The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Demand's strong for bricks and mortar retail, despite the growth of online shopping.   JLL NZ's new report estimates almost 255-thousand square metres of new retail space is needed over the next five years to keep up with our growing population.  It also finds customers prefer in-store shopping over e-commerce.   Research and Strategic Consultancy head Chris Dibble told Mike Hosking a significant amount of the development is likely to happen in Auckland, as the city has about 13% of the country’s retail supply.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Z Energy's expanding its 'top up shops' in hopes of helping with competition in the grocery sector.  The gas station chain is expanding its grocery offering as part of a diversification push.  It will target customers looking for convenience between their large shops – for snacks or staples.  Grocery Action Group Chair Sue Chetwin told Mike Hosking they'll have nothing fresh or frozen, which is where the competition is.  She says they'll have bits and bobs, but it's not the answer to very high grocery prices.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hints the foreign buyer ban could be lifted, but not yet.  OneRoof reports rumours have been swirling with some agents telling them politicians had told them a decision to reverse the 2018 Labour policy was imminent.  Act leader David Seymour and New Zealand First MP Andy Foster were mentioned, but both deny any confirmed changes.  Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told Mike Hosking it will not be in tomorrow's budget, but it won't be too long before there's an announcement.  When it comes to the man who interrupted a rail announcement, Peters doesn’t care if he loses his job.  He and Chris Bishop faced multiple hecklers at Wellington's train station yesterday while unveiling Government funding of rail.   The end of the media stand-up was derailed by an employee from the environmental and engineering consultancy Tonkin and Taylor.  The man was reportedly wearing a company lanyard at the time.  Peters told Mike Hosking it's now an employment matter.  He says the behaviour is disgraceful, and he won't put up with it inside or outside of Parliament.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief EDs could be diverting patients away with vouchers for urgent care clinic consultations, more than they are.  It's believed Auckland's Waitakere Hospital is sending away around 25 patients a day with vouchers due to long wait lists.  The Health District's total voucher spend jumped 60% between 2022 and last year.  The Royal College of GPs' Medical Director, Luke Bradford told Mike Hosking there's pressure on EDs to meet Health NZ's target of seeing patients within six hours.  He says it's cheaper to hand out a $150 or $200 voucher, considering the average cost for a visit is 800.  Bradford says it’s a reasonable way to help manage the flow of EDs, and vouches are a solution to managing a recession and a lack of resources.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chair of the Privileges Committee wants Labour's Leader to apologise.  Chris Hipkins told TVNZ Judith Collins had publicly condemned “uncivilised behaviour from indigenous people” in relation to Te Pati Māori's actions.  Judith Collins told Mike Hosking she never said that.  She says it’s entirely wrong for him to have said that, and she’s called on him to apologise and apparently he’s going to think about it.   The debate on the proposed punishments for the three Te Pati Māori MPs was moved to June 5 - to leave this week free for the Budget.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The debate around the Privileges Committee and their decision for the Māori Party MPs starts today.  It's set to be a long-winded and largely pointless exercise.  If you can be bothered, get a read on where each of the parties stand.  Why?  Because you will find that some parties don’t agree with the committee and think the so-called punishment is a bit hard.  The Prime Minister was asked about this yesterday at his post-Cabinet press conference. In fact, they were the first questions asked, which was sad and yet again a reminder of how the Press Gallery is not really interested in the news of the day, and perhaps even the good news of the day.  The good news of the day came from the Finance Minister, who was standing next to the Prime Minister at said conference and had been busy up to the question bit outlining some new tax treatment for investment and payments for start-ups and businesses looking for a bit of relief around rules and paperwork.  That got scant coverage, despite the fact these are the very sort of issues, ideas, and polices that will drag this beleaguered economy out of the quagmire it is currently stuck in.  As regards to the Privileges Committee, for the record, the Prime Minister stood firm on the ensuing debate, and whether or not by bargaining away the decision it could expedite what could be days of time wasting.  Why this matters is because standards matter, and standards in this country have become embarrassing. What the Māori Party did was farcical, as well as embarrassing.  Their punishment was not because they were Māori, or because what they did was Māori, it was because they broke the rules, and rules count or should count.  Because when they don’t, people like the Māori Party and to a lesser degree the Labour Party and the Greens, bring us all into disrepute.  Believe it or not, there are large swathes of this country that find what has been happening at our highest level of leadership to be completely and utterly shocking, as well as embarrassing and needless, and we are more than over it.  By asking whether Government can plea bargain it away so we can skip a lengthy, boring debate is systematic of the problem itself.  "Why deal to it, when we can ignore it or water it down?"  If those who think this is all okay want to debate it and remind us what mediocre looks like, that's on them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump says the Vatican's 'very interested' in hosting negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.  The US President's held two separate phone calls today, one with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the other with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  He says Ukraine and Russia will immediately start working towards a ceasefire, and more importantly, an end to war.  Europe Correspondent Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking Pope Leo XIV has had a flurry of diplomatic meetings following his recent inauguration.    She says he may be set to host peace talks, so Trump may be heading to Rome.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwis will be able to experience the drama as ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ returns for a second season.   Nicole Kidman’s Masha Dmitrichenko has invited a new cast of characters to join a transformational wellness retreat in the Austrian Alps, pushing them to the brink over the course of a week.   Annie Murphy and Murray Bartlett are among the cast, playing alongside Henry Golding, Lena Olin, Christine Baranski, Lucas Englander, King Princess, Dolly de Leon, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Mark Strong, Aras Aydin, and of course, Nicole Kidman.  For Murphy, the ensemble nature was a huge draw, telling Mike Hosking she was thrilled by the prospect.  “We were there for six months Munich, with a whole bunch of really talented, really theatre, dorky actors... I was thrilled.”  Bartlett was also excited to be a part of the show, having watched and “devoured” the first season.  Season 2 will be releasing on May 22nd worldwide on Amazon Prime.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 20th of May, millions are being invested into rail and tax changes for foreign investors – where is the Government getting the funds from?   Parliament is voting today on the punishment for the three Te Pati Māori MPs.  White Lotus star Murray Bartlett and Schitt's Creek star Annie Murphy are on to talk their roles in the new season of Nicole Kidman's ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’.  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 continuing squeeze on natural-gas supply, with little hope for a quick solution.  Production fell 20% in the first quarter, compared on the year before, to 22.85 petajoules.   Industry spokespeople say available gas is depleting and exploration of new fields is banned.   Echelon Resources CEO Andrew Jefferies told Mike Hosking we're not going to get more gas without looking for it.  He says gas provides nearly the same amount of energy electricity does, so people can't do without it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.