The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The Reserve Bank's continuing to change its approach to preventing risky lending.  It's further easing loan-to-value-ratio restrictions, allowing banks to lend more money to low-deposit borrowers.  It follows the roll-out of debt-to-income restrictions last year, restricting how much banks can lend to people who already have a lot of debt relative to their income.  Squirrel Mortgages Chief Executive David Cunningham told Mike Hosking LVRs had been imperfect on their own.  He says when property prices went up, it allowed banks to lend more, pushing up property prices further, with borrowers' incomes not factored in.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is some angst in some media circles at the moment over funding for Māori TV news.  A couple of programmes are facing some sort of cut, or cancellation, or realignment because of changes in the way money is handed out from the Māori funding agency.  This is not new. Media in this country post-Covid has gone through a fairly major overhaul with many a casualty and a pile of significant change.  The reality for media that is funded by the state is you are beholden to the purveyor of the purse string.  Under the Labour Government, the amount of money handed out to media was ridiculous. The trouble with that sort of largesse is it can never last.  Fill your boots while you can, because as sure as night follows day, reality, or reckoning, will come.  In terms of Māori news programmes, here is the part that eludes me: how is it, as we have seen this past week, that all we ever get when funding gets adjusted is a complaint-athon?  All we hear is people bemoaning their lot and fearing change.  Here is the solution: if these programmes are of value, as they claim they are, what is stopping, and what has ever stopped them, from going to the commercial sector to get advertising or sponsorship support?  Why is the Government i.e. the taxpayer, the only source of income?  If the Māori news programmes are so valuable, then where is the Māori economy?  I have read any number of times that the Māori economy is booming. There are any number of success stories in the Māori economy. It is a growth sector, and it is, by some reports, booming.  Investment has led to expansion, reinvestment and riches - where are they? Why aren't they advertising or sponsoring these Māori products? Can they not see the synergies?  How is it the connection has not been made? Business is always looking for advertising or marketing outlets.  Why are the makers, producers and hosts of these programmes not looking to the commercial sector for an ongoing and stable level of support?  Why is the taxpayer the sole provider of their paychecks?  If you have a product worth its salt and if you are what you claim (relevant, popular and good at what you do) then there is always an answer.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A complicated road could lie ahead for Gaza despite world leaders declaring peace in the Middle East. Donald Trump's signed a ceasefire agreement at a summit in Egypt along with the heads of Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar. It follows a prisoner and hostage swap between Israel and Hamas. The EU has effectively been sidelined, France Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking, and is looking at how they can help the Palestinian Authority get back some credibility and clamp down on corruption. They’re also continuing what they have been doing, she says, which is providing financial support to Palestine and the West Bank. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK can’t seem to get enough of New Zealand wine.  Latest data shows Sauvignon Blanc shipments hit a 10 year high – with 13.2 million bottles sent over summer.  Exports are up 21% year on year, New Zealand now commanding around half of the $2.5 billion UK Sauvignon Blanc market, valued at NZ$1.37 billion.  Invivo Co-founder Tim Lightbourne told Mike Hosking there’s been a shift in the UK away from heavy reds, with Sauv becoming the go to over things like Malbec, Shiraz, and Merlot.  Plus, New Zealand wines are a premium to the category, he says, selling for about 17% more than the average bottle.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country's youngest national snooker champion expects to turn professional in a couple of years.  16-year-old Riley James took out the title at the 2025 NZ National Snooker Championships over the weekend.  He told Mike Hosking that going into the tournament, he thought his changes were high.  “I always knew if I was in the right headspace, I play some of the best snooker in the country.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 14th of October, we are seeing real progress, huge progress, in our kids’ learning with the release of the results of structured literacy.  We've got winners across the board – Sauv Blanc in the UK is hitting record marks and 16-year-old Riley James made history as the youngest ever winner of the NZ Snooker Champs.  Speaking of winners, Kiwi Supercars driver and Bathurst champ Matt Payne basks in the glory and going into the history books.  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.

Matt Payne has become King of the Mountain in a wet weather shemozzle at the Bathurst 1000.  He has joined the high-octane New Zealand pantheon of Jim and Steven Richards, Greg Murphy, Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin.  The 23-year-old and his co-driver Garth Tander climbed from 18th to take the title in minimal visibility, sneaking into the lead for the first time when James Golding and Cooper Murray collided with a couple of laps remaining.  Golding crossed the line first but was handed a five-second penalty for the incident.  Payne told Mike Hosking being in the cockpit was pretty hard work.  “There was a couple of times where, where all I was thinking was just actually trying to stay on the road.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The tourism industry is feeling bullish with business heading back towards being on track post-Covid.   Visitor arrivals reached 92% of pre-pandemic numbers for August – up on July's 87%.   Tourism Holdings Chief Executive Grant Webster told Mike Hosking it's the time of year and the success of tourism campaigns working their magic.  He says growing air capacity and visas being sorted are other momentum points that mean the next 12 months are looking positive.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An expert believes there's still a number of Kiwis returning to New Zealand, despite a falling net migration rate.  It's fallen to 10,600 for the year to August 2025.  Overall, Stats NZ figures show migrant arrivals dropped 16% to more than 138 thousand, while departures increased 13% to just under 128 thousand.  Massey University sociologist Paul Spoonley told Mike Hosking it's still a major net loss, but Kiwis are coming back, even from Australia.  He says there's always been Kiwis leaving and returning on the traditional OE.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The components of a Gaza ceasefire agreement seem to be falling into place.   The heads of the US, Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar have signed off the deal at a summit of world leaders in Egypt.  Hamas has released 20 living Israeli hostages and four of the 28 deceased in exchange for Israel freeing about two thousand Palestinians.   CBS Radio's Steve Linde told Mike Hosking the fact the Trump administration's so firmly behind this deal is significant.   He says for the first time, there's a hopeful feeling in the air, but the Middle East is a very volatile place and anything can spark it off again.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.