The Mike Hosking Breakfast

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.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 13th of August, Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour comments on the debate around recognising Palestine as a state.   New rules have been announced for the next America’s Cup – Team NZ boss Grant Dalton gives the lowdown.  Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell discuss the success rate of the boot camps, Willow-Jean Prime, and Mike’s advice for Question Time 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.

From a PVC pipe in a Taranaki shed to international success, Huski Coolers has seen its overseas exports surge.  The company's renowned wine cooler had its largest overseas order, shipping 76 thousand units to the UK as heatwaves rip through Europe.  The NZ firm is on track to double its eight-figure annual revenue this year.  Huski Co-Founder Simon Huesser told Mike Hosking they wanted to create a sleek, useful, and stylish item to help keep drinks cool over summer.  He says you take a cold bottle out of the fridge, put it in a Huski and that's it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament is becoming increasingly divided over the situation with Palestine.   Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick was barred from Parliament yesterday when she suggested MPs not backing her bill to sanction Israel were spineless.  She believes an apology from her isn't needed, and is engaging with Speaker Gerry Brownlee about returning to the House today.  Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour raised the question to Mike Hosking of how can you call for an international rules-based order when you can’t follow the basic rules in your own workplace.  Swarbrick has been a Member of Parliament for more than half her life, he said, so she should be able to debate on the issues – and if she can’t, she should be asking why she’s not persuading people.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More businesses are reporting losses but things may not be quite as bad as the numbers make it seem.  Inland Revenue data shows one in five businesses aren't turning a profit.  But ABC Business Sales Managing Director Chris Small says most of those are businesses structured to make a loss, like trusts and property companies.  He told Mike Hosking the situation he's seeing is far more positive.  Small says 90% of businesses that are coming to see him are making a profit, with others making a paper loss.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An uptick in heat pump use could ease pressure on the energy system and cut costs.  A report by the New Zealand Green Building Council reveals if more households opt for heat pumps, it could save Kiwis more than a billion dollars a year.  It's also revealed this could protect thousands of industry jobs, with three mills closing in the last year due to soaring energy prices.  Green Building Council CEO Andrew Eagles says more heat pumps in the country will reduce these demand pressures for the gas sector.  He told Mike Hosking they’ve got an opportunity to free up gas from a sector that doesn’t need it.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Perhaps the biggest problem with the military-style academy and the ensuing pilot report is not the number of people who re-offended.  Hell, I thought they all would.  But rather it was the fact it was, in the minds of too many, predetermined.  Those who called them boot camps are in the invidious position of bagging the idea but not having a solution, which is an awfully easy position to be in.  Labour and the Greens hate the idea of this sort of thing. It's unkind, it doesn’t involve sitting around talking about your feelings a lot, it's not forgiving and it doesn’t recognise trauma and your past.  That’s why crime got as hopelessly out of control as it did in the past handful of years.  Their policy was to have fewer people in prison, a lot of judges offering massive discounts, and just an overarching view that, short of the super serious stuff, a bit of smash-and-grab, or biffo, was somewhere between teenage high jinks and loutish behaviour that a good telling off might address.  In the meantime, back in the real world, we were completely sick and tired of the Toyota Yaris in the shop windows and layabouts wandering out of Woolworths with legs of lamb and a slab of beer, having not paid.  So, back to military academies. Ten of the worst were given a few months with rigorous oversight, hopefully to be let back out and wrapped up with the support of some expert guidance and, fingers crossed, a life changing experience.  In many respects the Government were on a hiding to nothing when you take ten of the worst. What have they got to lose? The fact two didn’t re-offend, I would have thought is little short of a miracle.  Those that did offend, by the way this wasn't widely reported, offended at a lesser level and do not forget the trial is ongoing. The guidance and wraparound mentorship is still in action.  There is hope.  Criticism around the cost is fair enough. But like most problems, when its been allowed to get progressively worse, whether it’s a car, or a paint job, or a kid on the skids, the bill goes up.  This most likely won't be a miracle. But it might be a dent. It might, for some, actually work.  It might be better than what we have done, which is little to nothing.  But you would need an open mind to come to that conclusion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.