The Mike Hosking Breakfast

A sigh of relief for businesses at Auckland's Wynyard Quarter.   The footbridge between the Viaduct Harbour and Quarter has reopened to pedestrians this morning.   It had been closed for repairs since March.  The Conservatory owner Tricky Hartley told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's been an extremely tough nine months.  He says business has been down 60% since the bridge closed, making the tough winter period even tougher.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s hopes a major new review of ACC will take a long-term view.  ACC Minister Matt Doocey has ordered a six month review into the agency after it reported a $7.2 billion deficit and a drop in the rehabilitation rates.  Levies for earners and businesses are set to increase 5% each year for the next three years.  Lawyer and researcher Warren Forster told Heather du Plessis-Allan the scheme has been failing for years.  He says the Government needs to look at how ACC can better get people back into work.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Papua New Guinea will have an NRL team from 2028.  Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape have officially confirmed the expansion to media in Sydney.  They'll be the first-non-Australian-based club since the Auckland Warriors were established in 1995.  Although neither leader have divulged details of the discussion, a Pacific diplomatic source confirmed there’s a commitment from PNG to not enter into security or military arrangements with China.  Australian Sports Columnist Peter Fitzsimmons told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it’s a clever way to do it, as the level of enthusiasm people in Papua New Guinea have for NRL is like nothing he’s ever come across.  He says it’s a very interesting decision.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Public Service Commissioner says civil servants aren't banned from working from home, but more oversight is needed.  Sir Brian Roche has released new official guidance confirming working remotely is not an entitlement.  That's prompted legal action from the Public Service Association.  The Commissioner told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's important to have clear rules to stop public servants working from home by default.  He says flexibility is still a hallmark, but it is now by the approval of the employer.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government wants people to be able to invest their KiwiSaver funds more in local businesses.  Most Kiwisaver funds are currently invested overseas markets.  Commerce Minister Andrew Bayly has announced plans to loosen the rules to allow for more investment in private assets, infrastructure projects, and environmental projects.  He told Heather du Plessis-Allan it will unlock capital to support the local economy, and it won't be a free-for-all.  Bayly says the choice of assets would still be determined by the KiwiSaver provider.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Solicitor General says she wants to be clear the Prosecution Guidelines aren't intended to favour Māori.   Una Jagose has updated the wording of the guidelines.  It follows public backlash to previous advice to prosecutors, suggesting they think carefully about particular decisions when a person is Māori.  Jagose told Heather du Plessis Allan the wording was unclear, and she wants no confusion about the intent.  She says when you're dealing with an individual, it should be based on their circumstances and background, not whether they're part of a particular group.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tomorrow will see this year’s ‘Come Together’ tour come to an end.  The group behind the tour has spanned four years, playing 11 different albums and songs from Kiwis’ favourite artists – leaving behind tens of thousands of happy fans.  It’s been a roaring success yet again, with the likes of Jon Toogood, Diane Swann, and Fur Patrol’s Julia Deans taking to the stage to perform.  Deans told Heather du Plessis-Allan the tour has been “pure joy”.  “Hanging out with a good bunch of people and singing – amazing.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think we can all have a guess at why the Government announced the ferry decision two weeks before Christmas.  Because this is embarrassing, isn’t it?  What have they been doing for the last year?  How do you go a year after cancelling the mega ferries and still have nothing to show for it?  No deal. No ferries. No price tag.  Not even any detail on how much it's costing to break the deal on the mega ferries.  All we’ve got is rumours and if those rumours are right, then we are going to spend more than twice what those two mega ferries were going to cost to buy two smaller ferries.  Those mega ferries were $550m. The medium sized ferries will apparently cost $900m, plus a $300m break fee for the mega ferries.  That’s $1.2b.  We’d have been better off keeping the big boys, onselling them and using the money to buy the little ones.  And don’t expect anything anytime soon. It won't be until the second half of next year before we actually know what’s happening.  Time is of the essence because our existing ferries are running on hopes and prayers and masking tape.  We’ve had one floating without power in the Cook Strait, another run aground on a sandy beach and various other mishaps.  Now, I don’t think the mega ferries were the solution.  But I’m starting to feel like this deal, whatever it is, could be even worse. I’m starting to think this might make the mega ferries look like value for money.  And that's not a great outcome from National and Nicola Willis, who’ve told us they’re great at striking deals and managing money.  Because this does not look like that at all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 12th of December, what do industries think of the Government's lacklustre ferry announcement of an announcement?  You don't want to miss Heather's interview with newly minted Minister of Rail Winston Peters as they spar over the ferry costs and timelines.  Julia Deans of Fur Patrol fame talks ahead of her final show with the Come Together tour.  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 Drug Foundation wants urgent action, with meth and cocaine consumption reaching record levels.  Police wastewater testing between June and September reveals levels of both drugs were at the highest volumes recorded since the programme began six years ago.  Chief Executive Sarah Helm says harm reduction, addiction and acute healthcare services all need to be prepared for an increase in need.  She told Heather du Plessis-Allan they’ve been hearing anecdotally that there hasn’t been a growth in the number of people consuming the drugs – meaning there’s potentially a small number of people consuming a lot more of it.   Helm says they’re really concerned we’ll be seeing a very acute harm, with hospitalisations, psychosis, heart health issues, and a growth in addiction.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.