The Mike Hosking Breakfast

You'll be aware of the Far North Council and their unelected Māori voting plan. It is of course a scandal, but more importantly it is part of the overall de-Māorification of the economy this current Government, in one form or another, promised to address. The fact this stuff is still going on proves they are failing. ACT's Todd Stevenson the other day wrote to Public Service Minister Judith Collins asking about Māori names in government departments. She said there was a war on, and we had better things to do. Fair point? Or convenient excuse? The simple truth is what they promised and what has happened are two different things. Enter ACT, who are now promising to ban the Far North type of behaviour. Is that a double promise? Didn't you already say you would do that? Here is the problem with it: 1) ACT aren't running the Government; they are merely part of it. Unless they make it a bottom line, which they won't, it may or may not see the light of day after the election. 2) Given their well-promoted stance on race-based policy, going into another election having had the opportunity to fix it already, you have a credibility problem. And 3) My sense of this as a broad-based issue is it isn't what it once might have been. Personally, I find Māorification problematic. To give someone rules, or money, or decisions of names, or a job based on race is simply irrefutably wrong. But the fervour with which that was argued a couple of years ago doesn't appear to be quite as white hot. Yes, there is a very vocal group who seem to have made it their raison d'être, but they are small and many of them are rabid, which makes the appeal of the overall argument to the broader populace less enticing. You might also argue that against this wall of determination was an even bigger wall of determination, i.e. those who believe in it, think it's good, who have held the line and carried on. And can I suggest that at this point, and the Far North Council are your gold star example, it is they who are the more successful of the two camps.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Britain's Prime Minister is accusing officials of withholding information from him before he appointed Peter Mandelson US ambassador. Sir Keir Starmer sacked Mandelson in September last year over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer says officials deliberately didn't tell him Mandelson has failed security vetting, and he wouldn't have cleared Mandelson to the role if he'd known. UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking neither the arguments of the Government nor those of then-Foreign Office boss Sir Olly Robbins make sense. He says the situation is catastrophic. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's no doubt ‘The Boys' is one of the biggest shows on television at the moment. It's in its fifth and final season and has been one of Amazon's biggest hits – season 4 drawing in 55 million viewers. The satirical superhero show is helmed by two well-known Kiwis, Antony Starr, who plays Homelander, and Karl Urban, who plays Billy Butcher. Urban is actually in the midst of one of the busiest stretches of his career, playing not only Butcher, but starring in ‘The Bluff' and the upcoming Mortal Kombat II. “This year has just been one nonstop sequence of hopping on planes and travelling around the world, talking about all these shows,” he told Mike Hosking. “It's a good spot to be in.” The media landscape has changed tremendously over the span of Urban's career, and while there are some downsides, there are also some “real positives”. “I mean, the advent of streaming, for example, has allowed us to tell stories in a tone that you never would have been able to tell on television, or even in movies for that fact, before,” he explained. “On one hand there's been this amazing expansion in possibilities, but then also, you know, there's also a certain contraction going on ... but at the moment I'm in a great position, and just really enjoying playing these characters and delivering something fun to the audience.” The arrival of streaming has also allowed projects like ‘The Boys' to gain global recognition and reach a wide audience, something that wasn't possible in the past. “In the old days it used to be a very, sort of finite number of networks globally, and they had a sort of, a certain audience,” Urban said. “[The Boys is] a global phenomenon. I've never experienced anything like it,” “You know, the fan base is so supportive of this show, and it's really incredible to get to the end of this sort of nine-year journey, and to be going out on top.” But all things must come to an end, and for Urban, it's bittersweet. “It's been a hell of a ride,” he said. “I'm really gonna miss it, but I'm also very grateful that we have the opportunity to tell the story that we want to tell and go out at the point that we want to go out.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 21st of April, BNZ's Chief Economist looks ahead to the inflation data set to be released this morning, and Air NZ CEO Nikhil Ravishankar discusses the latest on jet fuel stocks and price increases. Buckle up – Mike names the five National MPs seemingly behind the discontent within the party. Kiwi actor Karl Urban discusses the final season of The Boys and expresses his love for Mike watching the Warriors. 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.

A fuel squeeze is driving higher airfares and stronger demand for Air New Zealand, particularly on international routes. Long-haul fares have jumped 25% over the past year, trans-Tasman 20%, and domestic flights 10%. Jet fuel stocks have climbed to 51.4 days, according to the latest figures. Chief Executive Nikhil Ravishankar told Mike Hosking long-haul is 'a double-edged sword' – costly in fuel but buoyed by rising demand, with New Zealand being one of the safer passages available. He says that's why they're being careful about how much long haul flying they consolidate. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rural schools are welcoming extra support from the Government to deal with rising fuel costs. Small schools will receive one-off additional funding, and 70 schools will receive a one-off grant to speed up the replacement of diesel boilers. Mileage support for rural relief teachers is also being doubled. Rural Schools Leadership Association president Andrew King told Mike Hosking it's been hard for country schools to soak up these extra costs. He says having that extra money means they won't have to think about where to pool money from. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's inflation numbers won't reflect the full impact of the war in the Middle East. The first quarter of this year's expected to show a dip in annual inflation after 2025 ended with a rate of 3.1%. Bank economists are predicting an inflation rate between 2.8 and 3.1%. BNZ Chief Economist Mike Jones told Mike Hosking despite not showing the current picture, there will still be some interest in today's numbers – particularly the core inflation figures. He says that if they ease, it'll give the Reserve Bank a bit more rope to look through some of the shock, and if they strengthen, it'll probably excite those calling for earlier rate increases. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Insurance companies are getting very specific when assessing which properties are exposed to risks like flooding, an insurance expert says, but there's a limit. An intense storm like the one that hit some Wellington suburbs yesterday could have happened anywhere, making the risk much harder to pin down to individual properties, Bryce Davies —climate spokesperson for AMI, State, and NZI— told Mike Hosking. If people didn't address the risks to their properties from flooding and wind damage it would “absolutely” have an impact on their insurance premiums, he said. Insurers would also be increasingly focused on perils like landslips in the coming years. But Davies said AMI, State, and NZI weren't making blanket decisions to pull insurance from some areas. “We're here to insure people…that's our business and so we're focused on making sure that we can do that.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Opioid detections in workplaces are rising sharply. Workplace testing firm the Drug Detection Agency says detections of opioids like morphine and fentanyl has increased by more than a third in the past year. In Taranaki, it's recording almost five times as many opioids as the previous year. Chief Executive Glenn Dobson told Mike Hosking the stats will vary in comparison to wastewater, but they're certainly a reflection of a subset of society. He says anecdotally, they're hearing a softening attitude around some drug taking. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The idea of reducing reliance on fossil fuels, including the Green Party's new electrification plan, is often met with criticism that not everything can be switched over, but Mike Casey, CEO of Rewiring Aotearoa, says that isn't the immediate goal. "My focus is mainly on households at the moment, which is basically gas in the households and also electric vehicles, putting solar on the roof and batteries in the garage. We've got to start somewhere," Casey told Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Far-right politician Pauline Hanson's party One Nation has seen an unexpected surge in popularity ahead of this year's election, and Hanson's stardom has skyrocketed as a result. Australia correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking about his encounter with her at a local football club. "She walked in and got a standing ovation from people, and then a queue formed to her right of mainly young people I would say. And they all wanted a selfie, they all wanted to have a picture taken with Pauline Hanson." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday 20 April. 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.

You know exactly how today is going to go. The Prime Minister does the media rounds this morning. There will be no shortage of cortisol spiked journalists hanging off every word, double dissecting every pause and utterance—many of them desperate to write something disparaging about a man they've already decided they dislike. I wouldn't be Luxon for quids. He's been dealt a shit hand. Worse than the media, though, are the stirrers inside his own party. The selfishness and bare knuckle self preservation on display is disgraceful. You buy into a deal in life and you stick to it. You join a company, take a job, make a promise—whatever it is. In an MP's case, you're part of a three year deal. During that time you are honest, transparent, hardworking, loyal, and dedicated. Clearly—and history backs this up—National has a recurring issue here. Right now, we have a few people who appear willing to put themselves and their own survival ahead of the collective. As I said on Friday, nothing is coming of this. Luxon isn't quitting. There is no coup. They don't have the numbers—and they don't have the stomach for it. Here's the truly absurd part of their foolishness: even if there were a major problem (and there isn't), there is no obvious answer. National's strength is that it has depth. There's real talent and a solid group of capable operators—Willis, Bishop, Stanford, Mitchell, Brown, Penk, McClay. They're good at their jobs. But no one among them is some mythical tide turner. This isn't a Little to Ardern moment, it's a Shipley to Bolger or Lange to Palmer moment. History tells us that when parties panic, they almost always regret it. There is, in fact, nothing fundamentally wrong with Luxon. No, he isn't John Key—and he's not Gandhi either—but he is competent, effective, and successfully leads a workable three party collaboration.National sitting around the low 30s is not evidence of failure. It's the natural outcome of governing with three solid parties. The era of easy 40% peaks is over. That reality shouldn't be played out publicly through destabilising nonsense by people who can't accept it. Peters and Seymour should be just as concerned. They're surrounded by amateur political operators within National who are perfectly capable of dragging all of them back into opposition. So yes, we'll ask the questions. But in an increasingly troubled world, isn't it painfully small town New Zealand to be bogged down in village level idiocy—driven by self serving nobodies whose vision extends no more than two centimetres in front of their noses—rather than focusing on genuinely important issues of global consequence and how we navigate our way through them? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After briefly re-opening the Strait of Hormuz, Iran closed it again after the US did not meet demands to unblock Iranian ports. Former US Army Major General told Mike Hosking, "unfortunately, I have to say that the Iranians have assessed the situation probably the most accurate, which is there's inconsistency on the American position, and we just don't know where this is going." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday New Zealand First announced a campaign policy to break up New Zealand's supermarket duopoly. Woolworths and Foodstuffs currently control over 80 percent of the grocery market. NZ First leader Winston Peters told Mike Hosking he isn't pursuing this now because, "the National Party is not for it, the ACT Party is not for it. I mean, they've got their policies which are to stagger on with the Commerce Commission that's not working." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's rubbishing the latest poll - showing the left bloc in a position to win the election. The 1 News Verian Poll has the left on 66 seats to the right bloc's 58 - assuming Te Pāti Māori keeps its six seats. Our newsroom understands multiple MPs are believed to be unhappy with Luxon's performance and want his leadership discussed. Christopher Luxon has been rejecting talk of a challenge to his leadership - and says [told Mike Hosking] he doesn't buy the results of this latest poll. He says he simply doesn't believe Kiwis want Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori, when New Zealand needs strong economic management and a stable coalition government. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has quietly agreed to repeal a number of references to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi within laws, and amending others. Despite ongoing conversations since February, no one from within the Government had spoken publicly about the move or made any announcement. The Ministry of Justice said this would ensure “better outcomes and more consistent decision-making”. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith spoke to Mike Hosking about the decision. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bloke called Roman Gofman could be the key to all this. Gofman is the incoming Director of Mossad. If you believe the story about the war, Netanyahu got the intel that the heavyweights in Iran would all be in the same room on that fateful Saturday. So, if there was ever a time to strike this was it. Netanyahu convinced Trump. Netanyahu was advised by Gofman, who also believed that if you hit them hard they would fall over, and quickly, and regime change would be complete. They were all wrong and badly so. That's why in the initial video Trump told the people of Iran the country would be theirs to take. It clearly isn't. You can ask the question, I guess, if Gofman was that wrong on Iran, is he still the bloke to run Mossad? If they didn't see the regime not falling over, they also didn't see the Strait of Hormuz becoming the cluster it has. The IMF report yesterday laid bare just how globally significant this excursion has become and how much pressure goes back onto the shoulders of Trump, who will singularly be held responsible for a global recession if a deal isn't cut. Talks look promising and I'm convinced a deal will be done. What sort of deal? Who knows. Israel, who really should be held as responsible as Trump but won't be, will hold direct talks with Lebanon. In positive news it seems the country is trying to disassociate themselves from Hezbollah. That may well become a thing, which if you dovetail the Iran/America deal, and that involves no more sponsorship of proxies, could it be that globally Hezbollah are toast along with the Houthis and maybe even Hamas? Scott Bessent, who appears from the more normal part of the White House, was rolled out yesterday to remind us of the big picture. This war, the talks, the IMF report and the mess is but a moment in time that will vanish if Iran gets stripped of the ability to blow the planet up. Which brings us back to the original question and intent: was getting nuclear out of Iran a good idea and would it be worth it? I still think as a theory, yes, and a lot of the world would agree. But that hasn't happened yet and the brains that's started it —Gofman, Netanyahu, and Trump— don't have the same international standing as they did six weeks ago. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. The war: 6/10 Mark my words, this is closer to the end than many think. Round two of talks, a squeeze on the Strait – the Iranians are about to capitulate. Moana Pasifika: 4/10 In a competition already lacking sparkle, this can't have helped. And also, perhaps a lesson in starting something for the right reasons, not ideological ones. The Crusaders' horses: 3/10 That's a 30-year legacy we will miss. Ema Aitken: 7/10 Pleased she wasn't booted, but nor should she have been. What a storm in a bone china, Northern Club teacup. The BSA: 7/10 Can't wait to see the back of them. Good luck and good night. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not a lot of coverage has been given to the failed appeal by Tony Gibson. He was the head of the Port of Auckland, a worker died and he was charged under health and safety and found guilty. It was the Health and Safety at Work Act of 2015, and he was the first person of a large operation to be charged and found guilty under it. This in no way takes away from the tragedy and seriousness of the accident. But the question for us all though, is can you reasonably hold a single person responsible in a company where so many people, if you were looking to cast a wide net, potentially could also be responsible? And if you can, what sort of chilling effect does that have around the running of large companies in which you can potentially be held to account for Lord knows what? The court found he had overall responsibility, which in theory is not unfair. It's the buck-stops-at-the-top argument. But what about the board? What is the point in having management and managerial responsibility if it all eventually gets sheeted back up top? In a business where safety is a key aspect of operation, you presumably have people and groups, or committees, that operate procedures and rules. What level, if any, of responsibility do they hold, or share? Can one person really be held to account for the singular accident, on one day, in one incident, in a company of hundreds, or potentially thousands? And if you answer 'yes', as the court seems to have, then how does a CEO change the way they approach the running of that business? Are they risk averse? Do they take longer to make decisions? Does progress get slowed as we guess, second guess, then guess one more time just in case? Do you overspend or invest in areas "just in case"? How much sleep do you lose doing all this? If the rules around being on a board are increasingly arduous, and they are, is making life as a CEO harder, productive? Or is finding a single person culpable for any event in the workplace an easy out, of a complex problem allowing everyone else to wash their hands? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A major fire at one of Australia's two remaining oil refineries isn't expected to have much effect on national prices. The fire at Viva Energy's Geelong facility will hinder its ability to make petrol, but it can still produce diesel and jet fuel. It's one of only two sites in Australia and produces 10% of the country's fuel. Australia Correspondent Murray Olds told Mike Hosking the fire underlines the perilous nature of the country's fuel supplies, as they have very limited refining capacity. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Friday, which means Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back with Mike to Wrap the Week that Was. They discussed the rumours of a coup in the National Party and Chris Bishop's performance on the show this morning. Also on the agenda was circuses, pet sitting, and this weekend's maiden Supercars event in Christchurch. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Nurses Organisation says violence in emergency departments will worsen if systemic issues aren't addressed. Figures released under the Official Information Act show more than 7,500 reports of violence against healthcare staff were logged last year, matching the year before, but up significantly on 2023. Just over 1000 reports came from emergency departments. Organisation Chief Executive Paul Goulter told Mike Hosking it comes down to understaffing and people waiting too long to get treated, and it often escalates from there. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 17th of April, it's coup Friday! Chris Bishop was on to talk WOFs but after rumours of a National Party leadership challenge, the Minister had some tough questions to answer. Boris Johnson's former economic advisor Gerard Lyons discusses the IMF report and whether the world is heading into a global recession. Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson talk the potential coup, circuses, and Fabergé eggs 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.

All systems are go at Ruapuna ahead of the maiden South Island Supercars event. The programme has a fourth race added after a postponement due to weather last week in Taupo. More than 20,000 attendees are expected each day. Canterbury Car Club GM Mark Wederall told Mike Hosking in comparison their biggest event, the Skope Classic, gets about seven to eight thousand across the entire weekend. He says the buzz has gone beyond the car lovers – everyone in town is talking about the Supercars event. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world could pay a high price for the US launching war on Iran. Global shipping's in turmoil as Donald Trump's naval blockade increases uncertainty, although he's hinting peace talks could resume. The International Monetary Fund's warning a prolonged conflict could tilt the global economy towards recession. Former Chief Economic Advisor to Boris Johnson, Gerard Lyons told Mike Hosking that from an economic perspective, there are no easy wins for the UK. He says it's likely that growth will be low, inflation will rise, and unfortunately unemployment, which currently sits around 5.4%, could head even higher. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Removal of Iran's enriched uranium will be a “very, very complex assignment” that would take many months – and that's if Iran has actually agreed to its removal. US President Donald Trump told reporters this morning that Iran had agreed to give up its enriched uranium, but that had raised plenty of questions, US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking. The 444.9kg of uranium, enriched up to 60% purity, was left over after US and Israeli airstrikes last March, despite Trump's claim at the time that Iran's nuclear stocks were totally obliterated, Arnold pointed out. “Has Iran really agreed to this? We're yet to hear from, you know, the Iranians. No deal until, and unless, there's a deal.” A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon had also been announced, but Trump was “covering all bases” by sending another 10,000 US troops to the Middle East, Arnold said. One political science expert —Professor Robert Pape of the University of Chicago— had put the chances of renewed US military action at about 70%. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a sense of scepticism around a new Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. Donald Trump's declaring victory after announcing the two countries and militant group Hezbollah will pause fighting for ten days. But Israel's refusing to move its thousands of troops out of southern Lebanon. Middle East journalist Gordon Robison told Mike Hosking it's too soon to say how this ceasefire will go. He says the Middle East has a long, fraught history, with agreements between Israel and Lebanon having proven unstable before. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A senior National MP insists the party is focused on governing, despite growing unrest around Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's leadership. Our newsroom understands from three sources that a fortnight ago, Luxon didn't respond to the party's whip Stuart Smith, who tried to raise concerns about his support in caucus. It's understood MPs pushing for change could make a move in the next fortnight, with the Prime Minister likely to be formally presented with concerns. Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking there's no coup, but won't say whether he's aware of other colleagues seeking to replace Luxon. He says many people —including Luxon— want the party to do better. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like a school report, the International Monetary Fund forecast for the global economy arrived in yesterday's post. No one escaped the Trump carnage. The UK in particular is in trouble, as is potentially Australia. Australia was warned not to exacerbate wartime inflation. It was a slap down, a mark against the Government and a big reveal into the way Albanese and his cronies run the place. The reference was to a debate that has been going on since the last election – is Government spending driving inflation? The answer of course is yes, but the Government denies it. The IMF laid the truth bare. They were warning against a spendathon in the coming Budget. Australia's inflation is already way worse than ours and for the very obvious reason they keep handing out money they don't have. We should be proud of our war time approach, as hard as it may be for some to stomach. Handouts are easy and Australia has yet again fallen into the trap. It will hurt them more in the long run, but they don't care. It dovetails, I think, into the Labour approach here, which is to say nothing policy-wise. But also dare I suggest they have finally worked out the traditional Opposition line of promising free money is no longer tolerated here, because of the carnage Labour caused in Covid. The results are still too real and too raw for them to run the old playbook. They are snookered by a government that is fiscally mature and restrained, so they can't be seen to be loose and flagrant. But no such luck in Australia. Tax is cut on petrol, so every millionaire Ferrari driver gets a subsidy, and big companies are forced to pay the extra on previously signed contracts so small companies don't have to. There seems no amount of gerrymandering Albanese won't get amongst and the IMF sees it all. If you want to see a cost of living crisis in real time that puts ours into some relief, look at Australia. Like Covid, or the financial crisis, or the war, the government you get in dark days is luck. In 2019 ours ran out. This time around it's Australia's turn to see what economic damage amateurs from the left can do. I know where I would rather be. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ryan Wood's eager to prove success his in Taupō was no fluke when he gets back behind the wheel of his Toyota at the maiden Supercars event in Christchurch. Four races will be staged across the weekend, including a postponed race from last week's weather hampered stop in Taupo. Wood picked up his second career victory and a third placing across the two races that were completed. Wood told Mike Hosking they'll find out tomorrow if his momentum from last Saturday will pull through to this weekend's races. “If there is momentum, then I'll be trying to use it. I've still got confidence, so we'll see how it goes.” “At the end of the day, I don't overthink it, just go out there and drive.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is an upcoming Royal visit to the United States. King Charles will address a joint meeting of Congress as well as meet privately with US President Donald Trump later this month. British lawmakers are questioning whether the visit should go ahead, as the relationship between the two countries is unusually delicate. Royal Correspondent Robert Hardman told Mike Hosking that any trip holds a risk, but cancelling this visit would be a greater risk. He says that Trump is a royalist, and on previous visits has gone out of his way not to embarrass the Royals while they're there. “Now, of course, what he says before and after is another matter, but I don't think there's going to be a toe-curling moment for the King while he's on the ground.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 16th of April, our largest bank is increasing its interest rates in anticipation of OCR hikes. Shane Jones responds to the businesses and critics calling for more information on the country's fuel supply. Kiwi Supercars driver Ryan Wood carries his momentum into Christchurch, racing at Ruapuna this weekend. 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.

Moana Pasifika boss Debbie Sorensen claims the franchise are a victim of an increasingly difficult economic climate. They're set to disband after the Super Rugby season unless another backer is found. Sorensen —who is also chief executive of the Pasifika Medical Group which owns the franchise— is withdrawing financial support. She told Mike Hosking it's a compounding problem – people don't have the income to buy memberships or travel to games due to the petrol problem. Sorensen's added that Super Rugby is under threat from league's NRL, which she describes as an "aggressive sophisticated machine." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's astonishment at the Pope standing up for himself against Donald Trump. The US President accused Pope Leo of being terrible for foreign policy on Monday after the pontiff's criticism of the war on Iran and immigration crackdowns. Italy correspondent Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking the Pope's reaction was quite incredible. She thought he'd avoid the matter, but confronted it head on instead, showing he has no fear of Trump. But the fallout from the rift between the US President and the Pope is growing, as one of Trump's closest allies speaks out. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says she disagrees with his comments, meanwhile, Trump says Meloni lacks courage, in light of her failure to join the US attacks on Iran. McKenna told Hosking it's fair to say the honeymoon stage is over, but this could be a gift for Meloni, as her voters generally don't like her relationship with Trump. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's looking at ways to give businesses long-term certainty about fuel. Latest figures show we have 56 days of petrol, 45 of diesel, and 47 of jet fuel either here or en-route. Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones told Mike Hosking officials are considering what additional information they can release. He says the real plague is uncertainty, and it's not a bad idea to further mend the uncertainty in the business community. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country's largest bank is again raising interest rates, days after forecasting much earlier-than-expected OCR hikes. ANZ is increasing most home loan rates by 10 to 20 basis points following a rise in wholesale rates. It's now advertising a one-year home loan rate of 4.69%. Independent economist Cameron Bagrie told Mike Hosking markets are pricing-in the change in forecasts. He says the fixed rates are based on what's expected to happen, rather than what's happening now. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's renewed hope in the Kiwi start-up scene with a surge of investment in 2025. New data shows the number of deals rose 14%, with total investment surging 61% to $754 million. Fintech and health-tech saw strong gains, while climate and clean-tech dropped. Angel Association Chief executive Bridget Unsworth told Mike Hosking 47 companies were funded, compared to 51 in 2023. She says more money going into fewer deals is an exciting sign of the start-up ecosystem maturing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Help for struggling pharmacies could be on the way. The Government's proposing letting pharmacists prescribe funded medicines for conditions like scabies and conjunctivitis, so people no longer have to see a GP or pay the full pharmacy price. It would also cover medication for UTIs and the emergency contraceptive pill. Associate Health Minister David Seymour told Mike Hosking smaller, local pharmacies are really battling. He says this would be a way to use them while taking pressure off emergency departments and GPs. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the easiest games in town is currently being played in Wellington. The water company has a new Māori name, and they are going to start sending out specific water bills to everyone, which upon first blush, if you have never got a water bill before, seems a lot. The average will be about $2,500. But then the upside is it's good to know what things actually cost, as opposed to having it all hidden away in a mass bill called "rates" where you have no idea what's what. The real scrap though is over the pay packets. In this new company they are a lot bigger. The chair of the board gets $110,000. They used to get $60,000 before. The members of that board get $60,000 when they used to get $30,000. The bloke who carries the can as CEO gets $645,000. Toss a few figures like that about the place and the upset is almost instant. But, and here is your real-world issue, you either want decent people for the job, any job, or you don't. I don't need to tell you that previously a lot of the people doing Wellington's water work were clearly useless. In a small and not complete way, money fixes that. It is not to say big money automatically gets brilliance. But it is fair to say if you pay rubbish, you will get rubbish. The old community contribution, "give something back" line only carries you so far and you tend to get do-gooders, not professionals. Can I be even slightly more fiscally acerbic by suggesting that even at these new inflated numbers you're not exactly paying top dollar. $645,000 is a lot of money if you're in year 13, or a teacher, or a journalist. But it's not much to be a CEO. It's even less when you are the CEO of an entity that is under tremendous pressure and publicly accountable by a population that will want to lynch you if you fail. As a rule, the public service underpays. And that in part is why the public service is in the state it's in. Cheap in general is no way to run business, sign contracts, accept quotes or operate your life. Worry less about the money and more about the outcomes. If Wellington had never had a water worry with no burst pipes, no contamination, no poo in the harbour and the bloke running the place was earning $2 million and gave you that, what a bargain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Iran war is prompting Qantas to scale back flights within Australia, but it's flying more to Paris and Rome. The airline's scaling back domestic Qantas and Jetstar flights about 5%. Qantas says fuel prices have more than doubled since late February and remain highly volatile. Australia Correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking the airline is estimating its fuel bill will be around $3.3 billion for the next 12 months – nearly a billion dollars more than expected. But he says it's also making more money from international flights, as Middle Eastern airlines such as Qatar and Emirates are unable to provide reliable and regular flights. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump is suggesting talks with Iran could resume within the next two days. Despite the US blockading the Strait of Hormuz, a ceasefire between the sides remains in effect – but that's set to expire in a week. Donald Trump is hinting "something could be happening" shortly in Pakistan, where negotiations over the weekend broke down. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking US Vice President JD Vance says the ball is in Iran's court, as the US has out a lot on the table. He says that instead of a permanent ban on nuclear enrichment by Iran, the US has instead proposed a 20 year suspension of all nuclear activity – Iran's counter proposal would see nuclear activity halted for just five years. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.