The Mike Hosking Breakfast

What is the proper size of a pint?  It's always up for debate, and one Christchurch pub owner Nick Inkster is backing his charge of $16 per pint.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new study has shown teachers, nurses, social workers and midwifes are badly hit financially while on unpaid university placements.  The study says it can take eight years for a nurse to have higher cumulative earnings than someone who worked for minimum wage at the same time.  Senior lecturer in maths and statistics at the University of Canterbury Leighton Watson joins the show.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Europe is rattled after confirmation they will be left out of Russia-Ukraine peace talks.  French President Emmanuel Macron has called an emergency summit in response that will take place tomorrow.  And US Vice President JD Vance has made a blistering speech in Munich, telling European leaders their biggest threat was not China or Russia, but came "from within."  Poland's TVP world chief political correspondent Aaron Dahmen talks to Mike Hosking.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds of skilled workers are packing up and leaving the country due to delays in infrastructure projects. Engineering New Zealand boss Richard Templer said the numbers aren't an exaggeration.  "In addition to the engineers, there's also the construction workforce. These are the people who, you know, build the roads, the hospitals, the schools, everything like that," he said.  What's the plan to solve the problem?  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Investors are flocking to Airbnb in droves, with stock up 14% - the biggest one day move on record.  Hermes is also celebrating. The luxury brand's fourth quarter sales are up 18%, exceeding estimates.  Meanwhile, Kiwi's remain plagued with the cost of living: Food prices were up 1.9% last month, the highest rise since July 2022.  Greg Smith of Devon Funds Management joins the show to discuss these leaps.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US and Russia will meet in Saudi Arabia over the coming days to discuss peace talks around the war in Ukraine.  United States officials have said Europe will be excluded from discussions.  How will this end?  US Correspondent Richard Arnold talks to Mike Hosking.  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.    The New Zealand economy: 6/10  Real signs of life this week. Apples and pears crash through a billion dollars, red meat had big gains outside China, Westpac are forecasting more growth later this year, and real estate is showing signs of turning around. And JB Hi-Fi's profit is through the roof.    The golden visa: 7/10  It's not a panacea but it's a good, solid, tangible start that has been begging to be triggered.    Donald Trump: 8/10  Yes, there is carnage and mayhem and fury and noise but, on balance, it's spectacular watching. And talk about getting stuff done.    Fluoride: 2/10  Stupidest debate of the week. Councils are already snowed under with work, cost, and incompetence. They can't take on a ministry, without a leg to stand on legally, and waste everyone's time huffing and puffing.    McDonald's in Wanaka: 2/10  Second stupidest debate of the week. We either want jobs and growth and tax paid, or we don’t.    The Super Bowl: 8/10  A record audience after a record season. That is how you run a sport.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who knew helping charities was so hard?  Or to put it another way, who knew charities were doing so well?  We have had a clean up and clean out. We are shifting and shuffling and de-cluttering.  This happens a bit at our house – I married a person who loves stuff, until they don’t. It hasn’t applied to me yet, but it applies to a lot of other stuff.  Tables and chairs and clothes are in the current pile. So rather than dump them we ring people.  We ring hospice - they are full.  We ring SPCA - they are full.  We ring Salvation Army - they are full.  We ring Red Cross - no reply. No answer phone, no nothing.  We ring Habitat for Humanity - no reply. No answer phone, no nothing. How can I give you stuff if you can't answer the phone?  We ring City Mission - they are full.  You literally cannot give stuff away.  If all these people are full, they seemingly can't give it away either. If they can't give it away, could that mean that demand is down? Does no one want a table or a set of dining chairs? Is the country not really in the dire state they keep telling us it is?  We did have the problem a while back where some charities started to get picky on things like clothes because people would dump tat and, essentially, rubbish.  But in our pile, clothing wise, there is a Kenzo sweatshirt. Who doesn’t want a Kenzo sweatshirt?  We did think we could save it for the kids. Someone, some time, is going to need a flat full of stuff.  Half our old stuff is in fact scattered around various flats. But storage is money and who the hell knows when, or if, your kids are going to need a set of glasses or a side table.  So we thought the most use right here, right now are the army of those in genuine need.  But it seems there is no army because everyone is full.  So to the dump it is. Is that a waste?  Or is it good news that the so-called "need" is nothing like they make it out to be? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump says talks to end Ukraine's war will start immediately, although the US is indicating it won't regain all its territory.  A prisoner exchange is also likely.  The US President's spoken with Russia's Vladimir Putin, calling the phone call "lengthy and productive".  Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says it's "unrealistic" to think Ukraine will get all its territory back.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that while Ukraine's President is not directly saying they’re being sidelined by Trump in the negotiations, he’s saying it’s “not pleasant” the US President called Putin first.   Zelenskyy is also saying that Ukraine will not accept any peace effort without the Ukrainians’ direct involvement.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking once more to Wrap the Week that was.  They shared their plans for Valentine's Day, discussed the outrageous bids on items in the Barry Humphries auction, and the kids getting pies for lunch as the school lunch providers scramble to get on top of logistics.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.