The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The Government's set to sell off high-priced Kainga Ora homes in an effort to bring its books down.  It's reviewing state housing stock, focusing on expensive areas.  Its new cost-saving plan includes the sale of around 900 homes a year, with the money to go to more low-cost, denser places with greater demand.  Housing Minister Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking they want to be more deliberate with their purchasing.  He says 50% of people on the register just need a one-bedroom unit, so they don't need to be building lots of three bedrooms.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We adjusted our climate target, or one of our climate targets last week.  Which in and of itself is part of the whole climate debate malaise. There are so many targets involving Paris, or not involving Paris, or timelines.  Is it 2030, 2035, 2040, 2050? Is it 5% down on 1990, or on 2000? So many numbers and so much noise, it's no wonder so many of us have turned off.  It's not that the broad idea doesn’t have some merit. It's just how to kill the buzz. Obsession like the Green Party, with anger, fury, and too many numbers is the classic recipe to lose the room.  Anyway, we adjusted one of our targets. It's not as high as it was so cue the usual outrage.  But is it time to ask, even if reluctantly, the question as to whether playing our part if not leading the way, as laudable as it might be, is now just a pointless exercise?  It has always been true that no matter what we did it would literally make no difference to the planet. But doing our bit was important.  With Trump and America out of Paris, and China and India and Brazil and others doing nothing but boosting emissions, what, here at the bottom of the world, is the point?  What has become indisputably clear is that Paris will not be met, because none of the targets are ever met, and the price seems high, economically.  Read the piece over the weekend in Britain where it was announced 9% of farmland has to go, where it will be eventually 20%. A fifth will need to be interfered with in some way so they can meet their climate targets.  You'll have nice clean air. You just can't feed the people. It’s a hopeless ask and it's just not real.  Hopefully science will save us because its increasingly obvious you have the lethal combination of the countries that don’t care, made worse by the fact they tend to be the large ones, and the economic sacrifice made by everyone else that is simply increasingly beyond the pale.  In simple terms, you need to give up economic growth in order to freshen the air or clear the atmosphere.  That, to my eye, is an argument that as more and more evidence of failure mounts, is not only never going to be one, but harder and harder to even start. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of New Zealand’s musical greats is winging his way back over for a special celebration.  Greg Johnson has been making music and touring for nearly 40 years, and this year marks the 30th anniversary of his third album ‘Vine Street Stories’.  The album is home to many of Johnson’s most enduring hits, including ‘Don’t Wait Another Day’, ‘If I Swagger’, and ‘Pleasure and Overdose’.  He’s returning to New Zealand in April and May for the 30th anniversary tour, performing up and down the country.  Johnson told Mike Hosking that he has fond memories of the record, as it was a great time and was his first one to go gold.   He says they’ll be playing the whole record, start to finish, as the first set on the tour.  “The second set we’ll play a bunch of stuff, I guess, from the newer albums and other older realms, but that is, that’s the exciting thing.”  “Some of these songs have never been played live before, even when they were recorded.”  “It’s a fun challenge,” he said.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 4th of February, it doesn't look like a surplus is coming anytime soon, and David Seymour is floating the idea of pulling out of the Paris Agreement. Should we?  The Prime Minister pops into studio for the first time this year to talk what's happening with our ferries and clear up some diplomatic stoush with the US.  Kiwi singer-songwriter Greg Johnson is stopping by New Zealand in a few months, and whenever he comes back, he comes on for a 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.

The European Union is focusing on who will be the best voice to respond to Donald Trump's threat of tariffs.  Leaders have been meeting in Brussels over the US President's return to power, who’s already floating the idea of imposing tariffs on the bloc.  Trump has today delayed 25% tariffs on Mexico by a month, while Canada has already imposed tariffs of its own in response to the US.  Europe correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking one option is Italy, who's hoping to play mediator for both sides.  She says another option is Germany, who's reluctant to impose tariffs because they export so many cars to the US.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a pared back event last night as the 67th Grammy Awards took place in Los Angeles.  The Recording Academy reformatted the awards show to help victims of the wildfires that destroyed more than 14,000 buildings and displaced tens of thousands.   More than $10 million was raised for those impacted.   Many award-winners also used their time to make statements about the current climate, with Best New Artist Chappell Roan calling out the working conditions for emerging artists.  Channel Nine US Correspondent Reid Butler told Mike Hosking that some people hated the speech while others loved it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s taxes aren’t as competitive as they once were.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis has floated potential tax cuts for corporations in the wake of the latest Treasury report.  Speaking to Ryan Bridge on Newstalk ZB last night, she says our corporate tax rate is reasonably high compared to the rest of the world.  Former Treasury Director Bryce Wilkinson told Mike Hosking that it could be a good move.  He says the Government is trying to attract foreign investment and capital to try and compare with Singapore and Ireland, who have corporate tax rates within the 10-20% range compared to our rate of 28%.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Climate Change Minister says it would be a mistake to withdraw from a global climate deal.  ACT Leader David Seymour's floated the idea of New Zealand leaving the agreement, saying it's perhaps a discussion for a future election.  Labour’s calling on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to recommit to the deal.  Nick Smith told Mike Hosking it would be great if we could hold a consistent stance on this.   He says the problem with an issue like climate change is if Government policy is flip-flopping all the time, you're not going to make any progress.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's open to corporate tax cuts in this year's budget.  Nicola Willis told Ryan Bridge on Newstalk ZB last night that our corporate tax system isn't competitive enough with other countries.  She confirmed the corporate tax rate, currently sitting at 28 percent, is being looked at as part of the whole business tax system. Christopher Luxon confirmed with Mike Hosking they're willing to make changes, and there's a lot of possible options.  He says any announcement would be part of the May budget.  Luxon says lower tax rates are one way to encourage growth, as well as incentivising investment in things like technology.  Auckland’s Mayor Wayne Brown is urging the Government to ease the visa restrictions for Chinese tourists.  China has a policy that allows New Zealanders visa-free access if they’re visiting for less than 30 days – a policy Brown says we should be reciprocating.  Luxon says there are some challenges involved in powering up the number of Chinese tourists coming into the country.  He told Hosking that there are genuine immigration concerns to consider, and they need to ensure there’s a good policy in place.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Centrix is keeping positive despite rising financial hardship and almost half a million Kiwis behind on loan repayments. The credit reporting agency's latest Credit Indicator report shows consumer arrears are 1.3% higher year on year, with financial hardship up 19%. But Managing Director Keith McLaughlin told Mike Hosking the figures are seasonal and have been impacted by Christmas and the school new year for the last 15 years. He doubts this is worth reading too much into, and trends show households have things under control. McLaughlin says the situation is better than last year. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.