergoing treatment for double pneumonia.  The Vatican's confirmed a CT scan of the pontiff’s chest 'shows a normal evolution' of the inflammation in his lungs.  Rome Correspondent Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking there could be hope.  She says the problem he had with his kidneys has receded and he's had no respiratory crisis in the last 48 hours.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 27th of February, we’ve got the details, kind of, of the changes to the citizen’s arrest laws. So, are the cops happy?    What is going on with our power prices? Meridian reckons they have some answers, so CFO Mike Roan joined the show to explain.  Warriors coach Andrew Webster beams in from Las Vegas to tell us how we will beat the Raiders this weekend.  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.

More changes are on the way for the electricity sector, as power prices continue to rise.  The Electricity Authority's proposing new measures to stop the big four electricity companies giving their own retail arms preferential treatment.  The Government's lifting restrictions to allow lines companies to invest more in electricity generation.  And Meridian Energy Chief Financial Officer Mike Roan told Mike Hosking the sector's also looking at how they can shore up energy supplies after being caught out by the gas shortage.  He says they're scrambling, dusting off old contingency plans from 10 to 15 years ago.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors are balancing work and play heading into their NRL season opener against the Raiders on Sunday in Las Vegas.  Coach Andrew Webster says the team was very social for the first two days, but the players knuckled straight down and got to training ever since.  He told Mike Hosking the Vegas Strip is out of their system now, and everyone’s excited and looking forward to chasing points.  Adjusting to NFL stadia dimensions remains a challenge for the Warriors.  The Allegiant Stadium field is 6.5 metres shorter and 5.1 metres narrower than traditional rugby league measurements.  The Warriors played their final trial against the Storm in Hamilton under the same modifications.  Webster told Hosking they're adapting.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters has made it clear to China that we aren't happy with its handling of the warships the Tasman Sea.  The Foreign Minister's been meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.  Peters says the pair talked about China's new deal with the Cook Islands and the Chinese Navy vessels, which have now entered Australia's exclusive economic zone.  Geopolitical analyst Geoffrey Miller told Mike Hosking Peters doesn't appear to have held back.  He says it appears to have been a fairly tough conversation, and a robust exchange of views, with Peters saying it was a "failure" that China didn't give more notice to New Zealand.  Miller says China probably didn't want things to play out as they have, and reports from Chinese state media suggest it's keen for more "dialogue" in the future.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A child protection advocate says an increase in abuse and neglect in care cases comes as no surprise.   A report by the Independent Children's Monitor has found the number of young people being abused in state care has increased, and children aren't receiving the minimum standards of care required. Child Matters Chief Executive Jane Searle told Mike Hosking things need to change.  She says the report shows Oranga Tamariki is still not doing what it was designed to do.  Searle says changes need to start with the huge workload of social workers.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Association is the latest group hesitant about moves to change citizen arrest laws.   The Government's introducing legislation loosening general public arrest rules, including permitting citizen's arrests at any time of the day in response to retail crime.    But association President Chris Cahill told Mike Hosking while it's not forcing people to take the law into their hands, it's still incredibly risky.   Cahill says people make decisions without the full facts in front of them, and while someone may think they're dealing with a teenage offender, things can escalate.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.