Podcasts about Mike Hosking

I find it ironic that the government and the electorate are once a gain keen on getting rid of some of the layers of our council bureaucracy. First NZ First's Shane Jones publicly questioned the role of regional councils, pondering whether “there's going to be a compelling case for regional government to continue to exist”. Then Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking that the Government was looking at local government reform. On Friday Matthew Hooten wrote a piece about Regional Councils reiterating Chris Bishop's question that he's been asking many local councillors. Is there any point in having regional councils. So it's on the table. Of course the battle against bureaucracy is alive and well around the world. Duplication of services and excessive layers of governance means that savings could be made easily and safely and it's something we've always discussed. Last term the government reformed District Health Board from 20 boards into a single entity Health New Zealand or just that reason but the new government has taken against that and they've announced a return to locally delivered healthcare because they believe that in regional decision making is the best way to go. We're still waiting to see what that will look like. Meanwhile reform of regional councils looks awfully like the formation of Auckland's Super City. A reform that has a heap of enemies because of it's devolution of power away from communities. As Hooten says the reason we hate the Super City are the Council Controlled Organisations a move that was supposed to replicate State Owned Enterprises. But the problem there is that we can't but shares in CCOs so they become the worst of things. A mongrel hybrid of Council bureaucracies and Private Monopolies. So we seem to like amalgamating public bodies but then when it happens we moan that our voices are no longer heard and that bureaucracies have become too huge and out of control. So, what is it people.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Records have been set in Spain and Portugal as extreme heat continues to roast Europe. Temperatures at or above 38C are expected through the week, rolling eastward to encompass France, Italy, and eventually portions of Eastern Europe. A record number of heat alerts are in place across France, with 16 regions on red alert, and 68 others on orange alert. Europe Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking while heatwaves aren't uncommon in summer, there's never been temperatures this high, this early. She says Monday was the hottest June day in France ever, and it's only going to get worse by Tuesday lunchtime. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief Auckland's new Police training centre will make recruitment more accessible. The new space on the Massey University campus includes multiple classrooms, along with gym and recreation areas. Police Commissioner Richard Chambers told Mike Hosking over the years some people have steered away from a career in Police because they couldn't go to Porirua for training. He says it's about creating more opportunities for those who might find Porirua for 20 weeks a challenge. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A charitable trust is commending tougher sentences for people throwing coward punches. The Government's new specific offence for striking a distracted victim could carry a sentence of life imprisonment if fatal. Walk Without Fear has been pushing for changes after MMA fighter Liufau Vake was killed by a single coward punch in 2021. Board Member Mike Angove told Mike Hosking the charges need to be in conjunction with education that starts at a school level. He says that no one argues against the lethality of attacking someone with a knife or a gun, but people are unaware that hitting someone who's unaware can result in permanent damage or a lethal outcome. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Deputy Prime Minister believes the Government would be better off with the part-privatisation of Interislander ferries. A Treasury paper presented to Cabinet by the Minister for Rail, Winston Peters, says the Government can consider private investment to reduce costs. David Seymour agrees with the idea and says the Government has been far too relaxed with capital. He told Mike Hosking the Government is not a good operator of commercial enterprises, and there's no shortage of evidence for that. Seymour says you have to balance the books, and at the moment the Government owns too many underperforming assets. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Action to attract crucial international investment. Invest New Zealand is up and running, a government organisation that'll work with global investors to create jobs, boost innovation, and lift productivity. It's been given $85 million over four years to cement itself. Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges told Mike Hosking that our settings were suboptimal, and we're now getting better ones. He says that they're not world leading, but they are being made with impeccable timing, as they're being made as the world's increasingly turning to custard. Bridges says there's real enthusiasm for this in New Zealand, as new residents investing in businesses and startups will have a real flow on effect on the economy. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new start up that could drastically reduce your power bill will soon be available in homes. Designed to replace the current switchboards, Basis Smart Panels aim to provide Kiwis with greater control over their electricity consumption. With over 7,500 orders already contracted, the company plans to install 50,000 panels in the next 24 months. Co-Founder Danny Purcell told Mike Hosking the panel provides full visibility as to how electricity is consumed in your house, which customers can use save money and make their homes safer. He says the panel pays for itself fairly quickly, and they expect the payback period to be around 15-18 months for the average customer. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a dream couple of months for Ryan Fox. In May, the Kiwi golfer won the Myrtle Beach Classic, claiming his first PGA Tour win. From there he made the cut for the PGA Championship, won his second Tour event at the Canadian Open, before making the cut for the US Open. He'll soon be heading to the UK for the Scottish Open and Open Championship, taking a week's break ahead of the tournament. “It's been a crazy couple of months,” Fox told Mike Hosking. “Going from trying to figure out where we're gonna play gold, or where I was going to play golf next year, where we're going to live as a family, to, yeah, being on the PGA Tour for a few more years now, and having a couple of wins and playing my way into the big events.” He says he's still trying to come to terms with it all, but it's what he's always dreamed of doing. “It's pretty cool.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The One Roof Velocity house value index has revealed a drop in property value across the country. Major cities like Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton have all experienced drops. However, more rural areas such as Southland, Canterbury and Northland have all seen a rise. CEO of real estate at Velocity Helen O'Sullivan told Mike Hosking that although the prices have dropped, the real estate market is still healthy. She said ‘Volumes are a key indicator, and we're seeing those pick up' LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister is introducing new laws focused on protecting first responders and prison officers. Luxon told Mike Hosking that no ambulance driver, firefighter or police officer should face aggression and assault while trying to help people. Also in discussion is the new IKEA store, which has faced trouble during the planning phase. Luxon said that he has more concerns about the planning than IKEA do, and blames the struggles on ‘Māorification'. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The deadline for rental properties to meet the Healthy Homes deadline is less than 24 hours away, and some properties are still not up to scratch. Betta Group CEO Matt Mason told Mike Hosking that although many proactive landlords have made the required changes, some have left it to the last minute. He says audits will be carried out and fines will be issued in the coming months to help enforce these regulation changes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paramedics are giving the Government a thumbs up, as it moves to crack down on assaults towards first responders and prison officers. It's proposing higher penalties, with five years maximum imprisonment for assault with intent to injure, and a seven year maximum for injuring with intent. St John Ambulance Operations Manager Stu Cockburn told Mike Hosking this is a step in the right direction. LISTEN HERESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's excitement over expected changes to the way authorities deal with retail crime. Newstalk ZB understands Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith will be confirming shoplifting policy changes this week, relating to Retail Crime Ministerial Advisory Group recommendations. Group Chair Sunny Kaushal told Mike Hosking that the announcements are ones retailers across the country have been screaming out for. Kaushal says offenders believe police won't respond and the courts will let them go, so they're working to stop this sense of impunity. LISTEN ABOVESee 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. Trump: 7/10 All in all, 5% defence spending at NATO, a ceasefire that holds, and talks with Iran next week. It's not bad. Rob Penney: 8/10 From last year to this. That's one of sports great stories, and I assume involves tremendous amounts of well-deserved satisfaction. Whanau Ora and Tama Iti and Moana Pasifika: 2/10 Central Government yet again missing the politically triggering stuff they promised to address. David Seymour: 7/10 As Acting Prime Minister in the house and in media, he is a very solid, considered set of hands with good wit to go with it. Golden visas: 8/10 That is practical thinking, making tangible difference. 189 applications and $800million worth of business - let's go NZ! Wealth and the pension: 2/10 Bum note of the week. Targeting those who actually worked hard to save to help in retirement should never be used as a punishment. And the Retirement Commissioner might like to ask herself whether she understands her job. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The week has come to an end and so Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are joining Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week once more. Tim is injured again, winding up on ACC after taking a tumble off the footpath, plus, Mike's made a new musical discovery. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Treaty Negotiations Minister admits people are losing patience on a Ngāpuhi settlement, but says they want it to last. New Zealand First is launching a Bill, proposing a one-and-done treaty settlement for the largest iwi, rather than multiple hapu settlements. Paul Goldsmith says that although he sympathises with the desire for a faster resolution, if you want an enduring settlement, you need people to be prepared to settle. He told Mike Hosking that the settlement has to have the support of around 200,000 to 300,000 people, which has been the challenge in the past. Goldsmith says that they have a good plan now, and they're making good progress on the work that's currently underway. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister is hitting back against claims she's trying to entrench co-governance into education. Hobson's Pledge is claiming that the Education and Training Amendment Bill No.2 includes a section, put there by Stanford, that will force every school board to reflect “local tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te ao Māori” in their policies, plans, and classroom teaching. Erica Stanford refutes these claims, saying that 127 was an already existing Treaty clause. She told Mike Hosking that section is not the only clause in the Education Act to reference the Treaty, which is why there needs to be a proper review into whether or not they need to be there. Standford says there are legitimate questions to be answered, which is why they're looking into the act, but she did not add them in herself. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A vast change to what's been promised for Auckland City Rail Link's opening capacity. In 2022, it was reported 27 thousand peak passengers would be using the rail line from opening day next year. That's now gone down to 19 thousand passengers an hour at peak times. AT Public Transport Director Stacey van der Putten told Mike Hosking the 27 thousand figure merged a few different elements including design capacity, timetabling, and patronage. She points out that 19,000 is still a significant increase on current numbers, as it's still a 50% increase in patronage. Van der Putten told Hosking it will take some effort to rebuild confidence in the rail network after the prolonged disruption, but there's plenty of enthusiasm for the new line. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerns are being raised around the use of taxpayer money to fund Moana Pasifika. Our newsroom's revealed the Super Rugby franchise received some $8 million in taxpayer loans, grants, and funding. The Pasifika Medical Association —which took over ownership of the team last year— has received funding from Whānau Ora contracts. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka told Mike Hosking there's some uncertainty about how that Whānau Ora money was spent. He wants to know it's being used for proper purpose and has asked for an explanation ASAP. LISTEN ABOVE Note: The original story from the NZ Herald has been updated to clarify that Whanau Ora funds flowed to the Moana Pasifika Charitable Trust, and the current owner of the Trust and the team, Pasifika Medical Association, has emphasised that no Whānau Ora funds have been used to fund the Moana Pasifika professional rugby team. The Herald has removed from the story the contention that Whānau Ora funds were directly used for the professional team in the fiscal years 22/23 and 23/24.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of interest is expected in the by-election to fill the seat left empty by the death of Takutai Tarsh Kemp. The 50-year-old Te Pāti Māori MP died yesterday. Otago University law expert Andrew Geddis told Mike Hosking the Tamaki Makaurau seat was won by just 42 votes in 2023 and will be very tightly contested again. The complicating factor this time is likely to be sympathy, he says, suspecting that Te Pāti Māori will likely run strongly on a kind of legacy argument. The by-election could clash with local body elections. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

New Zealand has taken home the Gold at the Oscars for wines. Craggy Range's Martinborough Pinot Noir took home Best in Show at this year's Decanter World Wine Awards. This makes it in the 0.3% of all wines in the world. Chief Winemaker at Craggy Range Ben Tombs told Mike Hosking they knew there was something pretty special coming out of the 2024 vintage. He says it shows the kind of provenance unique to Martinborough, and winning the award is an incredibly achievement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you hear the name ‘James May', it's likely you think of cars, Top Gear, and The Grand Tour, but much like his co-stars, May has plenty of other projects. He owns his own pub and gin line, and has done countless shows visiting other countries, rebuilding toys and machines, and exploring life's questions. May's now onto his next journey – a live theatre performance that brings the stories of explorers to the stage. It's called ‘Explorers: The Age of Discovery', and May's bringing it to Kiwi audiences in August. It's been quite a busy year for May – something he told Mike Hosking was quite unintentional. “This year was going to be my, what I called a ‘dry run at retirement', to see how much I liked it,” he revealed. “But I've ended up doing a live tour, a couple of TV shows, various other odds and ends – it's actually the busiest year I've had for probably a decade, in terms of demands on my time.” “But maybe that's a good thing,” he said. “Maybe if I was left to my own devices, I'd sit in the garden and rot.” Despite his vast experience in the entertainment industry, May isn't terribly experienced with live performances. “We used to do Top Gear Live and then Clarkson, Hammond & May Live, but there were three of us doing it, plus our stunt driving team and various other circus performers,” he explained. “This one is quite intimidating because it just me." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

A new Rabobank report reveals within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will begin its largest-ever inter-generational transfer of wealth. More than half of farm and orchard owners will reach the age of 65 in the next decade, but only a third have a formal succession plan. It's estimated $150 billion worth of farming assets will change hands. Rabobank CEO Todd Charteris told Mike Hosking the challenge is farms are getting better, but there are fewer farm owners, so the capital requirements are big. He says we need to continue to explore different ownership models. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A fragile ceasefire's holding for Iran and Israel after the US President got involved. Both sides claim the other has breached the truce. Donald Trump scolded both for early violations but directed particularly stinging criticism at Israel over the scale of its strikes. University of New Haven Associate Professor of National Security Dr Matt Schmidt told Mike Hosking he's unsure if US strikes fully destroyed Iran's nuclear capabilities. He says it's at least set back the program several years. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Primary school teachers may have less ground to stand on at the bargaining table. They began negotiations yesterday for the first time since losing their pay equity claim in the May Budget. The Public Service Minister says there is a public mantra that teachers deserve to be paid more. But Judith Collins told Mike Hosking it ignores the facts. She says primary school teachers can earn $115 thousand including allowances, after eight years experience. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

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

New Zealand scientists have developed a new technology to reduce food waste and import dependence. The waste system takes perishable food before it hits landfill and turns it into shelf-stable powders, concentrates, and extracts for food. Director of Powered by Plants Dr. Andrew Prest says the concept came from frustration with the current production model. He told Mike Hosking it's a good opportunity to address the country's environmental waste, as powders can be produced from almost any fruit or vegetable. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US and UK law enforcement will soon be using a New Zealand-developed strategy to help boost police performance. Vantaset utilisises research into people's breaking points to assist elite athletes in performing their personal bests, at a rate of 87% Now they've signed long-term deals with global law enforcement agencies to reengage frontline officers. Founder and CEO Craig Steel told Mike Hosking that agencies such as the police understand the performance of their people is really critical for their success. He says they're really looking for better ways to be able to engage their people and ultimately help them deliver the outcomes that matter. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First says the country can no-longer afford a drawn-out Treaty settlement with the largest iwi. The party's drafting legislation to require a single settlement with Ngāpuhi, rather than multiple agreements. However, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith has signalled he's open to settlements with smaller groups within iwi. NZ First MP Shane Jones told Mike Hosking the $20 million process is holding up Whangarei Hospital redevelopments. He says one group is hijacking the claim by introducing notions of sovereignty at the cost of the taxpayer. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The application process for New Zealand's 'golden visa' scheme' is firing up and going strong. The Government's confirmed almost 200 applications have been received from overseas investors since settings loosened in April. Queen City Law Managing Director Marcus Beveridge told Mike Hosking he's predicting a tsunami of capital into our little economy. He says he wouldn't be surprised if we don't exceed $10 billion a year from immigration alone, and with those migrants bringing more money, we could end up with up to $30 billion per annum. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's largest bank is lending less cash to businesses than it was half a decade ago. Figures from the Reserve Bank show a softening across all bank business lending since the pandemic, with ANZ the only one going backwards. The overall growth rate across all banks has slowed to just 1.5%, down from 6% in 2013. ANZ CEO Antonia Watson told Mike Hosking much of the drop is caused by a decrease in lending to commercial property. She says their decision was to support their existing customers through rising interest rates and tougher circumstances as opposed to taking on new customers. However, she confirmed the bank is back to taking on new customers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Robertson has called up five new faces for his first All Blacks class of 2025, with his 35-man squad for next month's series against France named. All Blacks regulars Dalton Papali'i, Ethan Blackadder and David Havili have been left out of the squad instead. The trio's exclusion comes with the inclusion of Ollie Norris, Brodie McAlister, Fabian Holland, Timoci Tavatavanawai, and Du'Plessis Kirifi. Coach Scott Robertson says it wasn't easy to leave out players like Papali'i, Blackadder, and Havili. He told Mike Hosking that you need to give opportunities to players over this period of time and get to know what they're going to be like in action. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking that ongoing strikes and counter-strikes won't lead to a resolution. He says all the parties need to get around the table and negotiate a way forward, although that will be very difficult. The Prime Minister said, “You've got to be able to get the parties around the table and have a negotiation.” This comes ahead of the Prime Minister's visit to the Netherlands, where he will meet with the Dutch Prime Minister and leaders of NATO. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters joined Mike Hosking this morning to discuss the developing situation in Iran. The Foreign Minister said he wants to “get a proper analysis” before discussing how effective Operation Midnight Hammer was at destroying Iranian nuclear facilities. “One of the first victims of war is truth, and boy, have we seen it.” The Foreign Minister also discussed the Kiwis stuck in the regions, and that it is “New Zealand character” to bring them home safely. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's largest industrial development ever is about to begin in Invercargill. Mike Hosking spoke to the general manager of the project Ben Murphy this morning, who said the project is making progress. “We do have a fully zoned sight there, which is the key unlocker for this project.” Ben Murphy told Mike Hosking this morning. Although progress has been made, the project must secure occupiers before the project breaks ground. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global oil prices are forecast to increase in the wake of US airstrikes against Iran. Greg Smith from Devon Funds Management told Mike Hosking analysts are forecasting a rise in oil prices, from anywhere from 5% to 70%. Currently, oil prices sit at around $75 per barrel. But Smith warns prices could rise to $130 a barrel. The increasing cost of food around the world was also discussed this morning as the price of rice in Japan has doubled due to inflation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The economy is expected to look better than earlier predictions. Figures —due out from Stats NZ this morning— are expected to show the country's GDP grew 0.7% for the first quarter of the year. It's slightly higher than 0.4%, predicted earlier this year. ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley told Mike Hosking things are expected to slow through the middle half of the year. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are concerns scrapping the traditional census won't deliver the desired results. Stats NZ is moving to a system using Government collected admin-data, saying the current five yearly Census is financially unsustainable. Census-style questions will still be asked in much smaller annual surveys looking at a small fraction of the population. Former national statistician Len Cook told Mike Hosking data-wise, this won't cut it. He says admin-data comes from about a dozen different sources, none of them complete. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Matariki this weekend, we've come to the end of a short week. Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking to get their session of Mike-bullying in early – going after his expensive tastes, his lack of control over his life, and his special burgundy suede loafers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are early finishes to blame for the surgical backlog? Surgeon Chris Wakeman claims that public health professionals won't perform surgeries past the 4pm cutoff, causing backlog issues. Health NZ's Chief Clinical Officer Dr Richard Sullivan told Mike Hosking that early finishes do occur. The rosters generally run until about 4:30/5pm, and he says that there are very few operations that can be done in less than half an hour. He says they've been running weekend theatres to try get more people through, but you need quite a big work force to do that consistently. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest carbon auction was a bust. It attracted zero bids, becoming the eighth auction to be declined. The secondary market currently sits around $58 a tonne, while the auction price sits at $68. ACT's Climate Change Spokesperson, Simon Court told Mike Hosking it shows that industrial emitters, such as coal users, already have enough units in the carbon bank to pay for this year's emissions. With the success of the secondary market, Court says it's evidence the Emissions Trading Scheme and the carbon markets are working quite well. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Crusaders' current Super Rugby season is like chalk and cheese when compared to the las. They missed the playoffs in 2024, with just four wins in 14 matches. In contrast, this year sees them host the grand final against the Chiefs – clashing at the Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday. Coach Rob Penney told Mike Hosking the Chiefs have beaten them twice this year, but neither team is the same team as they were on those occasions. He says it's going to be another tight match, and the team that holds its composure the longest, prepares the best, and plays the best will be the ultimate victors. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A sleep-expert assures Melatonin is safe, but is still urging people to take caution. Medsafe has given approval for the sleep drug to be available over the counter at pharmacies. It is commonly used to treat insomnia or jet lag. Sleepwell Clinic Director Alex Bartle says potential side-effects are fairly minor, and long-term effects aren't fully understood. However, he doesn't believe it's as valuable as it's made out to be. Bartle told Mike Hosking behavioural treatments are much more effective. He says a 2017 study shows a person's total sleep time after taking the medication didn't improve, and says he doesn't prescribe Melatonin at all. LISTEN ABOVE 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. Good ideas: 7/10 Not a bad week. Monthly inflation data, the census scrapped, the Housing Minister to overrule council and health targets improving. Things feel a bit like they're moving. The Crusaders: 7/10 A great comeback story for Rob Penney, who was vilified a year ago, on the verge of being a hero this weekend. Nico Porteous: 7/10 Story of the week in some ways for me. Living his dream, charting his destiny, and mature beyond his years. I wish him well. Venice: 3/10 They're protesting the Jeff Bezos wedding. He has booked the place out, he is throwing money at the joint, and they are a tourist town. What is it you want? Radio NZ: 4/10 They're looking for people to quit and that, sadly, is what you get when the Willie 'Snake Oil' Jackson rolls his circus into town to hand out lollies that can never be real. The world: 4/10 It's a mess, isn't it? This time last week yet another war started and where traditionally we have a country and a leader that rises to the occasion, sadly these days there's no such luck. He's too busy launching his gold phone. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.