The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Ineos has described New Zealand Rugby's legal action as unfortunate, as the two parties clash over a strained sponsorship agreement.  Ineos failed to pay their first 2025 instalment of an $8 million a year deal, which NZR see as confirmation they've exited the arrangement early.  The Sir Jim Ratcliffe-owned petrochemical company claims they tried to negotiate a solution before legal action hit the table.  Local player agent Simon Porter told Mike Hosking the parties will have had extensive discussions already.  He says this would have been a last resort, and NZR would have been trying really hard to get Ineos across the line first.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government says Kainga Ora still needs to be reasonable amid a crackdown on rent arrears.  The Associate Housing Minister says Kainga Ora's owed $16 million in unpaid rent.  Currently around 10% are behind on their rent.  The agency says those willing to enter a repayment plan have their debts reduced, but those unwilling could have their tenancy ended.  Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka told Mike Hosking those who need support will be helped, but those refusing to pay will face action.  Potaka says under the previous government, things got a little bit too loose with not enough being done to reclaim unpaid rent.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rising gold prices could have miners flocking to the West Coast.  The regional council has told Local Democracy Reporting it's bracing for an influx of miners new to the industry, and its environmental rules.  Resource Management Chair Brett Cummings —who's a gold miner— warns the council’s consent workload will likely intensify.  Development West Coast Chief Executive Heath Milne told Mike Hosking the demand is real.  He says the value of gold at the Federation mine has jumped from $2.5 billion to $3.6 billion.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The highly contentious battle over fluoridated water could be picking up steam again, despite many being over it.   New Zealand First's new Member's Bill seeks to repeal the laws from 2021 giving the Director-General of Health central decision making authority.  It would also mandate binding local council referendums.  Dental Association Policy Director Robin Whyman told Mike Hosking the legislation already went through the whole select committee process where the public was consulted.   He says there was a weighing up of the pros and cons so it's not fair to say there hasn't been any input from the public, and at some point we have to stop discussing it.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A must read for a reality check is the ABC, as in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and their exploration of the New Zealand vs Australian economy.  Normally the ABC, like a lot of public broadcasters, tease you with a headline and end up concluding nothing so they can claim to be balanced.  Not so in this case. Gareth Hutchens is your author, and the headline is "Inflation has fallen in NZ and Aus - but which is faring better?"  It's always instructive to read specific comparisons, look at the wider picture, and crunch the numbers, and this piece does that.  Boy does it do that.  It starts with a clue - "New Zealand's economy is in recession. Australia's economy is not in recession."  He then involves the Reserve Bank. Our cash rate peaked at 5.5% while Australia's peaked at 4.35%.  In unemployment, New Zealand's got to 5.1% and is probably still climbing. Australia's is under 4%.  New Zealand's labour force hasn’t grown in the past 12 months. Australia's labour force has been consistently growing for the past 12 months.  In the past three years Australia's economy hasn’t recorded a single quarter of negative growth.  New Zealand's economy has three quarters of zero growth and three quarters of negative growth. We've just experienced six consecutive months of negative growth.  When it comes to the Reserve Bank the article points out the respective RB's pursued different approaches to employment, as regards their approach to inflation.  The approach, according to the Australian Reserve Bank, was to preserve as many of the jobs that have been created in recent years as they could.  Here's the last line in the article; "and thousands of Kiwis have revealed which strategy they prefer by buying a plane ticket to Australia".  I think most of us could have guessed all of this.  But put it in words, with stats and graphs and lay it bare and a more depressing, debilitating, deflating and anger-inducing set of numbers would be hard to find.  And those of us left have, and are, living through it.  Talk about stark. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rowing officials have banned allowing what are effectively year 14 students —once referenced as "eighth-formers"— from competing at the premier annual Maadi Cup regatta after decades of angst.  The practice would sometimes see pupils spend more time grunting away in skiffs than studying in the classroom during the opening term of the year.  New Zealand School Sport boss Mike Summerell told Mike Hosking a resolution was found.  He says it came down to the idea of what’s fair.   Summerell says that their rules have always been that if you’re at school, you should be able to reap the benefits of everything that comes with school.  However, he says, while they believe sport is an incredibly important part of school, it’s not part of the education curriculum, and that allows sports to set rules that allow for a level playing field.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 11th of February, we have economic growth winging our way, so will that turn the economy around?  The Prime Minister is on to talk his dropping poll numbers, economic growth, and whether there's a riff between him and David Seymour.  Famed comedian Ben Elton is coming back to the country for a new show - so will Mike be the butt of more of his jokes? He joined the show for a quick chat.  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Elton is a staple of the comedy scene.  He’s known as a pioneer for British comedy and the Godfather of Standup, though it’s his work on Blackadder and The Young Ones that he’s most well known for.  Elton’s been in the industry for four decades, last visiting New Zealand’s shores back in 2021 for his Ben Elton Live Tour.   The comedian is winging his way back this year, bringing his Authentic Stupidity Tour to Kiwi audiences, exploring the emergence of AI and the “idiocy” of the human race.  Elton told Mike Hosking that much of what he performs on stage is unpacking his bewilderment with the changes the new generations bring.  “I don’t really feel much different than how I ever did,” he said.  “We all feel 21 inside, our characters are largely formed by the time we’re in our twenties, and that’s who we remain. Meanwhile, the world passes on.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's power in the polls looks to be shifting.  Both the Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll and the 1News-Verian poll show the left bloc has the numbers to form a government if an election was held today.  Both also have Christopher Luxon losing support in the preferred Prime Minister stakes.  Curia pollster David Farrar told Mike Hosking people heard the bad economic news in December and are now unsure if the country will get out of it.  He interprets the poll as people not abandoning the Government out of anger, but rather waiting to see what happens next.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon admits the Government has work to do following its latest slide in the polls.  Both the latest Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll and the 1News-Verian poll show the left bloc would have the seats to form a government.  Chris Hipkins is also gaining ground on Luxon in the preferred prime minister rankings.  The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking the results are a sign of how Kiwis are feeling.  He says people are facing a tough economic time, and they want the Government to resolve that situation for them.   Luxon's also rejecting Labour's calls for David Seymour to be removed from Cabinet.  Chris Hipkins is calling for the Act Leader to be removed as a minister after he drove a car up the steps of Parliament at a fundraiser without the Speaker's approval.  Seymour's also come under fire for writing to Police, advocating for Philip Polkinghorne, who went on to be charged, then found not guilty of his wife's murder.  Luxon told Hosking he's responsible for all ministers in the Cabinet and their conduct, and he's very conscious of that.  He says Seymour's letter to Police wasn't a breach of the Cabinet manual, as it happened before Seymour was a minister or in government.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.