The Mike Hosking Breakfast

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Tory Whanau: 9/10 She scored it herself and why wouldn't you, shouldn't you, when you are as brilliant as her? God, she deserves a holiday. Donald Trump: 7/10 For the sheer madness, calamity and unbelievable amount of bullshit he has spouted in 100 days. You will never see the likes again, unless of course he runs for a third and fourth term. Auckland FC: 8/10 You can't argue with that execution of success. Have a dream, get a team and win the competition. That's brilliant! Canada: 7/10 Election of the year so far and will almost certainly beat tomorrow's in Australia, unless Dutton does a Morrison. And I'm not running odds on that. Toyota: 7/10 The All Blacks deal is a nice fit. How good will Tamaiti Williams look in a Yaris? James Meager: 3/10 For saying random stuff like he's looking into helping Air New Zealand into the regions and getting fares down. He's also looking to get butter under $4 a block. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three prizes for three good calls this week by the Government. 1) Financial literacy coming to a school near you in 2027, and not a day too soon. In many respects it's the more valuable end of the education spectrum. It's education you can actually use. 2) Nicola Willis and her cutting of the operating allowance from $2.4b to $1.3b. The $2.4b number already had headlines for being skinny, or unrealistic. $1.3b is rabbit out of a hat material. I assume she is telling the truth when she says she has found billions in savings, because you can't run a country on thin air. 3) David Seymour, with more reality check reminders that we have too much Government. In his speech he alerted us to just how much - 82 portfolios, 41 departments and 28 ministers. If ever you wanted an example of bloat, there it is. The portfolio joke is about appeasing people. There isn't an issue or pressure group you can't appease by inventing a label. The real issue is ministers. The good news currently, as Audrey Young in the Herald pointed out this week in her famous marking of ministers annual outing, is most of them are getting good scores and most of them are decent operators. But it is not always the case and too often, with the last Government being your classic example, portfolios are used and/or invented to reward loyalty and/or give people pay rises. Whether you can do the job is secondary. Good governments are run by a handful of talent. In David Lange's day it was the Prime Minister, Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble and David Caygill. With Helen Clark it was the Prime Minister, Michael Cullen, Phil Goff and Annette King. With John Key it was Key, Bill English and Steven Joyce. This time its Christopher Luxon, Chris Bishop, Nicola Willis and Simeon Brown - multiple portfolios at the heavyweight end of the index. Unlike the real world, you will note Cabinet and Government never downsize. The public service can be downsized, but the Government never is. Sadly for Seymour, unlike the other two ideas this week, his isn't real. Financial literacy will materially improve our kids' future. Willis and her austerity will materially improve our economy. If Seymour somehow trims a single minister or ministry, it won't be an idea - it will be a miracle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 2nd of May, Health Minister Simeon Brown is forcing doctors back to the negotiating table via the ERA. Just what is happening with the Indian Panthers basketball team? The team was suspended and the CEO is on to tell us their plans to fix it. Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson discuss Mushroomgate, Suzanne Vega, and a new whisky infused manuka honey as they Wrap the Week. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back today to Wrap the Week that was. They discussed the latest to come out of Mushroomgate, Suzanne Vega, and a new whiskey-infused manuka honey the show's producers received. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One day out from the Australian Election and Labor seems to have it in the bag. If the polling stacks up, Anthony Albanese will remain Prime Minister and Peter Dutton will once again be relegated to opposition. There's been criticism across the ditch that the coalition's campaign has been full of U-turns and back tracks – undermining their credibility. Australian Political Commentator Bruce Hawker told Mike Hosking Dutton presented a risky persona, with many of his policies and comments quite Trumpish in their attitude. He says people likely started to think they'd prefer having the devil they know. The state of Dutton's policies were also a concern, Hawker says, with many feeling underdone. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An unshakable insistence from Indian Panthers boss Parveen Batish that their indefinite ban from the National Basketball League won't be permanent. The first year team were handed an immediate ban mid-season following serious allegations of payment issues and player unrest. The Panthers can return to the NBL if they meet various conditions set by the league's commission. When asked if has been asked if their catalogue of off court issues have been sorted, Batish told Mike Hosking they're 100% sorted. He says when they come back they're going to be much stronger, as the positivity around what they can do and deliver is enormous. Newstalk ZB understands the other 11 NBL teams were unanimous in revoking the Panthers league license. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Declining stats for Auckland's Eden Park, as the number of major events coming to this country reduce. Revenue fell from $44.3 million in 2023 to $29.7 million in 2024 and major event attendance fell from 881 thousand to 540 thousand. Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner told Mike Hosking one of the factors to blame is the lack of seed funding. He says there's been limited funds available from Auckland Unlimited and the central government, and they've missed out on a number of events over the last 12 months. Sautner says Eden Park went through a 125 year journey to get concerts, and now we're in a situation where artists are bypassing New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour's calling for fat to be cut from multiple areas of government. The Act Party leader wants a limit on the number of ministers – with no ministers outside of Cabinet, and no associate ministers other than in Finance. He wants 30 total government agencies, down from 41. Executive Director of business think tank New Zealand Initiative, Oliver Hartwich told Mike Hosking the current model doesn't make sense. He says there's a Minister of Housing but also a Minister of Building and Construction, as if they have nothing to do with each other. Hartwich also says the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is a prime example of a bloated cabinet. He says there are 16 ministers in charge of MBIE, and Ireland has 15 in its entire cabinet. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Drug Foundation says the country barely invests anything into helping and supporting people with meth-addiction. Discharges from public hospitals suggest meth-use has increased four-fold over the past decade. Wastewater testing last year showed a doubling in meth use. Drug Foundation Chief Executive Sarah Helm told Mike Hosking a lot more could be done, especially with knowledge from new research. She says about half of people using illicit substances have ADHD, which could help prevent drug-use if treated. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Health Minister is standing by the current pay offer to senior doctors. Thousands of planned procedures have been delayed following yesterday's strike action, while Health New Zealand is applying to the Employment Relations Authority for urgent facilitation. Union members have told Newstalk ZB their pay rates aren't keeping up with the private sector or with Australia. But Simeon Brown told Mike Hosking the pay offer is "credible" given Health New Zealand only has so much money to go around. He says the health budget has to cover hospital services, GPs, aged care, and a range of other things, and there's pressure across the board. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elite sports are not a cheap field to enter. 19-year-old Liam Sceats is on a journey to make it as a professional motorsport driver, aiming to achieve his dream of competing in IndyCar. He's currently competition in Indy NXT with HMD Motorsports – and it'll cost him $1.2 million USD to compete in all 12 rounds. Sceats currently has a three event deal, but will need to secure more funding to take it all the way to the end. However, obtaining funding is not as easy as simply doing well in the races. He told Mike Hosking that support certainly comes easier if you're a winner, but for him it largely comes from hustling and doing the groundwork. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Regulars will know school and I were never really that close. It was a means to an end, and the end couldn't come soon enough. The means was the skills required to get out into the world and get on with it. One of the things it did help with was economics. I found it genuinely interesting and did quite well in it. They taught me compounding interest. If you don't know about compounding interest, you don't know about life. Economics is life and its lack of understanding is why so many people have so many difficulties with money. As of 2027 financial education, it has been announced, will be compulsory in school in Years 1-10. I'd make it Years 1-13 but praise the Lord. This is education you can use. Geography, Latin, and physics are about career pathways and ideas you may, or may not, find interesting. As a result, you may, or may not, ever use them. But finance is about life, about success and about navigating the world. People who know what money, currency, interest, dividends, investment and returns are, do better in the world than those who don't. It raises the question as to what education is about. Is it about a pathway to university, to skills, or to understanding, or the power and value of learning, or the basics of life? They used to do home economics, still do under different names. Is that a pathway to work with Alain Ducasse, or to make some scones on a rainy Sunday? I figure if nothing else school should be useful. A lot of people don't use a lot of what we got at school. Things like nomadic tribes of Africa in geography didn't serve me all that well, but compound interest has. Economics opened a door for me – a useful, beneficial and financially fruitful door. The idea that all kids will get that going forward is no bad thing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

House prices are set to rise as businesses report less confidence With two further cuts expected to the OCR, ANZ is now expecting a 4.5% lift as opposed to 6%. Business confidence has also taken a tumble, with just 49% expecting improvements in the year ahead – down 9 points. ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner told Mike Hosking the data was taken amid tariffs hitting the markets, impacting business confidence, investment, and employment. She says there may be a hint of a knee-jerk reaction that may not last, but only time will tell. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 1st of May, the Aratere ferry is being retired – the only rail-enabled ferry in KiwiRail's fleet. Financial literacy will now be taught at schools in Years 1-10. And Indy NXT driver Liam Sceats details just what young drivers have to go through to get the funding for a single season of driving at the top level. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another big win for New Zealand Rugby in the wake of the messy end to a major sponsorship agreement. Vehicle manufacturer Toyota has reportedly signed a multi-million dollar agreement to put its name on the All Blacks training kit – partly replacing INEOS. The agreement is also believed to include the provision of vehicles for players and management who don't have existing contracts with previous vehicle partner, Ford. Former NZ Rugby CEO David Moffett told Mike Hosking it's good news. He says it's very similar to the Ford deal that they had back in 1995. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another Government curriculum refresh is aiming to give school kids more grasp of money management. The Education Minister's making financial literacy a compulsory topic for Years 1 to 10. The Government's teaming up with financial organisations, banks, and charities for lessons on investment and taxes. Banqer CEO Simon Brown told Mike Hosking that on an international level, we don't stack up too badly, but there's a wide variety in the level of financial education given by schools. He says that some schools do a great job delivering to all students, but in others financial education is completely lacking, and as a result, student preparedness is left up to chance. Brown believes a lot of people appreciate the importance and value of financial education, so to see this plan come to fruition is an exciting step. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ruapehu District could be in for an economic boom with new skifield ownership. The Department of Conservation's approved a 10 year concession for Whakapapa Holdings to operate the Whakapapa side of Mount Ruapehu. An agreement for the Turoa side was struck last year, following a lengthy bidding war, with numerous Government bailouts. Mayor Weston Kirton told Mike Hosking it's a critical milestone in securing the future of skiing in Mount Ruapehu. He says it gives confidence to the wider tourism sector, and provides a huge amount of income to the community and region – to the tune of around $100 million. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KiwiRail admits it may be helping out its competition by reducing its Interislander fleet to two. Aratere will be retired when demolition begins on its decaying dock in Picton late this year or early next, to add infrastructure for new ships. Two new ferries are due in 2029. KiwiRail Chief Executive Peter Reidy told Mike Hosking some passengers may opt now to travel with Bluebridge. He says capacity is spread between the companies when one faces an issue. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over 4000 medical procedures are on hold today while 5000 senior doctors strike for better working conditions. This comes after eight months of failed negotiations with Health New Zealand. The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says it's not going to fill workforce gaps without major improvements to pay and conditions. Health NZ Chief Clinical Officer Doctor Richard Sullivan told Mike Hosking waitlist times for procedures will now stretch out further. He says the more than 4000 procedures which have been delayed will impact on getting people earlier access to care. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In her seemingly never-ending ability to surprise, Tory Whanau fronts on the local Newstalk ZB morning show in her beleaguered capital yesterday and scores herself a 9/10. If she had come from comedy I could have seen the joke she was making. But she doesn't come from comedy, which is not to say her reign hasn't been comedic. She is the Meghan Markle of local body politics - so self-absorbed and she doesn't appear cognisant as to just how destructive and useless she is. I wasn't going to even comment on Whanau given it's a local issue, she has announced she's off, and the sooner the Whanau era of terror ends the better. But fly in the ointment: she is still standing for a seat and bringing potentially all her 9/10 madness with her. Now the guard rails on this part of her future are of course in the hands of the public of the capital. You don't have to have more of it. You can in fact vote for someone else. As such she is free to take her record, put it in front of you and test it. But it takes a special sort of narcissist to think of herself so highly, having just been bundled out of the big race because she knows she can't win. If she is a 9/10, she should be bolting home. But that's the problem with narcissists, isn't it? They continue to bluster even when they know the game is up. She is also a wider problem by remaining as part of the wider picture. She puts people off. Local body politics is crying out for decent, hardworking, competent contributors, but who in their right mind is interested in sitting round a table with buffoons? A bunch of do-gooding lifers, who as often as not, are not actually able to get work in the normal world. Not all of Wellington's many, many problems are on Tory. But she led the team that wrought the havoc and the stuff she inherited, she didn't help. Her advice to poor, old Nick Mills, who had to listen to this tripe, was every time you see a road cone, you see progress. It's that sort of fairytale, fanciful nonsense most of us realise isn't remotely true. Maybe that's her ultimate problem. Maybe she lives in her head In her head Wellington is a riviera and Tory is the queen of that riviera. The pipes didn't burst, the city boomed, and Tory oversaw a renaissance. Maybe that's how all narcissists delude themselves. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 30th of April, Mark Carney is the new Canadian Prime Minister, and the Government is reversing Labour's 2020 decision allowing prisoners to vote. Former Finance Minister Steven Joyce is on to discuss how Nicola could deliver a Budget with everything we need, while cutting over a billion dollars from the operating allowance. Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk Mark's rating from Audrey, the Budget cut, and crime on Politics Wednesday. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There will be further cuts to Government agency spending, to be diverted into priority areas. Finance Minister Nicola Willis confirmed a $1.3 billion operating allowance – plummeting from the $2.4 billion estimate. Willis says they've reviewed funding line-by-line. National's Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking they have to cut spending as the reality is the country went from $58 billion of debt in 2017 to $175 billion in 2024. He says we went from paying $3.6 billion in interest a year to $8.9 billion, and we cannot afford that. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Garden City's reaping the benefits of this year's Electric Avenue festival. The event produced $10.5 million in visitor spend after 75 thousand people attended in February. It's believed to be the largest since the 1974 Commonwealth Games. Loren Aberhart, ChristchurchNZ General Manager of Destination and Attraction, told Mike Hosking they're looking at options for growth, as the festival had the city bursting at the seams. They're undertaking accommodation research, she says, and planning ahead for the opening of the One NZ Stadium to ensure the city has the capacity to cope with events. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A question mark over how Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, will perform. The Liberal Party won the country's election yesterday, beating the Conservative party, and locking down a fourth term. The win means Carney will keep hold of the top job he took over from Justin Trudeau six weeks ago. Globe and Mail Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife told Mike Hosking he has no experience in retail policy, but headed the banks of Canada and England. He says given these credentials, he should do okay, but there's been no real opportunity to see him perform as Prime Minister. There's also doubts Carney will be able to secure a majority government, as he's currently sitting at 169 seats of the 172 needed. Fife doesn't think he'll get up to this number, but may reach 170. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Finance Minister says cutbacks to public spending need to be seen in context. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed a drastic cut to the operating allowance in next month's Budget, from $2.4 billion to $1.3 billion. There will be no new funding for most Government departments, with the focus being on priority areas and paying off debt. Steven Joyce told Mike Hosking there's still scope to reduce spending. He says Government spending has doubled in the past eight years while inflation has only gone up about 30% in the same time. Joyce is also saying there's growing public appetite for more public sector restraint. The Government's ruling out giving most departments any additional funding in the next Budget, but Joyce says reaching that target will depend a lot on the international economy. However, he told Hosking there are still lots of changes that can be made to bring down government spending. Joyce says making those changes requires a bit of work and requires ministers having a good political radar and knowing what can't be cut. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Children's Minister says good progress is being made on reports coming into Oranga Tamariki. The Ministry for Children estimates it's seen a 45% increase in reports of concern in the year to April. Karen Chhour says the number of children in unsafe households is alarming but it's positive seeing more people reporting them. She told Mike Hosking the urgency of each report can vary, with several potentially applying to the same child. Chhour says not all reports need Oranga Tamariki intervention, with lower urgency cases better dealt with by community resources. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Justice Minister says reinstating a total ban on prisoner voting is not likely to change the outcome of elections. The proposal would reverse changes introduced in 2020 allowing prisoners serving sentences of less than three years to vote. People detained on remand or serving sentences of home detention will still be able to vote. Paul Goldsmith told Mike Hosking the number of votes coming out of prisons is not enough to sway a result. He says it's about sending a signal to people who breach the rights and responsibilities of living in society. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 90-thousand solar panels are now generating power for near 13-thousand homes in Canterbury. New Zealand's largest solar farm has opened at Lauriston on the Canterbury Plains. The 93 hectare plant is a joint venture between Genesis Energy and FRV Australia. Genesis Energy Chief Executive Malcolm Johns told Mike Hosking New Zealand will still need a coal reserve in the future. He says there will be periods of time where the wind isn't blowing or the rain hasn't come, and we will need to lean on thermal generation. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a while there being a tough guy was good for your credibility. Look at Victor Orban, Javier Milei and Nayib Bukele. They all revelled, and succeeded, at the polls with their macho, Trump-esque persona. The world was moving away from "Me Too" and progressivism. There has been a very distinct move to conservatism, especially in parts of Europe. Being like Trump was, more often than not, good for your political aspirations. Peter Dutton had a touch of that, but sadly in the length of an Australian campaign it's all changed. The more he has looked like Trump, talked about Trump, and promised policy that sounded like Trump, the worse it has got. Chances are by Saturday night, he will be a loser. In the meantime, in Canada, who are voting now, the reason Mark Carney is in the lead is twofold. 1) The bloke who ran the place before him was a progressive sap and was a victim of the movement against the left. But he also had been there a decade, and his clock had run out. 2) His replacement has made much ground in the new-found vein of political success of looking not at all like Trump, but being tough enough to stand up to him. Mark Carney will most likely win today and if he does, the fortunes of his Liberal Party will be one for the ages. The same anger, frustration and impatience that led Trump to victory over a hapless socialist, should have played out the same way —and was going to play out the same way— north of the border. Yet in the space of a couple of months, the entire scenario has been tipped on its head. Looking like Trump, like Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives do, is no longer currency. It's bad news. They have tried desperately to direct the campaign towards the issues that had Canadians so upset for the past ten years; cost of living, cost of housing, and jobs. But the tariffs and Trump and his insults have fired them up and off into a new direction, which is hating on America. Carney and the Liberals have seen it, grabbed it and run with it. The last polls have a 3%-ish point gap to them. The Liberals have come back from 20 points down, it's astonishing. Let's do the counting. But if they win, what's it say about the distaste for Trump? What's it say about a single-issue campaign? And will there have ever been a bigger victory snatched from the jaws of defeat? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been 100 days since Donald Trump was sworn in as US President. His campaign was filled with promises of dramatic change, and he's certainly followed through, with a record-breaking number of orders filed in the first three months. The most dramatic of which is his sweeping global tariffs. Quest Means Business host Richard Quest told Mike Hosking it goes against the orthodoxy of economics that has always been taught – that tariffs can be a benefit if targeted and used for a specific purpose. He says using widespread tariffs to reshape global trading structures has not been done before, but it's something Trump has always wanted to do. Quest believes with the tariff headwinds pushing against the global economy, major economies are facing recessions, and the slowdown in economic growth will feel pretty awful for people as the year continues. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 29th of April, Tory Whanau has decided to drop her bid for re-election – this must be the news Wellington wanted. Shane Jones is rejecting the co-governance plan for the Waitakere Ranges, and we look at the latest fruit market to go gangbusters – persimmons! Quest Means Business host on CNN, Richard Quest joins to talk Trump's first 100 days and the global effects of the tariff debacle. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a growing appetite for New Zealand's rarest and most unusual fruit. Persimmons have had a 20% rise in exports in the last year, and demand has never been higher. Persimmon Industry Council Manager Ian Turk told Mike Hosking it's thanks to recent sunny weather in Gisborne, where the vast majority of the fruit is grown. He says after a rough five years for the industry —with impacts from the likes of Cyclone Gabrielle— growers are looking forward to a good season ahead. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of Kāinga Ora tenancy terminations is being described as a far cry from what's needed. Newstalk ZB can reveal the agency terminated 299 tenancies in the year to March – more than double the 134 in the year before. Much of the increase is from Kāinga Ora taking a stronger line on disruptive tenants and rent arrears. Litigation lawyer Adina Thorn told Mike Hosking Kāinga Ora needs to evict 1,000 to 1,500 tenants by her own calculations. She says nobody wants to live in public housing when they're next people described as the worst of the worst. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Deputy Leader of New Zealand First says his party will step in to stop management of the Waitakere Ranges morphing into co-governance. Auckland Council's proposing a board made up of Iwi, the Department of Conservation, and the council. Act Leader David Seymour has also criticised the plan as moving towards co-governance. Shane Jones told Mike Hosking they're not going to stand for it. He says they won't tolerate any slither of the West Auckland heritage land being under that type of arrangement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tory Whanau's shock U-turn not to run for the Wellington mayoralty again marks three consecutive one-term mayors for the capital. Whanau has this morning revealed she's dropping out of the race, saying she wants to give Andrew Little a clearer run to victory. It means Whanau, along with the two previous mayors Andy Foster and Justin Lester, only served one term in the job. Former Mayor Dame Kerry Prendergast told Mike Hosking that's bad for the city, which needs stability. Tory Whanau will stand for the city's Māori ward. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief changes to certifications and inspections for builders is a step in the right direction. Legislation introduced by the end of this year will see approved building firms, drain layers, and plumbers allowed to sign off their own work on smaller residential dwellings. Certified Builders Chief Executive Malcolm Fleming told Mike Hosking the Government's missed an opportunity to introduce a quality mark for builders. He says that would give homeowners the confidence a builder has the credentials to do the job well. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charities have been spared from tax changes in this year's Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has been proposing revisions to tax rules that could see charities taxed on their business activities. But she says there are still complex issues that need to be worked through before any rules are updated. Tax expert Geof Nightingale told Mike Hosking it's likely too hard. He says there's been several goes at this over the last 20 years, with not enough tax revenue being the main problem. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is being reported as a scrap, which I'm not sure is accurate. But if it is, it is a shame and probably a lesson for the combatants, who are both supposed to be on the same side. But under MMP, is anyone on the same side? Act are concerned about ACC and their current desire to solve safety issues in the manufacturing sector. But by putting a race-based lens across it, ACC want people who have answers, or programmes, for injuries to Māori and Pasifika. This of course is not what the Government is supposed to be about and a Cabinet edict says so. The shame of this is both sides, in fact all three sides, are at one on the issue. They campaigned on the issue and they campaigned on it because the last Government got so obsessed with Māori issues and language and acquiescing to everything cultural that a large swath of voters got thoroughly sick and tired of it. So why we are here after a year-and-a-half and a Cabinet instruction is beyond me. The fact ACC, or any Government department, are still trying this on is the real problem. It goes to a theme we have highlighted too often this term and that is that a public service don't appear to be neutral, or operating under the instruction of the Government of the day, but rather to their own beat. There is no good news in two parties seemingly debating a formally agreed approach with each other and there is no good news in a department continuing to do something they shouldn't. We have enough to deal with at the moment without previously agreed approaches being re-litigated or disavowed. Obviously work safety is not a race-based problem. It is an industry or sector problem and ACC should know this. Even if they didn't, they should be following instruction. Act are on the right side of this. But they shouldn't have to be given the point of Government is enactment of policy, not endless re-litigation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's changing New Zealand's approach to EV infrastructure. Grants will now turn into interest-free loans -$69-million worth for the private sector to build chargers throughout the country. The target is 10 thousand in the next five years. ChargeNet Board Member Stephen England-Hall talks to Mike Hosking about the scheme. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 28th of April, how did Hawkes Bay's gang conflict warrant pan out? The Prime Minister speaks to us out of Dubai as he wings his way home about Gallipoli, the Pope's funeral and his time with Keir Starmer. Andrew Saville and Jason Pine talk the Warriors in the top 4 and Auckland FC winning the Premier's Plate. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says incomplete or wrong information from the IRD is to blame for shortfalls in the Government's FamilyBoost scheme. The tax rebate of up to $75 per week was initially touted as a $249-million-a-year handout to help with covering childcare costs. Only 1.2% of eligible families received a full subsidy. Christopher Luxon talks to Luxon about the shortfall, his experience at the Pope's funeral and time commemorating Anzac Day. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following Pope Francis' death last week, the process begins in electing a new head of the Catholic Church. The conclave will begin early next month. Vatican Correspondent Edward Pentin talks to Mike Hosking about what we can expect. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.