The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The Government's instructed Auckland Council to allow apartments at least 15 storeys high near key City Rail Link train stations.   Density requirements around the Mt Albert and Baldwin Ave stations require at least 10 storey apartments, and requirements around the Maungawhau, Kingsland, and Morningside rail terminals have been increased from six storeys to 15.  Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop say it will ensure Auckland takes economic advantage of the transformational investment in the city.  AUT Future Environments Professor John Tookey told Mike Hosking that even the proposition of consenting a 15 storey building in the middle of a city isn’t a five minute undertaking.  His suspicion is it will take at least a decade to see any kind of measurable mass urban densification around the stations.  He also told Hosking that the Government’s interference in running Auckland is likely to cause significant political issues.   Tookey says NIMBY-type arguments will likely crop up: why here, who’s going to fund it, and how will it impact everyone else in the area?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Infrastructure Minister agrees we're getting bad value for money and need trans-government systems to improve. The Infrastructure Commission's released a 30-year draft plan revealing its first look at how New Zealand needs to invest in our future.  Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking half of all capital-intensive government agencies don't have asset registers, so don't know what they own or how to maintain it.   He says what all parties need to agree on is focusing on asset maintenance, because we don't look after what we've already built.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A law expert says it's important for the Māori Development Minister to look at contracts - to figure out where Whānau Ora's money is coming from.  Tama Potaka is seeking a review of a recent Whānau Ora ad campaign encouraging Māori to sign up to the Māori electoral roll.  He says it would be inappropriate for public funding to be used for electioneering.  Law expert Graeme Edgeler told Mike Hosking the law isn't complicated about this, so long as the money is coming from the right place.  He says this is Whānau Ora's commissioning agency which is private, and can spend money how they like, as long as it is their money.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's issued a fresh warning to the major supermarket chains.  Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis has written a letter to Woolworths, and Foodstuffs' North Island and South Island arms, outlining her expectations.  She says she's hearing of supermarkets charging more than the advertised price, and having specials and multi-buy deals that don't actually offer savings.  Willis told Mike Hosking that's not good enough.  She says supermarkets have publicly said again and again that they do everything they can to be good providers of service, but this doesn’t look like that.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Shane Jones showing the Minister for Treaty Negotiations Paul Goldsmith how to run his own portfolio?  In response to Jones and his Member's bill on the never ending Ngāpuhi drama, Goldsmith says the process can't go on forever.  Which is the same as saying nothing, because clearly it is, and Goldsmith clearly has no plan.  The Jones bill is clever because my sense of it is there is so much infighting in the north of the country, they will, out of bloody mindedness, never strike a deal.  All the logic we heard yesterday about tribes that have cut deals and invested billions and seen the endless benefits will have missed their mark in Northland, given a lot of Ngāpuhi aren't interested in a deal. They thrive on dissent and division and permanent anger and grievance.  Jim Bolger, who I note in the past few weeks as he celebrated his 90th is still prone to the odd piece of public commentary, might like to have pondered his own role in this many, many years ago when they started to put up a few road markers around timeframes.  The idea was they would set a date to file your claim, remembering even in Bolger's day the Waitangi Tribunal had been going since the 70's, and once you filed, they would impose another deadline to get it all wrapped up.  Good idea, but it went nowhere because Bolger and Co. got sucked into the idea that this was unfair, it was rushed, and it was history. What wasn’t said out loud was this was a gravy train that could go literally forever, and people were going to make a living off it.  As Jones revealed yesterday, we've spent $20 million for Ngāpuhi alone, just for lunch and chats and airfares.  You have to remember 1975 was a goodwill gesture. The tribunal and the settlement of grievances was entered into not because anyone had to, but because it was the right thing to do. It was driven by goodwill.  I would have thought it was fairly obvious in the vast array of deals to be done and apologies to be made, like life, that some would embrace it and run with it and some would be unable to get out of their own way.  What was needed but was missing, and still is (Jones aside), was leadership. We needed boundaries set and an explanation of the rules and expectations.  And because that was missing, so is $20 million on lunch, and still no deal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concern over an increasing number of children bringing weapons to school.  Figures released under the Official Information Act show 526 students were stood down, suspended, or excluded for using or having a weapon at school last year.  It's an 80% rise on 2018.  Secondary Principals' Association President Louise Anaru told Mike Hosking that in a vast majority of cases, children have no intent to use the weapon - but regardless, the matter needs to be treated seriously.  She says it’s important to get the message out that they can cause harm, and to take a real strong stance on it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into some of the biggest stories of the week so far.  The cost of living crisis is still weighing heavily on Kiwis’ wallets despite all of the Government’s efforts – can Mark Mitchell explain why we’re not feeling the recovery?  And Ginny Andersen had quite a few points to make on the topic as well.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 25th of June, a ceasefire between Iran and Israel is on, then off, then on again, as another NATO summit kicks off in the Hague.  As we go into another round of pay negotiations, this time with teachers, Judith Collins outlines exactly who gets paid what.  Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk butter and the cost-of-living crisis, whether we should cut regional councils, and if rates should be capped 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 scientists have developed a new technology to reduce food waste and import dependence.  The waste system takes perishable food before it hits landfill and turns it into shelf-stable powders, concentrates, and extracts for food.  Director of Powered by Plants Dr. Andrew Prest says the concept came from frustration with the current production model.  He told Mike Hosking it's a good opportunity to address the country's environmental waste, as powders can be produced from almost any fruit or vegetable.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Assessment processes will still be rigorous for prescribing ADHD medication.  From February, GPs and nurse practitioners will be able to prescribe treatments from the outset without a specialist recommendation.   Wait times for specialist appointments vary but can be over a year.   Royal College of GPs medical director Dr. Luke Bradford told Mike Hosking it's a good move to help people access diagnoses more quickly and affordably.   He says it will be under a specialist interest type GP who will have to up-skill through training courses to prescribe.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.