The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Frustration from farmers over Environment Canterbury's decision to declare a nitrate emergency.  It voted —nine to seven— for the declaration after groundwater testing found levels of the chemical increasing in the majority of monitored sites.  Federated Farmers Vice President Colin Hurst told Mike Hosking solving this problem can take a number of years, but farmers have been working on it.  He says ECan's put a wedge between farmers and council after yesterday's decision.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many are predicting a fall in GDP for quarter two.   Stats NZ will release the figures later this morning, just before 11am.  The Reserve Bank expects a 0.3% drop while bank economists are more pessimistic.   Westpac Senior Economist Michael Gordon told Mike Hosking there are worrying trends.   He says the construction sector is still in a downturn, while manufacturing has seen a fall after a decent first quarter.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If it's any help to those chained to Nicola Willis' office, there is a decent piece I read yesterday asking whether Israel was heading towards a South Africa moment.  In an interview this week, Netanyahu seemed to accept some sort of isolation was a price his country was, and is, paying for as a result of the war.  But none of that has been brought about by people chaining themselves to door handles.  Nor would the cause have been advanced in any way, shape, or form by Nicola taking communion with them. Nor indeed by the march that wandered through parts of Auckland over the weekend.  What has led the war to the point it is, is severalfold.  Firstly, Hamas started it. That is an indisputable fact. The raid of two years ago was entirely on them.  What happened next has happened numerous times in one form or another.  Hamas starts it, Israel responds. They have responded the way they have this time, once again, for a couple of reasons.  1) It was a particularly brazen attack.  2) America has a president that doesn’t mind the sort of retaliation that has taken place.  Never before have we seen drawings of a new Middle East, with millions of Gazans living in a Trump-like Floridian Eutopia.  Now, it's fair to suggest events of the last few days i.e. the attack in Qatar, has pushed the Americans to the limit, if not beyond.  But you will note that Rubio is currently in the Middle East and still shaking hands with Netanyahu and still happy to be in the photo.  In the meantime, back here, nuns are chained to door handles, people wave flags and the angst in the media over whether we will recognise Palestine next month in New York is palpable.  But to reiterate, at no point do any of our actions make a jot of difference. Once this particular chapter is over, in whatever form that takes, we will go back to a relatively stable period of co-existence.  Until someone does something stupid all over again, which of course they will.  This story has been told many, many times over. When hate drives the narrative nothing ever really changes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 22-year-old charged with allegedly killing right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has made his first appearance in court.  Tyler Robinson is facing seven charges including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering.  Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University last week.  US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, which is something Trump had called for.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Things have been heating up in the political sphere, so Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into the latest developments.  They discussed the decision to close Auckland’s Harbour Bridge for a protest, before the wind changed the plans, free speech and the right to protest, and the latest in the situation with Te Pati Māori and the tricky spot Labour seems to be in.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 17th of September, data reveals the chance of going to prison is at an all-time high, but only 15% of criminals are going behind bars.  The Black Caps’ new coach is in for a word ahead of the 20th anniversary of T20s and our series against Australia. Keen sports fans will know that the first ever T20 was played between NZ and Australia.  Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen spar over the Te Pati Māori's comments and John Tamihere’s endorsement of them on Politics Wednesday. 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.

New Zealand’s creative sector has much more impact on the economy than commonly believed.  The sector is now the country’s fourth-largest export industry, worth $13 billion a year and supporting 100,000 jobs.   It’s also more productive than agriculture, with each worker generating $346,000 a year compared to $317,000.  Toi Mai Workforce Development Council CEO Claire Robinson told Mike Hosking it’s bigger than wine, fruit, and seafood – all industries we think are part of our economic narrative.  But despite this, she says, the creative sector doesn’t have a voice or a seat around the cabinet table.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A chance for the Black Caps to build depth and experience in the Chappell-Hadlee T20 series against Australia at home.  The 14-man squad's been depowered by injury.  Regular skipper Mitchell Santner, Will O'Rourke, Finn Allen, Glenn Phillips, Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne are sidelined, while Kane Williamson's unavailable.  Coach Rob Walter told Mike Hosking it’s all part of the build-up to the T20 World Cup next year and in the same breath, series against Australia are always ultra-competitive.  He says they’re taking it one series, one game at a time, but still keeping an eye on what’s happening in the future.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food prices are continuing to rise, with a 5% increase in the year to August.  Dairy continues to be the main driver, with the price of milk rising 16%, cheese 26%, and butter 32%.   Meat, poultry, and fish followed behind, up 8.1% annually.  Fonterra Co-operative Council Chair John Stevenson told Mike Hosking what they see is a pretty clear correlation between current prices and global markets.  He says it’s a good time to be a farmer now but it may not always be the case, and you only have to go back to the 23/24 season in which the headline milk price was below the cost of production to see that.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government wants to see more careers in the aviation sector take off.   It's launched the first ever aviation strategy which is designed to future proof the sector, and promote tourism and economic growth.   Associate Transport Minister James Meager says he wants to make it quicker and easier for people to train while keeping standards high.   He told Mike Hosking there are some barriers which need to be looked at.   Meager says it costs about $100 thousand to train and it's slower than other countries.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.