These are the kids aged 14-29. We complain a lot about them, about how soft they are, how they lack resilience, and what a bunch of complainers they are. 

The latest to join in this week was Michelle Obama, who said they aren’t developing the resilience they need because of a culture of instant gratification. And then told them they need bad bosses and boring jobs if they want to be successful. 

Now, Michelle Obama is right. We’ve all had to pass through the boring jobs. For me it was the drive through at McDonalds in Bombay. 

We’ve all had to be paid poorly – $32,000 a year is what I started on. 

We’ve all had to have the awful boss, or bosses. 

Gen Z is only experiencing what we all did, and like we also did, they have unrealistic expectations about how awesome and fantastic life is going to be as soon as they get their first paycheck. 

And sure, some of them do have a lack of resilience. That’s what happens when your parents are Gen Xers and millennials who helicopter parented you and gentle parented you and you never learned how to feel properly sad or uncomfortable. 

But they are also, I think, better at setting boundaries than any of us before. 

And some of that is what we’re seeing and calling "complaining" and "a lack of resilience". 

We put up with demands to do extra work, unpaid. They know that’s a rort. 

We went to parties and get-togethers we didn’t want to just because we thought we had to. They say no. 

We allowed our bosses to give us zero pay rises while inflation shot up. They know that’s basically a pay cut. 

I think it’s two sides of the same coin. 

And again, we probably have gentle parenting to thank for teaching them to use their words and set boundaries in a way that most of us never learned. 

So next time we hear criticism of Gen Z, and trust me they’re annoying so it will happen, it might pay to ask; is this a lack of resilience, a lack of toughness, or is it just that they know how to say no? 

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They discussed last night's Radio and Podcast Awards (and the afterparty), Gen Z, and whether Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee is "too grouchy". 

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Christchurch is a sellout, with tickets going in twenty minutes for the Crusaders v Blues clash at One NZ Stadium at Te Kaha.  

Four Kiwi sides make up the top six —the Hurricanes, the Blues, Crusaders, and Chiefs— with officials deciding to stick with the controversial “lucky loser” format.  

Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley told Heather du Plessis-Allan that while some might see the outcome of the finals as predictable, he doesn’t think that’s the case. 

He says last year saw the 6th placed Blues knock off the 1st placed Chiefs in the qualifying final, and they went within a whisker of beating the Crusaders in the semi-final, so he’s not sure it’s quite as done and dusted as some people might be commenting. 

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Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley joined for a chat ahead of playoffs kicking off tonight. 

And Tim Wilson and Kerre Woodham discuss the NZ Radio and Podcast Awards, kids ruining couches in cafes, and whether you’d live in a house with your parents as they Wrap the Week. 

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Housing Survey data shows about one in 10 people want, or plan to, live with multiple generations in their next home. 

Sotheby’s International Realty says wealthy buyers, like Active Investor Plus visa holders, often look for properties to accommodate this. 

Managing Director Mark Harris told Heather du Plessis-Allan the areas they’re seeing this in currently are places Queenstown, Wanaka, and the Bay of Islands, and while some are buying holiday homes, there is a longer term element as well.  

He says there’s definitely a view towards intergenerational wealth protection, with people pooling resources and looking at New Zealand from a long-term point of view. 

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Fletcher Living is launching a solar-home pilot at its Greenstead development in Lincoln. 

Octopus Energy will manage the household's energy use, offsetting the cost of any electricity, with no bills promised for the first five years. 

Chief Executive Steve Evans told Heather du Plessis-Allan solar actually has a lifespan of about 25 years.  

He says some customers don't want to be tied to a provider for longer than five years, and they believe this pilot will expand. 

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Infometrics says building activity fell 3.5% in the March quarter.  

The value of non-residential work in the South Island rose more than 8% as Wellington and Auckland recorded significant drops.  

Combined Building Supplies Co-Op CEO Carl Taylor told Heather du Plessis-Allan consents can tell them what may happen in the future – but only if people spend money. 

He says it's tough out there, particularly in Auckland, but Canterbury seems insulated from issues. 

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Hezbollah is rejecting terms, calling them "futile" and "humiliating". 

The armed militant group says the proposal is tantamount to surrender as Israeli strikes continue in southern Lebanon. 

The comments come after Israel and Lebanon announced a renewal of their fragile deal. 

Former US Army Major General Randy Manner told Heather du Plessis-Allan ceasefires haven't been holding, but even an attempt needs Hezbollah's backing. 

He says any two-way agreement that doesn't include the powerful third party isn't worth the paper it's printed on. 

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Ministry of Education data shows of a workforce of about 78 thousand, almost 10 thousand come from abroad. 

That means 12.5% of the workforce is trained overseas, rising to 13.3% among full-time teachers. 

Education Minister Erica Standard told Heather du Plessis-Allan schools often recruit international teachers themselves.  

She says they've been using overseas teachers for many years, often as a stopgap until domestic numbers increase. 

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But I reckon this year is different. If Opportunity plays this right, they might just do it. 

Yesterday’s Roy Morgan poll had them at 6%. 

Now, I don’t know how much stock I put in that poll because it was very volatile. National went up 5% and Labour went down 7.5%. 

Swings that big have got to be questioned because they don’t seem credible. 

But this is now a trend for Opportunity. They are now close to, or over, 5% in multiple polls and knocking off 5% is the one thing they must do. 

It's the biggest hurdle for a new party. Voters don’t want to vote for a party if they think it’s not going to make it in. It’s a weird part of our voter psyche that makes no sense. 

But never mind – it might not matter for Opportunity if they can keep polling this high. 

I reckon they are benefiting from the same thing NZ First is at the moment: frustration. 

Like with Pauline Hanson, Nigel Farage, and Donald Trump, voters are so frustrated by regular politicians ignoring them and their concerns for decades. 

That's why they want to blow things up, break up the supermarket duopoly, break up the gentailers, buy back the BNZ, and stop the immigration. 

For voters on the right, NZ First is their "blow it up" party. 

For voters on the left, it’s Opportunity. 

They’re the party for voters frustrated by Labour never being brave enough to do anything bold and for voters frustrated by the Greens being too weird. 

Opportunity is a radical left-wing party with a land tax and a universal basic income, fronted by a nice lady from Auckland. 

If they can play this right, if that polling holds up, 2026 might just, to coin a phrase on this show, be their year. 

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Though he came into many people’s lives during lockdown, when his videos started going viral, he’s been a part of the Kiwi comedy scene for a lot longer, winning multiple awards at the NZ International Comedy Festival.  

He’s appeared on TV shows, podcasts, and performed a lot of comedy – selling out shows in New Zealand, Australia, London, and Edinburgh. 

And after taking his latest show ‘Take a Good Hard Look at Me’ to three of the four aforementioned locations, Parker’s finally bringing it back to New Zealand in September.  

The show is set on the 10th of February, 2026 – a deeply ordinary and uneventful day in the grand scheme of things. 

“I was trying to, I guess like, hit this feeling,” Parker explained to Heather du Plessis-Allan. 

“Where it does feel like, on one scale everything is really like... feels life-threatening and like, end of the movie sort of stakes, and then on the other end of the spectrum it’s like our day to day lives... when you’re 35, it can be quite boring.” 

“It’s quite dizzying.” 

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The July tests against France, Italy, and Ireland will be shown delayed on both the linear TV3 and on-demand Three Now.  

It’s the first major play since Sky bought the channel last year, and is aimed at converting casual viewers into paying subscribers. 

Sky TV’s Head of Sport Content Gary Burchett told Heather du Plessis-Allan that sports rights aren’t cheap, and the production itself can be “eye-wateringly” expensive.  

So, he says, they put value on their customers because their money is what allows them to actually acquire the rights and put on world-class rugby. 

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Sky TV are delivering All Blacks games this year for free on delay, but in the days of streaming and social media, are we still into sport on delay? 

And comedian Chris Parker explains why he’s worried about the world and discusses his upcoming tour of the country. 

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Waikato Regional Council's voted to lift the $24.06 one-way fare for the trip between Hamilton and Auckland to $32.50. 

Patronage in recent months rose 52% on last year, with fewer track disruptions and more reliability. 

But Waikato Regional Council Chair Warren Maher told Heather du Plessis-Allan that’s not why they’re putting the price up. 

He says the government is currently supporting it by 60%, but if it becomes a permanent service that will drop to 51% and as a user-pays service, it needs to reflect the cost users are actually paying for it. 

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The latest auction prices are sitting around $6.80 a kilo – the best returns in 15 years. 

Strong demand and low global supply are driving the recovery.  

Federated Farmers Meat and Wool Chair Richard Dawkins told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the rising cost of synthetics means they’re no longer the cheap and reliable option. 

He says the pressures caused by the war in the Middle East won’t last forever, but once people make a conscious decision to switch to wool and renewable fibres, they don’t generally go back.  

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Sport and Police Minister Mark Mitchell has confirmed an $8 million cash injection for established initiatives supporting troubled young people.  

Blue Light Ventures Chief Executive Brendon Crompton told Heather du Plessis Allan every dollar put into their programmes returns more than seven to the community and taxpayer. 

He's thanking the Minister and NZ Sport for recognising that a kid in sport stays out of court. 

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ACT's Laura McClure has been banned from China for a year, along with NZ First’s David Wilson, Labour’s Duncan Webb, and National’s Maureen Pugh.  

The four visited the self-governing island territory last month. 

McClure told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's an intimidation tactic – likely to put people off visiting Taiwan, but she hopes that won't happen. 

She says Taiwan has long-been an important economic and cultural partner, like China itself. 

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The Trump administration announced a new 12.5% tariff on dozens of countries, including New Zealand, Australia, and many of our major trading partners. 

It's accusing us of not doing enough to prevent the importation of goods produced by forced labour. 

Todd McClay told Heather du Plessis-Allan he and his international counterparts are all of the same view. 

He says irrespective of what anyone has done, the US is putting the tariff regime back in place and looking for a new legal basis. 

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Some time ago he told me he was going to do something to stop councils like the Far North District Council. 

They put ten iwi representatives, not elected by ratepayers, on a committee with six councillors who were elected, with full voting rights, thereby outnumbering the elected folk. 

I sent him a text two weeks ago asking him when I should check back in with him to see what he was going to do. 

He responded. Asked me to give him two weeks. 

Two weeks ran out yesterday. 

Yesterday is when he announced that he would be changing the law to take those voting rights away from unelected representatives on councils. 

This has become something of a race relations issue because the greatest number of unelected members that get attention are Māori, iwi reps, and mana whenua reps. 

But it’s actually more than that. 

It also involves youth representatives, under 18's who haven’t even learned to live in their own houses and pay their own power bills, who are given permission by councils to vote on council issues without being elected. 

And yes, it is about race relations and trying to stop the spread of this strangely fashionable idea that one ethnicity gets special treatment. 

But it is also about a fundamental of democracy – you choose who governs you. 

Ratepayers are being bled for money at rates none of us would’ve thought were possible ten years ago. 

For our entire lives that has come with the right to then also vote for the people who we best trust to spend that money, even if that is a low bar. 

Somehow in the last few years that has started to change, and councils have told us how much to pay and then also who will govern. 

That needed to stop. 

Yesterday’s decision is welcome. But I’d like it to go further. 

I’d like all unelected representatives now removed from councils because, in many cases, they are a cost. 

They are paid, sometimes, the same as elected representatives and they are unnecessary in an age where advice and input is easier to find than ever. 

But given the likely kickback this will get from the handwringers, good on Simon Watts for making the right call. 

And on deadline too. 

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New tourism stats show we are becoming a luxury travel haven. 

Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen talk the Budget, the ban on non-elected council representatives voting, and New Zealand's nuclear stance on Politics Wednesday. 

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Gingernut’s Angels, founded by Jaimee Lupton, was created with the goal of removing the financial barrier to starting a family.

It has raised more than $3.5 million and funded 197 grants to help families access IVF and fertility treatments since it was founded in 2024.  

Lupton told Heather du Plessis-Allan that a single round of IVF can cost from $30 thousand to $50 thousand, which is just out of reach for so many families. 

She says it look them five rounds and $250 thousand just to get their daughter. 

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A Bill amendment will strip voting rights from unelected members —including iwi and youth representatives— on council committees. 

It comes after the Far North District Council moved to expand its Māori liaison committee. 

Labour's Ginny Andersen told Heather du Plessis-Allan the issue is not a priority for New Zealanders. 

She says people are far more worried about paying their bills and being able to cope everyday. 

National’s Mark Mitchell disagrees, saying that stance shows how out of touch Labour really is. 

He told du Plessis-Allan that most Kiwis are pretty proud of our democracy, and he doesn’t think they want unelected people going onto committees and making decisions. 

Mitchell says it’s always prudent to have unelected people with special skillsets and backgrounds advising, but not voting, and he thinks most Kiwis would agree.  

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Market data from Grand View Research estimates our luxury travel market brought in more than $8 million last year and could double by 2033. 

Luxury Travel specialist Southern Crossings says overseas couples on their honeymoon for instance, consistently spend about the equivalent of a Central Auckland house deposit. 

Tourism New Zealand CEO René de Monchy told Heather du Plessis-Allan says we have amazing luxury offerings. 

He says coming out of Covid, people are really valuing experiences and that translates into their behaviour. 

“So people are saying after a few years locked up, that’s not a natural way to be. Travel is important, experiences are important, and they’re willing to spend the money to do it.” 

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The Insurance Council is proposing replacing the insurance-linked Fire and Emergency levy with a new Community Protection Levy. 

It would see firefighters Crown-funded and allow up to $700 million a year to be redirected into climate resilience and risk reduction projects. 

Chief Executive Kris Faafoi told Heather du Plessis-Allan there are councils around the country worried about the risks their communities face and have plenty of projects lined up, but no real pathway to funding.  

He says this is their submission to central government to make sure they can get on top of the problem to reduce risk and make insurance accessible in the long run. 

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Newstalk ZB can reveal there have been 11 expressions of interest since January.  

Resources Minister Shane Jones expects the bulk of approved projects to be based in Taranaki. 

Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's a vote of confidence in the sector, and particularly the region. 

He says it counters the myth there's no natural gas and shows there are still people looking seriously at opportunities. 

Carnegie says we simply can't wait until the gas shortage becomes even more severe for homes and businesses before starting to rebuild our supply. 

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Heartland has struck a deal to buy TSB for $620 million and form a new entity by the end of the year, pending consultation and regulatory approval. 

Banking Reform Coalition Convener Kent Duston told Heather du Plessis-Allan the banks' regional focus is a point of difference.  

He says compared to the big Aussie banks, both have a great reputation for good customer service and doing things well. 

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A Bill amendment will strip voting rights from unelected members —including iwi and youth representatives— on council committees. 

Simon Watts told Heather du Plessis-Allan he's open to further changes down the track, but acknowledges some unelected members still bring value to local decision-making. 

He says there are emergency management committees that have specific expertise, for example. 

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This is not a controversial thing at all to say. The Australians have been privately complaining about us sponging off them for decades – they've urged us to lift our spend to 2% of GDP for decades.  

We have kept our spending at only 1%, or thereabouts, for decades.  

Wayne Mapp, the former Defence Minister, probably said the quiet bit out loud when he said yesterday that we don't need to lift our spending any higher than it is because we have so much water between us and everyone else that it makes us basically the safest nation on Earth. Which is A, probably what most of us think anyway about why we don't need to spend more, and B, an unbelievably short-sighted thing to say.  

We know the world is heating up out there, right? From Ukraine to Iran to Taiwan. We know Xi wants to take Taiwan. Some reckon it's going to happen in months, not years, worst case scenario. We also know that we don't know what that sets off in our part of the world.  

Now Mapp is right in what he's implying. An invasion of New Zealand is not really a concern, but shipping routes are, aren't they? Just look at what's going on with the Strait of Hormuz – imagine that's us trying to get our food out and our fuel in.  

We would not be able to keep a shipping route open by ourselves. We would need Australia or the States, and they are not going to help us if we're not prepared to help as well. Our gear is getting old, our frigates need replacing, they're old tech anyway. A billion dollar frigate can be sunk by a $300 drone nowadays, so we're going to need drones and we're going to need lots of them.  

We can't look around the world in 2026, as our only ally, Australia, spends more on defence, and as NATO lifts its spending, and see China making inroads into the Pacific and think we don't need to up our dollars as well. Of course we do.  

Say what you like about the shortcomings and the errors of the Trump administration, and there are plenty, but there is one thing they have been right about and have actually managed to start fixing, and that is that Western countries need to spend more on defence, and that includes us. 

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More than 1,500 pages of messages, emails, and other correspondence was released, and among them was criticism of Sir Keir Starmer by both Mandelson and other ministers. 

In May 2025, Mandelson told Minister Pat McFadden that Starmer “lacks verve”, and the same month, cabinet minister Pat McFadden criticised government policy on public spending and welfare, saying “every meeting I have is 'who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others." 

UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the files are uniquely embarrassing to the Labour Party.  

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On today's agenda: 

The Warriors fell short against the Panthers, the game ending with a tight 20-18 score in favour of the Australian team.

Is it a good idea to rest your star players? The decision saw the Hurricanes lose to the Crusaders, but the Chiefs still claimed victory over the Blues.

NZ Rugby is denying claims they're blocking Fehi Fineanganofo's move to the UK to instead have him join Dave Rennie's All Blacks squad.

And Tim Payne has overtaken the All Blacks in terms of Instagram followers after an endorsement from an Argentine influencer saw his fame skyrocket.

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The Prime Minister joins on a Tuesday to respond to Pete Hegseth's "freeloading" comments and discusses what they're going to do with superannuation in this year's election. 

Jason Pine and Andrew Saville take us through the long weekend of sport, including the game of the NRL season so far between the Warriors and Panthers. 

Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

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A recent Australian newspaper declared the country's recent capital gains tax changes had lifted our appeal to local property investors due to our lack of capital gains, stamp duty, or land tax.  

Westpac Group's Luci Ellis told Heather du Plessis-Allan there won't be as many concessions for new purchases of existing homes for rent, but negative gearing is still an option on new builds.  

She says while some Aussies might find a New Zealand property attractive, if what they're motivated by is the tax concessions, they can still buy a new build in Australia.  

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A survey by money transfer company Wise has found almost half of respondents say they spend in the moment and worry later, and a similar number say money doesn’t feel ‘real’ overseas. 

More than four in ten say they go over-budget. 

Wise's travel spending expert Anhar Khanbhai told Heather du Plessis-Allan that over-spending becomes really easy as a result of the complexities of managing money overseas and the use of bank-issued cards. 

She says those cards are really expensive, having both a foreign transaction fee and using inflated exchanged rates.

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Several media companies, industry groups and other organisations have signed an Amnesty open letter, calling for a stronger crack down on digital platforms like TikTok and Facebook. 

They're calling for an independent regulator to manage risks like fraud, extremist content, and misinformation. 

Amnesty International NZ Movement Building & Advocacy Director Lisa Woods told Heather du Plessis-Allan we already hold other big companies to account. 

She says they want big tech platforms to face requirements such as a duty of care, to identify and reduce risks, and explain how their systems work. 

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Speaking with Heather du Plessis-Allan on Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking Breakfast, Christoper Luxon has backed New Zealand’s defence spending.

Luxon denied New Zealand is “freeloading” off America after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth fired comments at New Zealand over the weekend.

“We choose our defence spending and no one else,” Luxon said.

“I’m damn proud we’re doubling [the budget] it’s been run down over 30 years and it’s a big job building it back.”

He said spending 2.5% of the country’s GDP on defence was “a start and a good place for us to get to” in wake of recent conflict.

Luxon confirmed New Zealand is going to maintain its nuclear-free position.

“It’s [nuclear-free] one of the best things we’ve done.

“I’m very proud and it isn’t changing while I’m prime minister. Period.”

Over the long weekend, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth told the Shangri-La Dialogue defence and security conference that New Zealand was “freeloading” off the US military.

The claim came in response to a question from Kiwi journalist Anna Fifield, after Hegseth said allies that “refuse to stand up and carry their weight for our collective defence will face a clear shift in how we do business”.

At the Singapore conference, Hegseth said he expected allied governments to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence. Last week’s Budget outlined how New Zealand will boost defence spending to just over 2% of GDP over eight years.

Fifield asked Hegseth if that meant New Zealand was considered a “free rider”.

Hegseth said 2% of GDP was not enough, so “2% is freeloading” – though he also said New Zealand and the US’ relationship had been “a very fruitful one for a very long time”.

Allies couldn’t just say: “‘Oh, we’ve been friends for a long time, so let’s work together’,” Hegseth said.

“It’s: ‘We’ve been friends for a long time so you better have the same visibility as we do, because if we don’t, our alliance is meaningless’.”

Hegseth also said he didn’t have anything against New Zealand and was looking forward to working with New Zealand’s Defence Minister and ”enhancing capabilities". Defence Minister Chris Penk was in the audience.

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Ministry of Education data shows the number of restraint incidents has risen from about 2,600 a year to about 3,000 a year since 2018. 

Pat Newman —spokesperson for Northland's Te Tai Tokerau Principals' Association— says schools are dealing with increasingly complex needs. 

He told Heather du Plessis-Allan they're seeing more children affected by trauma and abuse than ever before. 

Newman says the number that classrooms are dealing with is unknown, but it's huge. 

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The Budget: 6/10 

The days of drama are gone. It reflected the state of the place; one with prospects but difficult days ahead and discipline required. 

Horse-faced duck: 1/10 

You literally can't make this stuff up. A behind the scenes reality of what will be asking for your vote in a few short months. 

Stuff: 2/10 

Their coverage of our acknowledgement to the MP Joseph Mooney over outing him in the Luxon drama was wrong. They said we apologised. We did not apologise, Stuff literally made that up. It's sloppy, unnecessary and lazy. 

The moon base: 6/10 

Because it sounds cool, but the timeline of 2032 is six years away. You can't build a kilometre of tarmac in six years, far less house yourself on the moon. 

The Ferrari Luce: 1/10 

It's inexplicable. 

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You can't ask for more than that. 

That’s not an election year lolly, but I'm increasingly of the belief that a growing number of New Zealanders have got the message. 

A growing number of us have been shaken into the cold, hard reality that $9 billion a year in debt servicing is absurd and it can't continue. 

We need to cut our cloth and that, in many respects, was what yesterday was about. 

It's probably brave in election year to run things this tight. But it's also the adult thing to do. 

So the message, politically, is stark. If you want free stuff the current Government aren't really for you. If you want grown-ups paying for life as they earn it then this may be the lot that gets your vote. 

I do worry about health. Yes, health was a big, multibillion dollar winner and the hardware, the facilities and the equipment need a spruce up and, yes, bits and parts are squeezed. 

But the health bill for five million people seems amazing to me and not in a good way. There has to be savings to be had there.   

$17,000 for every house is not right. I didn’t use my $17,000 last year, so someone did. 

The roads improvements in the tricky bits of the country I like. Build them properly and deal to the future – don’t patch it up. 

We already know about education. A revolution is on and we will all be better for it. 

You know I'm a trades fan. There were big wins for good, old fashioned, but increasingly important, jobs. Not every kid wants a BA and even if they did get one, it doesn’t mean a job is waiting. The world will always want a sparky or a mechanic. 

There were the basics, the rational and the logic. There was a good message about three parties doing collegial work. There were wins for each of them, all mixed up with the overarching message that the madness, fiscally, has stopped and the reality has arrived. 

But, big picture, get it right. This is a place that has its best days ahead of it. 

I liked it. It's an easy 7/10. 

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US sources report negotiators from both sides have reached a deal to extend the ceasefire for 60 days, begin nuclear talks, and open the Strait of Hormuz.  

It's understood neither of the nation's leaders have approved the agreement.  

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that according to both Trump and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the President’s not going to take a bad deal.  

Bessent says there are several red lines, including Iran turning over its highly enriched uranium, and allowing free transit through the Strait. 

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They discussed Dame Lynda Topp’s criticism of the Budget at last night’s Aotearoa Music Awards, Mike and Kate’s upcoming holiday, and Oura Rings.  

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Sydney is hosting the top of the table clash between the number two Warriors and the number one Penrith Panthers. 

The Panthers have won ten of the last eleven clashes against the Kiwi side, but they’re also backing up after State of Origin.  

Former Kiwis Captain Richie Barnett told Mike Hosking the Warriors need to get out there and show them what they’ve done this season. 

He says they’ve proven over the last five or six games that they’re a premier side in the competition, so they need to start performing like it and seal the deal.  

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Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Winston Peters both relay their wins from Budget Day. 

And Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson discuss Mike's holiday, the Music Awards, and Oura Rings. 

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Fonterra's midpoint payout forecast for the current season is $9.70.  

It's slightly up for next season, at $9.75, but it's signalling that could be as low as $8 or as high as $11.  

Dairy NZ Chief Executive Campbell Parker told Mike Hosking the gap is mirroring the current volatility, with the top end of last year about $10. 

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The Budget doubles Trades Academy places from 10,000 to 20,000 over four years, giving more secondary students access to training while at school. 

Employers and Manufacturers' Association Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald told Mike Hosking it’s a full-circle moment – recognising how vital trades are in a tech-driven economy. 

He says AI can't build houses, and so many young people are coming into the workforce not ready. 

McDonald says the new Industry Skills Boards will help direct training to where demand is, as part of their role is to work with businesses and polytechs to ensure current and future gaps are filled. 

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It shows a return to surplus in the 2028/29 financial year, a year sooner than previously forecast. The forecast uses the OBEGALx measure, which excludes ACC.    

Infometrics Economist Brad Olsen says it might be a tad optimistic, given the state of the world, but we could maybe use some optimism. 

The Budget includes significant investment in education and training, which Olsen says should boost productivity. 

He told Mike Hosking it's an unusual Budget for an election year. 

Olsen says most households won't see anything directly, as the money's going on structural things that should make the economy stronger in the long run. 

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It includes significant investment in infrastructure and health. 

It also shows a return to surplus in the 2028/29 financial year – a year sooner than previously forecast. The forecast uses the OBEGALx measure, which excludes ACC.  

Willis told Mike Hosking her message is simple. 

She says the Opposition would borrow and spend more, which would put the country's future at risk. 

The Finance Minister is also defending the new 1% levy on banks, insurers, and other financial market participants, which would be used to regulate the sector. 

Willis yesterday directed banks not to pass on the cost of the levy to their customers, saying they’re the most profitable companies in the country and do very well for themselves. 

Asked by Hosking why she didn’t increase tax on high-earning individuals like himself using the same logic, Willis said she didn’t want him “flying off overseas”. 

She says that the idea that taxing high-earners more and they’ll be more inclined to invest in New Zealand doesn’t make sense, but when it comes to banks, it’s a tiny, tiny levy relative to their bottom line.  

The move brings New Zealand into line with other countries like Australia and the UK, Willis says. 

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He told Mike Hosking they have not asked for more than they should get. 

Peters says it’s based on the fact that it’s a business or industry that’s been turned around rapidly where it’s going to make a greater profit. 

The Rail Minister says getting that funding was a “great thrill” but it was common sense to fund rail, which was 2.5 times more fuel efficient than road transport. 

And on the subject of the Middle East, Peters says the Iranian regime 'somewhat' knows what it's doing.  

US sources report US and Iranian negotiators have agreed to a deal which would extend their ceasefire for 60 days, begin nuclear talks, and open the Strait of Hormuz. 

It's understood the new agreement hasn't yet been approved by the leadership of either country. 

The Foreign Minister spoke with the Iranian Foreign Minister on Wednesday. 

Peters told Hosking Abbas Araghchi laid out details in the memorandum of understanding.  

He says all the details were included except denuclearisation.  

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Could it be we are finally getting the message on rural or provincial New Zealand? 

Job data increasingly shows we're looking to the regions for work. 

More people (68%) are prepared to move, supposedly. Always be careful of surveys because what people say versus what they do doesn’t always equate. 

But at least some of the 68% must actually pull the trigger. 

There has been a 12% month-on-month search increase in job ads. 

The likes of New Plymouth is up 40%, Invercargill is up 37%, and Palmerston North is 23%. 

I have said for years, if you can do what you do anywhere, why would you do it in a place you can't afford to live in? 

A lack of money makes life miserable. It limits choices, makes us stressed, and closes financial doors. 

Too many people are stuck in places like Auckland. Auckland is disproportionately large and the salaries that this country pays, on average, do not support a decent life in a place like Auckland, or Queenstown, or possibly even a large slice of the Bay of Plenty. 

But there are a lot of jobs where the wage is the same no matter what the location. 

In fact, one of the most glaring pieces of intel is your average wage and it's broadly the same in most places in the country. It's a little higher in Wellington because of the public service, but overall, between $70,000-80,000 is where we sit on average. 

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that if, as a couple, you earn two lots of $70,000-ish a year, $140,000-ish together, it goes a hell of a lot of further in Nelson than it does in Auckland or Queenstown. 

The house on the West Coast is nothing like the north of the country. This land is festooned with amazing provincial cities that have a lot of the big city access and choices. 

Even Christchurch, which is booming, is still comparatively affordable and by the time you get to small town New Zealand you are rolling in it in your $500,000 house, no commute, later get-up, less stress, and all the while doing the same job. 

So I hope the stats are real and the move is on. There is a lot of New Zealand that has never been fully utilised or appreciated. 

If your lot is too hard, move. You won't know yourself. 

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She’s a highly acclaimed musician, both here and around the world, with multiple awards, millions of streams, and sold-out performances under her belt. 

And soon Martin will be releasing her fourth album, Marlene, coming out mid-July.  

“I think this is probably my best work yet,” she told Mike Hosking. 

“I was listening to some of my old songs last night, and I’m like, there’s a massive change and a massive shift – so yeah, I am very proud of it.” 

The shift is not only sonic, but stems from a change in Martin’s own mindset when it comes to the creation of her art.  

“I think I’m being a little bit more true to my own sound,” she explained. 

“I’m less shaped by producers or external factors – I'm kind of just doing what I really want to do.”  

In the past, Martin admits to chasing approval when it comes to her sound. 

“I was so, you know, desperate for, I don’t know, some kind of success.” 

But as she’s grown both as a person and an artist, she’s stopped caring quite so much about if others think she’s going down the right path. 

“I just want to put out my music, and I just want it to be what it is,” she told Hosking. 

“I don’t want to just shape and form towards, you know, to what other people are expecting.”  

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Reserve Bank Governor Dr Anna Breman talks about being the defining vote in holding our Official Cash Rate. 

Kiwi singer Lee Martin tells us about her music journey and gives a performance of the latest single from her upcoming album.   

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Foreign Minister Winston Peters has hinted at “good news” for the embattled club, and is reportedly instructing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to look into proposals. 

Rugby Players Association CEO Rob Nichol told Mike Hosking that from a player’s perspective, the team hasn’t been set up for success, but they remain optimistic it can happen. 

He says there’s two to three key areas that need to be nailed for Moana Pasifika to be successful – it needs to be true to purpose, there needs to be a sense that it is owned by Pacific people, for Pacific people, and it has unique opportunities for commercialisation that need to be utilised well.  

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It's backed down on proposed changes that would've increased the oversight of those who teach children at home after pushback from families. 

NZ Initiative Education Research Fellow Michael Johnson told Mike Hosking the state has the right to reassess how education is delivered. 

But he says the homeschooling community has the right to be upset. 

Johnson says it exists because it's a bit different from mainstream education, and you can't be too heavy handed with it.  

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Anna Breman made the final decision after the six-member Monetary Policy Committee she chairs was evenly split on whether to hike the rate. 

Breman says she understands the argument for hiking but told Mike Hosking she doesn't think now's the right time. 

She says financial markets have already tightened quite a lot, and the economy is slowing down, which will reduce pressure on inflation over the medium term. 

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College of GPs President Luke Bradford told Mike Hosking he's looking for some reallocation of health spending. 

He says we currently invest 6% of vote health in primary healthcare, compared to the OECD average of 14%.  

On the infrastructure side of things, Infrastructure NZ's Nick Leggett told Hosking he wants investment in new projects and maintenance of existing ones.  

He says we have to build some resilience into them so they don’t fail earlier, because that just ends up costing more money. 

Secondary Principals' Council Chair Steve McCracken told Mike Hosking he has three things on his wishlist. 

He’d like to see an increase in operational funding for schools, a significant injection into senior secondary curriculum areas to support the implementation of the new qualification, and increasing vocational training places and support for those on that path. 

And finally, Business New Zealand Chief Executive Katherine Rich told Mike Hosking she's focused on economic indicators. 

She says they’re going to be looking to see when the country returns to surplus and how the new expenditure contributes to economic growth. 

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Moana Pasifika are in liquidation, the vote was held and the story ends here. 

The trouble is the taxpayer footed a lot of the bill and the money is gone, flushed down an ideological toilet. 

If the idea was such a sensational one, someone actually using their own money would have thought of it and further put it into practice. 

But the idea wasn't a sensational one. It was an artificial one propped up with other people's money. 

The most immediate alarm bells should be ringing in the NRL with their PNG venture. 

Having been handed millions by the Australian Government, players will live in a compound because it's too unsafe not to, and their pay will be artificially jacked up by tax treatment. Otherwise, if it wasn't, no one would want to play in PNG. 

Gosh I wonder why. 

The fact this harebrained idea has got as far as it has actually defies what is going on elsewhere in the sport, which is good. And what else it defies is belief. 

But back to Moana Pasifika, it was taxpayers’ money through a series of very, very loosely connected organisations to sport i.e. a medical group who, if you join some dots, you can argue if you run around you might be a bit fitter and then not end up dying young. That sort of logic. Anyway, a medical group who ended up in charge of a professional sports team who didn't really attract a crowd and didn't really turn out to be that good. 

Which is one of the great ironies – young Pacific kids were supposed to see their heroes and be inspired to be fit and play sport. You know what inspires kids? Winners. You’ve got to win. 

And those kids could see their heroes anyway in the Crusaders, the Chiefs, the Hurricanes, the Highlanders, and the Blues. 

No one ever watched Lomu or Jones and wondered aloud to themselves, "wouldn't it be cool if they had their own, local team?" 

So it ends in liquidation, a bad idea, with easy money, not properly executed and ending in the poor house. 

In a world where successful sport is all around us, why would you try and gerrymander it in such an amateurish fashion? 

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Budget 2026 is being unveiled tomorrow, opening up the Government's books and detailing when a return to surplus is possible. 

Steven Joyce told Mike Hosking re-prioritisation is the story of the week, and he's backing further cost-savings in the public sector. 

The Government aims to cut around 8,700 jobs in the public service by mid-2029, with savings set to be re-invested. 

Joyce told Hosking we've had an increase in public servants since 2017, but outcomes aren't significantly better. 

He says many believe it has just increased the churn, and number of meetings. 

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The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority has spent more than $3.5 million on ads encouraging people to drive smoothly and check tyre pressure. 

It estimates an average fuel reduction of more than two million litres of petrol a week, saving consumers more than $7 million. 

Chief Executive Dr Marcos Pelenur told Mike Hosking that while people may have already known some of the tips they shared, the campaign hopefully worked as a good reminder. 

He says that the fuel price obviously acts as the price signal, but what this does is tell people how to react to that signal. 

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How much do you think was spent on telling people to take off roof racks and make sure your tyres are pumped up to save on fuel? 

And on Politics Wednesday, Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk the Labour leaks, accommodation entitlements for MPs, and the Ombudsman looking at the PM's office. 

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MPs needing semi-permanent accommodation in Wellington can access up to $52 thousand a year.  

National's Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking it is an entitlement, because MPs have to stay in the capital.  

Labour's Ginny Andersen told Mike Hosking there's certainly room for a discussion.  

She says much of this is hard for many Kiwis to stomach when there's a cost of living crisis going on.  

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Changes to the Copyright Act will extend protections for Kiwi recordings from 50 to 70 years after publication.  

It's part of free trade agreements with the UK and EU and will in place by mid-2028. 

Eccles Entertainment Founder Brent Eccles told Mike Hosking it's an important move.  

He says writing and holding on to songs is how artists make money.  

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The Privacy Commissioner has found both failed to protect patient data. 

Phase Two of his review will ask whether people actually knew their data was being held in the health portal. 

Michael Webster told Mike Hosking we can't afford to be lax when it comes to private data.  

He says health information is highly sensitive, and there needs to be a greater commitment to protecting it on such platforms.  

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The US military says it's hit Iranian missile launch sites and boats in the Strait of Hormuz to protect its own troops.  

Peace talks appear on thin ice, with Iran's nuclear programme remaining a sticking point.  

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking Iran's claiming they're holding all the cards.  

He says Iran's Supreme Leader has issued a statement threatening US bases in the region, saying the hand of time doesn't turn back.  

President Donald Trump's meanwhile due to hold a full-Cabinet meeting at Camp David. 

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The company’s posting a net profit of $13.8 million for the six months to March. 

The previous period saw a net loss of more than $20 million. 

CEO Carl Carrington told Mike Hosking it was a tough summer on the seas, with temperatures well above average, but a lot of work went into investing in solutions.  

He says a new well-boat arriving soon will mark the biggest transformation in the salmon industry in three decades. 

Carrington says the company’s confident in what’s ahead next year. 

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The bank will release its first Monetary Policy Statement since war broke out in the Middle East, with most expecting it to hold at 2.25% and not rise until September. 

But Westpac Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold told Mike Hosking inflation was already at 3.1% before the war, and we'll likely spend time above 4% this year. 

He says six years of this decade will have seen inflation over 3%. 

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Mike Smith is the activist, the agitator, the chainsaw man, the "smack the America's Cup" bloke. 

So, you know, a life of angst and upset. 

His latest outing was in court, looking to sue individual companies over their pollution around climate change. He was looking for an activist court to agree with the idea that a company can be held to specific and individual account for something that happens all over the world by, if you think about it, all of us. 

The Government stepped in a week or so back and put an end to it. 

Their argument is Parliament is your ultimate court and these sorts of laws are for it, not individual judges who may sway with the wind. They didn’t put it that way, I did. 

But there is no doubt in my mind, in a number of areas, various courts these days are open to a bit of judicial dabbling. In my humble opinion it is brought about by an increasing arrogance that they make the rules. 

It's true to say a court can have a say or hold sway. But it's equally true to say the ultimate court is the Parliament of the land and we do not want that undermined. 

Now, Mike claims people like Fonterra have been writing to the Prime Minister's office and advocating for the Government to step in on court action like his. 

And given they did he now suggests this is collusion, this is scally-waggery, this is big money, big influence malarkey that borders on scandal. 

Or could it be a corporate saying what you would expect a corporate to say and a government, not surprisingly, doing what they would do anyway. 

In other words, Fonterra didn’t need to say anything because Paul Goldsmith would have done what he did without any correspondence. 

Why? 

Because they think the same way I do. I didn’t write to anyone and didn't have a meeting with anyone and yet I would have thought, nay expected, the Government to nip the Smith fishing expedition in the bud. 

Why? Because it's obvious and it's common sense. 

See not everything is a conspiracy. Sometimes, remarkably, especially when it's obvious, people tend to have the same view. Letters or no letters, meetings or no meetings. 

Nothing to see here. 

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It’s being labelled as a massive success, with organisers hitting capacity crowds of 6500 onlookers.  

The event came to New Zealand’s shores in late January, supported by the Government’s $40 million Events Attraction Package. 

Surfing NZ CEO Ben Kennings told Mike Hosking the purpose of the package is to get eyeballs from around the world looking at New Zealand, and the funding also helped inspire New Zealand surfers.  

He says that the people who came down to Manu Bay throughout the event was pretty amazing, and probably exceeded expectations. 

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Economists are expecting it to be held at 2.25%, with markets pricing in moves later in the year. 

It comes as the economy remains flat, with inflation, housing, global tensions, and weak spending all testing resilience. 

Kiwibank CEO Steve Jurkovich told Mike Hosking the economy is way too weak to cope with an increase to the OCR, as the inflation is coming from things outside of the usual set of worries.  

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Tātaki Auckland Unlimited deputy chairwoman Jennah Wootten has been appointed to the role, taking over from interim CEO Jane Patteron in August. 

Her appointment follows a troubled year for Netball NZ, including the resignation of former CEO Jennie Wyllie, the situation surrounding Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua, and their struggles to find a new broadcast deal for the ANZ Premiership. 

Wootten has plenty of experience in both the business and leadership side of things, and she told Mike Hosking they’ll be helpful in ensuring the sport and the organisation can reach its full potential. 

She says there will be a focus on ensuring the grassroots game is thriving, and that the elite competition is doing incredible things, but a big focus for her coming into the role will be the commercial pressures.  

And one of those pressures is broadcasting, with the current ANZ Premiership deal set to end at the end of this year. 

Wootten told Hosking the Board and team at Netball NZ are working really hard to find a solution, but things aren’t yet at a place where they can be shared publicly.  

“We want to make sure that we have got as many eyeballs on the sport as possible, because that helps all of us into the future.”  

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Rabobank expects milk supply to stay elevated into 2026-27, with farmgate prices forecast between $9.50 and $10 per kilogram. 

But rising inflation could squeeze margins. 

Fonterra Co-Operative Council Chair John Stevenson told Mike Hosking in terms of returns, there’s no doubt it’s a good time. 

He says they’ve seen strong milk prices and Fonterra farmers have seen strong returns on their shares, but the thing to look out for are input costs, which are continuing to creep up. 

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Kiwibank CEO Steve Jurkovich gives us his economic state of play leading into the Budget and the OCR. 

Netball NZ's new CEO Jennah Wootten explains how she plans to turn the sport around and looks at a broadcast deal. 

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According to Stats NZ, international delegate arrivals are up 50%, with more than 16 thousand arrivals in the first quarter.  

That translates to more than $54 million into the economy and often represents the first taste of New Zealand for visitors.  

Business Events Industry Aotearoa CEO Lisa Hopkins told Mike Hosking numbers have now reached 96% of pre-Covid levels.  

She says January was exceptional, as there were a number of big conferences during what would usually be a quieter month. 

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Data released to Newstalk ZB shows a 3% national reduction this season.  

Auckland's dropping by 12%, but Port of Auckland CEO Roger Gray told Mike Hosking he predicts this is rock bottom, and things will pick back up next season.  

He says they've already got 66 bookings secured. 

Cruise visits to the South Island are meanwhile increasing by nearly two dozen. 

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In his first major teaching letter, Pope Leo has spoken out against the development of AI. 

He says it must be disarmed before it slashes more jobs, accelerates wars, and dominates humanity.  

Italy Correspondent Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking it's interesting Leo's targeting AI in his first major document. 

She says he sees some positives, but wants to rein it in, and tech giants won't be happy about it.  

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The Government's setting money aside in Thursday's Budget to back loans for firms transitioning to other forms of energy. 

The Associate Energy Minister told Mike Hosking many industries reliant on natural gas have been seeing their energy costs surge. 

He says unless the Crown steps in, many face dire options and will fail. 

Recipients can transition to any other type – not necessarily renewable energy.   

Jones told Hosking it's up to each business what they use. 

He says some may go towards LPG, some to electricity if local lines company can cope, and some to coal. 

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AFC CEO Nick Becker joined Mike Hosking to chat about the win.

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The talks are reportedly led by Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender.

Australian correspondent Steve Price says the new party could be the end of the Liberal Party in Australia. 

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The PM is in ahead of the Budget while also talking about Labour's leaked attack strategy.

Jason Pine and Andrew Saville talk the Auckland FC Championship win, Indycar and F1, the Warriors, surfing and some of the better Super Rugby of the season on the weekend.  

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With the budget coming up this week they spoke about the pre-budget announcements so far, and what's yet to come. 

Luxon said that more spending announcements will be revealed on Thursday, but the budget is strict. 

"That's what we have to have, good fiscal financial discipline year in year out in order to get the ship, you know, the books back in order again."

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1. Half finished town houses in Christchurch.
 
2. Lack of demand for off the plan deals from developers.

That last one came from a select committee hearing last week. The head of Kiwibank was suggesting there is a stark lack of appetite for off the plan stuff because of the risk you take on what the value will be when its done i.e are you underwater?

And also the risk you take that the thing will never be finished.

Which dovetails into the first observation which comes out of Christchurch, a city in which you would quite rightly ask; how is it possible things aren't booming in that part of the world?

As always, the answer is in the detail.

The Christchurch problem is around small townhouse-type builds close to the city, often with no garage. In other words, building for a world view that isn't that of the average New Zealander.

Once again we are supposed to be like Amsterdam or New York. Except we aren't and will never be.

Cars are important.

You have seen it in Auckland as well with apartments with no parks. 'It's so cool, we're all on e-bikes".

Except we aren't, so the cars are stacked on the streets outside, blocking trucks and generally proving theory isn't reality.

Plans? Who would take the risk?

Tell me what the market is going to be in two years - no one can! That's a real problem and does remind us a consent is not a house.

But the key is our need and desire for housing hasn’t really changed. Cheap builds will never thrive and builds with no garages will never have a demand.

Rightly or wrongly the dream that has never really faded is a house. A detached house, maybe with a bit of lawn and most certainly a place for a car.

The stats show it. First home buyers are in the market right now and standalone homes are what they want. They will borrow and bleed to do it.

What the trendies want and what the real world is prepared to pay for it are, to some degree, at odds.

And that is why the areas of the market that have trouble, have trouble, because theory and ideology doesn’t have a deposit.

The buyer does.    

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The Waikato Junior League Rugby Board said it would continue working with clubs to address the issues and ensure appropriate standards are upheld.

Sport Waikato CEO Matthew Cooper joined Mike Hosking to chat about the issues, calling the behaviour 'disgraceful'. 

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I think the former, on balance. 

They should have done it properly two years ago and they didn’t, hence they probably should not be back here now, unless this was their Machiavellian plan all along. 

Two public service haircuts a term. But assuming that wasn’t it, we go back to a lost opportunity that could be in the rear vision mirror by now. 

What they talked was a big game. What they delivered was a surgical whimper. 

Yes, it is always sad to lose jobs and restructure and cut. But few outside the Wellington bubble would argue with the fact that the growth engine of public service work was absurd and 65,000 is a city, not a workforce. 

To make it worse, they got the same headlines and noise and pushback over a couple of thousand cuts as they would have ten times that. 

So we are back for another crack, driven by necessity. 

That’s the bit to be admired. 

Laying lots of people off in election year is not really a vote-getter 

Mind you it's safe, I think, to say most of the public service aren't conservatives so the vote loss, you'd guess, will be minimal. 

It’s a horrible thing working in an environment where your future is part of the political wind. I faced it at TVNZ and Radio NZ. Whoever woke up on what side of the bed had some effect on what you were paid and whether you were hanging around for a while. 

It's no way to have a job. 

And in that sense, you can blame the Labour Government for stacking the place with well-paid work. And yet as you applied, if you thought about it, surely it couldn’t last, and it hasn’t. 

As the unions bleat, this is not about the public service and its value. They do a lot of good things and a lot of vital things. 

There are a lot of very capable, if not talented, people in the mix. But it’s the extra, the excess and the fat that needs the trimming. 

This is fiscally desperate to a degree – an operating allowance of $2.1 billion and savings from anywhere and everywhere. 

You can't accuse the Government of priming the pumps. The pumps don’t work because "the vandals took the handles", if you know your Bob Dylan. 

The point is slashing spending and killing jobs is not your traditional electioneering. That's to be admired.   

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Tourism: 7/10 

This has been a good vibe week. TRENZ had them coming from everywhere, the sentiment is good, and the numbers are excellent. 

Kiwifruit: 9/10 

This story is starting to outshine dairy. Not in numbers, but in terms of growth. At almost $6 billion and booming, this is mana from vines. Add it to dairy and we are laughing. 

Chris Hipkins: 2/10 

This has been, far and away, his worst week of the year. Mystery policy detail and the arrogance to say we aren't interested in detail anyway. He is National's election year dream come true. 

Trump: 4/10 

We still don’t have a deal, but we do have a slush fund. He looks increasingly tawdry. But he's just as influential – just ask Thomas Massie. 

Newstalk ZB: 8/10 

Guess who’s popular? Ratings day yesterday was party day – the audience is up, and on some shows, up a lot. We thank you and appreciate you, as always, from the bottom of our hearts. 

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Australia’s Labor have blown their Budget. 

It's hard to overstate the anger and pushback on their tax changes made now well over a week ago. 

Budgets and their news cycle tend to come and go. 

This was different. It was billed as generational. It was seen as transformational and it was seen as Albanese having to spend a decent chunk of political capital, given his tax treatment was based on a lie. 

He said in the election campaign of last year that he would not touch tax. 12 months on, he went back on his word. 

The twist being the blowback came, and it hasn’t stopped coming, and somewhere in the past few days the concern, followed fairly quickly by panic, started to set in at Government level. 

The anger has not been driven by rich, white, old coalition blokes whose myriad of investments would end up being taxed more. 

It's been driven by young Australians who buy shares to save for retirement. Young Australians who start businesses to set up a decent life for themselves and their families. People the Labor Government never saw coming. 

What it shows, and it's an encouraging sign and one I suspect is as relevant here as it is there, is that a decent chunk of our population are not the moaners you hear on the news. They're not the NGO's bleating about their lot. 

They're not the success haters that dominate the news cycle. Rather, they're middle-of-the-road Kiwis and Australians who are quite keen on working hard and getting ahead in life. 

All they have ever asked for is, to use the vernacular, is "a fair suck of the sav". 

You don’t tax success and that’s what Albanese has had a crack at. 

Why take a risk in starting a business if all there is at the end of it is Jim Chalmers and his tax department looking to extract ever larger amounts of your hard earned? 

That’s what Labour wants to do here. It's always about more tax. It's never about more success, or larger growth, or bigger pie. 

Got an issue? Short of dough? Tax someone. 

Well, middle Australia isn't interested and they have been out in force showing it. 

Maybe Albanese knew that. Maybe that’s why he lied to get into power so he could do what he's done. 

If that's true then Hipkins is in real trouble, because he hasn’t lied. He's told you it's coming. 

And if we are like Australia, it's not going to go down well. 

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They discussed ZB’s latest ratings, some parenting advice, and Kate being banned from making an Amazon account. 

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Earlier this week the Justice Department announced the creation of a $1.8 billion fund to compensate allies who claim they were unfairly targeted by previous administrations. 

Some of those eager to tap into the fund are convicted January 6th rioters, who stormed the capital after a rally with Donald Trump, as well as prominent election deniers.  

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking a number of Republicans are opposing the fund, such as Senator Thom Tillis, who says it’s “stupid on stilts”. 

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But it seems things aren’t over yet, as they managed to extract an agreement from Mike to come down and teach them a thing or two about radio. 

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The Hawke’s Bay Open, taking place this September, has announced a winning prize of at least $2500. 

It’s being seen as a sign of growth in the sport and an attempt to attract newcomers to the table.  

Hawke’s Bay Confederation of Billiard Sports President Wayne O’Donnell told Mike Hosking prize money helps quite a bit in establishing the competition in the market.  

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It’s a massive weekend for Auckland FC as they host the Grand Final of the A-League at Mt Smart Stadium. 

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson talk Kate's banned Amazon account, parental advice, and ZB’s ratings as they Wrap the Week.  

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Auckland FC is hosting the A-League Grand Final, facing off against Sydney FC at a sold out Mt Smart Stadium. 

A later kick-off time has been locked in to suit the Aussie audience —8:10pm— as Auckland looks to make history in just their second season. 

CEO Nick Becker told Mike Hosking the later start time won’t impact the team’s performance – you could put it on at any time and the boys will be up for it. 

He says the chance to play in front of a home ground is going to drive them forward. 

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The latest Stats NZ figures show exports for April hit $8.6 billion, with meat leading the way – worth $1.3 billion. 

The US remains our top beef market, taking more than a quarter of our produce, representing a 54% increase.  

Special Agricultural Trade Envoy Nathan Guy told Mike Hosking US herd numbers are at a 70-year low. 

He says despite tariff uncertainty, the market's in great shape, given the US eats about three burgers per head each week. 

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Turners Automotive has reported a record normalised net profit of more than $63 million for the year to March – up 16%. 

Chief executive Todd Hunter told Mike Hosking strong growth in finance and insurance means they're well ahead, despite the war slowing things. 

He says the customer experience is built on trust, and selling used cars is something that doesn't normally operate on that foundation. 

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Pharmac's looking at providing the jabs to an extra 260 thousand children between six months and five-years-old from next year. 

It's also proposing introducing two new brands for over 65s.  

David Seymour told Mike Hosking some young people still die every year from influenza, and as every parent knows, they also spread it around the household.  

He says the cost-benefit of this stacks up, and it's a great thing for Pharmac to be looking into.  

Consultation opens mid-June. 

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This year's Budget includes hiking the amount social housing tenants have to pay from 25% of their income to 30%. 

The savings will be redirected into support for private renters. 

Wellington City Mission Chief Executive Murray Edridge told Mike Hosking the increase is not a huge amount. 

He says while it may hurt some people, it'll help those in the private rental market struggling with the lack of accommodation subsidies. 

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And as luck would have it, he answered our question – yes, he does. 

First you have the Future Fund, a cornerstone policy, revelation that they aren't telling us who's money goes in and what sort of job creation they are expecting because they got bogged down in the Treaty issues, so we will need to wait until after the election. 

That's a massive problem given they only have one policy and that policy looks to be a huge waste of our money. 

Policy number two is a secret. But according to Chris, who appears to literally be melting in front of our eyes as the election year blowtorch gets pointed his way, he says on our behalf we "don't really care about the detail". 

That’s what he said. Did he ask you? He didn’t ask me. But he seems confident to suggest we don't really care about the detail. 

The breathtaking thing about that is I think he actually believes it. 

I think he has shown a side of the limousine left. They genuinely think we are a bit thick, that they are intellectually superior, and the complicated stuff really should be left to those who know what they're doing or think they know what they're doing. 

Can you name me any other party that takes their cornerstone policy and tells you that you don’t need to know the detail? And further, to go on to suggest you're not really interested anyway. 

This would be bad enough if these guys hadn't been running the place for a while. But they ran the place three years ago and that very same "you're dumb, we know what we're doing" sunk them. 

Hipkins in Auckland last week says everyone is over lockdown except the Newstalk ZB audience. 

Hipkins this week says no one is interested in policy detail. 

So one policy on tax, one policy that’s secret, and two observations that show the guy is literally either having a breakdown, or he is setting out to destroy his party in real time. 

If you're remotely connected to Labour and want to help, get to him fast and hose him down. 

Because he is the Government's greatest gift. 

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According to the UK’s Ministry of Defence, a Russian Su-35 fighter approached the Royal Airforce Plane, getting close enough to trigger its emergency systems and disable its autopilot. 

On another occasion, a Su-27 jet carried out six passes in front of the plane’s nose, at a distance of six meters.  

UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking that Russia has become increasingly cheeky over the last four or five years. 

He says that things are ratcheting up every so often, and even if it’s only by half an inch, it’s something the UK should worry about.  

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The Kiwi serial entrepreneur has had his hand in a number of pies but is best known for two companies – 42 Below and Turners.  

It’s a career that’s spanned decades, and that’s before you get to his philanthropic efforts and work in co-founding the Gut Cancer Foundation in 2008. 

He’s unravelling his career in his new book ‘No Pit Stops: The Business Of Going All In’, sharing stories of successes, setbacks, and lessons he’s learned.  

While Baker has always had a bit of entrepreneurial spirit, it wasn’t until he was in his thirties that things really kicked off. 

“My wife and I invested in property and those sorts of things, y’know, traditional Kiwi way, but we never got much traction,” he told Mike Hosking  

Baker's true journey began with an offer from Eric Watson to join him in building a “$100 million company” in the Blue Star Group. 

“When he laid out the opportunity, I just thought, well I’ve got to do something, I was in my mid-thirties at the time and thought if I don’t pull the trigger now, I never will.”  

And the rest, as they say, is history. 

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It cracked $5.9 billion in global sales in its 2025/26 financial results, up from $5 billion the season before. 

The company also sold a record 248.1 million trays, with strong performances in Europe and North America. 

CEO Jason Te Brake told Mike Hosking that it’s a pretty uncertain world out there, so they just have to navigate some of those challenges and make sure they deliver well. 

He says they see some really positive tailwinds and more global demand for the product, so they’re pretty optimistic about the future. 

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We've heard throughout the war that people are turning to EVs, so Drive Electric’s Kirsten Corson joined to unpack their new State of the Nation report.  

Kiwi entrepreneur Grant Baker talks his decades of success, and some failures, while speaking about his new book ‘No Pit Stops: The Business Of Going All In’. 

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The New Zealand Initiative suggests councils should be judged on whether there's real and affordable choices – replacing traditional targets with price indicators. 

It also recommends an expert panel to make decisions rather than central Government. 

Research Fellow Benno Blaschke told Mike Hosking we need to get the politics out of it, like we do in other areas. 

He says the Finance Minister doesn't set interest rates, the Reserve Bank does, as it's independent and has the technical skill required.  

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The Drive Electric State of the Nation report has found globally, one in four new vehicle purchases are electric – up from one in five in 2024. 

Chair Kirsten Corson says strides are being made in public transport, with New Plymouth's bus fleet being 100% electric, and Auckland Transport having more than 300 electric buses.  

She told Mike Hosking it’s not an environmental decision anymore – it's an economic one. 

In the past three years they’ve seen the percentage of new vehicle sales that are electric increasing in countries like Ethiopia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Turkey, Corson says, as from an economic perspective, they no longer want to import fossil fuels.  

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14 staff from Mt Eden and Auckland South Corrections facilities have been arrested. 

A dozen are charged with accepting bribes, and others with conspiring to supply a Class A drug —namely methamphetamine— to prisoners. 

Corrections Association President Floyd du Plessis told Mike Hosking it's not the norm, but in the past, some staff have been coerced by people who monitor their behaviour and learn about their personal lives. 

He says in the past, staff have even had people turn up at their house and intimidate them, and have succumbed to that pressure.  

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A new report by the Ministry for Regulation maps out 267 regulators operating across the country, describing a complex system of overlapping agencies and rules. 

The Infrastructure and RMA Reform Minister told Mike Hosking there's far too much red tape. 

Bishop says we spend $1.3 billion annually alone on consenting costs for infrastructure, which is the entire cost of the Transmission Gully project. 

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The Labour Party —who, I'm assuming, still want to be taken seriously this election— have had a major issue up to this point. 

They have no policies. 

The one policy they do have is a new tax, and the money from that new tax will pay for all of us to go to the doctor three times. 

Even though a lot of us —to be frank, probably most of us— don’t actually need the state to pay for a doctor’s visit. 

Their other policy we sort of knew about was the Future Fund. 

It would contain SOEs, whose dividends would go into it to create jobs and grow the economy. 

Update on the Future Fund: we aren’t going to know about that until after the election. The good news is they’re not winning the election, so it sort of doesn’t matter. 

But they will make it even harder to have a crack at winning the election now, given voters sort of want to know what stuff costs, especially large stuff. 

Further trouble is that the hold-up is they need advice on "Treaty obligations". 

That’s right, bogged down yet again in matters Māori. 

Originally, they told us the SOEs involved were commercially sensitive, now it’s Treaty troubles. 

Previously, Chris Hipkins said this fund would create jobs. Yesterday, Barbara Edmonds didn’t know how many because that would depend on what the fund invested in, which SOEs were in the fund, and what advice they got around Treaty obligations. 

So no job stats, no cost stats, no real detail on who’s in and who isn’t on what they call one of their cornerstone policies. 

So no policies, until there is a policy. But it’s sort of a secret policy that, if you vote for us, we’ll tell you about after the election. 

Small question at this point: do they honestly believe we are that stupid? That this is any sort of way to conduct an election campaign? That this is any sort of excuse this close to an election? 

Are they smarter than we think and this is basically their white flag, because they don’t want to be in Government anyway? 

Part of what haunts them from last time is their inability to actually do anything apart from spray money. 

They talk. They don’t do. 

Three years on they have clearly learned nothing. 

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The US President called off the strikes after requests from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.  

He says officials are still locked in negotiations with Iran, and he claims Democrats are trying to stop him.  

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking this is the sixth time Trump has been on the verge of initiating military strikes and has pulled back. 

He says it comes amid word Iran’s Foreign Minister met with Pakistan’s Interior Minister and they claim there’s diplomatic progress. 

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They discussed Labour’s Future Fund policy, which is light on the details, Winston Peters’ idea to buy back BNZ, and the Government’s cuts to and plans for the public service. 

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This weekend sees the Italian island of Sardina host the first preliminary regatta, with eight boats set to take to the water.  

Team NZ, Britian’s GB1, and Italian hosts Luna Rossa have sent both their main teams and a combined Women’s and Youth boat to compete, alongside crews from Switzerland’s Alinghi and French entry La Roche-Posay Racing.  

Team NZ CEO Grant Dalton told Mike Hosking that it’s difficult to tell at this stage, but Luna Rossa is likely to be a force to be reckoned with. 

He says the other teams are quite light, but the Italian team has the most milage in the water at the moment and plenty of talent. 

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Team NZ CEO Grant Dalton joins out of Sardinia as the America's Cup officially gets underway. 

And Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell discuss the lack of details in Labour's Future Fund and Winston Peters' idea for BNZ on Politics Wednesday.  

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The Oceania National Olympic Committees’ General Assembly is underway at Eden Park. 

New IOC President Kirsty Coventry will be among the 200 delegates as the region builds towards the LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. 

Commonwealth Sport CEO Katie Sadlier told Mike Hosking they’re focused more on the short term than the long term at the moment, with the Glasgow Commonwealth Games beginning in 64 days. 

For them, she says, it’s very much about helping people through the last minute preparations and ensuring people maximise the opportunity presented by the Glasgow Games. 

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Education New Zealand data shows more than 92 thousand international students enrolled last year, up 11% on the year prior. 

China and India make up almost half of all enrolments. 

Acting Chief Executive Linda Sissons told Mike Hosking we’re sitting at around 80% of our pre-Covid numbers, but the difference between then and now is the focus on value as well as volume.  

She says we’re on track for both, as in the past year we've exceeded their target of export earnings and are sitting just below the target for enrolments.  

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Finance Minister Nicola Willis says they want to return the public servant headcount to 1% of the population by mid-2029, culling about 8,700 jobs. 

Government agency operating budgets will again be reduced – 2% now, increasing over following years. 

Willis says they will also thin out the ministries, pointing to savings it'll bring. 

She says they expect to hire more nurses, Police officers, and others in critical frontline roles. 

Willis says AI is “incredible” at slashing the amount of time needed for mundane tasks, revealing her staff used it to write a report on public service reform. 

She told Mike Hosking the Government was streamlining agencies and embedding AI and digitisation, and asking the public service to "get out of the 80s". 

She was experimenting with AI in her own office. 

“Instead of one of my analysts spending half a day coming up with a document, they said to AI, ‘Have a look at public service reform around the world, tell us who's done what, what seems to have worked well, what hasn't’. 

“And 10 minutes later, you've got a beautiful document with some guidance and some advice.” 

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Data from Stats NZ shows retail electronic card purchases fell 1.3% last month, with Kiwis buying less or cheaper food and cutting back on their clothing budget. 

Non-retail spending on the likes of travel and health is down 4%. 

Infometrics Principal Economist Nick Brunsdon told Mike Hosking it makes sense, as these are more discretionary purchases. 

He says people are bound to spend less on holidays, or even at the dentist, if they're trying to make up the dollars to fill the tank. 

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Do people blame the Government in any way for the economic fallout from war? 

Does the economic grind make you look to other political answers? 

If Labour promises more money, was the lesson of the last Labour Government not learned? Or do enough not care and will take the money and worry another day, if they worry at all? 

Polls will show the usual nonsense around health and education and crime. These are just headline thoughts people drum up when a pollster asks a question. 

It's the same question and same answer, forever. 

But potentially, if there's an issue outside the economy this time it's immigration. Mainly because it's been used successfully before to stir the pot. 

The trouble this time is immigration, in terms of facts, isn't a thing. 

When 130,000 newbies arrive, sure, there is a debate. But when it's 24,000 it's no longer an issue. 

The brain drain is basically over. Sadly, those that were leaving have largely gone and those that have replaced them are here. 

Now, if you don’t like the cultural make up of New Zealand that’s fine, but the election will contain no polices that will change the current make-up. 

No one is booting anyone in any numbers out of this country. 

A lot of the immigration noise is a political ploy picked up from offshore where immigration is a real touch point. But that is illegal immigration; boat people, gangs on beaches, etc. 

We don’t have that. Never have, never will. 

Our system is points based – you get points for skills. You can argue around the edges on what those skills are and you can argue around the edges over what countries those skills come from. 

You can also argue, with Auckland being the best example, that the cultural landscape has materially changed. I see it, you can't miss it. 

Personally, I like it and, sure, not everyone does, but no politician is going to change what we already have. 

And that’s the trouble with this election – if immigration is an issue, and if it's divisive, that’s a ploy. 

If we were being overrun, fine, have the debate. But we aren't. In fact, it’s the opposite. 

As long as employers still can't find talent, and that’s real, where do the workers come from and why would you vote not to solve that problem?     

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The assessment will examine the costs and socio-economic benefits, as well as the likelihood of bidding success. 

UK Correspondent Enda Brady told Mike Hosking the move seems far-fetched, given the present political turmoil. 

He says that in its current state, he doesn't think England is capable of hosting Eurovision, let alone the Olympic Games.  

London has hosted the Games in 1908, 1948 and 2012. 

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After four successful seasons, the modern adaptation of Tom Clancy’s political action thriller novels is heading to the big screen for ‘Jack Ryan: Ghost War’.  

American actor Michael Kelly is among the cast, reprising his role as Mike November for the high-stakes, action-packed story.  

The film heavily utilised practical effects and on-location filming – even closing down the centre of London to film an intense car chase sequence. 

“This whole thing, from the series to the movie, it’s all been a pinch me moment,” Kelly told Mike Hosking. 

“But certainly when you’re standing on that ground that’s hundreds and hundreds of years old, and knowing the feet that have walked across it and just all of it, all of the history that’s there and knowing that you get to shut it down and go play make-believe for a couple of days.” 

“It’s a pinch me without a doubt.” 

Tom Clancy published his first Jack Ryan novel in 1984, and as proof of the series longevity, it’s continued long after his death in 2013, with 30 new novels and a host of adaptations being released.

“Tom Clancy created this world that exists in this, y’know, there’s always geopolitical madness, right?” Kelly told Hosking.  

“Tom Clancy was writing around the Cold War times, but you can take that world and put it in any timeline, I think ... Jack Ryan is so well established that I think it could go on for, y’know, not with us, but it could go on forever and ever.” 

There’s a three-year gap between the conclusion of the TV show and the release of the film, and for Kelly, returning to the Ryanverse was a thrill.  

“When I found out we got, we we’re getting to come back and make a movie, I was, y’know, John [Krasinski] was like, hey man you wanna make a movie? I was like, yeah, I wanna make a movie. Let's go.” 

“I was truly over the moon, thrilled at the thought of coming back and especially playing this character that I just, I love him so much, man, he’s so much fun to play.” 

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Immigration is turning into an election issue so we talk to sociologist Paul Spoonley as our population goes above 5.3 million and the gap between our birth and death rates narrow. 

Michael Kelly of House of Cards and Jack Ryan fame is on to talk the new Jack Ryan movie Ghost War. 

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Latest Stats NZ data shows there was about 15 hundred fewer births in the year ending in March, and 170 more deaths. 

The fertility rate has dropped from 1.58 births per woman to 1.53 and the infant mortality rate is also down.  

Massey University sociologist Paul Spoonley told Mike Hosking at some point the number of births will equal the number of deaths. 

He says that's never happened before, except for during one-off events like the Black Death in Europe. 

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In a pre-Budget announcement, the Education Minister has announced $131 million to help improve students' reading, writing, and maths. 

It'll also include more professional development for teachers and school leaders in those areas. 

Stanford told Mike Hosking New Zealand's been in a black hole for some time. 

She says students aren't proficient in basic timetables, facts, or reading until they get to high school, and are struggling. 

She says we've been in the grip of a liberal education experiment that states assessing young people is bad for their mental health – which is ridiculous. 

Also in the announcement was a pledge to give schools more maths and literacy resources, and 36 extra maths intervention teachers.  

Stanford told Hosking more teachers are added every Budget, and she'd fund more if she could. 

She says they'll take small groups struggling with maths out of classes to get them where they need to be, and it's never been done before.  

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The latest Services Index rose 2.7 points to 48.9 – with anything below 50 signalling contraction. 

New orders was the only category in expansion, sitting at 51.2, while employment remained negative for the 29th consecutive month.  

BusinessNZ Advocacy Director Catherine Beard told Mike Hosking the figures are the result of the fuel situation due to the conflict in the Middle East.  

It’s a shame, she says, as we started the year in quite positive territory.  

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The country's largest tourism business event runs from today to Thursday at the International Convention Centre. 

More than 12 hundred delegates will attend from key markets like the US and China, and it’s projected to inject more than $3 million into Auckland's economy. 

Tourism Industry Aotearoa CEO Rebecca Ingram told Mike Hosking 16 thousand business meetings will take place. 

She says the benefits are multi-layered as some will boost this summer, but most of it will be focused on the two after that. 

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Its new report —which looks at seven districts between 2023 and 2025— shows about 20% of GP specialist referrals are being declined.  

Executive Director Sarah Dalton told Mike Hosking it's down to staff shortages across the public and private sectors. 

She says it shows Health New Zealand isn't managing unmet need, and criticises the fact our targets-focused system doesn't provide targets for the workforce. 

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The Prime Minister responds to Winston Peters wanting to buy BNZ.

Jason Pine and Andrew Saville cover Auckland FC, the Warriors win (and also loss) and the surfing in Raglan.

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Have the education unions ever not asked for more money, more resources or more non-contact time, while at the same time telling you everything in the classroom is crap?

The NCEA changes confirmed over the weekend, to most parent's eyes, will make perfect sense.

Anyone who has had kids through these past few calamitous years knows full well the old NCEA has been an abject failure.

The indisputable outworkings are;

1) We have a swath of kids leaving school too early without any real qualifications to their name. We then wonder why their unemployment rate is so high.

2) Of those who do leave, too many have a potpourri of random eclectic passes that may or may not mean anything in the real world.

On paper having hundreds of choices and vague terms like 'merit' or 'achieved' probably looked like it could make sense.

But it relied on parents and kids having the wherewithal and interest to navigate their way through a system that in reality allowed you to take the piss for an easy pass.

With 'A' to 'E' you know where you're at.

Being able to actually read and write remains as important today as it ever has and a few basics like science and maths are critical for life, as well as job prospects.

But no, this won't suit students according to the unions. Is it the students they are worried about, or themselves?

The more accountable you make the system the more questions that get asked about the quality of the teaching and what's unfolding in the classrooms.

Unions hate that. All that accountability is deeply unsettling and of course only ever cured by wanting more money.

Between the old NCEA and Covid there is a generation of our kids that have been robbed and, quite possibly, detrimentally affected for life. They have been let down shockingly.

If the unions wanted to make up for any of that, some enthusiasm and a vastly more productive approach to change and improvement would go a long way to restoring their increasingly tattered reputations.

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The Warriors defeated the Broncos in Brisbane, is this finally our year? 

And Auckland FC have defeated Adelaide to progress to the A League Grand Final, where they'll face Sydney FC on home turf. 

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The New Zealand First Leader has been accusing his Coalition partners National and Act of being too slow on immigration.

The Prime Minister and National Leader says he feels like there's a bit of anti-immigration cos-playing going on, whereby some politicians pretend to be Donald Trump, Nigel Farage or Marine Le Pen.

He told Mike Hosking that the remarks by Peters are an example of that.

Luxon says New Zealand doesn't have uncontrolled immigration, while the US has 13 to 14 million illegal immigrants.

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The party will campaign on the purchase - after its sale in 1992 - and merging it with Kiwibank to create a National Bank of New Zealand. 

Winston Peters told Mike Hosking that the bank may not be for sale, but they'll make sure it is.

He says he doubts the National Australia Bank would turn them down - so Kiwis won't be ripped off for much longer if NZ First gets back in. 

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The National Party's latest policy would see judges no longer be allowed to consider positive testimonies about offenders.

Law Association Vice President Samira Taghavi told Mike Hosking that those references already carry limited weight in court.

She says judges don't put a lot of emphasis on good character references - unless they see one as completely relevant. 

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The Education Minister's set to announce a boost for classroom resources and teacher support this afternoon.

It comes as 36% of Year 6s met maths expectations in 2025 - up from 30%. 

Massey University Distinguished Mathematics Professor Gaven Martin says that's more than four thousand extra students succeeding.

He says if this success persists, it's tens of thousands doing well, when they were otherwise failing.

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Here are the takeouts. 

Generally, you go for a reason. You have an idea of what you want to achieve and those who don’t, flounder quickly. 

I have many examples of kids who enrolled because "that is what you do". 

Schools too often give university as a default. It has a snobbery about it as if successful people only go on to tertiary learning. 

It seems the wider lesson we have all learned is Jacinda Ardern's "next year is on me" was fatally flawed because funding the first year was literally a waste of money and even when it got put to the back end of study, it would seem the world hasn’t been changed. 

So they are scrapping it. 

The reality is people on a path will incur debt in the belief that whatever it is they are studying will serve them well, provide challenge and enjoyment, and hopefully pay a wage that allows them to pay back the loan and get on with their lives. 

University has always been heavily subsidised anyway on the idea that we all benefit. But to suggest you study for anyone other than your own personal satisfaction and enhancement is farcical. 

So no more first year/last year artificiality. 

The money will be put elsewhere, perhaps into the more practical side of the workforce. Personally, I wouldn’t mind it being saved. It's not like we actually have the money in the first place anyway. 

But the Winston Peters argument appears to be the trades, which makes it yet another of those debates that is constantly tinkered with and never really resolved. 

Is paying an employer to train a person any more or less wasteful, or artificial, than paying a university to train a doctor? 

We need doctors as much if not more than we need plumbers. Both are valuable, both are in short supply. 

The Peters argument will of course be driven by the immigration aspect of it all. 

If we don’t train who we need, we bring them in and before you know it you have a "butter chicken tsunami". 

It's of course a government again picking winners and I would have thought we had already learned that lesson. 

Peters’ other idea, if you remember back, was bonding students to regions, or indeed immigrants to regions. That didn’t work either. 

The trick here is not to repeat past mistakes. And yet the budget is destined to include at least one. 

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Does he have a self-destructive predilection? Or is he just a pillock by nature? 

He rolls into Auckland to tell the nation's biggest city and engine room in election year that she's all good and everyone has moved on from the lockdowns. His lockdowns. 

The home handyman from the Hutt, telling Auckland what's what. 

What an arrogant twat. 

He was in Auckland to build rapport, to patch up the damage, to scope the joint and to see what sort of chance his party has come November. 

Love or hate Auckland, elections are won and lost in the city. No one gets to Government without a good day in Auckland. 

Even for a small country it is true to say there are countries within countries, or cultures and vibes within cultures and vibes. 

It took me a while to get a grip on Wellington before I moved there. It's different to Christchurch. It's different to Dunedin, and Auckland is different to each of the other urban centres. 

I think Chris Bishop has found that out by suggesting his two million home debacle. He's from Wellington too. If you are too entrenched in Wellington, you don’t get Auckland. 

Hipkins suggested the only people who ever ask him about lockdown these days is Newstalk ZB. 

1) That’s not true and yesterday was an example given the person who asked wasn’t from Newstalk ZB. 

2) Newstalk ZB is the biggest game in Auckland and by a long way. 

Dismissing the biggest radio player in Auckland, and the country, is about as stupid as saying Aucklanders have moved on from lockdown. 

Ultimately, it's another example of why I have said all year that this election is over before it starts. 

Labour will not win. 

The pain, suffering and incompetence of 2020-23 is still too raw, real and recent to forgive and forget. Making it worse is the fact the very same people who did the damage are still there waiting for another crack. 

Judging by yesterday, they’ve learned nothing, want to learn nothing and are as arrogant as last time. 

Hipkins may well realise that, come election night when he loses and inevitably has to resign given he will have lost twice. 

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"Next year's on me": 7/10 

Got there at last. In a country with less than no money, why spend a fortune on an idea that didn’t, doesn’t, and won't, work. 

Sir Graham Henry: 8/10 

This is an excellent idea, and Dave Rennie needs to be congratulated. Big brains and a lot of experience are not to be underestimated. 

The war: 4/10 

For the first time, I think Trump is stuck. Yes, he can hold out but he doesn’t have the political road. In the ebb and flow of this story, he is now the 'ebb'. 

The Australian Budget: 2/10 

Based on a blatant lie. They said they wouldn’t and they did. And they wonder why politicians are held in shocking regard. 

Keir Starmer: 1/10 

Makes Albanese look straight up and down. 

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US President Donald Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping is offering to help in some way with America's war in Iran, without providing military assistance. 

But Xi's warned Trump the US and China could clash over Taiwan if they're not on the same page. 

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has responded, saying US policy on the issue of Taiwan is unchanged.  

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They offered some viewing recommendations and discussed awards ceremonies and a significant date for one of the Breakfast team. 

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All Blacks coach Dave Rennie gives his first one-on-one interview since taking up the role. 

And Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson talk gifts and an anniversary for one of the team as they Wrap the Week. 

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He'll attend the Chiefs-Highlanders Super match in Hamilton tonight as the squeeze comes on for players to impress. 

A 34-strong group will be named for the tests against France, Ireland, and Italy, with a further 10 added for the tour of South Africa. 

Rennie told Mike Hosking the depth of talent is scarcer than the recent past. 

He says that in their heyday, the All Blacks would’ve had six or seven players featuring in the World XV, and they probably haven’t got that number at the moment. 

However, Rennie says there is an enormous amount of talent in New Zealand, and their job is going to be to work with the Super Rugby coaches and staff to bring that through. 

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The new curriculum for science and social sciences will be phased in across two years, beginning at the start of 2027.  

The new health and physical education, the arts, technology, and languages curriculum will also begin to be rolled out in 2029.  

Education Minister Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking science and social sciences are just as important as maths and literacy.  

She says the reason Social Sciences have been prioritised is that it's so knowledge rich, which is so important for young people. 

Stanford told Hosking students can't afford to go back to the old curriculum.  

She says parents are stopping her in the street and say they're noticing a difference – achievement is improving and results are turning around. 

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Trump claims Xi is offering to help in some way with America's war in Iran, without providing military assistance. 

Sky News Australia correspondent Jonathan Kearsley says Trump sees an opportunity for China to help. 

But Kearsley told Mike Hosking Trump doesn't want to ask for Xi's help with Iran, because Xi will want him to change his position on Taiwan in return. 

He says Trump's not going to want to budge on Taiwan. 

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The national carrier's revealed its looking at staff redundancies and more flight reductions due to the surging cost of jet fuel. 

It's now forecasting a full-year pre-tax loss of up to $390 million. 

Nikhil Ravishankar told Mike Hosking run rates won't get worse, but fluctuating jet fuel prices will keep weighing on the airline's financial results.  

He says fuel dropping from $200 to $150 is helpful, but it's not down enough considering normal prices are around $85. 

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This is business and it's politics. 

Asset sales are back on the agenda, especially for the National and ACT parties. 

NZ First, not so much. So it may well be one of those things that gets tossed around as an idea, but in the reality of an MMP environment, it goes nowhere. 

Making the Kiwibank story slightly unique is its role in the overall banking atmosphere of New Zealand and whether a bigger bank would solve any of the perceived competition problems we have. 

People we know are prepared to change banks. Last year when there was a free for all on cashbacks for borrowing, people were moving freely like the wind. So the idea that there isn't competition doesn’t appear to be true. 

But I'm in a minority given everyone from the Commerce Commission to the Finance Minister argues otherwise. 

I also detect more broadly that asset sales are not, as a topic, as edgy as they once were. 

If you go back to the 80's and Labour under Douglas and Prebble, asset sales were dynamite and not all of them went well, which didn’t help the pro-sales argument. 

But the cold hard-ish reality here, 40 years on, is there isn't a lot left to sell. 

Some chunks of power companies are worth serious money. 

We have an airline, a TV network, a radio network, some farms – it's all got a moderately piecemeal vibe to it. 

Kiwibank should be able to raise the sort of money it needs, and it should be allowed to grow. Is the counter to a partial sale that we like a small, restricted bank that hasn’t been allowed to be all it could be just so we can say we are anti-asset sales? 

In Kiwibank's case you are holding back growth. 

In TVNZ's case it's about ideology, i.e. should the state run a TV station given the place isn't worth anything to sell? 

And in say the case of Genesis, it's about serious coin we could badly use elsewhere. 

If this idea goes anywhere this election year, you would hope we are less hung up on ideology and more attuned to the nuances of the debate than we have been in the past. 

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Chief Executive Vanessa Hudson says the Qantas Group wants to work with our Government to achieve more routes, access, and affordability. 

She says Jetstar's undergoing it's biggest-ever expansion in New Zealand and has added more than 800-thousand trans-Tasman seats over the past 12 months. 

Hudson acknowledges the airline's had to hike fares and cut some flights due to rising jet fuel prices, but says committing to New Zealand is important. 

Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully told Mike Hosking their biggest challenge is the fuel price, so they have to manage their business and stay focused on how they can mitigate that. 

She says the reason she, Hudson, and other executives are in the country is to reaffirm their commitment to offering great value to travelling New Zealanders.  

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Finance Minister Nicola Willis discusses her ever shrinking Budget operating allowance. 

And CEO of Jetstar Steph Tully unpacks the recent claim they’re committed to New Zealand while also cutting routes and flights due to current jet fuel prices. 

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The All Whites squad for next month’s FIFA World Cup is set to be announced this morning. 

36 players will be selected, each set to receive at least $250,000, and New Zealand Football is guaranteed US$10 million just for qualifying. 

CEO Andrew Pragnell told Mike Hosking it’s a massive amount of money, and a good chunk rightfully goes to the players, it’s a welcome contribution for the organisation. 

He says they’re probably the most international sport in regards to the number of teams they operate, and since they’re travelling around the world constantly, it’s quickly spent. 

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A survey of about 500 people by retail management platform Lightspeed has found almost eight in ten prefer shopping in store, rather than online. 

About four in ten shop at independent local stores. 

Lightspeed Managing Director Nicole Buisson told Mike Hosking consumers very much want the convenience of online shopping, but also the human connection or the ability to go and touch and feel a product in real life. 

An example of this, she says, is when people check the availability of a product online before going into the store.  

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A bill's been introduced to Parliament that would increase the maximum penalty for misleading prices from $600 thousand to $5 million. 

The Commerce Commission estimates such prices are costing New Zealanders tens-of-millions-of-dollars a year.  

Consumer Affairs Minister Cameron Brewer told Mike Hosking there's always room for error. 

But he says there's also some businesses who treat the current penalty for misleading pricing as the cost of doing business. 

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The Government's cut its operating allowance by another $300 million to $2.1 billion. 

Nicola Willis says Government ministers have been looking carefully for savings. 

She told Mike Hosking they're having to be very careful about the choices they make. 

Willis says they need to look for investments that drive growth, living standards, and affordability. 

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The Pivot and Pace survey found many CEOs are growing frustrated with the country's lack of long-term thinking.  

Many are saying three-year political cycles and a lack of cross-party agreement are holding the country back. 

Founding Partner of Pivot & Pace Kendall Langston told Mike Hosking there are other countries with visions longer than two political cycles.  

He says CEOs aren't wanting Government involvement – rather a runway and guaranteed resilience to create some confidence in the direction they're heading. 

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A party for Māori. What have they achieved? 

Have they done more damage than good? Do we differentiate between Māori and "Māori". By that I mean Māori who aren't as angsty as some and are perfectly happy on the general roll. 

Is the Māori movement generally just for the agitators? And as such, you have people with very specific agendas, and those agendas are almost certain to clash. 

I have no doubt the Māori Party in their current iteration will implode this election. I think everyone does. I have little doubt Labour will scoop most of the support back up. 

The same Labour Party that got trounced last election because the Māori Party 2.0 was the repository of so much hope and promise. 

The history of Māori roll voting is mad. They were Labour forever, until they went with NZ First, and then Labour, until Māori Party Part One came along, and then Labour, and then NZ First, until the Māori Party Part Two came along. 

Is the Māori vote a cheap date-type affair? Flash a bit of bling, say something random, and you can reel them in. How else to explain the wild gyrations in direction? 

On a broader question, just what exactly have the Māori seats delivered, specifically, ever, under any party, for anyone? 

Is the mistake the race bit? 

Pita Sharples is not Rawiri Waititi. Tariana Turia is not Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, or Dover Samuels, or Tu Wylie, or Tuku Morgan. But because they all happen to be Māori they should all, apparently, be the same. 

Is that the mistake? Race is first, second and third. Ideas, policies and visions come a long way down the list. After you have all arrived as Māori you suddenly realise you don’t actually have a lot in common and as a result you fall out. 

Because that is the undeniable outworking of the Māori vote and the Māori parties. 

The vote swings wildly, and quality and delivery even more wildly, then you get someone like Kapa-Kingi who is but another sad chapter we have seen before. 

It all ends the same way, in a great big shambolic mess. 

So 20 years and counting – what's the point? 

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The Labor Government is raising taxes on investment properties and some trust funds to pay for a $250 tax break for working Australians. 

Its expected 35 thousand fewer homes will be built, despite net migration remained at 300 thousand people per year. 

Australia Correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking a federal surplus isn't expected until 2036 and gross debt will likely hit $1 trillion this year. 

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The NRL club have agreed to a request from Metcalf's management to talk with other clubs. 

It's unclear whether they would allow an immediate release for the halfback, who only re-signed until 2028 late last year. 

Metcalf has been unable to regain his halfback role since returning from injury with Tanah Boyd impressing in his absence and retaining the jersey. 

Former Kiwis and Queensland Maroons Head Coach Sir Graham Lowe told Mike Hosking the situation highlights how the Warriors have grown. 

He says Metcalf is a brilliant player and a game-breaker, but Boyd’s unlocked the whole team and is a key to their performance.  

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They discussed the 24 year political career of Judith Collins, who is resigning from Parliament and taking up a new role with the Law Commission.

They also discussed Mariameno Kapa-Kingi's split from Te Pāti Māori to form her own party and what this may mean for Labour and the Māori seats – plus, the former Labour staffer linked to the troll social media account.  

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New Commerce Commission analysis of 22 years of Stats NZ data shows average business concentration has dipped slightly. 

However, smaller businesses are still struggling to gain traction against larger firms. 

Commission Chair John Small says weak competition in essential sectors is also weakening the rest of economy.  

He told Mike Hosking that while the size of New Zealand does have an impact on the amount of competition we have capacity for, we can still do a lot better than we are.  

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Judith Collins reflects on 24 years in Parliament and her valedictory speech. 

And on Politics Wednesday, Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell discuss Collins’ career, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi's new party, and the Māori seats for Labour – plus the Labour staffer linked to the troll social media account.   

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Waitaki District Councillors have voted to consult on a rates rise of up to 45% to address the council's deficit. 

It's also consulting on lower rates rises of 19% or 27%, which would leave the council still in the red. 

Waitaki Mayor Mel Tavendale told Mike Hosking she'd prefer a lower rates rise, but that wouldn't solve the council's issues. 

She says the council has a $14 million deficit and just 12 thousand ratepayers. 

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It will include a face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. 

The US President's travelling with the bosses of Boeing and Apple, and Tesla's Elon Musk. 

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking Trump will be trying to convince China to put more pressure on Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz. 

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The Labor Government's raising taxes on investment properties and some trust funds to pay for a $250 tax break. 

It will apply to 13 million Australians and come into effect in 2028. 

9News Chief Political Editor Charles Croucher told Mike Hosking it's on top of similar tax breaks coming this year and next year. 

He says it's giving some relief to that tax-bracket but it's a pittance compared to current inflation and interest rates.  

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The senior National MP has delivered her valedictory speech as she prepares to move on, to head the Law Commission. 

Collins has held numerous ministerial portfolios in her time in politics and led National to the 2020 election. 

She told Mike Hosking she's grateful for everything she's been able to do. 

Collins says it's been an interesting career, and she never held a portfolio she got bored with. 

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Todd McClay says he expects the US Government to launch an investigation into our lamb exports in the coming weeks. 

It could result in extra tariffs being imposed to protect the US sheep meat sector. 

McClay told Mike Hosking he and his officials will be reminding their US counterparts of the mutual benefits of the trade. 

He says lamb consumption and lamb prices in the US have gone up as a result of New Zealand's marketing efforts. 

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In the Herald's vast poll churn that produces the chances of the current Government being re-elected at about 88%, is the real revelation that the Greens have been going backwards since the last election? 

The trouble appears twofold; 

1) The falls have been slow. Almost so small and slow you most probably didn’t notice them. 

2) Chlöe is a media favourite, so no one is really scrutinising her as to whether she's any good. 

Now, yes, Marama Davidson is a leader as well and I suppose you can blame her as much as you can Chlöe. But to my eye and mind it's Chlöe who is the head leader, despite their best PC intentions to spread the load, or blame. 

She is also not in Government, so you tend to get, if not a free ride, certainly an easier one. 

Now obviously I'm not a Green voter so none of this personally matters to me. But I'm all about continual improvement and the Greens are not on a path of any such thing. 

Under Swarbrick they have drifted. They have not grown. They are not the environmental party they once were under Fitzsimons or Donald. They are essentially angry socialists who campaign for the homeless and downtrodden. 

They are virtue signallers. 

She came to prominence because she was young. She was possibly seen as the future. 

To give her her dues, she has run a good ground game in Auckland Central and won her electorate and that may be her strength – a good local MP. 

Because she is not a good leader. 

If the Greens are to excel, they need to be better managed. Obviously, the Tana, Doyle, Kerekere, and Ghahraman shambles adds to the sense the place is a mess. 

But it's all unfolded under Swarbrick. The good news is if they want to recognise it, they can fix it. 

Certainly if this had all played out as part of a coalition you would have thought she would have been ejected a long time back. 

Saving her partially of course is the lack of talent behind her. Do you honestly see Genter or Menendez-March as saviours, or yet more of the same ill-disciplined verbal rabble? 

When you pare it back, look at the noise versus the outcomes and include the inescapable numbers, she has failed as a leader. 

So is she a bit useless? Yes. 

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The globally renowned Irish boyband formed in 1998, splitting up in 2012 before reuniting once more in 2018. 

They have over three billion streams, 36 number one albums worldwide, and have sold 55 million records and more than six million concert tickets. 

And now they’re coming to New Zealand as part of their 25th Anniversary World Tour – performing on our shores for the first time in 20 years. 

“This tour is shaping up to be the biggest tour we’ve ever done,” lead singer Shane Filan told Mike Hosking.   

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The Bank of Mum and Dad has apparently never been more important, nor as expected, among first-home buyers. 

And Shane Filan of Westlife talks 25 years of the boy band and coming to NZ next year as part of their world tour. 

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Andrea Nelson steps into the role ahead of the men's and women's World Cups in October and November across New Zealand, Australia, and Papua New Guinea, and November's wheelchair tournament in Wollongong. 

She’s replacing Greg Peters, who stepped down after eight years in the role. 

Nelson told Mike Hosking the sport is in great health, so it’s an incredible opportunity and great honour to come in at this point to lead it. 

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