The Mike Hosking Breakfast

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 10th of October, the first stage of a peace deal in the Middle East is in progress. Whether it holds is the next question.  We announce the winner of our brilliant trip to Melbourne – you won't want to miss her reaction!  Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson talk about the art bought over the weekend and whether or not they'd pass their driving test these days as they Wrap the Week.  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.

The Public Service Minister believes cuts within the sector aren't the slash and burn they're made out to be.  The Government has reduced its contractor and consultant spending across the public service by more than half its target.  It says spending has fallen $915 million, compared to its goal of $400 million, and frontline roles in the public service have also increased.  Judith Collins told Mike Hosking redundancy costs from job cuts also need to be seen in the context of overall savings.  She says some agencies immediately got rid of some jobs because they realised they were coping without them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's thought there are fundamental issues with the new methamphetamine contamination laws.  Properties with meth residue exceeding 15 micrograms per 100-square centimetres will be considered contaminated and require treatment.   Landlords and tenants will be able to quickly end tenancies with excessive levels.  Residential Property Managers Association Chair Tony Mitchell told Mike Hosking it's great to have clarity, but it's out of step with the rest of the world.    He says we shouldn't be accepting any meth in properties, and we now don't have the ability to enforce a zero-tolerance policy.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ACC lawyer says there's a simple answer to the insurer's deficit problem.   The Scheme's recorded a net deficit of $1.5 billion, blowing the total out to $13.8 billion.  ACC lawyer and researcher Warren Forster told Mike Hosking tackling this issue requires looking at it over a generation.  He says they need to be careful about value for the money they collect and stop changing how they calculate the amount needed.   Forster says ACC did really well with its return on investment this year.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The next phase of the Gaza peace talks could test Benjamin Netanyahu's loyalty.   His Government's voting today on approving the first phase of a ceasefire plan, agreed with Hamas.   It involves Israeli troops retreating to agreed lines, a cessation of fighting, and the release of hostages.   Israeli journalist Haggi Matar told Mike Hosking the Israeli Prime Minister has effectively promised his base he'll continue the war and eradicate Hamas.   He says it's pretty certain that's not what Qatar and the Trump administration are after, so hopefully they will continue to press both sides to agree.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wellington mayor went out, not really in a blaze of glory yesterday, but more a fireball of misery and bitchiness.  Tory Whanau is probably the local body poster child for ineptitude. She's given her bye-bye speech.  She was a shambles. She may still be back, as she is standing in the Māori ward.  She seems like a person who if she wasn’t in local politics, might have trouble finding work.  She admitted, after it was too late, that she really should have done her homework before chasing the big mayoral job.  She won because too many people stood for mayor and split the vote, so by the time you deal with the appalling turnout and split the vote several times over, you need not a lot of support to get a job you weren't even qualified for any way.  But that’s local body politics, isn't it, at least at national level. Whether list or electorate, a group of experienced operators give you the once over.  Locally literally anyone can have a go and that, if you haven't worked it out yet, is a problem.  It wasn’t all her fault of course. A mayor is not a president and is but one vote. But a mayor's job shouldn’t be a "funsies" party trick because you are bored or unemployable.  There were the personal issues. That is another problem in the lack of vetting. Some people are basically just a shambles and she is clearly one of those.  That's not a crime, we all have issues. It's just advisable not to have them on display while you are trying to run things like a city.  The city is pretty much a reflection of her leadership – a mess.  Infrastructurally it's an embarrassment; level one water restriction when we are barely out of autumn, a devastated CBD and angst, fury and backstabbing having been a feature of decision making. That particular trait aired yet again in her farewell speech.  We seem to be in an era where quality in so many parts of life has gone by the wayside.  Tory Whanau is certainly an example of that. She came, she cocked it up, she flailed and flapped about like we were her psychologists as she aired her many and varied problems, then poof! She's off! Until she wasn’t.  They, sadly, rarely are.  But honestly, in a city of Kitts, Fowler, Belich (maybe even Wilde and Prendergast), ol' Tory is hardly one for the record books. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The time has nearly come for Jeffrey Archer to put down the pen.  The prolific author and former member of Lords has sold over 350 million copies of his books, and has just wrapped up the William Warwick series with the release of the eighth book ‘End Game’.  He has one more book left to write, which he’s aiming to finish by Christmas and release in September next year.  But although this will be Archer’s final book, he’s not stepping back from writing altogether, telling Mike Hosking that he still plans on writing short stories and perhaps a screenplay.  “This book is, frankly, bigger than ‘Kane and Abel’ as a story,” he said.  “I’ve got to see if I’ve been able to write it, and frankly, I won’t want to follow it.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 9th of October, the Reserve Bank did what the market, and the Government, wanted and cut the OCR by 50 basis points. Is this the move Nicola Willis needs for growth?  The CEO of the International Rugby Players’ Association Omar Hassanein talks the threat of R360.  Author and former member of Lord's, Jeffrey Archer is back to talk the last book in the William Warwick series and second last novel he will ever write.  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.

A landmark deal has been announced for sports sponsorship in New Zealand.  Crypto company Swyftx has signed a new partnership with the Warriors, the first of a multimillion dollar spend across the sporting landscape.  Crypto sponsorships are surging globally, up 20% over the past year to US$565 million.  Warriors CEO Cameron George told Mike Hosking they were approached by Swyftx, who want to grow their hold in the New Zealand market.  He says both parties believe there is a lot of credibility in their growth and opportunity, and the Warriors are there to help them get there.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could R360 take legal action against the eight unions who will deem any player that signs with the Saudi-backed league as ineligible for international rugby?  New Zealand, England, Ireland, France, Scotland, Australia, South Africa, and Italy have joined forces against the competition, which is set to launch next year.  While NZR has a policy to avoid selecting overseas-based players, other countries regularly pick from outside their domestic competitions.  International Rugby Players' Association boss Omar Hassanein told Mike Hosking this precedent is likely to be explored by R360's lawyers.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.