The Mike Hosking Breakfast

There's a belief many farmers will be feeling disappointed and betrayed after a report to Parliament on the ban of carbon forestry.  The Environment Select Committee’s recommendations show carbon farms across productive farmland, won't be coming to a stop.  Currently under the Emission Trading Scheme there's a ban on whole-farm conversions for land that's not used for beef and sheep farming.  Federated Farmers forestry spokesperson Richard Dawkins told Mike Hosking this still puts beef and sheep at risk of full conversions.  He says there's less export income without a productive meat industry.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 14th of August, then-Covid Minister Chris Hipkins defends his decision not to appear publicly for the Covid-19 Inquiry.   Public Service Minister Judith Collins responds to the latest strike action from both nurses and secondary school teachers.    All Blacks mental skills expert Gilbert Enoka imparts his wisdom and philosophy from his 23-year career with our top side in his new book 'Become Unstoppable'.  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 exporters are remaining upbeat.  The latest Export New Zealand DHL Export Barometer shows about four in five have maintained or increased export volumes over the past year.  Exporters say it's been getting cheaper to do business, but they're getting more worried about trade wars.  NZ International Business Forum Executive Director Felicity Roxburgh told Mike Hosking the impact of tariffs will take some time to flow through.  She says some of the goods impacted are still on the water and wont be paying until the 5th of October, so while there’s currently a lot of positivity, time will tell.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is blasting the secondary teachers union for calling a strike.  Post Primary Teachers' Association members will put down the tools next Wednesday, rejecting a three-percent pay increase over three years. Tens of thousands of healthcare workers are also preparing to walk off the job on two separate days next month. Public Service Minister Judith Collins told Mike Hosking it seems the union spent more time on its marketing, than it did at the bargaining table. She's urging teachers to stop using kids as political footballs and get a union that actually cares about them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister says our NCEA achievement results are ticking up as we climb out of Covid.  Last year Level 1 achievement dropped slightly to its lowest level in a decade, and Māori fell further behind.  There were improvements though in NCEA Levels 2, 3, and University Entrance for the first time in five years.   Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking these students also came through after she became Minister.  She says they've had that hour of reading, writing, and maths which has helped this incline, but she's really worried about Level 1.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins says he's already answered the Covid Inquiry Commissioner's questions, negating any need for him to appear publicly.  Hipkins and former Ministers Dame Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson, and Ayesha Verrall declined open hearings, leading the second part of the inquiry to be called off.  Hipkins says lawyers raised several issues around them appearing, including setting a precedent and possible abuse. He told Mike Hosking he doesn't see the point in repeating the process.   Hipkins says the Commissioners themselves have said former ministers have answered every single question put to them and they are seeking no further information.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins came undone yesterday, twice.  You would hope, given there is literally no pressure on him right now and he basically gets to spend his days bagging the Government, he might want to sharpen up, given next year is a whole different kettle of fish.  Mistake number 1: He attempted to gain points on Palestine by suggesting David Seymour was holding the Government to some sort of ransom and if it wasn’t for the veto they would have declared support for statehood by now.  What Seymour said was Hamas would need to be demilitarised.  Now, apart from the fact that’s not radical, new, or an already widely held view by many who want to recognise Palestine – what is it Hipkins is saying?  He doesn’t mind Hamas or Hamas being a terror group? Would he be happy with the two state solution, with Hamas at the control panel? If he does, no problem, just say so.  Mistake number 2: For reasons best known to himself he got trapped in a discussion about his tax policy. What tax policy, you ask? Exactly.  But he somehow managed to suggest that even though there isn't a tax policy, what there is, is broad agreement around a wealth tax and a capital gains tax.  And then the bullet in the foot – he couldn’t rule in, or out, the possibility that the family home was part of that tax capture.  Tip number 1: Drop the Middle East. No vote is moved in this country on a place that has been a disaster zone for decades and the more you look like you tolerate terrorists the more you put middle New Zealand off you.  Tip number 2: If you are stupid enough to even hint that a family home could be part of a new tax, give up right now because you are toast.  As history shows, a CGT with the family home exempt has been trialled and rejected multiple times by his own party. The irony of ironies being it was Hipkins himself with a captain's call that dropped it last time.  So not only is he clearly not committed or convinced, he seemingly may have been hijacked by some left-leaning radicals inside his own camp to get the family home involved.  So, a party that can tolerate Hamas and tax your family home.  What could possibly go wrong? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cost of New Zealand’s homes are beginning to fall.  The latest QV Quarterly data reveals that average prices have fallen by 0.5% over the three months to July.  Auckland is down by 1.2%, while Queenstown and Invercargill continue to rise by 2.4% and 1.2% respectively.  The average price is now 13.1% cheaper than the artificial Covid peak in 2021.  Brad Olsen, Infometrics’ Principal Economist, told Mike Hosking with about half a year’s worth of sales currently on the market, there’s a lot of supply.  On the flip side, he says there aren’t as many buyers, with employment uncertainty and the hit many people’s KiwiSavers took earlier in the year influencing buying habits.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Much has happened in the political realm since last Wednesday, so Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell are back to cover it on Politics Wednesday.  The military-style boot camps have seen mixed results – is it still a success with a 80% reoffending rate?   And what’s happening with Willow-Jean Prime? Is there any excuse for her ignoring the briefing invitation for the NCEA changes?  Plus, Mike offers up some advice regarding Question Time.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The newly announced America’s Cup rules are shaking up the competition.  The confirmed protocol includes a requirement for a female sailor on board, batteries replacing manual power, the introduction of a cost cap, and a reduced number of sailors on board.  It also outlines a new partnership between all teams, establishing equal authority among those involved.  Team NZ CEO Grant Dalton told Mike Hosking it’s been a pretty torrid six months getting the changes across the line, but anything worth doing is not necessarily easy.  He says people are focusing on the obvious changes, but the seismic shift will be the America’s Cup moving from a boom-bust cycle into a more even cycle.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.