The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Bill Gates is the latest big name in the tech sector to issue a warning about AI amid rising concerns. Gates says the technology needs to be regulated and warns that AI can't keep going unchecked and that existing 'kill switches' aren't enough. US correspondent Richard Arnold says Gates is calling for a better 'monitoring system' to stop AI from causing harm.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One Nation is seeing another boost in the polls, with Pauline Hanson being named preferred Prime Minister among Queensland voters.  As the Albanese-led Government looks to introduce another round of interest rate hikes, Hanson is being backed by more voters in her home state.  Australian correspondent Steve Price says One Nation doesn't appear to be losing ground with voters, as Labour cops backlash from voters aged between 35-49. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Saville and Jason Pine joined Mike Hosking to review all the big sporting events of the weekend, including the AFL grand final and Counties Manukau winning the Ranfurly Shield. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Justice Minister says citizen's arrests are 'just an option', with the powers off to a flying start. Sweeping Crimes Act reforms passed last month, meaning anyone can use 'reasonable force' to detain a person committing an offence, like shoplifting. Retail NZ's revealed to Newstalk ZB there's been 90 reported citizen's arrests in the first 44 days. Paul Goldsmith says he understands not everyone backs themselves to do this - and they don't have to. "If somebody sees somebody walking out of these stores and they feel confident that they can hang on to them, then if they can hang on to them - they ring the police and follow the instructions of the police."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's uncertainty if the looming mid-term elections will influence Trump's handling of Iran.  The US President's rejected an Iranian proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz within seven days - saying Iran was losing badly. Tehran's Foreign Ministers says the only way to end the conflict is with a negotiated solution. Former US Ambassador in the Middle East, David Satterfield, says the economy will unquestionably hurt Trump at the mid-terms.  "Is the mid-term, is that November date a trigger point, somehow, for some different strategy - either immediately before or after? It's very difficult to say." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a feeling Labour's leader is trying to ramp up the energy as election campaigning officially gets underway. Both major parties launched their campaigns in Auckland yesterday.  While National stuck with slick videos and multiple speeches at the flashy International Convention Centre, Labour opted for a high-energy performance at Manukau's Due Drop Events Centre.  Political commentator Brigitte Morten says Labour leader Chris Hipkins reacted to talk he'd been looking uncomfortable on the campaign trail. "If you don't want to be on the campaign, you clearly don't want to be Prime Minister again, so I think that was very much what was being told to him and I think he really tried to deliver on that."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 28th of September, both the main parties have launched their election campaigns - so what can we expect? Will it be smooth or angsty? The PM is in after officially launching their election campaign to talk about how they'll get undecided voters across the line, council amalgamation and the PREFU tomorrow. Andrew Saville and Jason Pine talk the incredible NRL preliminary final games, the President's Cup and Liam Lawson's unlucky F1 race in Baku. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says people will be encouraged, by what comes out of tomorrow afternoon's 's Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update from Treasury. It will outline the medium-term fiscal outlook. It will also give the general public, and non-government parties like Labour, an idea of the state of the Government's books heading into the election. Chris Luxon told Mike Hosking things are in a good place. He says it shouldn't be a surprise to people that the economy has been growing since May, despite the global fuel crisis. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A warning of both action and punishment from the Commerce Commission to those operating cartel like behaviour in public procurement. It estimates New Zealanders are being ripped off to the tune of 360-million dollars a year because of bid rigging.  Bid-rigging happens when there's an agreement among some, or all, the bidders about who should win a bid for contracts.  ComCom Chair John Small told Mike Hosking it's an enforcement priority He says if it's criminal, maximum penalties include 7 years imprisonments for individuals and 10 million dollar fines for companies. 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.    Tax deductibility: 8/10  Most likely the best thing Labour will do this campaign. It's either desperation or the realisation of common sense. Either way we are better off for it.    India: 8/10  Most likely the most impactful thing this Government has done in its first term. It's not just an FTA, but one with the biggest growth engine in the world. We can't lose.    Supermarkets: 4/10  It's become the obsession of the campaign. Only ACT are left as the option if you see this for what it is, which is not a thing. If you think it’s a thing, the queue for your vote is now a long one.    Rugby: 4/10  It's quite a thing to double your earnings and still not make ends meet. And given yesterday, they don’t look the lot to tackle the hard stuff.    The Warriors: 6/10  The season was awesome, the playoffs were awful. Maybe next year.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Little had a good crack at the Government over council amalgamation.  He got interrupted by an alarm but made his point and his disappointment is well-founded.  My major criticism of this Government is they said a lot of stuff they simply didn’t deliver on.  Someone like Luxon would argue it's aspirational and it's better to fall short trying hard than not try at all.  Little is rightly ropeable about council amalgamation being delayed until after the election. If the Government flips of course, it will never happen at all.  Maybe, given the submissions made by various councils against the plan, that was what they wanted all along: stall until it's possibly too late.  "Unleashed chaos" was a good line he used. But then it was a good policy.  We are hopelessly over-counselled in this country and too many of them are run by a collection of knobs. They're well-meaning I'm sure, but complacency and mediocrity litter the council landscape.  The fewer of them the better.  Some got on with it and formed groups. Some kind of had a crack and some outright refused and you knew they were holding out until the bitter end.  But like all top-down restructuring, it causes time, energy, and money to be spent on things that, as it turns out, might be off, which is an irony given wastage was one of the reasons the idea was being proffered in the first place.  I like Little. He walks a fairly decent line between being a Labour wonk and a council representative, but also a guy with vast experience who plays the game and is professional with it.  So when he says this is poor form he means it, and I believe him, and he is right.  From 500 police that didn’t happen, to the reviews that never got to Cabinet, to the LNG deal that’s run out of time, to council amalgamation that wasted a lot of hours, this Government wasn't quite as sharp at delivery as they might have led you to believe when they showed you the tin.  It won't switch any votes. But you would want to hope for a slicker, more well-oiled machine after November 7th. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump's welcoming Xi Jinping stateside as the US-China trade truce extends into next year.  The two Presidents are meeting face-to-face for a second time this year, with minimal gains for their Beijing summit in May.   But White House Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's already revealed some progress, with an agreement easing tariffs now expiring in January instead of November.  However, US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking it's unclear whether the talks will bring any breakthroughs on key issues such as Taiwan or AI.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday has come, which means it's time for Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson to join Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that Was.  This week, they took the phrase 'week in review' a little more literally, critiquing Mike's on air performance.   They also discussed school holidays, ageing, and clothes steamers.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 25th of September, Chris Bishop is facing criticism for delaying the decision on council amalgamation until after the election, despite a tight deadline for proposals.  We speak to newish Fonterra CEO Richard Allen on the co-op's incredible result and if there's more where that came from.  And Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson rip into Mike critiquing his week on air as they Wrap the Week that Was.  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.

Filling in for Isack Hadjar may have opened the door for Liam Lawson.  Lawson is back with the Racing Bulls for this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Hadjar's been cleared to return from his wrist injury.  The Kiwi racer banked 14 championship points during his run in the Red Bull seat.  F1 journalist Chris Medland told Mike Hosking it gave Lawson the opportunity to show he could perform at a similar level, and if he'd been in that car all year, he would've also done a good job.   He says it's probably an opportunity he didn't expect to get, and the team wouldn't have given him in any other scenario, but it's strengthened his reputation.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rising incomes and a flattening rental market are becoming a relief for tenant's wallets.   Fresh data from Property Brokers has identified the share of income going towards rent has fallen from 44% to 40% in the year to June.  It also found the national weekly rent has stagnated, moving from $636 last year to $635 now.   Property Brokers General Manager of Property Management David Faulkner told Mike Hosking the last time rents plateaued was in the late 90s and early 2000s.   He says we're three years into a similar period, where rents plateau for about six years.  Faulkner also says rents in the regions have started to catch up – there's now very little difference between provincial New Zealand and the major centres.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dietary supplement exporters are welcoming a possible change to outdated rules.   The Government's proposing to ease export and labelling rules, which the industry says could unlock an extra $500 million in exports each year.  It's being hailed as a gamechanger for an industry already worth $2.3 billion each year.  Natural Health Product Government Affairs Director Samantha Gray told Mike Hosking it will free up exporters from decades of red tape.   She says we have an anomaly in our regulations where exports have to comply with New Zealand standards, which are circa 1985 and completely outdated.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra's boss is extremely proud of the dairy co-op's latest results.  It delivered a $2.6 billion full-year profit, with total revenue hitting $27 billion.  It's confirmed a final Farmgate Milk Price payout for farmers of $9.69 – down from last year's record-high $10.16.  This year's total dividends come to 73 cents per share, including 16 cents paid out earlier from the sale of Fonterra's consumer arm.  Chief Executive Richard Allen told Mike Hosking they've overcome major challenges including weather events and geopolitical instability.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says amalgamation plans have become a tougher picture than initially planned.  Some local mayors are frustrated with what they call a waste of time and money after being pressured to submit amalgamation proposals, under a tight deadline last month.  Cabinet's now said it won't make decisions on the proposals until next year after more analysis and development.  Bishop told Mike Hosking the Government's run out of runway ahead of election.  He says of the 18 plans, some were really good, while others were too complicated.  Speaking of the election, National is also questioning where Labour will get the money to fund its latest pledge.  The party's promising to fund new state homes, school and hospital upgrades, as well as housing subsidies and operating costs.  Leader Chris Hipkins says the $4 billion would come from the Government's capital allowance.   But Bishop told Hosking they live in a fiscal fantasy land.  He says the money has to come from somewhere, whether that's borrowing or future tax revenue.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So we've got rugby getting together for what they are calling a "critical summit".  They don’t make money, they haven't made money for years, and they're forecast to lose even more money in the future.  Three starters for ten are lined up:  1) Expand Super Rugby with two new teams.  2) Continue Super Rugby and NPC but merge Super Rugby into the unions.  3) Replace both with a new 8-10 team competition.  The glass half-full part of this is the fact that revenue in the past decade has doubled. The problem is the costs.  So the revenue versus expenditure aspect of this seems fairly easy to address.  Can you make more money? Most likely not, so you trim your cloth to meet your income.  That of course comes with sacrifice and some wailing and gnashing, but in general terms business that has seen income increase but still isn't making money tends to be a bit loose at the checkout.  This all goes in part of course to what they see as their core reason for being.  Are they in fact a business? Are they more a collective designed to grow and see the game prosper? Is their guiding force to make money, or simply kind of break even and spread what they have about the place?  It is indisputably a sad state of affairs that our national game can't make money. But they are hardly the first to face the fiscal test.  Private money is an obvious answer. Some brutal decision making around what is nice to have versus what pays the way are obvious starting points.  The collective nature of the place strikes me as a problem. There are too many unions, too much provincialism, too much old boy nonsense and, dare I suggest, a bit much wokery.  What I know is the world is full of very successful sports and sports teams. I see a sea of clubs with growing fortunes, I see crowds, I see ticket prices, I see betting and I see so many aspects of sport actually not just growing but booming.  We have to produce one sport that actually does well.  Not all our sports can be on their knees.  And if rugby can't turn a dollar, what can? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi country musician Jenny Mitchell's success continues to grow.  In the last few years, she's moved to Australia, released an album, and has both awards and Australian Golden Guitar nominations under her belt.  She's also toured with Kasey Chambers and opened for the Lumineers, and is now set to release some brand new music.  Mitchell moved to Melbourne a year and a half ago, prompted by a "completely life-changing, incredible experience".  "I had the opportunity to tour with [Chambers], who is just an absolute icon," she told Mike Hosking.  "She took me around Australia on tour ... so just before that tour started, my partner Toby and I moved to Melbourne, and yeah, we're loving it."  "I think there's a lot of music here," she told Hosking.  "Not only is it great for me to play, but there's so many venues within walking distance of where we live that I can go and watch music and get inspired."  But how did Mitchell go from living in New Zealand to touring with a country music star like Kacey Chambers?   "A couple of years ago, I played a show of my own, a tiny little show, and there were two people there who came in, I knew they hadn't been to a gig before, and they sang just about every word to my songs," Mitchell explained.  "I had no idea that they are actually really great friends of Kasey's. They're not musical, but they love music and so they sent her my music."  And so one thing led to another, and soon enough Mitchell was being asked to join Chambers' tour.  "Completely changed my life."   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The business of sports betting and prediction markets is continuing to grow.  LeBron James is the latest major name to land a deal in the industry, signing a $15 million a year endorsement deal with Polymarket - nearly four times his NBA salary this season.   But the fast growth of the sector and ability to bet on anything is sparking some concerns.  American Institute for Boys and Men Gambling Policy Lead Jonathan D. Cohen argues that prediction markets may be more dangerous than traditional gambling platforms in some respects, as they blur the line between gambling and investing in some countries.  He told Mike Hosking a 19-year-old who's starting to build wealth could easily delude themselves into thinking it's a wise financial decision, and that's really dangerous for the long-term financial well-being of young people.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 24th of September, is the LNG import terminal deal still going ahead? And have the Police and Health NZ figured out the right time target for mental health handovers?  The rise of sports betting and prediction markets on anything from politics to the next James Bond is booming – is some sort of regulation needed or is this just the evolution of gambling?  And Kiwi country singer Jenny Mitchell debuts brand new music exclusively on the show.  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.

Wine drinkers across the globe are continuing to reach for Kiwi made bottles.  Our wine exports reached over $2 billion, with export volume increasing to over 306 million litres, in the 12 months to June.  Overall sales have increased 8% and represent the industry’s second-highest June year total on record.  New Zealand Winegrowers Chief Executive Anishka Jelicich told Mike Hosking in a difficult market, Kiwis are winning.  She says we are making fresher, lighter styles, rather than heaver ones some competitor countries are making.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The future of Super Rugby and the NPC are on the table today as New Zealand Rugby holds a critical summit.  The organisation needs to save $20 million a year, and options include merging teams or scrapping both competitions in favour of a new eight to ten team format.   Newstalk ZB's Lead Rugby Commentator Elliott Smith told Mike Hosking the issue for NZR is not revenue, as they're making enough money, they just need to trim some of the outgoing costs.  He says they've developed professional game over the last thirty years, but they haven't taken away any elements or reshaped the game.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health New Zealand's confident the new target time for Police handing mental health patients over to ED is about right.   The agencies had initially aimed to cut the handover time from an hour to 15 minutes as part of its phased response change plan.  That's now been revised to 30 minutes.  Specialist Mental Health and Addiction Director Karla Bergquist told Mike Hosking staff have been clear 15 minutes isn't enough time, and half an hour is more achievable.   She says there will be places where it's not realistic to even meet that target, but there's flexibility built in for that.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's run out of time to complete the procurement process for a billion-dollar LNG import terminal.  Energy Minister Simeon Brown had intended to sign a contract with a supplier before the end of the year out of two possible candidates, but no deal's been confirmed. New Zealand First and ACT haven't voiced support for this timing. But Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones told Mike Hosking the Coalition agrees gas should be the energy buffer. However, he says Father Time has snatched the opportunity away, because for the next six weeks people need to concentrate on the election. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Firefighters are welcoming policy from across the political spectrum, but insists action is needed now.  National's made an election promise to do away with the Fire and Emergency board and make it directly accountable to the Emergency Management Minister.  On the other side, Labour’s promising an independent review of the organisation's funding and operations.  Professional Firefighters' Union National Secretary Wattie Watson told Mike Hosking proper management is still desperately needed.  She says leaders are running rampant, there's no confidence in them, and no trust they're giving proper information.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If I was generous, I would let him off, given he has got more portfolios than anyone.  But Paul Goldsmith has delivered to Parliament the bit of legislation that will finally finish off the Broadcasting Standards Authority.  He did it with a flourish of slightly embarrassing bonhomie.  He saw its delivery as being the delivery of a promise, the promise being we would get legislation in the house before the election.  Technically he is correct. More realistically it means nothing, given Parliament is finished today and the legislation goes nowhere.  Under a different set of circumstances, at a different time, in a different election campaign, this sort of thing might have mattered.  The same way the Waitangi Tribunal review, that will go nowhere, would have mattered. Or the MAPAS medical school review, that will go nowhere, would have mattered.  Saying stuff and delivering on it should matter and this Government's weakness has been talking up big games all over town and not quite getting them across the line.  In reality though, it won't matter because in the grand scheme of things these issues are not a play for the majority of voters this time around.  This time around it's merely about the hole the Government has been digging us out of.  Did they do enough? Is the Labour damage repaired enough for you to believe that the current collective should be allowed to carry on?  That is the beginning, middle, and end of it.  Whether we have a BSA will not shift one vote, not even mine, and I'm one of the more exercised on the issue.  The same way they changed the law on earthquake prone buildings, the removal of the BSA won't change the world. But the world will make more sense without it.  It was irrelevant, wasteful and didn’t change a thing. No one was better because of it and all it did was eat up hours and dollars of broadcasters' time, filing reports from bored agitators who wanted to cause trouble.  If Goldsmith had been more efficient and actually done it properly, it would have been a nice, term one parting gift.  As it stands, it's at least something to look forward to next year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Police Spokesperson's batting away questions over why their Labour attack ad uses crime footage from the Government's own term.   The video's claims Labour was soft on crime is juxtaposed with clips of offending committed early during the coalition Government.   Labour says it's dishonest and desperate.   But Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking they have a great digital team who put a lot of campaign material together.   He says one of the most important issues for people during the 2023 campaign was law and order, which after their term in Government, is now ranked at number seven or eight.  Labour's Ginny Andersen says it shows they're not credible on the subject.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Chardonnay has earned its place at the world's fine wine table in a blind taste test.  Wines from Pyramid Valley and Smith & Sheth were tasted alongside top French Burgundies, with Smith & Sheth's Les Graviers coming out on top.  It beat out 23 other bottles, with some costing over $2000.  Master of Wine Steve Smith told Mike Hosking they wanted to test themselves against the best, and it went well.  He says they're not really trying to be Burgundy, but in a world where those wines are becoming very expensive and hard to find, he thinks they deserve a place at the same table.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 23rd of September, the Finance Minister responds to the independent review of the Reserve Bank's monetary policy during the Covid pandemic.  It's not just our Sauvignon Blanc; we've got a good news story about our Chardonnay going up against the best in France and winning.  Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell discuss the last week in the House, Labour u-turn on interest deductibility, and the National crime video 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.

2degrees has posted another year of growth, with revenue up 5.5% to $1.46 billion.  Profit before tax was $27.4 million, marking a $50 million turnaround, with growth across its consumer, business, and wholesale operations.   Chief Business Officer Andrew Fairgray told Mike Hosking the continued growth shows they have momentum to continue building on.  As the country deals with tight economic conditions and the cost of living, he says their ethos is to be the best value player in the market.  Fairgray says they're continually focusing on trying to deliver the best value and making sure they're efficient in how they do that so they can support New Zealand Inc and keep growing.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister believes the report on the Reserve Bank's performance during Covid affirms decisions made by the current Government.  An external review of Bank's Covid monetary policy during the pandemic finds it was right to cut the OCR early but was slow to react when the economy bounced back sooner than expected.  Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking the results show the importance of the guardrails they implemented – having a single inflation-busting mandate and the change to voting to create more accountability.  She believes the report matters as it also shows the Reserve Bank can keep getting better as long as it has an attitude of ongoing improvement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's unveiled plans for a new National Events Strategy.  It follows an independent review that found New Zealand's a strong events host, but lacks a coordinated, long-term approach.  The industry's backing the move, saying international competition for major events is getting tougher.  Business Events Industry Aotearoa CEO Lisa Hopkins told Mike Hosking we've missed out on a lot of opportunities because we haven't been as joined up as we should be.  She says this plan will put us on much better footing against competitors who are already connecting sectors and successfully leveraging major events and business events together.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Health Minister's claiming a win following improvements in elective treatment wait times.  April to June data shows patients waiting fewer than four months for treatment increased about nine points to around 73%, compared to last year.  MidCentral and Wairarapa have met the 2030 target of 95% this quarter.   Simeon Brown told Mike Hosking there are more than 14,000 fewer people waiting over four months, since the peak of early 2025.   He says they've used all available public and private system capacity to achieve this 41% reduction after waitlists ballooned under the previous Government.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For all the opprobrium heaped on the National Party for their supermarket call, the old National was out yesterday finalising the India free trade deal.  Of all the things this Government has done in its first term, the FTA with India may well be the most important.  It will last forever, it will grow, and it will become an increasingly important part of our economic story.  It's been made more important because for years it couldn't be done, apparently.  It got knocked back so often that Governments kind of gave up. It became a bit too hard.  Maybe they got stuck on dairy. But when you're stuck the trick is to look around the issues, not get bogged down by them.  The downside of course is some couldn’t see the upside because of the racism i.e. they didn’t vote for it. But plenty did, which means New Zealand broadly is still middle of the road and interested in tapping into those markets globally that show the most promise.  India represents the latest example of what this country does: we make stuff, and sell it to the world, and we are not quantity, we are quality. The growing middle class is all about quality.  It's why our wine sales are still growing and Australia's aren't.    But for those who think India is a mistake, who is it you would rather trade with?  China is contentious, but we've got past that for over two decades and it's done nothing but provide work and income for so many of us.  We don’t, and won't, get a deal with the Americans. They're not free traders.  So population wise, who's left? Russia? They don’t have an economy.  Yes, there's the EU. But it’s a half billion person collective with all the baggage that goes with it. We have a deal, but I bet you anything you want, our EU deal won't grow like the India deal will.  India is the standout growth story for the next decade and beyond. For us not to be part of that would have been a crime.  To sign what we have is a down payment on a better future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reacherverse has expanded.  Neagley, a spinoff of the Reacher TV series, is cantered around the character of Frances Neagley, whose popularity in season one saw her written into the following seasons as well.   It has a darker tone than the original show, and stars Maria Sten and Greyston Holt as Neagley and Detective Hudson Riley.  The first season was released after the Reacher season four finale, and Sten says in a lot of ways, the show is everything she thought it would be.  "You never know how these things are going to unfold and whether it works, but I do feel that for a first season of a spin-off, I couldn't have asked for better," she told Mike Hosking.  "I'm really proud of the show."  Her co-star Grayston is also thrilled with how the show turned out, telling Hosking he was incredibly proud of everyone involved.  "I think it's such a dynamic show. I think people are going to fall in love with our characters, and it's just fantastic, fantastic television."  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is adult ADHD being over-diagnosed?  A new survey of British doctors shows 7 in ten of the 829 GPs survey believed the disorder is over-diagnosed.  They estimate more than 80% of patients they refer for assessment end up with a diagnosis.  But a registered GP believes it's not the same in New Zealand.  Dr John Cameron told Mike Hosking that based on overseas statistics and criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, New Zealand is probably well under-diagnosing ADHD.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 22nd of September, new data shows just how many billions were spent on the now-scrapped Fees Free scheme.  Property investors respond to the massive call from Labour: they won't be changing landlord interest deductibility.  Maria Sten and Greyston Holt are the stars of the new Reacher spinoff 'Neagley', which is currently the number one trending show globally, so we had them on for a chat. 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's a belief we're underestimating how high interest rates will go.  ANZ has revised its forecast for the next six months, now predicting three hikes to the Official Cash Rate, bringing rates from 2.75% to 3.5%.  Independent Economics Commentator Tony Alexander told Mike Hosking they'll likely climb even higher, sitting somewhere between 4% and 4.5%.   He says the Reserve Bank predicts that the economic growth rate will accelerate, the unemployment rate will fall, and as a result, inflation will eventually fall from 4.1% to around 2%, which doesn't really add up.  Alexander says everyone, including people like him, always underestimate how high interest rates will go during the tightening phase of a monetary policy cycle.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's u-turn on interest deductibility is being seen as a huge relief for both landlords and renters.  The party's confirmed they won't make changes to current rules, which were changed by the Coalition to allow 100% of interest to be claimed on landlords' tax bills.    Hipkins said yesterday it doesn't need changing back because under Labour, landlords would pay a Capital Gains Tax.  NZ Property Investors Federation's Matt Ball told Mike Hosking the announcement came out of left field, but it is good news.  He says reducing the deductible would be a straight hit to the bottom line, and the consequences are passed straight through to the tenant.   Ball says every renter should breathe a sigh of relief – they're now more secure in their home, rents won't skyrocket, and landlords can now get on and invest in and improve their property.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's earned a silver medal for commercial real estate market transparency in the Asia Pacific, coming behind only Australia.  We also ranked seventh out of 88 countries overall in the 14th JLL Global Index. JLL New Zealand Managing Director Todd Lauchlan says we're doing well for our size. He told Mike Hosking it comes down to information, our legal systems in place, and deal efficiencies. Lauchlan says it ultimately means you can buy and sell with confidence and reduces the risk of going into a market that's less transparent. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tertiary Minister says the Fees Free scheme allowed students to take advantage.  A briefing to Penny Simmonds shows the first-year subsidy covered more than two billion dollars in fees for more than 300,000 students from 2018 to 2025.  But Simmonds told Mike Hosking it didn't meaningfully lift participation or provide a good enough return, and encouraged some bad behaviours.    She says she saw kids opt not to enrol in their carpentry course and instead spend a year on the booze at university on Labour.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors 2026 season is over - after a 12-10 semi final loss to the Newcastle Knights at Eden Park.  Coach Andrew Webster's admits he's frustrated that his side couldn't turn regular season momentum into play-off glory. He's also raised flags about many of the contentious referee decisions - including a loose carry from Greg Marzhew that was eventually called a penalty on Te Maire Martin for a strip.  Former Kiwis Captain Richie Barnett told Mike Hosking there's no doubt the big calls went against the Warriors.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Saville and Jason Pine joined Mike Hosking to review all the big sporting events of the weekend, including the Warriors semi-final loss to the Newcastle Knights, the Breakers opening win of the ANBL season and NZ Rugby's financial issues.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday 21 September. 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.

Oh the irony. In the same week we got all that hot air about supermarkets and co-operative bust-ups, we got the food price index out of the stats department. And as much as you may like to deny it, argue about it, or ignore it, these are statistics. They are not reckons, or supermarket isle chatter, or lazy street-side vox pops for the TV. Food went up 1.9% annually, which if you remember the previous annualised number being 1.9%, means it's flat. Month on month it's flat and annually it's up 1.9%. In other words it's not an issue and certainly not the issue the complainers and activists and politicians make it out to be. There is a very clear differentiation between what we would like to pay, or what we perceive to be acceptable, and what is really going on. Fruit and vegetables went down. They went backwards, as in they are cheaper. The biggest increase which added to the overall figure was restaurant and takeaway meals, an easily avoided cost if cost is your main food gripe. At the pricey end was meat, poultry and fish, which went up a bit over 3%. By the way rent, as in houses, was flat for the year. In other words there's no cost of living issue there. Yes it's a separate category, but nevertheless it's another reminder that not everything is up and up a lot and therefore worth getting angsty about. If you really want to get wound up, guess what power prices did? They went down. The point of all this is reality is not always what you think it is, or would like it to be. The food story has become a soap opera and that’s why we got the nonsense from the politicians last week, captured by the consultants who poll people and say thing like "do you think food is too expensive?". Of course the answer is yes. "Are you paying too much?" Answer - yes. The next step is meeting over the campaign. Then the next step is we're breaking up supermarkets and we're banning price gouging, even though it's not real and most likely won't happen. More importantly it won't actually solve anything because the facts show there was nothing to solve. What drove it was mood, driven by perception, and you can rarely fix perception. Especially if you don’t want it fixed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States is warning that hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthis could “escalate rapidly” after a dramatic missile strike.  US President Donald Trump cut short a weekend at Camp David to return y to the White House over the weekend.  The White House gave no explanation for the early return, but US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking there's fears the US might get involved in the conflict.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon insists National's controversial grocery policy is in line with the party's principles. National has joined New Zealand First, in campaigning for a break-up of the two Foodstuffs co-ops - something almost 500 owner-operators have criticised in an open letter this morning. Labour wants to separate the supermarket chains from their wholesale arms, while the Greens want to establish a state-owned grocery chain.  Luxon told Mike Hosking National is the party of enterprise, but it's also the party of competition. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.