The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Pickleball is taking the world by storm.  Originating in the United States, it’s now one of the fastest growing sports globally – the biggest growth being among 18-35 year olds.  The NZ Pickleball Open is taking place this weekend, with 443 players registered for the event.   NZ Pickleball Association Chair Ange Brady told Mike Hosking the growth is super exciting.  Gone are the days where it was perceived to be the sport tennis players went when they could no longer play tennis, she said, with more young people attracted to the fast and athletic sport.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief there's more that needs to be done to smooth immigration processes in New Zealand.  The Government's revealed two new pathways for skilled migrants to secure Kiwi residency.   One is for skilled work experience and another for trades and technicians.  Immigration Minister Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking there's a lot more announcements to come, but they're often held up by IT changes.  She says they're working on a start-up visa while more needs to be done in the RSE space, and there's a whole list of other things.  Stanford’s also standing by her decision to miss the PPTA's annual conference in Christchurch.  The Education Minister had been scheduled to speak to the secondary teachers union yesterday for months but abruptly cancelled due to an 'unavoidable clash.'  She told Hosking it was because the Prime Minister's office gave her a date for yesterday's skilled workers' announcement in Auckland.  She says authorities also advised her it wasn't the best time to give a speech due to the ongoing pay bargaining.  Stanford adds she is frequently meeting with the PPTA, and this is the first conference she's had to miss.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis admits the economy isn't where the Government would like it to be.  The Herald's annual Mood of the Boardroom survey shows business leaders are less optimistic about the economy than they were a year ago.  Only a third of respondents back the Government's current growth agenda.  The Finance Minister told Mike Hosking they're hearing the call for harder, faster action, loud and clear.  She says business leaders broadly think the Government's doing the right things, but she accepts the Government isn't there yet when it comes to economic growth.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are still grey areas in the Government's proposed leave legislation.  The Government's announced a new system to replace the 2003 Holidays Act.  Coffee Club Director Brad Jacobs told Mike Hosking while some parts still need clarity, the proposal appears to solve many issues.  He says as long as he's been in New Zealand, the Act has caused problems, and he's concerned by the long timeline ahead.  Government systems may be slowing down the implementation of the new leave legislation.  Jacobs told Hosking it will likely be three years before the new system —including an hourly accrual— is used.  He says massive payroll providers should be able to build these systems faster, and it may be government systems that are the handbrake.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Salvation Army says more than a quarter of kids are struggling for food.  They talk of food security. According to the 'Sallies' it's bad and it's getting worse.  Are they telling us over a quarter of kids, 27% of kids to be precise, can't get food?  The definition they use is the United Nations one: "people having access to safe and nutritious food towards a healthy life".  That’s the problem with people like the 'Sallies' quoting groups like the UN. What the UN mean in that circumstance is the sort of food security you have in Gaza, i.e. none.  Or they mean food security in flood prone regions, or drought prone regions. That definition is not designed for wealthy, first-world countries, of which we are one.  So I fear the Salvation Army are misinterpreting what the UN means, either deliberately or not, and using it for political purposes, like the idea that we can't get access to foods.  They then make claims around cost, which is of course different to access. Cost can prevent access in the sense you can't afford it. They sight meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables.  In this they are, in part, wrong as well.  But, just quickly, they argue that the food we sell to the world should be prioritised first to locals here. They don’t for a moment suggest who would pay for that, but I am guessing the Government.  So the major income earner for the country should be adjusted until we all get all the meat and butter we want, should it?  Anyway, to their claim on dairy, meat, and vegetables. Yes, we know why dairy prices are high – that’s actually good for the country.  Meat can be expensive but doesn’t have to be that expensive and fruit and vegetables are not up in price. In fact, the latest numbers show it's down and in any given season fruit and veges can be a bargain.  So the upshot of their plea is it is, as always, driven by emotion, not fact, and to be blunt, I don't actually believe in excess of a quarter of all kids in this country don’t get food.  Part of it will be bad parenting and bad choices.  To solve a problem, if there is indeed a problem, you need fact, an understanding of the fact and logical, sensible solutions, not emotive, clickbait alarmism that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

France has formally recognised the state of Palestine, joining the likes of the UK, Canada, and Australia.   President Emanuel Macron has made the announcement at the UN General Assembly, where the US and Israel are absent.    France Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking that they know this won’t change much, but it could eventually be part of a pathway to a two-state solution.  She says it’s more of a way for France to stand up and make the statement that something has to be done.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An update from another of New Zealand’s talented musicians – Harper Finn.  Finn is finally releasing his debut album, ‘Silo Park’ coming out at the end of next month.  The album is a journey through change, isolation, and discovery, set against the dual backdrops of his homes in New Zealand and New York, recorded in the Woodstock region upstate.   He moved to the US in 2022, which was sparked by a desire for a change of scenery, Finn saying he felt like he was plateauing in the years since being named Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2021.  “I needed to have another experience, a sort of substantial experience to write about.”   “Three months there is a year’s worth of activity,” he told Hosking.  “So those three years I’ve spent there, I felt like I’ve been there for close to a decade.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday the 23rd of September, the money tree from the Government continues to provide, this time for school infrastructure.  Genesis Energy has struck a deal to provide more coal for Huntly to keep the lights on.  Kiwi singer Harper Finn is in for a chat and to give us an exclusive sneak peak of his new single 'Satellite' ahead of the release of his debut album.  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.

There’s an expectation coal will become more popular as gas supply diminishes.  Genesis Energy's signed a two-year agreement with BT Mining to supply 240 thousand tonnes of local coal to Huntly Power Station amidst electricity shortages.  It's expected to boost the local economy and reduce reliance on Indonesian exports.  CEO Malcolm Johns told Mike Hosking they've bought all the local coal for Huntly until now – about ten thousand tonnes a year.  He says they now have a supply for ten thousand tonnes a month, economically competitive with Indonesian coal.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unreliable weather forecasts could become a thing of the past.  Earth Sciences NZ has unveiled a new supercomputer called Cascade, which uses AI to predict the weather patterns.  It can now make a five-day forecast as reliable as a two-day one.  Chris Brandolino, Principal Scientist at NIWA, told Mike Hosking this supercomputer is about three times more powerful than its predecessor, with computing speeds of 2.4 petaflops.  He says they’ll be able to expand the area they monitor, and then over the next year or so they’ll be looking to grow longer range predictions from 5-days to 10-days.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.